Secret Native Pathways

“You have to understand the goodness of Chief Frank Fools Crow in order to understand what the American Indian is really all about.” – from the Foreword by RUSSELL MEANS, OGLALA LAKOTA

More than 40 years ago, Thomas E. Mails began a personal exploration of the spiritual richness of traditional Native American customs and secret ceremonies. Using his gifts as a talented illustrator and writer, he tirelessly worked to bring the spiritual culture of Native Americans to readers until his death in November 2001.

A revised and expanded classic, Secret Native American Pathways details the religious beliefs and ancient rituals of four major tribes: the Apache, the Cherokee, the Hopi, and the Sioux. Mails provide the meaning behind each ceremony as well as instructions for applying Native teachings to contemporary life. Each tribe discussed has overcome adversity through “walking the pathways” that lead to inner peace; now, each of us is able to apply those same spiritual practices to enhance our lives today.

For more than a century, Native American medicine men have predicted the advent of a new era in which the spiritual practices of their peoples would be revered by the white man and the Native American alike. Thomas E. Mails could be considered a principal figure in helping that prediction come true.

About the author
Thomas E. Mails is a Lutheran minister and the author of ten previous books on Native American history, culture, and spirituality including Sundancing: The Great Sioux Piercing Ceremony, Fools Crow, Cherokee People, and The Hopi Survival Kit.