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Aloha e everyone and welcome to April 10,
2005 of Kaleo O Nani Newsletter!
Celebrate Life!
excerpt from Trial By Fire a True Story of
Hope
"One inevitable part of living
is the experience of pain. Misery however is a choice!
No one can
make us miserable without our permission. For me,
"losing face" is a very serious offense against the
self. It is my firm belief that when we compromise
our value systems, we lose a part of ourselves. We
slowly chip away at the core of who we are individually and as
a society. In today's world, we tend to follow rules
based on principles we believe in. Yet, we often
compromise these same rules when we cannot have our own
way". Nani Aki Linder
One man walked in truth
for 84 years celebrating life. His face is visibly
marred from years of travel to serve the faithful.
Sweat, blood, tears, assassination attempt, this man
lead a billion Roman Catholics with diplomatic
simplicity. A simple man, who was a shinning beacon
of hope for a world community. He
spent enormous energy "holding within"
his personal physical
suffering. An example most Asians recognized.
He taught us to live by example as he walked the
talk. He did not waiver. He did not bow to the
temptation of compromising rules. He fought for life
born and unborn. In death he showed us
how to leave with grace and dignity. One man,
one voice has shown the world that love matters,
life matters and to be not afraid. Iam certain that
Jesus met him with the words, "well done, thou good and
faithful servant, come sit with me now and rest!"
Believing in the Human Spirit Of Hope,
Nanipuaaalaomaililaulii Aki Linder - Alala Ke'o
ke'o White Raven
###
Did you
know?
Not one cell in your body is an accident. Each cell
contributes to the whole. Everything on earth has a
purpose... including you! When you are authentically living
your purpose you receive the support of nature. Heart cells
don't try to be lung cells, each regenerates according to its
purpose. We are to feed the whole body, mind and spirit
created by a higher power than us.
MASTERING THE ART OF LIVING DIVERSITY
SERIES
I would invite you to read
this article when you have a moment to think and
reflect. It is a serious topic with a call to action at
the end. I hope you will honor us with your comments as
you see the needs of the children.
Summon The Warriors
By Nani Aki
Linder
Malamalamama ika mana'o na keiki
o ka aina(enlightened
knowledge from children of the land)was expressed and enjoyed by all last month at the
Kamehameha Schools Song
Contest. This is a school in our Hawaiian Islands for koko
(blood) Hawaiian
Children a legacy of Princess
Pauahi Bishop. Paid for by crown monies.
It warmed my heart to watch our
Hawaiian children compete
in mele, chants and show
reverence for the aina
and Na Kupuna of Hawaii
(elders). I watched for
hours completely captured by the ambiance of song and language
by Kanaka Keiki's. At first I thought, I want to go home
to Hawaii, to my aina and never return.
Later I said to my husband Ron,
this is what I envision
for our Indian Children.
There isn't any reason they
cannot have it. Yet Powers that be must awaken
and hear the cries of the people! Parents must insist that those we entrust our
children daily to, take positive action to weed out those
who would harm our children by thought, words and deeds.
The cries of our Native Children grow louder.
HELLO! IS ANYBODY LISTENING?
Warrior Woman of American
Indians and all Warrior Women I address you with ka ha'a ha'a (humility) as a
Hawaiian Woman Warrior and as
White Raven, adopted daughter of Maggie John Tlingit Medicine woman. Tlingit Warrior Woman.
There are those who will ask me to mind my own business
and go back to Hawaii. Others may say, "she is not
Indian why should we listen?" Other's still, reading or
hearing my words may wish to cause physical harm as has
happened before in 1995 when I was attacked and injured
because an ignorant man thought I was an Indian Woman and
should move out of his way. He said only two words as he
struck me not once but twice. "Move Squaw!" Well
my answer is this: My feet are planted firmly on the
side of Indian children and will be as long as I draw
breathe. I was honored and humbled to be ceremonially
adopted by Maggie John respected Tlingit Indian
Medicine Woman and named White Raven. I am Hawaiian
by birth and a human from Creator just like
you. You can trust me. I care. I know many
of you do too.
These are my heartfelt thoughts:
It is time to yank off the
yoke of fear and embrace a vision of HOPE. It
is time to join hands and diligently work to open the eyes of Reservation non Indian educators and all
those who would touch our children's lives in the school
setting. Why?
