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I had a vision with which I might have saved my people, but I had not the strength to do it.

Black Elk

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Black Elk
Age: 86 †
Born: 1863
Born: December 1
Died: 1950
Died: August 19
Heyoka
Medicine Man
Tribal Chief
Vision
Might
People
Saved
Strength

More quotes by Black Elk

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After the horse dance was over, it seemed that I was above the ground and did not touch it when I walked.
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It's in the darkness of men's eyes that they get lost.
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It is in the darkness of their eyes that men lose their way.
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I was four years old then, and I think it must have been the next summer that I first heard the voices.
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Everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the power of the world always works in circles, and everything tries to be round. In the old days when we were a strong and happy people, all our power came to us from the sacred hoop of the nation, and so long as the hoop was unbroken the people flourished.
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The power of the world always works in circles.
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Behold this day. It is yours to make.
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The center of the universe is everywhere.
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Now suddenly there was nothing but a world of cloud, and we three were there alone in the middle of a great white plain with snowy hills and mountains staring at us and it was very still but there were whispers.
Black Elk
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I think I have told you, but if I have not, you must have understood, that a man who has a vision is not able to use the power of it until after he has performed the vision on earth for the people to see.
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Like the grasses showing tender faces to each other, thus should we do, for this was the wish of the Grandfathers of the World.
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Let every step you take upon the earth be as a prayer.
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And if the great fear had not come upon me, as it did, and forced me to do my duty, I might have been less good to the people than some man who had never dreamed at all, even with the memory of so great a vision in me.
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Birds make their nest in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours.
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All things are our relatives what we do to everything, we do to ourselves. All is really One.
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The Holy Land is everywhere.
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There can never be peace between nations until there is first known that true peace which is within the souls of men.
Black Elk
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One should pay attention to even the smallest crawling creature for these too may have a valuable lesson to teach us.
Black Elk
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But I think I have done right to save the vision in this way, even though I may die sooner because I did it for I know the meaning of the vision is wise and beautiful and good and you can see that I am only a pitiful old man after all.
Black Elk
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So I took the bright red stick and at the center of the nation's hoop I thrust it in the earth.
Black Elk