In a beautiful blend of stunning photographs by Mel Curtis and Bonnie Sharp and passages from a variety of Native Americans, this paperback explores what it means to have a sacred relationship with the natural world. There are three sections: "The Newly Created World" examines the Indian reverence for earth, water, and sky; "The White Man Does Not Understand" takes a hard look at the loss of the Indians' close relationship with the land due to the persecution of tribes by settlers and others; and "The Great Spirit's Book Is the Whole of Creation" contains ceremonial chants and prayers of thanksgiving as signs of a close connection with all of creation.

Here is one of our favorite quotations in this fine resource, a great example of spiritual literacy the Native American way:

"I turn to the Great Spirit's book which is the whole of his creation. You can read a big part of that book if you study nature. You know, if you take all your books, lay them out under the sun, and let the snow and rain and insects work on them for a while, there will be nothing left. But the Great Spirit has provided you and me with an opportunity for study in nature's university, the forests, the rivers, the mountains. and the animals which include us."
— Walking Buffalo