This 100-page book brings together 20 teachings and practices presented through the wisdom of an elder, exploring what it means to grow older with awareness, purpose and an open heart. In his book, The Native Way — Teachings for the Second Half of Life, Joseph Standing Elk offers us an invitation to slow down and look at life through a different lens.
Rather than being a book about ageing in the traditional sense, The Native Way encourages us to see the second half of life as a time of reflection, learning and deeper understanding. Its teachings invite us to reconsider what really matters, what we are carrying, and what wisdom becomes available when we take the time to listen.
We are invited to pause and reflect and perhaps remember different stages of our own journey.
The book is divided into four parts and explores some of the big questions we encounter as we move through life — our relationship with ourselves, the people around us, the land and our own sense of belonging, and finally the later stages of our journey.
The teachings touch on subjects such as silence, worry, regret, forgiveness, envy, patience, belonging, what we carry through our bloodline, legacy and listening to the messages of the body.
What caught my attention was the very personal and storytelling style of the teachings. One of them looks at the animals who sleep beside us and invites us to see that familiar relationship in a completely different way. I invite you to watch the short video podcast.
It explores why an animal might choose to sleep at our feet, against our back, beside our heart or near our head. These positions are given symbolic meaning — from the animal as guardian and watcher, to the companion who stays close during times of illness, grief or emotional difficulty.
There are also beautiful stories about the bond between humans and animals, including one about a family dog who stayed beside a sick child throughout the night, and another about a dog who moved to the empty side of a woman’s bed after the death of her husband.
Whether you take these teachings as spiritual wisdom, traditional knowledge or simply an invitation to look more closely at life, there is something here that encourages us to pause and reflect.
And perhaps that is the real heart of The Native Way. It is not simply about getting older. It is about looking at the experiences, relationships, memories and lessons we carry with us — and asking what they might still have to teach us.
For anyone entering or already living through the second half of life, this book offers plenty to contemplate.
From the simple comfort of sharing our lives with animals, we can be reminded of something much deeper — the importance of connection, presence and listening to what life is showing us.
Reviewed by Jacquie Walker
