The medicine wheel

[Kakato]

I'm going to try explain what I learned today about the medicine wheel and how it applys to everyone as told to me by an elderly lady in her words.

First off the medicine wheel has the 4 points of the compass on it,each haveing it's own meaning,allmost everything in nature is round,the moon,earth,stars,birds nests etc.
"Spirituality" means "waking up" and learning all the lessons the school of life is teaching us: everything that happens to us, is a lesson.Most of us are sleep-walking through life,living superficially on the surface of life,unaware of the miracles,the beauty and the loveleniss of our wonder filled earth.

"Spirituality" means waking up to the miracle of our own existance;to the beauty,wonder,majesty and splendor of our own life.

"Spirituality" means waking up to the sacredness within each of us,and bringing forth that sacredness in our creativity,skills,talents and strenghths-our gifts to life.

-It means "waking up"to our possibilities and capabilities even though we may not be aware of them now.
If you think you can you can
If you think you cant your right.
-it means waking up and accepting the challenge to change:the way we think,the way we live our life,the way we percieve things.
it means waking up and be willing to learn something new about ourselves,about others,about the earth,about the creator:to learn that I dont know it all.
-it means "waking up" to a reverance for all life,realizing"we are but ons strand in the web of life and whatever we do to the web,we do to ourselves"-Chief Seattle
-it means "waking up"and becoming aware that as long as we are still breathing,there is more that is right with us then wrong with us.

The medicine wheel is the ancient and powerfull symbol of the universe of life:it is the sacred hoop of life.
-it is the silent teacher of the reality of life
-it shows how everything is connected and interdependant
-it represents the great circl of love-the greatest power in the universe.
-it uses four directions,east,south,west,north to explore and represent our circular,spirituall,journy through the four stagesof life and the annual cycle of the four seasons.
It shows us our possibilities and identifies the powerfull forces and teachers that guide us through this journey.

My next post will start with the east point of the wheel,my fingers need a break,not used to typing this much.:smile:

 

[petros]

Ever been to mass on a res? many aspects of the wheel are part of the christian rites already. A nice add on is breaking bread to the four directs and smudging added during the cleansing rite of mass.

 

[Kakato]

East is the direction of spring and childhood,and represents all our beginnings and the start of each new day as the sun rises in the east.
-it is a time of hope,optimism,fun,excitement,vision
-It is the direction of renewal,and is the perfect time to start new projects,to overcome bad habits,to start over and begin again.
-it represents the beginning of a new awareness of the sacredness of the earth and nature,and our connectedness
-It is where we learn to live in the NOW-to live "one day at a time",regarding each moment as new and unique,to be filled with curiosity and wonder
At the same time,it is where we learn to be aware of the larger picture,the consequences of our actions.

The two symbolic teachers of the east are;
The mouse:A fearfull little creature who teaches us humility,to focus on the immediate,but also to be aware of lurking dangers.
The eagle:who teaches us vision,to see the larger picture,who watches over all who represent the great spirit who guides and protects others.

The gifts of the east are:Light,renewal,vision,curiosity,wonder,fun,wisdom,humility,courage,hope,and love of the earth,and nature and the knowledge that everything is sacred-to a reverance for all life.

 

[GreenFish66]

Wise words..Aboriginals/natives know best ...

Everything is particles , waves or both ..(even in a wave their are smaller ripples and waves)..Go with the flow or out on your own..Their are always Cause/effect..Actions/Reactions,rewards/consequences...

Everything is energy and information ..the rest is recyclable waste

...possiblities are limitless ..Realities are limited..Until the physical finds a way to catch to the mental...

So on And so on ..

Good thread kakato

 

[Kakato]

South is the time of summer,when the sun is at it's highest and represents our youth when we have lots of physical strength and vitality.
It is the time of preperation for our future:the time of the vision quest as we work on setting our goals and achieving them.
It is a time of learning and testing,developing our body to be strong and healthy.
It is a time where we develop our gifts to life,our skills,talents,strengths and creativity-that sacredness within.
It is a time of acquiring things: a profession,trade,vehicle,house children.
It is a place of the heart,of sexual love-the love of one person for another.

The two symbolic teachers of the south are:
The cougar:who represents our physical fitness and teaches us to care for our body,to be strong,to grow and develop our skills,talents and strengths,to learn from our mistakes.

