A Change Has Got to Come

by Jay North

Delivered to Jay through Leonard J. Mountain Chief; Blackfeet Elder from Northwest Montana

During my ten year relationship with my beloved adopted father Leonard J. Mountain Chief, Leonard conveyed many important messages with me. He emphasized the importance for vitally needed changes for planet Earth and the people who inhabit her. These messages are of significant importance and certainly more valuable than mere opinion. His visions and views that he asked Jay to share many years ago are vitally important to be shared now, in this time and place before our time here runs out.

Could end times become our reality? Without essential changes we could be doomed as a race of Homospapains

As we often would do, Leonard and I were just hanging out on his ranch one day. The view from Leonard’s place looking up to the Lewis and Clark mountain range is breathtaking, especially during the spring wildflower bloom, and the turning of fall, as it was on this day.

Leonard usually looked serene and happy, but not on this day. “Leonard,” I said, “you look sad today. What’s wrong?”

“My boy, occasionally I become dismayed. My faith gets worn. I must admit it makes me sad.” He began to cry deeply.

“A change has got to come,” Leonard said. My patience is wearing thin. When will people wake up?” he asked.

“People everywhere are hurting one another. They seem to be unconscious and they are lying, cheating, stealing, hoarding, killing and raping each other, the land and the less fortunate peoples everywhere. Why does this continue to go on?” Leonard asked.

“I am no Pollyanna,” he cried, “I know things are hard in the world and it's a rough road. Even young children seem to have little or no respect for the older ones or their own teachers. I know a woman teacher who asked one of her students not to skateboard through the common areas, and out of hate, the student beat her with his skateboard.

"I know this is only one example, but this is what I see as the problem. Not even good manners are applied today. Where does so much anger come from?" he asked. "What makes people want to be so violent? I thought things were changing, but I see they are not.

“Why do people continue to beat one another? Why do needless wars continue?” asked Leonard?

"Once long ago, I was the student of the shaman of our tribe and he taught us to have deep respect for our elders and to follow our roots very closely. What has happened?” he asked. “My prayers have not been answered yet. People have no trust in their hearts, and I cannot see why it is taking so long for them to wake up. I feel like I have failed,” said Leonard.

“What is so hard for me to experience,” Leonard continued, “is that people know!  Deep in their heart of hearts, people know the difference between right and wrong, good and bad, love and evil. But it goes much further into a deep understanding of ethics and morals. It is the cutting edge of kindness, gentleness, and doing good for our neighbor and our fellow man or woman. The cutting edge of goodness—that is the deciding factor in mankind’s survival on planet earth.

“I have seen many great leaders in my life,” said Leonard. "Along my journey, I have come to know great philosophers, statesmen, poets, writers, shamans, religious leaders, and many of your New Age spokespersons and healers. They have all recognized and spoken of love’s power and taught that clean hands make a clean heart. Yet why does stubbornness persist? I see people erring in consistent and huge numbers. I see world hunger; I see the air going so bad it chokes off the oxygen of children at play.”

“Leonard, what is the solution to the problem?” I asked. “What is it you want people to see or do?”

Leonard replied, “Love one another! Your books and teachers have covered these subjects very well. I want to see the lessons sink in. When people are able to operate from a place of heart, love, compassion, sharing, and caring beyond what they think they are capable of, they will prosper more than they ever hoped or thought possible. Just look at the last statement of your Jesus Christ dying on the cross, ‘Forgive them father, for they know not what they do.’ Jesus was trying to get us to love not only our neighbors, but also our enemies. What is so hard for people to understand about this?” Leonard asked.

“How can people do that, Leonard?" I asked.

“By looking deeply and accepting the guidance of the Great Spirit. He will never lead people astray. People know what it means to do onto your neighbor as you would have your neighbor do onto you. People, even unconsciously, know the difference between peace and war, love and hate, friend or foe. No one in a human body on this planet today can say they do not understand these things except out of greed, fear, anger, untruth, mis-guided hate, and just plain stupidity. I have asked you several times in our walks to look, look closely into nature—she holds all of the answers. The love you feel for nature and the nature of man is the love this place needs so very badly. Especially right now.”

