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Cherokee's Belief System

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The Cherokee have a really simply belief system that were followed by every day. Some of the Cherokees now still live by this belief system. Cherokees use nature into their belief system and religion. Trees are used in their ceremonies and in their medication. Cedar was the most sacred tree and was part of their funeral ritual. Cherokees believed that when the wood of a tree is not in use that it be placed in a protective cloth, usually deerskin. That would keep the wood pure for the next ceremony. The number seven and four are sacred to the Cherokees. The number four represents the cardinal directions and the upper, lower, and center of the world. How everything around the earth is facing the sun. Seven is for the number of clans …show more content…

Evil was caused by their own action due to miss use of witchcraft. Cherokees did not just have a set religion or a God. Their religion was a philosophy to live by. Cherokees believed in the spirit world that would guide each of them through life, each tribal person could have more than one spirit. Certain people do have more spiritual powers than others do. Shaman or medicine men are the closes the tribe can get to the spirit world as a prophet for guidance. An assign priest is appointed that would guide them through the rituals and ceremonies. The priest would also have consequences if the ritual did not achieve what they chanted for as in health, rain, or abundance of crops. The prophets came later in the culture due to the fact the Cherokees were starting to be influenced by the white men. Prophets were put in place to create order amongst the tribe. Cherokees were also know to worship animals as their Gods and therefore they were sacred. Animals have their own meaning to the …show more content…

They both see religion as a way of life. Do not believe in just a God but as everything could be a God. Cherokee and the Buddhism see nature as a whole and have great respect for it. Every living creation is sacred and should be treat with the same respect as any human would. Buddhism and the Cherokees worship through ceremonies or rituals. Worship through chanting, dancing, and the use of musical instrument. Buddhism either ring bells or beat on a gong. Cherokees dance around chanting with their musical rattles to the beat of the drums. The Cherokees and Buddha’s believe in spiritual clarifying with the burning of incense, which was used in their ceremonies or rituals. They both have their own way of achieving enlightenment with similar practices. Buddha belief in bring happiness to every living creature without the suffering. Cherokee’s form of enlightenment was peace with the earth, Mother Nature, which would bring rain and abundance of crops. Buddha’s and the Cherokee both believe that anyone of their people can have the higher power within them. Cherokees and the Buddha’s did have an ordain person chosen to be the ears and eyes closes to their idea of a God. The Cherokees had a priest, medicine man, or Shaman to turn to for guidance for their people. Cherokees also believed that dreams and visions are from deceased ancestors waring them or guiding them through life. Buddhism is

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