Hózhó jí Oodaał - Walk in Beauty -as told by Bessie, Diné, 83

“Understanding and bringing awareness to your life’s journey; surrounding your space, physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally with positive spiritual energies.”
 
When I was a child, there were many ceremonies and other traditional Navajo ways that I fully practiced daily. At dawn, the breaking of light coming from the east, I ran to the east, stopped on top of a hill; facing east, I then opened my corn pollen bag to offer honor to another day by sprinkling the fine powder in a clockwise motion as I began my Hózhó ji’ oodał prayer. Upon finishing, I marked the pollen in center of top of head, forehead, chest and feet. I turned clockwise; the direction the sun travels and ran home feeling blessed and happy!
            In the evening, just before sundown, I ran west to thank the creator while applying yellow corn pollen in prayer.  Running was always encouraged by my father to bring about oxygen into my body as it is one of the most important elements of life. He also taught me to pray/meditate for positive energy to surround me to protect my thoughts, well-being and overall good health. He also said, “drink water, listen to your elders, focus on how you conduct yourself, have respect for all beings, the elements of the earth (water, air, fire and earth), know your clan, understand and practice relationship and that all living beings are sacred.”
            My prayer was “In beauty may I walk, on the trail marked with pollen may I walk, and with dew about my feet may I walk.” I meditated for positive energy to surround me and that it will guide my body and mind to be healthy in my daily journey.
 
In my mothers’ (Bessie) 79 years, a lot has happened. She assimilated and adjusted to a non-traditional Diné life so she can acquire education, start a career and raise a family; the daily practices of her early life were put on the wayside. Yet, she does remember her Dad’s teachings, her beauty way of life.
The desire and satisfaction of making jewelry embodies her early teachings. We’re both blessed to be living long lives and doing what we love to do; making jewelry with stones, shell, wood and other earth elements is part of the way we live in the loving way.