Because our children and grandchildren are
worthy. ALL
AMERICAN INDIAN CHILDREN have
the right to enjoy equally from the banquet
of life.
That any native child is
beaten, mocked, placed in tiny cubicles or padded rooms,
ridiculed, even dies from "suspicious" means in 2004 &
2005 reeks of ignorance and boarders evil and must be
condemned in the strongest of terms. I have
heard the despair in many of your words and see the
tiredness in your eyes. I appeal to you to continue your quest for
improvement for the children
you love so much. Help us open doors for Cultural Immersion. Our
people continue to struggle yet our children,
our land, our ancestors, our
sacred honor beacons us to run as the ancient Wolves who honor and guard
their family, ALWAYS!
Any division causes delays. In
delays are many
denials. As a result, our children continue to
suffer. Many of you
know of what I speak.
Christine Rose of STAR
organization and I, Nani Linder have formed an
alliance. We agree that teacher Orientation must
include Cultural immersion. We agree it is incumbent on
Native peoples to educate
educators to the ways of American
Indian people. Educators can learn if we teach
them. Yet nothing
will work if we do not unite and act. I invite you
to voice your needs for
our children. I invite you to take decisive
action. I invite you to consider
carefully these questions:
If not you, whom? If not
now, when?
Over 200 years of Indian bashing
has taken its toll. Doing it their way is not
working. Our children continue to wilt on the
vine. It is not too much to recommend that
teachers who come to teach our Native
children comprehend our culture. I mean really
comprehend! Not the
pre-conceived notions Hollywood has portrayed. Or worse,
stereotyping and mis information brought into classrooms
everyday. We read stories often from all parts of
the U.S., of Indian children being shamed, placed in padded
rooms, beaten, threatened, intimidated, committing suicide,
giving up. Most of you can add to this list. Note
the date is April 2005! For shame!
I summon all American
Indian Warriors, teachers, councilors, concerned woman, yes
and Congress and our
President to become warriors for justice and fairness for
children. Let us rally for the purpose of promoting THRIVING amongst
our Indian children, indeed all children instead
of conforming
to barely surviving as a way of
life.
Many people are ingrained
in thought, in that case I invite you to consider
thinking outside of the
box. Let's begin our work with
the end in mind. Visualize and focus on the
children flourishing. Focus on Tribes having their own schools
and teachers if that is
what it takes. As an alternative, promoting immersion as
part of teacher orientation for all those who would teach
American Indian children or children of color. Its all
doable. But you have to want it bad enough to make it happen. Woman
united do achieve and move mountains. Our Children are worthy of our efforts. They are our
future. Indeed our Native peoples are
worthy.
Lets dialogue, but more
than that lets TAKE ACTION. If it were about money the
problems would have been solved already for we spend billions
a year on education and still our children drop our more than
others. Our suicide rate is amongst the highest in the
nation. I honor each of you. I plead with you to
speak with other Women Warriors and encourage them to
join our quest and attend a Warrior Woman's
Summit. I invite you to
email me and lets mastermind specifics of lighting
a fire of HOPE for the sake of
the children. Nothing works unless we do.
Creator has given us a
vision and strength to be up to the task, but we
cannot do it alone. We invite all of you to
join us. We invite you to tell us what you are
willing to do to help. If you cannot attend a
Summit, we recommend you buy a ticket and sponsor a woman
who wants to attend.
If you are a corporation, we
humbly ask that you sponsor our vision quest to help
all of us save the children. We need your
collective kokua! (help) .
FYI< I am not a
non-profit or a minority women business certified for special
grants or contracts. I thrive competing for Diversity
speaking and training contracts like everyone else. As a
woman of color people expect me to gain from what is termed
"feebies" or being a quota. I thrive or fall serving
others on my own two feet, using my own earned money and pay
taxes.
In the long term, our
vision embraces world peace. How? When
people thrive there is no reason for war, bickering etc.
Visualize with the end in mind. Think its not
possible? The world just buried a man who made a
difference and changed history reaching out one person at a
time to billions with a B. Our intention is to serve the
greater good and not being afraid to do it.
How can you help?
For information or to support an International
Women's Summit.
Promoting Immersion as part of teacher orientation in
schools.
Taking positive action for the sake of our
children.
Nani Aki Linder
University Of Life &
Hope
'We slay dragons of fear by turning and facing
them!"
