I follow the vision given to me by my Creator: To be in the midst of Native American culture and Mother Earth; To visit the Elders; To bring healing ceremonies to the people; To bring Native American teaching to the public as a teacher. – Rainbow Eagle

Rainbow Eagle is a Native American Elder of Okla-Choctaw heritage. A teacher, author and speaker, he is also a Wisdom Keeper, honored with the responsibility of spreading teachings that are intended to restore and amplify peace, joy, love and oneness on Earth. Rainbow Eagle regularly visits Northeast Ohio to share his knowledge, and he recently appeared at Unity Church of Truth in Massillon, Ohio and also spoke with us.

Rainbow Eagle's role as an Elder is to live his vision. He told us that being an Elder is not about the number of years one has lived; it is about being chosen by others as a teacher or mentor. However, he does not describe this role as being one of leadership because, as he put it, “We are to lead ourselves. Elders are available to give perspective and advice. Every experience can be learned from. Anyone who has a long life has something to teach.” He continued, “Each person is responsible for their own relationship with the Creator. We are to look at life and make our own sense of it.”

Rainbow Eagle became a teacher long before he was recognized as an Elder. He comes from a family of teachers; his mother was a grade-school teacher, and his father was a music teacher. Instructing in the traditional way through one-on-one ceremony, storytelling and song, Rainbow Eagle also teaches through “modern” methods. He holds a Master's degree in Education and spent many years working in the public school system.

Recognizing that today's world is in transition, Rainbow Eagle teaches about one of the strongest forces behind this change – a force he identifies as “Cultural Creatives.” During his Massillon presentation, Rainbow Eagle explained that Cultural Creatives, the fastest growing subculture in the United States, are 50 million strong, comprising 26% of the United States' population. The hallmark of this subculture is its affinity for such issues as ecology, human rights, personal growth and self-discovery. Cultural Creatives cross demographic lines, ranging in age from 24 to 70 years, are of every race and religion and come from every income bracket. Cultural Creatives are quickly replacing Traditionals (known for the traditional “American Way” values), a subculture that included nearly half of Americans during the 1950s. The largest current category, Moderns (with a fast paced, profit-success orientation), makes up 59% of our country's people. However, Rainbow Eagle asserts that our society is in the process of quickly shifting towards broader global awareness and a “natural awareness” that native people knew in the old days.

He described this natural awareness as having a sense that God, or the Creator, is all around us in everything. Native Americans say “all my relations” referring to all earthly things as family. This shift in awareness being brought about by the Cultural Creatives will greatly impact ecological issues, for as Rainbow Eagle puts it, “Mother Earth is struggling for better care. We must respect her.” The earth truly benefits as the numbers of Cultural Creatives grow to tip the scales of political influence.

“Today people are beginning to think more for themselves,” Rainbow Eagle shared with the crowd at Unity Church of Truth. “We are always in the presence of the Creator, and we are already 'home.'” He told us that as a people we are coming to realize that all philosophies have value. “The way of natural awareness is to value all of life and give ourselves fully to the present moment,” said Rainbow Eagle. “Each step is a prayer.”

Rainbow Eagle will be appearing at Unity Spiritual Center on December 19. At 9:00 am, he will present a lecture, "A Native American Look at the Meaning of Christmas." From 1:30 to 4:30 pm, he will lead a workshop, "A Journey to Find the Actual Teachings of Jesus: The Mary Magdalene Story." Unity Spiritual Center is located at 23855 Detroit Road in Westlake. More information is available by calling (440) 835-0400 or visiting www.unityspiritualcenter.com. For more information about Rainbow Eagle, log on to www.rainboweagle.com.

Photo by Bob Perkoski, www.Perkoski.com.