“Why now?  Why does this bother you so, Leonard?” I asked. “Can you just let it go the way it is going? A perfect world is not possible.”

“Don’t you believe it,” Leonard said. “If I have taught you anything, my boy, it is to have faith and believe in all possibilities and in the natural goodness in man and woman, and that anything can happen—goodness is abundant,” he said.

"It starts in our imaginations and manifests through our dreams, thoughts, and actions. All life is possible, and all things are possible, with the love of the Great Spirit, the love that is in each of us. That’s how we got to these modern times, by dreaming big dreams, dreams that most thought were insane or not possible. Dreams of great love. Is Shangri-La possible?” Leonard asked.

“Yes, it is,” he replied before I could answer.

“What worries me and saddens me,” Leonard said, “is that I thought things had changed enough for more people to get this than have. A change has got to come, my boy. There is no other way, before we run out of time.”

“Does this have to do with nuclear?” I asked.

“Yes, that, and more,” Leonard replied. “It has to with water, air, with fossil fuel consumption, man-made diseases, greed by big-time world control powers, war, hate, fear, jealously, envy, rage, separation, and just plain stupidity. I was hoping to see major changes before I leave this place,” he said.

Leonard bounded up with sudden joy.

“Jay, here is a test for you. It is nothing new or original, just a test. Let’s see if we can make it work together: you and me, and everyone you know. Go now and find three people who need something, who require assistance in some way. It doesn’t matter what it is, how big or how small, rise up and lend a hand. Give, share, put yourself out, go off your normal path, and do something out of the ordinary for someone you know—or someone you do not know—even better that way,” said Leonard. “Ask them to recognize what you have done and do not ask nor take anything in return. But do ask them to do the same for three others. Go now. Help three and ask them to help three. Can you just imagine?” Leonard asked, and he cried with excitement.

“While you’re at it, write your congress people and senators and ask them to do the same, only on a worldwide basis. Ask them to rid the books of useless out-of-date laws, such as the Ghost Dance being against the law, and to operate from a place of love and ethics. ‘Whose ethics?’ you may be asking. Their own ethics based on good. Good for the most people everywhere. Good for the environment, the planet, animals, plants, the water, and the rocks. They will look and they will know the creation you are intending by looking into their own hearts. If they do not, elect new ones who will,” Leonard said.

“Go now, my boy, save the planet from blowing away. Look at all the things you can do for someone today, every man, every woman, every child. Just start with three and ask them to do the same.

“Here’s one more challenge. Before you go, find a way to create world peace and save the environment and planet Earth from destruction. No, too heavy?” Leonard asked. “Okay, just go and do good works for three.”

“A change is going come,” said Leonard, "when we come from the highest place of the Great Spirit, love, ethics, morals, and deliberate compassion. There is no other way. Let’s see if we can wake some more folks up before we run out of time. Even the Dalai Lama said, ‘This is the place for people to become free.’ Call it, ‘Share to Three.’”

“Love one another." It sounds so simple. But it's like Freedom of Speech in the sense that we want to do it when it is our way—but when it has to do with another's thoughts or words or actions, we start back-pedaling, and fast.

What does it mean to love one another? What is love? Love is unconditional. It has to be—or it is just liking a lot for a time. Unconditional love loves you when you are otherwise unlovable. Can I love you if you believe differently than I do? Can I love you if you hurt me or someone I love? Can you love me when I am wrong? Can we help one another?

Love for one another, as The Great Spirit put it, love whether we like another person or not. We can dislike someone, their actions, or their ideas, but we are still charged to love them. Loving them is being willing to accept that they are just as entitled as we are to think, believe, speak and act and know right from wrong. "This is in their hearts," Leonard said. "Loving them is wishing the best for them, doing for them, even if they do not feel this way about us. Most of all, love is acceptance," and this is what Leonard longed for.

What a world! Acceptance, love for one another, apart from looking, acting, or thinking alike. Apart from what differences we have. No, we never have to like what we believe is wrong, but we will come a long way when we learn to love people despite our differences and go out of our way to show it.

Let’s go out and share this love with three we meet today.

