O Great Spirit,
whose voice I hear in the winds
and whose breath gives life to all the world
hear me.
I am small and weak.
I need your strength and wisdom.

Let me walk in beauty
and let my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made
and my ears grow sharp to hear your voice.

Make me wise so that I may understand the things
you have taught my people.
Let me learn the lessons you have hidden
in every leaf and rock.
I seek strength not to be greater than my brother or sister
but to fight my greatest enemy, myself.
Make me always ready
to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes
so when life fades as the fading sunset
my spirit may come to you without shame.

Chief Yellow Lark
19th century medicine man of the Lakota Sioux.

Sometimes people think that because people are not a part of mainstream culture or support the contemporary world view they are less sophisticated in their spiritual beliefs. Often, quite the opposite is true. This Lakota prayer is filled with beauty and wisdom. I particularly like the statement that the speaker does not want strength to be greater than others but to wrestle with himself. The image of death as the fading light of sunset is delicate as is the reference to straight eyes and being without shame. Simple, innocent, direct, and humble – like all good prayers.