Jamie Sams/Sacred Path Cards
Painted Face/Self-expression
The Teaching:
Many movies have been produced in years past showing Native Americans fighting copwboys. In these battle scenes, the Warriors of the Red Nation have faces painted by Hollywood makeup artists. A Warrior would never paint his face in a rediculous manner when going to battle as portrayed in these early movies. These artful, yet incorrect, face paints never portrayed the two real forms of Indian self-expression. War-paint and Ceremonial Paint were two different types of personal Medicine. Since Native American Tradition places a great deal of emphasis on the development of uniqueness and personal talents, it was of paramount importance that each person be allowed the right of personal expression. One way this was achieved was through the Painted Face.
The Painted Face of the warpath was intended to frighten the enemy and to add to the expression of that Warrior's bravery. The Painted Face of feasts or Ceremony was to show the beauty of the individual spirit to all others of the Tribe. The extended family represented by a Tribe was a safe place to reveal the way in which each individual Walked in Beauty. There was no need to use the Painted Face as a mask in ceremonial situations for no enemies were present. Masks were used in many dances or rituals when it was necessary to portray someone other than one's Self. The Painted Face was never used to cover one's identity but rather to express it in a more personal manner.
Warpaint was used ona Brave and his Pony to show them as being a team. This is one reason why the Pinto and Appaloosa, used by Plains Tribes were often called "Paints." The warpaint representing the Medicine that protected the Brave was also the Medicine that protected his Horse. sometimes the way to express personal Battle Medicine came through a Medicine Dream. the more frightening the War Paint, the easier it was to create fear in the enemy. Using the element of surprise when jumping an enemy, a Warrior would howl a war cry displaying his contorted Painted Face. This show of courage could instill fear and temporary paralysis in the opponent, an advantage in battle.
After Horse was brought to Turtle Island, the Red Man and his Pony became inseparable. This hard-working team would hunt Buffalo so that the People's needs would be met. Horse took over the job that had formerly been reserved for Dog by carrying the goods of the Tribe from camp to camp. Horse became the extension of a Warrior's spirit and his new best friend. When these two friends were together on the warpath, each Brave painted his body and that of his Pony with the colors found in the Earth.
The clays taht were used for paint carried the names of the areas where they had been found so others could find them by returning to those locations. These clays were then baked on the side of cooking fires, then pulverized into a powder and stored until needed. Whether the paints were used for a ceremony, a feast, or for going to war, the preparation was the same. Bear grease or Buffalo tallow was mixed with the colored powders to a certain thickness then applied to the body. These colors of the Earth are not as pright as paints used today because they are totally natural. Sometimes the flowering parts of herbs and natural grasses could be added to intensify the brightness of the clay but on the whole the colors were, generally Earth tones.
The Traditional colors of red, black, white, and yellow, which represent the colors of the Four Directions and their Medicines, were the basic palette. The use of blue and green was not as common because it was more difficult to find clays of these colors in certain regions. Blue represents Father Sky, and green, Mother Earth.
If a Tribal Member had a special Medicine Vision that marked a change in that person's life path, he or she could be known from that time forward by a new name. If this occurred, it was certain that the new identity would change the Medicine of the person and therefore change the Painted Face. These changes were celebrated by everyone. The discovery of a new talent, the completion of a test of bravery, the move from childhood to adulthood, or a Coup was one of the many blessings of physical life honored by the People. Each person used his or her individual intuition and creativity to create the Painted Face and that, in itself, was an exercise in personal growth that aided the Tribe as a whole.
The designs I am most familiar with are ones passed on to me through my Medicine Teachers. These cover a broad expanse of Traditions but are by no means the only ones used. One universal symbol was the use of yellow lines above the eyes. This denoted a Seer with proven talent to interpret dreams, receive Medicine Visions, or journey with successful results, which aided the Tribe.