Open Spaces Book Reviews

Jay,
I am in tears of joy. Wow! Not only do you write so beautifully, but about something I can relate to. The Pipe Ceremony! How fitting. The words you've written are so pure and true... I had an eagle experience last summer along the Trinity River. I smoked the sacred pipe and raised my arms to the sky in triangle pose, glancing beyond my fingertips to the heavens, and there was the bald eagle soaring in circles high above. I prayed. A minute later the mergansers quacked there way upriver. Great Spirit was ever so present. I cried tears of deep emotions, and every time I had a breakthrough Spirit showed itself in Nature. I was overwhelmed with joy. I became reawakened and in tune with God, Great Spirit, Creator. This is what my songs are about...the ones I sing and the ones that come through me. Music flows through me. I hear it, especially when I'm in tune. (Lyrics don't come as easily to me, so I often just have tunes, or only part of a song's lyrics.) It is the feeling that is the soul of the song. The music is a gift. Being guided on the path, living the prayer is the ultimate gift. I have strong faith, yet I seek clarity of the path ahead. In these times of turmoil I seek companionship, community, oneness with nature and oneness with Creator. I choose the path of healing, love and service. I have no name for the path, for there are many.  The red path is one I have chosen.

I greatly respect you. I give thanks and praise for being touched by you.

With deep Love and Respect, Mitzi

~~~~~

I never met Leonard J. Mountain Chief, yet his spirit is closely entwined with mine and I call him brother and I call him friend. This book is more than just the story of the close friendship of two men; it carries forth the spirit of Leonard J. Mountain Chief in such a way that the reader finds themselves feeling a kinship, a brotherhood with him as our mutual God, our father binds us together.

This book carries forth the spirit of the Native Americans. As Leonard and Jay have their adventures, we don't just read about them, we experience them. Although he tells this book in the first person and it is indeed a book about the experiences that Jay had with this his foster father, Jay North has done a tremendous job in allowing us to experience for ourselves the man who was and who is, for his spirit lives on, Leonard J. Mountain Chief.

I highly recommend this book, not just for those of us who are Native Americans, but for all people everywhere. I personally have been greatly blessed by it.
Bunny Gail McLeod, VT.

~~~~~

CHA WAKAN Jay,     I'm enjoying reading your book Open Spaces very much! As I am reading about your life's journey; " its apparently becomes Indian time to me!”

I found myself falling into your stories with my whole body. I can scene myself right there, watching and anticipating in silence," what will come next"?

Great Job!!  Aho, Mitakuye Oyasin Catrina Oyasin Santa Barbara, CA

~~~~~

Jay North captures the heart of the Native Montana, the wisdom of the people who nurture and are preserved by the land of their ancestors. Montana speaks to these people in loving instruction spoken in the words of nature. Interpreted through the knowingness of an honored chief, father and profound friend, In Open Spaces: My Life with Leonard Mountain Chief, Jay imparts his experience living on the Blackfeet reservation. Jay had the privilege of walking with the kindness of Leonard and becoming his adopted son; and as fathers do, Leonard initiated Jay into the mindfulness of these Montana Native people. With great generosity, Jay shares with his readers his private communion with his Blackfeet mentor. The delivery of the messages is shared with the tone of Jay's own given name by Leonard Mountain chief, "With Heart Wide Open". As with all oral tradition, the reader learns and softens to the spoken word of the natural spirit through this loving and appreciative heart of Heart Butte, the heart of the author, Jay North.

Susan Del Nagro

~~~~~

Reading Open Spaces was a true joy. Although Jay was telling "his" story, it also became mine as I became a part of the adventures, a part of the journey that he shares with the reader. I felt as if Leonard was my father, teaching me the wisdom of the people. I shared in Jay's joy with laughter and in his sadness with tears. This is one of the best writings I have been blessed to read. Jay writes with humor, candidness and respect. I cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone interested in the native culture or anyone who is open enough to learn the message of this book. Sandra Alevras, Chicago Il.

~~~~~

Jay and I ventured out to Leonard’s on many occasions to fly fish the Lower Two Medicine River together and visit Jay’s beloved friend, father and guide. I grew to know Leonard and acquired an understanding of Jay’s deep respect and reference for this holy man I am truly grateful for the experience and the connection, Thank you Jay, well done on telling these story’s Dave Yates MD. Charlotte NC

