The intent and essential nature of most forms of human spiritual practices are good. And if more humans were more practiced in simply allowing their brothers and sisters to follow their own paths, then none of religious turmoil that pervades your human society could exist. Everyone would be following whatever path he or she felt was right. And not caring what paths others were following.

But you do care what paths others follow, even though it’s none of your business. And that is exactly what’s given rise to all senseless dogma, laws, shoulds and should-nots humans often impose on one another.

We are not saying Native American spirituality is superior to any other form of spirituality. We are saying if you all get back to your spiritual roots, you would find only minor, meaningless differences among your many spiritual paths. And you would not feel need to impose your own beliefs and values on another individual or another people.

Spirituality, as we see it, is simply an awareness you are all more than humans you know yourselves as. And awareness all of creation, whether you consider it animate or inanimate, is more than simply physical. All beings, all that is, are infused with spiritual essence of divine.

Many Native Americans practiced this pure form of spirituality in past, and some still do. Many non-Native Americans practiced it in past, and many still do. It’s obvious, however, many people, Native American or not, have strayed from their spiritual roots.

You can get back to your spiritual roots by simply acknowledging all that exists is divine. When you get back to your roots, you will--in John’s words--have respect for your Mother Earth, respect for animals, respect for one another, respect for sovereignty of each individual.

Copyright © 2004 by Great Western Publishing

Since 1992, John Cali has been communicating with a spirit called Joseph. In one of his many physical lifetimes, this spirit was incarnated as the legendary Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce tribe in what is now Oregon.

Although Padre Pio never left city of San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy, in his last 50 years, he often appeared to those in need far from his physical body--to teach, admonish, comfort, and heal. Numerous testimonies, by telegram, letter, telephone transcript, and personal declaration, document Padre Pio's long-distance appearances in places he never visited--throughout Italy, Austria, Uruguay, and even in Milwaukee, where Padre Pio admitted appearing on June 25, 1950, to attend death of a fellow monk's father. When asked about his ability to appear in two places, Padre Pio replied, 'If Christ multiplied loaves and fishes, why cannot he multiply me?'

And fragrance of violets that often emanated from him also often manifested to those who prayed to him and was noticed by witnesses in those places where he had miraculously appeared. {Isis meditators also are able to smell flowers she loved. The spiritual world can affect sensitive people in all sensory areas, to be sure.}

His miraculous healing powers were demonstrated beyond any doubt - he cured many illnesses deemed incurable and, on more than one occasion, restored sight to blind. His most well-documented, and astonishing, case of healing involved a little blind girl named Gemma Di Giorgi, from Ribera, Sicily, born with no pupils in her eyes." (1)

Psychosomatic desires beyond conscious intent of person will explain many stigmata events in eyes of scientists. Even as they explain it away in that fashion they are offering up other questions about how mind works. These questions are left unanswered to my knowledge. It could be agreed mind directs an ulcerous condition through direction and intent of subconscious. This is a way of treating most of stigmata as hysterics. While it behooves us to agree in most cases, Padre Pio's case exhibits many more things and makes one pause before sweeping it into looney bin of hysteria or psychosomatic illness. There is debate over number of nails used to crucify Jesus and whether it is four or five has some import to other considerations as well as case in question. If it could be shown there were only four then Padre Pio is adopting five on faith and dogma alone.

It is possible he was a part of an ascended master chain of being which Jesus belongs to. It is possible that he was in some manner a re-incarnation of Jesus. Would it be good to know what biophysicists and other science thought if they evaluated him? There was a man who dematerialized in early 20th century before all skeptics of his day. He did it 29 times and told Dr. R.M. Bucke (who writes about it in his book 'Cosmic Consciousness' or shortly thereafter) a noted psychiatrist and a friend of Walt Whitman, that eventually he wouldn't return.

Where does energy go, and do you really believe in a soul? The matter of faith and belief is near to abhorrent to science and I share that outlook. However, I detest even more turning away from facts, just because we don't know all about everything we'd like to!