Mitakuye Oyasin is a simple, but profound Lakota prayer which means “All My Relations” or “We are all related”. It leaves no one and nothing out. It is a very humble prayer for all peoples, all animals, all plants, the stars –– everything. It is spoken during prayer and ceremony.

To Westerners, “relative” means a blood relation. We have not been taught that other beings are our relatives. Adopting  this profound perspective changes our outlook on life forever. What a different world it creates! The reality is that our very existence depends on lowly bees which pollinate 30% of our food supply, earthworms, and bacteria!

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When Chief Oren Lyons, faithkeeper of the Onondaga Nation of the Haudenosaunee Conferderacy, spoke at the United Nations in 1977, he spoke as the representative of the world's indigenous peoples -- their rights and needs. Yet, with the understanding of our dependence on the Circle of Life, he said other species need representation as well.

Chief Lyons reminded the U.N. delegates​:
 

"I do not see a delegation for the Four Footed. I see no seat for the Eagles. We forget and we consider ourselves superior. But we are after all a mere part of Creation. And we must consider to understand where we are. And we stand somewhere between the mountain and the Ant. Somewhere and only there as part and parcel of the creation".

 

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