As I walk through tall prairie grass and a gentle breeze kisses my face and brushes my hair, I see a huge white buffalo standing on the shimmering landscape. The vision transforms, and emerging from the land, I see a magnificent being of white light that changes into a woman dressed in white buckskin. It is White Buffalo Calf Woman.

Welcome, children of Earth. I come forth today to speak of gratitude, the power of prayer, and the assurance of abundance for all who walk the earth. There is a malaise on Earth creating an environment of scarcity, a mentality that there is not enough — not enough love, health, money, food, or kindness. This creates fear and greed and the drive to clutch energy from others, which then affirms that there is not enough.

The buffalo is a symbol of abundance. In the time of my people, we harvested the buffalo, creating a sacred contract between our species, an agreement of reciprocity. The buffalo taught us that there is enough. When we harvested a buffalo, we performed ceremonies and rituals and gave prayers of gratitude for the abundance provided to our people from the benevolent buffalo. All parts of the animal were honored and used. We were aware and grateful for the bounty that Mother Earth provides, and we honored this bounty through the right relationship of prayer and ritual of thanksgiving.