Wind Is My Mother

Marcellus “Bear Heart” Williams [1918-2008], born in Okemah, Oklahoma, was a full-blood spiritual leader of the Muskogee-Creek Nation trained in the traditional ways of his tribe. Highly regarded as a healer and counselor, he was also a respected leader of the Native American Church, Sun Danced with both the Northern and Southern Cheyenne people, and was an ordained minister in the American Baptist Church. He was asked to be one of the spiritual counselors for the fireman and their families after the Oklahoma City tragedy and put down prayers with the Fire Department at Ground Zero in November, 2001. Bear Heart helped thousands of people over the course of his life and his book, “The Wind Is My Mother,” continues his life work of sharing wisdom and inspiration. For more information, visit www.TheWindIsMyMother.comMolly Larkin is a writer whose in-depth tutelage and spiritual practice under Native American elders have given her unique access to Native American perspectives and teachings. Molly lives in Los Angeles, California.

Praise for The Wind Is My Mother: The Life and Teachings of a Native American Shaman“This fascinating book is a rare combination of universal truths and practical applications. It is an excellent manual for living a healthy life in a complex world.”—John Gray, author of Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus“Bear Heart, a full-blooded Muskogee Creek Indian and one of the last ‘trained’ medicine men, shares this knowledge, combining it with his more formal, graduate [studies] in psychology to build a bridge between Native American and modern spirituality.”—Publishers Weekly  “At once mystical and utterly practical, Bear Heart’s message is not a call to conversion, but the testimony of a life so fully lived that it can heal others. To read it is to be inspired to live one’s own life with more attention, harmony and hope.”—Lorene Cary, author of If Sons, Then Heirs: A Novel“Bear Heart, a Muskogee Creek Indian medicine man, tells his story, including his insights about receiving the power of the Great Spirit through fasting, chanting, and vision quests.”—St. Petersburg Times“Inspiring...Bear Heart weaves together anecdotes and philosophy demonstrating that traditional Native American wisdom can be applied in today’s world to live a peaceful, balanced life. A charismatic storyteller, Bear Heart’s autobiography is rich not only with the amazing accomplishments and wisdom of his life as a medicine man but also with the ages-old legends of his people.”—Evolving Woman

• Introduction by Molly LarkinBook I: Initiation1. To Walk in Beauty2. A Well-rounded Education3. You Don't Ask to Be a Medicine Man4. Wrapped Around a TreeBook II: The Cure Lies Within You5. Whose Power Is It?6. Doctoring7. Another Kind of Healing8. Walking in Balance9. Coping with SufferingBook III: Learning How to Live10. The Power of Love11. Talking with the Earth12. A Different Kind of Church13. The Peyote Way14. The Sacred Pipe15. Becoming a Vessel - The Vision Quest16. We All Have Something to OfferPrayers