imate natural objects.. In addition to this holism, other generalizations can be made in regard to Indian religion. Part of the special intimate relationship with nature involved a sense of kinship with the natural world and the attribution of innate souls and human properties to plants, animals, inanimate objects and natural phenomena. Indian religion generally also involved the belief that the universe is suffused with preternatural forces and powerful spirits. From what tribal populations already know, historians can conclude there are common characteristics that seem to be shared by all of the Native Americans. Although there are many points of contrast, the beliefs of Native Americans are distinguished by some common convictions. Some of these features are that all the Native American religions seem to believe in the existence of a high god or vital force along with lesser gods and spirits. They also believe that certain individuals possess sacred power and therefore can act as intermediaries between the tribe and the deities. Shamanism, (individual sacred power), was a common form of religious practice, in which individuals sought control of these spirits through the use of magic. Other traits characteristic of most traditional Indian cultures was a richness of myths, legends, ceremonies and sacred objects. Other common traits was the quest for visions and the use of psychotropic plants to facilitate those visions. Music and dance was a part of the rituals and the notion of sacrifice to gain the favor of the gods or spirits. I should state that not all Native American cultures participate in sacrifice. It can be said that for Indians the natural world was inseparable from the super-natural. Myth was a way of

Some topics in this essay:
Native American, American Indians, Indians Christian, Northern Hunting, Native Americans, Lester Kurtz, Diverse Indian, Spirit God, Ice Age, North American, native american, american religion, northern hunting, native american religion, natural world, native americans, northern hunting tradition, indian religion, hunting tradition, ceremonies sacred objects, sacred objects, american indians, ceremonies sacred,