Nature's Way: Native Wisdom for Living in Balance with the Earth

Ed McGaa, an Oglala Sioux also called Eagle Man, here presents an environmental, personal, and global philosophy of balance. Using traditional Native American spirituality as a framework, Nature's Way is a call for a major change in the way people relate to the world. McGaa, who has studied under Sioux holy men Chief Eagle Feather and Chief Fool's Crow, begins each chapter by describing the qualities of an animal or plant that represents a particular value, such as the wolf ("one among many") or the eagle ("observation"). Personal anecdotes, tribal legends, and stories from around the world support each idea, and the book's somewhat rambling structure is very conversational. McGaa's ideas are not new, but they are well-presented. If we begin to live by the principles that are demonstrated by the world itself, he writes, we will then be in harmony with the world, rather than taking from it destructively. The book's final chapters outline problems such as global warming and overpopulation, which threaten the survival of life on earth. Nature's Way will appeal to readers seeking a hopeful spiritual approach for dealing with seemingly insurmountable problems. --Therese Littleton