Point to Ponder: Reflect
and capture the ambiance of the most wonderful day of your
life to date. See it, embrace it , hold it close.
Savor the moment! Delicious moment! Now
share that special time with a friend. Smile you have
just taken an instant vacation. I am smiling as I write,
remembering!
Action Exercise For April
2005:
If
you mastered last months exercise, congratulations. If
not stick with it for this month as well. It would
be breaking an oath of integrity to were I to
push ahead before you mastered March's exercise. It
would be like baking a cake and leaving out some important
ingredients.
###
Spring and Summer
Tips
Continuing with our Tip Sheet series we
add four new tidbits of hope which we invite you
to reflect on, take what you need and discard the
rest.
University Of Life Tip Sheet Series part
5
By
Nanipuaaalaomaililaulii Aki Linder
1. Teach so folks
understand. Learn something new everyday, when you stop
learning you stagnate and wither. Its the truth folks,
best to hear it from someone who cares about you. None
of us is ever as good as we think we are or as bad. So
it is ever so wise to praise and remember those who
helped you up the ladder of success. None of us
reaches success by ourselves.
2. Humility is a
strength. Those who are humble need no fancy
title. They will feel and know your essence without
title or speech.
3. Find the value in
replacing your I can't story with the benefits of I can.
Without this shift in perception proceeding as planned is
bumpy or worse.
4. Build your home,
work place, client base, students and yourself with a
foundation as steel. How? Learn, practice,
practice some more until you are the master of your
niche. Then become the world class master second to
none. Begin with the end in mind; "be the
competition!"
###
Need a
splendid, experienced speaker on Diversity, Cultural
Immersion or Cross Cultural Leadership? When
you want experience and cutting edge knowledge not taught in
any books, better pick up the phone and call Nani Aki Linder
509-467-7714.
And If you wish to learn these
principles and much, much more of University Of Life Cross
Cultural System consider joining the Mastermind 13. I
mentor you personally. Call or email me now. nani@universityoflife.info To
give you the most value and quality time I accept only 13
inner circle mastermind students a year .Tele classes
will be offered within a month as well as
audios.
###
Guest Writer Mary
Butler
is a friend who has
the ability to make me laugh, think deeper and just plain
old enjoy living. She has the ability to see
beyond the surface you and zero in at the core
of "what's ailing ya!" She truly cares and shares
everyday that she breathes. She is so busy helping
others am certain that when God calls her name she will "ask
for another day to finish helping the person she is sharing
and caring with." Pope John Paul The
Great asked the next generation to reach out and help
others. Mary Butler is doing that as she
teaches and walks, by example. I am humbled she calls
me friend and honored to print her words of
wisdom. I would recommend you get a cup of
tea, sit back and enjoy Mary's
words.
"Why
are you unhappy? Because 99% of what you do is for
yourself
and
there isn't one."
~~
Wei Wu
Win/Win. Now a buzz word, a
matter of seminar jargon, but a topic nonetheless dear to my
heart. We are taught the general principle of this as
kids with "The Golden Rule - do unto others as you would have
them do unto you." But the concept is so much
bigger. If life is indeed a game, the goal is
for both parties to maximize "points" -- you know... great
relationships, happy families, the dream job, a world that
works for everyone. It is a deep understanding that we
are all indeed connected and what affects one, affects us
all. If you look deeply into this way of thinking then
much of what we are taught and observe in ourselves and others
must shift. If we truly live from this belief then even
our most casual behaviors must
change.
When was the last time you
smirked because some guy on the freeway who was driving
aggressively was cut off by another driver and forced onto the
shoulder? How about the last time you felt irritation at
the grocery story when a noisy Mom was hollering at
her young child? Do you recall a time when a co-worker
received the promotion that you knew was rightfully
yours and you reacted with resentment, however silent?
The principle of win/win says that we don't win unless they
win. That we create the optimal results for ourselves,
but so must
they!
What if we practiced delighting in the
success, comfort and happiness of others? Win/win/=
Give/Give. The way to rise to the top is to wish
everyone well, to hope with all of your heart that they will
succeed and yes, whenever possible, to help them do so.
If they can realize their dreams then so can you.
Wishing them well and aiding them however you can is living in
an atmosphere of abundance and wealth.
