Quotessence
Home / Authors / Black Elk
Black Elk

Black Elk Quotes

Medicine man

Filter quotes by topic

AllNative AmericanNativeNative AmericaWorldMenNative American IndianNative American DreamNative American WisdomNative WisdomPeopleCirclesIndian WisdomNative American EarthNative American Indian InspirationalNative American SpiritualVisionEarthSpiritAmerican IndianIndian

Famous Black Elk Quotes

“I saw more than I can tell / And I understood more than I saw.”

I CanSawsShapesUnderstoodSacredCirclesIndianNativeNative AmericanMother EarthAmerican IndianNative American WisdomNative AmericaNative American IndianStarlightNative American EarthIndian WisdomNative WisdomAmerican SpiritNative American Indian InspirationalNative American SpiritualSpiritual IndianNative American ProverbsFlowering Trees
Book:Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux
Create image

“Everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the power of the world always works in circles.”

WorldDoeCirclesIndianNativeNative AmericanAmerican IndianNative American WisdomNative AmericaNative American IndianGreat Native AmericanNative American EarthIndian WisdomNative WisdomNative American Indian InspirationalNative American SpiritualNative American DreamCherokeeSpiritual IndianCherokee Indian
Book:Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux
Create image

“The life of an Indian is like the wings of the air. That is why you notice the hawk knows how to get his prey. The Indian is like that. The hawk swoops down on its prey, so does the Indian. In his lament he is like an animal. For instance, the coyote is sly, so is the Indian. The eagle is the same. That is why the Indian is always feathered up, he is a relative to the wings of the air.”

KnowsDoeAnimalKnow HowAirWingsInstanceIndianNativeRelativeNative AmericanPreyEaglesHawksLamentSlyCoyotes
Book:The Sixth Grandfather: Black Elk's teachings given to John G. Neihardt
Create image

“Out of the Indian approach to life there came a great freedom, an intense and absorbing respect for life, enriching faith in a Supreme Power, and principles of truth, honesty, generosity, equity, and brotherhood as a guide to mundane relations.”

InspirationalCultureJusticePrinciplesHonestyDiversityApproachRelationSocial JusticeGuidesSupremeIntenseGenerosityIndianNativeBrotherhoodNative AmericanEquityMundaneAbsorbingAmerican IndianGreat AmericanNative American WisdomNative AmericaEnrichingNative American IndianGreat Native AmericanNative American EarthTruth HonestyIndian WisdomNative WisdomNative American Indian InspirationalGreat FreedomSupreme PowerNative American DreamOnly In America
Author:Black Elk
Create image

“The sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls. Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours.”

EarthStarsHeardSkyWindBirdBallsRoundsCirclesIndianNativeNative AmericanNestsAmerican IndianGreat AmericanNative American WisdomNative AmericaNative American IndianGreat Native AmericanNative American EarthIndian WisdomNative WisdomNative American Indian InspirationalNative American SpiritualNative American DreamCherokeeRound Earth
Book:Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux
Create image

“Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of a person is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves.”

PersonsMovingFormChildhoodSeasonsCirclesIndianNativeNative AmericanBack AgainAmerican IndianNative American WisdomNative AmericaNative American IndianGreat Native AmericanNative American EarthIndian WisdomNative WisdomCircle Of LifeNative American SpiritualNative American DreamCherokeePower Moves
Book:Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux
Create image

“Everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the power of the world always works in circles, and everything tries to be round. In the old days when we were a strong and happy people, all our power came to us from the sacred hoop of the nation, and so long as the hoop was unbroken the people flourished.”

PeopleWorldTryingLongDoeStrongNationsSacredRoundsCirclesIndianNativeNative AmericanOld DaysAmerican IndianUnbrokenHappy PeopleNative American WisdomNative AmericaNative American IndianNative WisdomNative American SpiritualSpiritual IndianCherokee Indian
Book:Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux
Create image

“The power of the world always works in circles.”

WorldCirclesIndianNativeNative AmericanAmerican IndianNative American WisdomNative AmericaNative American IndianGreat Native AmericanNative American EarthIndian WisdomNative WisdomNative American Indian InspirationalNative American SpiritualNative American DreamCherokeeSpiritual IndianNative American ProverbsLakota
Book:Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux
Create image

“Birds make their nest in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours.”

ReligionBirdCirclesIndianNativeNative AmericanNestsAmerican IndianNative American WisdomNative AmericaNative American IndianGreat Native AmericanNative American EarthIndian WisdomNative WisdomNative American Indian InspirationalNative American SpiritualNative American DreamCherokee
Book:Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux
Create image

“Grown men may learn from very little children, for the hearts of little children are pure, and, therefore, the Great Spirit may show to them many things which older people miss.”

PeopleMenHeartMayChildrenLittlesShowsSpiritCultureMissingPureDiversitySocial JusticeIndianNativeNative AmericanAmerican IndianGreat AmericanOlder PeopleNative American WisdomGreat SpiritNative AmericaNative American IndianGrown ManGreat Native AmericanIndian WisdomNative WisdomAmerican SpiritNative American Indian InspirationalNative American SpiritualSpiritual IndianNative American Proverbs
Author:Black Elk
Create image

“And while I stood there I saw more than I can tell and I understood more than I saw; for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all things in the spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like one being.”

InspirationalI CanTogetherSpiritSawsSeeingShapesUnderstoodAll ThingsSacredCirclesIndianNativeNative AmericanMother EarthAmerican IndianNative American WisdomNative AmericaNative American IndianStarlightNative American EarthIndian WisdomNative WisdomAmerican SpiritNative American Indian InspirationalNative American SpiritualSpiritual IndianNative American ProverbsSacred ThingsFlowering TreesShape Of Things
Book:Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux
Create image