Riddle of America, The - Waldorf Research Institute

The first culture in Oklahoma of widespread significance centeredon trade between the many different peoples in this country and in Mexico.This was a culture of mound builders. The largest site, near Spiro, flourishedfrom 500 to 1500 a.d. As that culture ended, to the east broke the dawn ofthe consciousness soul age, from whence came the first European explorers.In America at that time, a culture had arisen on the Great Plainsamong the peoples whose life and spirituality were closely connected tothe buffalo, who thrived on those wide seas of grass stretching to the westfrom the crosstimbers. The nomadic, symbiotic cultures that lived by thesewandering herds lived also by a spiritual ideal that was an organic part ofthe individuality of this land.Children in these cultures learned that life is a healing journey thatmoves in a great circle (Medicine Wheel). Life begins for each one at a pointon that circle corresponding to one of the four directions. For example, onemay begin in the South, that is, with virtues of innocence and warmth. Thisis symbolized by the astral nature of a mouse and the color green. Thisinitial quality of life is the first gift that one brings to the whole people, butit is one‐sided. So one must travel around the circle to learn the gifts of theWest (introspection, black, bear), North (wisdom, white, buffalo), and East(illumination, yellow, eagle). This journey is the vision quest.The trail is not marked. Each person finds his own way through thelife of nature around him. One discovers his individual medicine mirroredin the circle of life. This is the new gift that he can give away to his people,as the buffalo has taught through his sacrifice. One has, thus, found his placein the great circle of life and can dance with his people in the Sun Dance. Inthe words of T.S. Eliot,We shall not cease from explorationAnd the end of all our exploringWill be to arrive where we startedAnd know the place for the first time.In their connection to the life around them, these people learned thevirtues of courage, self‐sacrifice, and harmony as their highest ideals. Bytheir attunement, we see that the spirit of this land strengthens the heartforces. Out of such forces, they met the approaching white man.A second characteristic of life in Oklahoma is revealed by what happenednext. Forty-eight years after Columbus’ first voyage, Coronado passedthrough central Oklahoma. The Spanish influence, however, remained large-72