When there is a force bigger than life...that's what I call "Spirit"

Reclaiming Our Spirit: A Journey of Love, Loss, and Indigenous Ways of Knowing

When we speak of spirit, we speak of something far greater than ourselves. We speak of the unseen forces that guide us, the ancestors who walk beside us, and the deep love that exists beyond this physical realm. For Indigenous Peoples, spirit is not separate from our existence—it is woven into the fabric of who we are. It is in our ceremonies, our dreams, our relationships, and the land we walk upon. But in a world that has long sought to erase Indigenous ways of knowing, many of us have had to embark on a journey to reclaim that connection, to rediscover what was always within us.

This journey is deeply personal. It often begins with childhood memories—of sitting in church pews with our families, of listening to the words of the Bible, of believing in the teachings that were passed down to us. Colonization has ensured that for many of us, Christianity was the dominant force shaping our early understanding of spirituality. And yet, as we grow, as we listen to our ancestors whisper through the winds and feel the heartbeat of the drum, we begin to understand that our ways—the ways of our people—have always been there, waiting for us to return.

For some, the journey to reclaim our spirit begins with hardship. It begins with loss, with moments of deep grief that break us open, forcing us to question everything we once knew. It is in these moments that spirit makes itself known—not always through grand visions or sacred ceremonies, but sometimes in the quiet, in the stillness of dawn, in the soft embrace of a presence we cannot see but deeply feel.

There comes a moment in our lives when we are called to remember. For some, it is a vision. For others, it is the warmth of a loved one’s spirit wrapping around us in a moment of despair. It is the reminder that we are never truly alone. Our ancestors stand with us. Spirit surrounds us. Love guides us.

The teachings of our people tell us that love is the highest force in the universe. Love is not merely an emotion; it is a way of being, a sacred energy that connects us all. When we live in alignment with our spirit, we live in alignment with love. And yet, colonization has disrupted this knowing. It has attempted to sever our ties to spirit, to convince us that we are unworthy, broken, or lost. But as one elder once said, “The Creator does not make garbage.” We are not meant to walk this earth in shame. We are not meant to forget who we are. We are sacred. We are spirit. We are love.

Healing begins when we reclaim this truth. It begins when we return to our ways, when we honor the ceremonies that have sustained our people for generations. It begins when we listen to the land, when we acknowledge that we are not separate from creation but a vital part of it. It begins when we embrace our own power, our own medicine, our own ability to heal and guide others in their journey back to spirit.

The path is not always easy. Colonization has left deep scars—on our bodies, on our minds, on our spirits. Many of us have walked through the fires of addiction, grief, and trauma. But even in our darkest moments, spirit remains. Even when we feel lost, we are never beyond the reach of love. Our ancestors have fought for us to be here. Our survival is resistance. Our healing is our reclamation.

As we move forward, let us remember: we are not alone. We are part of something much greater than ourselves. We are the continuation of our ancestors’ prayers. We are the living embodiment of love. And as we heal, as we reclaim, as we return to our spirit, we light the path for future generations to do the same.

So today, in the spirit of love and healing, I invite you to remember who you are. To walk in your truth. To embrace your spirit. To share your medicine with the world. Because we are not meant to live in fear—we are meant to live in love.

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