Honor and Dishonor

Among the people. Men seek honor and work very hard to avoid dishonor. This is useless work. What is honor? Is it the words a man may speak? Is it the deeds a man may show to others? These things are not honor! Honor and dishonor are silent, invisible, and arise from the heart. Honor is honesty within, a wordless honesty. Dishonor is an action or word that does not arise from the heart. The Wise Elder does not seek honor and does not fear dishonor. If untrue, these labels are nothing more than chatter. If true, the Wise Elder understands that he has been deceiving himself. Deceiving oneself is the greatest of dishonors Because it always leads to deceiving others. It is a path of destruction. Acting and speaking truthfully from the heart always brings honor, Regardless of disagreement or chatter. The Way of Power cannot be accomplished without silent honor. The Spiritual Path is free of both honor and dishonor. The Wise Chief disregards both. The Wise Elder recognizes neither.

(Excerpted from Quiet Heart by Sleeping Crow, a collection of Native spiritual teachings based upon life with a small, Pacific Northwest Native American nation.)