According to Mills and Sparks in their book, Wokini: A Lakota
Journey to Happiness and Self-Understanding, the Lakota tradition
offers 8 “lies of Iktumi” (the trickster or liar figure) that can
jeopardize happiness and ruin a person’s life.
Here are lktumi’s ancient assumptions:
If only 1 were rich, then I would be happy.
If only 1 were famous, then I would be happy.
If only 1 could find the right person to marry, then I would be
happy.
If only 1 had more friends, then I would be happy.
If only 1 were more attractive, then I would be happy.
If only 1 weren’t physically handicapped in any way, then I could
be happy.
If only someone close to me hadn’t died, then I would be happy.
If only the world were a better place, then I would be happy.