Native American Zen

Grandfather Duncan Sings-Alone teaching	Rev. Grandfather Duncan Sings-Alone with Roshi Paul Genki Kahn

Led by Rev. Grandfather Duncan Sings-Alone, a Lakota trained Cherokee, Native American Zen brings together two powerful and very different streams of spiritual practice in one of Zen Garland’s most unique offerings. In this practice path, we are not attempting to synthesize, distort or soften Zen and Native American ceremony and teachings. Grandfather Sings-Alone recently ordained as a Zen Buddhist Priest under Roshi Genki.
Both traditions are deeply rooted in what the Natives call Mitakuye Oyasin, which translates as “all my relations.” It is a prayer of oneness and harmony with all forms of life: other people, animals, birds, insects, trees and plants, and even rocks. Zen shares this perspective, expressed as the Oneness and Interdependence of all creation.
Rev. Grandfather Sings-Alone will give classes and workshops for Native American Zen at Zen Garland’s Community Study Center and Seminary. He and Roshi Genki are developing this path to include tracks for spiritual development, teacher training and Ordination. Rev. Grandfather Duncan Sings-Alone studies with Zen with Roshi Paul Genki Kahn, and teaches him about Native traditions.
Rev. Grandfather Duncan Sings-Alone, who has been a spiritual teacher, healer, and ceremonialist in the Lakota tradition for 30 years, leads native American Zen and the Red Path Sangha. He is also a clinical psychologist, musician and author of two books and many articles. He has been vested with a mission to bring Native American teachings, especially about the importance of caretaking Grandmother Earth and her inhabitants, to non-native peoples.
Native American Zen sponsors a practice community in Upton, Massachusetts, the Red Path Zen Sangha where Rev. Grandfather Sings-Alone resides. The Red Path Zen Sangha meets weekly and performs Native and Zen liturgy, practices Zen meditation and has talks and discussion.

Mitakuye Oyasin is a Lakota Sioux prayer. The phrase translates as “all my relations.” It is a prayer of oneness and harmony with all forms of life: other people, animals, birds, insects, trees and plants, and even rocks.
Aho Mitakuye Oyasin….All my relations. I honor you in this circle of life with me today. I am grateful for this opportunity to acknowledge you in this prayer….
To the Creator, for the ultimate gift of life, I thank you.
To the mineral nation that has built and maintained my bones and all foundations of life experience, I thank you.
To the plant nation that sustains my organs and body and gives me healing herbs for sickness, I thank you.
To the animal nation that feeds me from your own flesh and offers your loyal companionship in this walk of life, I thank you.
To the human nation that shares my path as a soul upon the sacred wheel of Earthly life, I thank you.
To the Spirit nation that guides me invisibly through the ups and downs of life and for carrying the torch of light through the Ages. I thank you.
To the Four Winds of Change and Growth, I thank you.
You are all my relations, my relatives, without whom I would not live. We are in the circle of life together, co-existing, co-dependent, co-creating our destiny. One, not more important than the other. One nation evolving from the other and yet each dependent upon the one above and the one below. All of us a part of the Great Mystery.
Thank you for this Life.