A face painted totally black denotes morning the loss of a loved one. Blackened eye sockets tells the observer that this Painted Face acknowledges the West, is a fair judge, sees the truth, is strong like Bear, and would be a good adviser, one not swayed by the opinions of others. A red line down the nose can mean two things. The first meaning is that the person trusts the path they follow. The nose leads us in every direction we turn. Therefore the nose, when painted red, is also the sign of a leader, because that leader has the trust and faith of the People.
In other cases, red is used as a line down the middle of the forehead and again at the chin; this signifies the wearer is a protector of women and children. When yellow is used in any design, the color means that the wearer is connected to East and Eagle and has served the People through sharing new ideas and inspiration. Yellow paint also means that the wearer honors the lives of all things that Grandfather Sun shines upon. White in any design means that the wisdom has come to the life of that person through a major event and altered that person's perception. Blue and white can mean that the Painted Face had a sign from the heavens regarding some wisdom sought. Green and/or brown designs can mean the connection to the Earth Mother that has produced a newfound talent or ability.
A lightning bolt means the wearer is connected to the Thunder-beings and that usable energy is part of his or her Medicine. If the Fire Stick is painted in white, the person has been struck by lightning and is now designated as a Medicine Person of the Tribe. If the lightning bolt is blue, it means the spirits of Thunder and Lightning have spoken to the person in visions or dreams. A red lightning bolt can denote a Rain Medicine Person who can call the Rain-beings to quench the thirst of Mother Earth.
White horizontal lines under the eyes can speak of the wisdom of seeing the truth and being grateful for the power of observation. Seven white circles, fully colored, with one in the center of the forehead and three on each cheek traveling down to the jaw is a Chocktaw symbol of a Moon Medicine Person. A Moon Medicine Person can read omens and signs in the night sky and makes these portents known.
Every symbol of a person's Medicine will be painted in the color of the direction that brought the realization of that gift. For instance, East is yellow, South is red, West is black, North is white, Above is blue, Below is green or brown, and Within is usually green. In the Sioux tradition, Black Elk saw red in the East and yellow in the South as did Lame Dear, but most other Traditions see those colors as reversed. The Navajo have a totally different wheel with colors, which applies to their Creation Story.
If a healer has Snake Medicine, we could see a wavy line painted on their face in the color of the direction they were walking when Snake came to them. Any symbol that is painted in red can represent a family gift or Tradition that has been passed down through that bloodline. A red wavy line could denote a child of a Snake Medicine Person and that Snake protects his or her life path through the Medicine of their Ancestors.
Every person carries a legacy of needed talents that will support the growth and expansion of a Tribe. When the Painted Face is shown to the Tribe's extended family during feasting or ceremony, those gifts are noted by the Elders and can be called on in times of need. The Painted Face had no room for boasting because if one clalimed a talent, it was communal property in a sense and could be used to benefit the whole. To "lose face" was to be shamed by claiming talents one did not have. When the needed talent was called on by a Tribal Council and could not be produced by the false claimant, the other claimed gifts would be in question. The Painted Face of the deceiver would be wiped clean and no one would ever believe the person again.
Remember the gifts exposed by the Painted Face were talents that each person brought to the whole Tribe as a Give-Away. It is Good Medicine when we assist others by sharing our abilities. As others prosper along with us, we gain a sense of self-worth that is not ego-based.
The Application:
The Painted Face speaks of self-expression. It tells you to use your creativity in order to express your feelings, your talents, your desires. Expressing who and what you are at any given moment is healing as well as productive. As you change and grow you may feel the need to alter the way in which others perceive you. Changing your appearance, attitudes, and activities to match the new you may be called for at this time.
The keynote is that this card asks you to open up and allow others to see your Medicine. In that way, you are offering a gift to others who may have need of your talents. Don't deny how you feel, what you think, or what you can offer the world. In truth and with grace it is now time to allow the Medicine of the Self to emerge. You will never lose face by presenting the true Self minus the self-importance.
