Mitakuye Oyasin
(4-5 minute read)
Mitakuye Oyasin is a Lakota phrase meaning "we are all related," or “all my relations.” a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness that binds all life—people, animals, plants, and the earth itself. This awareness resonates deeply through all our relations, acting as a touchstone for growth and understanding. By recognizing this resonance, we tap into the fabric of relationship itself, and in doing so, open ourselves to deeper healing, connection, and wisdom.
Relationship is an endless exploration. It is everything and everywhere. It’s so inherent that life itself could be defined as relationship.
The first time I heard “Mitakuye Oyasin” was in Ecuador while attending spiritual ceremonies. The shaman, who carried the Lakota tradition, said it often. These ceremonies involved sweat lodges and plant medicines, sometimes combined together.
My favorite ceremonies took place in the sweat lodge, where I made communion with San Pedro and Ayahuasca. At the time, I had no formal understanding of sweat lodges or plant medicines, but when I entered the lodge, I felt like I had been transported to the biblical era—like I was attending the Last Supper. It was mystical, ancient, and God-sent. I felt at home. I remember thinking, “I always knew there was something beyond,” and these experiences confirmed it.
The phrase Mitakuye Oyasin slipped under my radar at the time. I wasn’t ready to receive its wisdom. But now, six years later, it has become one of my greatest tools. I can contemplate the concept of relationship all day because it’s so profound.
The simple question, “How am I relating to this? To that? To him/her, they/them, myself, etc.?” is mind-blowing. If you want to truly understand and confront yourself, just ask this question.
How do I relate to my thoughts? How do I relate to my feelings? How do I relate to life? What is my relationship with life, my friends, my family, with nature, with my past, with my future? Am I relating, or am I avoiding? Do I truly understand that I am related to everything?
I only exist in relation to everything else. This breath, this body, the food I eat, the water I drink, the sun that shines on the earth to sustain life, and the earth beneath our feet that makes it all possible.
Exploring relationship runs deep. There’s no end to it because it reveals truth—and truth can always deepen. The texture of truth is infinity, or so it seems. It is union. Truth is like a city, and all the streets and highways lead through it.
"What is Life?"
It is the flash of a firefly in the night.
It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime.
It is the little shadow that runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.
The true peace—the first peace, which is the most important—is the peace that comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all its powers. When they realize that at the center of the universe dwells Wakan-Taka (the Great Spirit), and that this center is everywhere, within each of us. This is real peace. The others are mere reflections of it.
The second peace is made between two individuals, and the third between two nations. But above all, there can never be peace between nations until the true peace—within the souls of men—is known.
—Black Elk, Oglala Sioux Spiritual Leader (1863–1950)
Relationship is inherent interconnectedness. It is for us to realize because it is our true nature. Every single thing that exists—on both the micro and macro scale—is the center of the universe. Knowing this, we understand ourselves as a city, and the streets and highways that connect us to everything else are our relationships.
We extend what we are through relationship. It’s the streets and highways, the bridges and tunnels, the dirt paths, the aviation routes, the seas. Whether we like it or not, this is happening.
It would be wise to acknowledge this—and consciously make it an intention to resonate with this wisdom.
This is happening in our brains on a cellular and neurological level. It’s happening everywhere. What is your relationship with communication? Are you aware that communication is constant? Are you the vessel through which all communication flows? Can you direct and redirect this communication so that all your relationships align with your truth?
Can we heal our relationship with ourselves, with God, with nature, and with others? I believe the greatest healing comes from letting go of all that we believe and allowing the truth to permeate our being. The truth is that if all is one, then there can be no "self.”
Aho Mitakuye Oyasin!
PART TWO...
What is our relationship to receiving? If the center of the universe is everywhere, then not only are we giving, we’re receiving. Have we been crushed by others before? Have those who were supposed to love us, hurt us?
How about the ones who have been hurt themselves and cut off all relation to life? The ones who have disconnected entirely? The disassociated ones who had no choice but to abandon life?
This is sad but true. It happens. This is suffering. Are we pure? Does everyone have “stuff”? Anxieties, depression, hatred, anger, rejection, resentment, envy, sloth? What is our relationship to these emotions?
These emotions and thoughts are like traffic in the mind, just like forgiveness, gratitude, happiness, love, acceptance, and grief, etc.
These are all reactions. The positive ones are highways, wide open with multiple lanes. There’s more than enough room for the cars to flow through. The process is easy, the highway is always open, and it leads to the endless horizon.
But when we react with hatred, we create traffic jams. We block the highway. We crash. A 1,000-car pileup. And then we wonder why we can’t function. Why we’re stuck.
Reaction and relationship. Reaction causes suffering. Reaction is the antithesis of relation. It blocks. It creates accidents on the streets and highways. Some of these accidents are small, and they clear up quickly. Others are severe—trauma.
Saṅkhāra (Pali; Sanskrit: संस्कार) is a term in Buddhism meaning “formations” or “that which has been put together.” Simply put, Saṅkhāra is reaction. The more Saṅkhāras we have, the more suffering we experience.
If you want to know how healthy someone is, just watch how reactive they are. Some of us might try to appear cool, but inside, we’re trapped in a collision, trying to wiggle our way out of the wreck, and some of us, have given up, lying dead beneath it all. I’ve been there. Giving up is good though. Surrendering allows for change. We can’t think strait when we’re reacting. If we are reacting, we’re stuck fighting, so if we want a way out, we have to make peace first. Accept what has happened in an honest way. This will help clear the wreckage.
Final Thoughts: I could go on and on about life. It’s hard not to because of how vast it is. I always set out to write journal entries, but each thought leads to the next, and before I know it, I have to stop before I write a book.
I would love to write books, both fiction and non-fiction, but I’m not convinced people care about this stuff. Maybe I need to leave space for comments and interact with others. Open up the streets and highways.
Call to Action:
As we reflect on the wisdom of Mitakuye Oyasin, it’s important to ask ourselves: How are we relating to the world around us? What if we recognized that every relationship, no matter how small, is a thread in the vast web of life? The truth is, the fabric of our existence is woven through our connections with others, with nature, and with the very essence of life itself.
Now, I invite you to pause and consider: What are your relationships—your thoughts, feelings, actions—telling you about your place in this grand tapestry? Are you truly engaged with the world around you, or are you drifting, avoiding the depth that lies beneath?
Take a moment today to reflect on your relationships—whether with a friend, a stranger, or the earth beneath your feet. Ask yourself, How am I relating to this moment? Start small, but begin to open your heart and mind to the interconnectedness that binds us all. The more we practice this awareness, the more deeply we heal, grow, and align ourselves with the universe’s rhythm.
Remember, the journey toward understanding and healing begins with a single question: How am I relating? Let this question guide you, and watch as it opens new doors to truth, connection, and peace.
Aho, Mitakuye Oyasin.