~~~~~

Book review by Jim Carey--The Garden Diet (the originator of the raw diet)

Open Spaces: My Life with Leonard J. Mountain Chief,

Blackfeet Elder from Northwest Montana by Jay North (Jay's books are available at www.GoingOrganic.com & www.OneGlobePress.com

Dr. Ann Wigmore taught that all healing is physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. “In the Wigmore program that we teach at the Creative Health Institute and ChiDiet.com, we emphasize the physical aspect of healing. We mention the other aspects but leave the teaching of those to others.”  Well, most of the time we do. After reading this book Open Spaces by Jay I felt compelled to share some spiritually motivated comments.

In January of 1999, I had just retired, sold almost all I owned, and started my personal spiritual journey.  I'd been a scientist and a rationalist all of my life but had found that science couldn't answer the Really Interesting questions.  So I left science and engineering to pursue my search for Truth.

In that pursuit, I've read hundreds of books, listened to dozens of lectures, and surprised myself as I evolved from religionist to theologian to philosopher.

Which brings me to Jay North’s book?
When I was handed this book as a 200-page typed, double-spaced manuscript, I took it home expecting to breeze through it in a couple of hours. Instead, it took me two weeks to digest. I could only read a few pages at a time before I had to stop and think about the message Jay was sharing. Very few books move me that way.

In my spiritual research, I was attracted to American Indian spiritual lore, but until I read this book, I'd found little documentation of the broad overview that this book gives and none so clearly and simply written.
What I found in this book was an excellent summary of my last seven years of philosophical studies. I've reached an outlook on the Nature of the Universe that is virtually identical with that of Leonard J. Mountain Chief, Blackfeet Elder.
I found, much to my surprise, that after all that research and study, I've finally reached the level of Spiritual Consciousness that the Blackfeet Indians achieved centuries ago.

Before reading this book, I also believed that in one's search for Truth, one must trod the path through Plato, Aristotle, Aristophanes, Zarathustra, Krishna, Buddha, Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus, Francis of Assisi, Aquinas, Moore, Szekely, Redfield, Dyer, Hawkins, et. Al., in order to reach the conclusions I've reached.
Instead, Jay gives us the summary in short, clear words, as given by his mentor, Chief Leonard. This is the summary and concise statements that I didn't think existed.

Following are some excerpts from Open Spaces: My Life with Leonard J. Mountain Chief, Blackfeet Elder from Northwest Montana.

"Just as a dieter will regain weight after they come off of the diet and resume their old eating habits, the seeker of real change must be willing to make a real lifestyle change. It is easy to be enthusiastic for a short period of time to achieve a goal, but the true test of commitment will be a change of the heart… a life of service."
"Everything is perfect all of the time, even when you don't think it is."

"… Our true purpose for being here … is Love and the true unfoldment of the Spirit …  there is no higher purpose than to love another … We cannot simply examine this thing; we must experience it in order to fulfill our destiny."

"Spirit always looks after you."

"Now is a time of paramount importance for all people to hear the message of loving each other and our world, the message of being at peace with one another and our world, and the message of finding joy in each other and in our world."

Thank you, Jay North, for sharing your experiences with Chief Leonard with us. How blessed you were to have them! Every Spiritual Seeker should read this book and become enlightened by it. I find in it… Truth. The world needs to read this book.
Jim Carey
Herndon, Georgia
By Jim Carey on July 29, 2006 at 05:21

About the author

Jay’s books are available at of his websites,
http://www.GoingOrganic.com, www.OneGlobePress.com

The proceeding message we consider of vial impotence for out times. Jays book Open Spaces delivers twenty nine stories with Leonard J. Mountain Chief and we encourage you to come and purchase your own PDF copy today. A portion of the proceeds are donated to charities that benefit children around the world. Aho come into sacred ceremony with Jay and Leonard. www.OneGlobePress.com

Filed in: externally authored, spirituality

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