There are other combinations in this
game: win/lose or "I give to you and you take from me" (a
particular favorite of women); lose/win or "I take
from you and you still give to me" and lose/lose or we
take from each other -- the game of "If I can't win,
nobody will!"
I know we all talk about this in the
bigger and more obvious instances. But what about the
small and subtle ones? Back to the lady at the grocery
store, hollering at her young child. She isn't winning
in that moment, so your irritation with her will not move her
towards that winning place. Being irritated and
judgmental, however subtly, doesn't lift her up or help you
out. How about asking her if you can help move the cart
or load that heavy box for her? Maybe at the very
least you can silently bless her and imagine her in a
peaceful, nurturing place or in your mind speak to her
with love and compassion for what looks like a stressful
day?
Finally, what do you give to
others in your life? Do you give them what you think
they want or what they should want? Do you give
them what is comfortable for you or what you know you can
safely offer? Or do you give them their heart's desire
-- what you have heard or know they would really like
because you have listened carefully or even better -- you've
asked. Not those Valentine's & Christmas
presents...I'm talking about the expressions of love they have
said mean the most to them, the support at work they
would like, the listening they have asked for or the
friendship they have told you they dream about. How
generous in your giving can you be? Spend some time on
this and ask yourself "am I giving, or am I taking?" And
look deeply at this question "can I really win when
others in my life are not?" And if you find they
aren't, are you part of the solution for them?
And finally, give. Then give
again, and again. Give. Be of service.
Become even a more thoughtful person than you already
are. Offer assistance. Be nice. Say thank
you. Be generous, then dig even deeper into a new well
of generosity. Praise others, praise
yourself. Give to others and it will only be a
matter of time until your life is filled with all of the
treasures you desire.
"My religion is very simple -- my
religion is
kindness."
~~ The Dalai
Lama
Mary Butler, Co-owner &
Facilitator
Thrive Training,
Inc
thrivaltraining.com
###
The Final
Word
This
has been quite a month. A disabled woman was who was not
dying of anything was allowed to be starved to death.
(As a woman with a physical challenge that
sent shivers down my spine.) A young girl of 9 was
kidnapped by a known sex offender. Held and violated for
a few days. killed and was buried yards from her own
home. The trial for the death of a 5 year old
girl kidnapped and murdered by another sex offender got
underway. Social Security reform topped the President's
agenda. Same old bickering and half truths from Congress
rather than working to fix the problems for the sake of the
country. Gasoline prices skyrocketed not because we
don't have enough crude oil but because we don't have the
refineries to produce gasoline. Lets face it, because we
use too much. The government in Iraq is finally getting
into place. Jane Fonda has written a book and hit the
airwaves igniting the fury of former Viet Nam POW's.
Another Indian child is shamed in school but no media covered
that. Millions of us watched the death with
dignity and burial of Pope John Paul the
Great.
Millions of us ate and millions of us
didn't. Millions have a home and more millions
don't. We have so much, and take it all for
granted. Yet life does move on so on this
day I ask humbly that each of us do our best to
uplift the life of someone else. How? Share and
care as best you can. Visit a sick person.
Volunteer at animal shelters. Give some of your
clothing to those who need. Give some of your blankets
to those who are without. Give some of your food so that
others might eat. Praise your child, spouse or
significant other. Know what? It only takes a
moment to say I love you and bring joy to someones
heart. Mean to's often turn into regrets because
life is so short. So go ahead, stop reading, pick up the
phone and call someone you care about or were mad at and
make their day. Tell them you care.
When you get home (or they get home) show them again with
thought, word and deeds how much they matter.
Be not
afraid to be bold, be brilliant, become! Know that you
are loved.
Contact us about becoming involved in a "Summon The
Warriors International Woman's Summit!" nani@universityoflife.info
A
Hui Hou! (till we meet
again) Pau (the
end)
Nanipuaaalaomaililaulii - White
Raven
We are a certified business by
the NWA, member of IVWCC, AHANA, NAFE, Changing Winds
Speakers
As always take what you need from this newsletter and
discard the rest. a'ole pilikia! I invite
you to forward this newsletter to your friends or
colleagues. They may subscribe at www.universityoflife.info.
It
only takes a moment and this is a FREE
service.
A hui hou dear hearts until next
month May 10, 2005
www.universityoflife.info 509-467-7714 nani@universityoflife.info |
