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Step 1
View the Almighty as a pervasive, spiritual force without form that permeates the entire universe. It may go by names such as Manitou or Wakan-Tanka.
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Step 2
See the sun as a manifestation of the Almighty's power of light and the giving of life. Most tribes personify it as a "he," although others, such as the Cherokee and Inuit, consider it a "she." Most often, the sun served as a representation of the Almighty, much the way that an altar cross or crucifix serves as a representation of God for Christians.
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Step 3
Recognize the earth as a manifestation of the Almighty's power of strength and fertility and its creatures as manifestations of wisdom and power. Many folktales centered around creatures indigenous to the areas where tribes lived, such as the bear, eagle, jaguar or snake.
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Step 4
Regard humans as part of the creation, as dependent upon the Almighty and each other as the plants and animals around them.
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Step 5
Seek knowledge of the Almighty through fasting, prayer and ritual. Some tribal shamans entered trance-like states in which they believed they could cast their souls out to battle evil or heal others. Some Indian tribes sent their youths out alone to find guiding spirits (vision quests), while others achieved altered states of consciousness through hallucinogenics (peyote). Other worship takes the form of feasts or dances, such as the Sun Dance of the Plains peoples.
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Step 6
Share wisdom through tales of heroic men and animals or of trickster creatures such as Coyote and Rabbit. Many Native American tales come with morals, much like Aesop's fables, while others serve as cautionary tales. Still others serve to express ideas about the nature of man and the world around him, and others serve purely to entertain.