Painted Face/Self-expression
The Teaching:
Many movies have been produced in years past showing Native Americans fighting copwboys. In these battle scenes, the Warriors of the Red Nation have faces painted by Hollywood makeup artists. A Warrior would never paint his face in a rediculous manner when going to battle as portrayed in these early movies. These artful, yet incorrect, face paints never portrayed the two real forms of Indian self-expression. War-paint and Ceremonial Paint were two different types of personal Medicine. Since Native American Tradition places a great deal of emphasis on the development of uniqueness and personal talents, it was of paramount importance that each person be allowed the right of personal expression. One way this was achieved was through the Painted Face.
The Painted Face of the warpath was intended to frighten the enemy and to add to the expression of that Warrior's bravery. The Painted Face of feasts or Ceremony was to show the beauty of the individual spirit to all others of the Tribe. The extended family represented by a Tribe was a safe place to reveal the way in which each individual Walked in Beauty. There was no need to use the Painted Face as a mask in ceremonial situations for no enemies were present. Masks were used in many dances or rituals when it was necessary to portray someone other than one's Self. The Painted Face was never used to cover one's identity but rather to express it in a more personal manner.
Warpaint was used ona Brave and his Pony to show them as being a team. This is one reason why the Pinto and Appaloosa, used by Plains Tribes were often called "Paints." The warpaint representing the Medicine that protected the Brave was also the Medicine that protected his Horse. sometimes the way to express personal Battle Medicine came through a Medicine Dream. the more frightening the War Paint, the easier it was to create fear in the enemy. Using the element of surprise when jumping an enemy, a Warrior would howl a war cry displaying his contorted Painted Face. This show of courage could instill fear and temporary paralysis in the opponent, an advantage in battle.
After Horse was brought to Turtle Island, the Red Man and his Pony became inseparable. This hard-working team would hunt Buffalo so that the People's needs would be met. Horse took over the job that had formerly been reserved for Dog by carrying the goods of the Tribe from camp to camp. Horse became the extension of a Warrior's spirit and his new best friend. When these two friends were together on the warpath, each Brave painted his body and that of his Pony with the colors found in the Earth.
The clays taht were used for paint carried the names of the areas where they had been found so others could find them by returning to those locations. These clays were then baked on the side of cooking fires, then pulverized into a powder and stored until needed. Whether the paints were used for a ceremony, a feast, or for going to war, the preparation was the same. Bear grease or Buffalo tallow was mixed with the colored powders to a certain thickness then applied to the body. These colors of the Earth are not as pright as paints used today because they are totally natural. Sometimes the flowering parts of herbs and natural grasses could be added to intensify the brightness of the clay but on the whole the colors were, generally Earth tones.
The Traditional colors of red, black, white, and yellow, which represent the colors of the Four Directions and their Medicines, were the basic palette. The use of blue and green was not as common because it was more difficult to find clays of these colors in certain regions. Blue represents Father Sky, and green, Mother Earth.
If a Tribal Member had a special Medicine Vision that marked a change in that person's life path, he or she could be known from that time forward by a new name. If this occurred, it was certain that the new identity would change the Medicine of the person and therefore change the Painted Face. These changes were celebrated by everyone. The discovery of a new talent, the completion of a test of bravery, the move from childhood to adulthood, or a Coup was one of the many blessings of physical life honored by the People. Each person used his or her individual intuition and creativity to create the Painted Face and that, in itself, was an exercise in personal growth that aided the Tribe as a whole.
The designs I am most familiar with are ones passed on to me through my Medicine Teachers. These cover a broad expanse of Traditions but are by no means the only ones used. One universal symbol was the use of yellow lines above the eyes. This denoted a Seer with proven talent to interpret dreams, receive Medicine Visions, or journey with successful results, which aided the Tribe.
A face painted totally black denotes morning the loss of a loved one. Blackened eye sockets tells the observer that this Painted Face acknowledges the West, is a fair judge, sees the truth, is strong like Bear, and would be a good adviser, one not swayed by the opinions of others. A red line down the nose can mean two things. The first meaning is that the person trusts the path they follow. The nose leads us in every direction we turn. Therefore the nose, when painted red, is also the sign of a leader, because that leader has the trust and faith of the People.
In other cases, red is used as a line down the middle of the forehead and again at the chin; this signifies the wearer is a protector of women and children. When yellow is used in any design, the color means that the wearer is connected to East and Eagle and has served the People through sharing new ideas and inspiration. Yellow paint also means that the wearer honors the lives of all things that Grandfather Sun shines upon. White in any design means that the wisdom has come to the life of that person through a major event and altered that person's perception. Blue and white can mean that the Painted Face had a sign from the heavens regarding some wisdom sought. Green and/or brown designs can mean the connection to the Earth Mother that has produced a newfound talent or ability.
A lightning bolt means the wearer is connected to the Thunder-beings and that usable energy is part of his or her Medicine. If the Fire Stick is painted in white, the person has been struck by lightning and is now designated as a Medicine Person of the Tribe. If the lightning bolt is blue, it means the spirits of Thunder and Lightning have spoken to the person in visions or dreams. A red lightning bolt can denote a Rain Medicine Person who can call the Rain-beings to quench the thirst of Mother Earth.
White horizontal lines under the eyes can speak of the wisdom of seeing the truth and being grateful for the power of observation. Seven white circles, fully colored, with one in the center of the forehead and three on each cheek traveling down to the jaw is a Chocktaw symbol of a Moon Medicine Person. A Moon Medicine Person can read omens and signs in the night sky and makes these portents known.
Every symbol of a person's Medicine will be painted in the color of the direction that brought the realization of that gift. For instance, East is yellow, South is red, West is black, North is white, Above is blue, Below is green or brown, and Within is usually green. In the Sioux tradition, Black Elk saw red in the East and yellow in the South as did Lame Dear, but most other Traditions see those colors as reversed. The Navajo have a totally different wheel with colors, which applies to their Creation Story.
If a healer has Snake Medicine, we could see a wavy line painted on their face in the color of the direction they were walking when Snake came to them. Any symbol that is painted in red can represent a family gift or Tradition that has been passed down through that bloodline. A red wavy line could denote a child of a Snake Medicine Person and that Snake protects his or her life path through the Medicine of their Ancestors.
Every person carries a legacy of needed talents that will support the growth and expansion of a Tribe. When the Painted Face is shown to the Tribe's extended family during feasting or ceremony, those gifts are noted by the Elders and can be called on in times of need. The Painted Face had no room for boasting because if one clalimed a talent, it was communal property in a sense and could be used to benefit the whole. To "lose face" was to be shamed by claiming talents one did not have. When the needed talent was called on by a Tribal Council and could not be produced by the false claimant, the other claimed gifts would be in question. The Painted Face of the deceiver would be wiped clean and no one would ever believe the person again.
Remember the gifts exposed by the Painted Face were talents that each person brought to the whole Tribe as a Give-Away. It is Good Medicine when we assist others by sharing our abilities. As others prosper along with us, we gain a sense of self-worth that is not ego-based.
The Application:
The Painted Face speaks of self-expression. It tells you to use your creativity in order to express your feelings, your talents, your desires. Expressing who and what you are at any given moment is healing as well as productive. As you change and grow you may feel the need to alter the way in which others perceive you. Changing your appearance, attitudes, and activities to match the new you may be called for at this time.
The keynote is that this card asks you to open up and allow others to see your Medicine. In that way, you are offering a gift to others who may have need of your talents. Don't deny how you feel, what you think, or what you can offer the world. In truth and with grace it is now time to allow the Medicine of the Self to emerge. You will never lose face by presenting the true Self minus the self-importance.