The red willow tree-the strongest tree in the forest-who teaches us to be flexible,to overcome hardships and to spring back with vitality and beauty no matter what life throws at us.
The gifts of the south are:Youth,physical fitness,strength,flexibility,vitality,health,courage,power to grow,positively expressed feeling and the ability to love others.

 

[Kakato]

West is the time of autumn,evening,when the sun go's down and represents Aduldthood and maturity.
It is a time of taking stock,harvesting and gratitude.
It also represents a time of testing,when darkness comes into our lives,when we are faced with illness,pain,sorrow,grief,betrayel,fear,the unknown.
It is where we learn to deal with life as we find it,not as we wished or hoped it would be.
Where we learn that growth is possible no matter what kind of childhood we have had.
It is in the struggle to overcome our dark times that we become stronger.
It represents the times when our journey often becomes the most difficult and the greatest challenge.

The two symbolic teachers of the west are:
The black bear:who possesses great strength,but who,in the face of winter's darkness and coldness,retires to a dark private place,taking a "time out" to re-tune:who teaches us to draw on the sacredness within,to rest,relax and to pray and meditate in silence.

The turtle:who also retreats into it's shell for it's own safety and health;who teaches us to slow down,to move slowly,to take a time out for "renewal",to pray and meditate,that allows us to experience directly the connection between the human spirit and the universe;who teaches us the freedom to be ourselves. Even the eagle has to fold its wings and rest,after it has soared high.

The gifts of the west are: Darkness,the unknown,courage,patience,perseverance to search for answers,prayer and meditation,freedom to be ourselves,and gratitude:to begin each day as the sun rises,with prayer,and to end each day,as the sun sets,with prayer,"if the only prayer we say is 'thank you',it is enough".

 

[Kakato]

North: is the place of winter and represents old age.
-It is where we complete what we begun
Completion means rest
Rest means renewal
Renewal means new beginnings

We are never too old to stop learning:we enter childhood again with each new beginning.
It is where we simplify our lives-learning to see and enjoy the seemingly insignificant wonders and beauty of our world.
It is where we learn detachment-the complete letting go of hate,jelousy,greed,guilt,fear,selfish desires,pride of knowledge-all things that destroy relationships with our self,with others,with the earth and with the creator.
It is where we continue to learn to solve problems and make good desicions.
It is where we continue to learn to love our self,others,the creator,and continue to care for the earth as it cares for us.

The symbol of the north is the mountain:
-To climb a mountain,we need a guide so the north is where we meet our human teachers that help and guide us. Elders,counsellors,teachers,poets,story tellers,pastors,wounded healers-those who have survived the school of life and learned all the lessons life has taught them.
The north is the place where,when we find ourselves on a bleak winter journey,it can be a wounded healer who leads us through a hidden door into the bright field of spring-into a new begining again.
It is where we can become one of those wounded healers
Where we can become like the eagle who flies high and can see the bigger picture.

The gifts of the north are:Wisdom,vision,understanding,the ability to serve others,freedom from hate,greed,envy and finally that sacred balance,as we see ourselves in the center of the wheel,circling through each of the four directions with each new beginning;becoming the person the creator knows we are-secure,wise,understanding,compassionate,and haveing a reverance for all life in whatever form it takes.

 

[Kakato]

Powerfull stuff.

 

[talloola]

I will save this info, thanks so much.

The mini series 'Into the West', covers this medicine
wheel belief quite well, I was so intrigued watching and
listening to the young 'lakota woman' explaining it.

 

[Cliffy]

I will save this info, thanks so much.

The mini series 'Into the West', covers this medicine
wheel belief quite well, I was so intrigued watching and
listening to the young 'lakota woman' explaining it.

The true beauty of these teachings is that it is not religious but spiritual. It focuses on our personal journey and our responsibility for it. The various animal spirit teachings are all aspects of our own personal psyche. The symbols are far more connected to ourselves than Freud or Jung could articulate. The aboriginal teachings have been around for thousands of years and have not been written down until recently, as the oral traditions were living traditions, constantly evolving and changing as did the culture and landscape. Writing them down would have fixed them in time and they would have stagnated like many other religions have.

 

[talloola]

The true beauty of these teachings is that it is not religious but spiritual. It focuses on our personal journey and our responsibility for it. The various animal spirit teachings are all aspects of our own personal psyche. The symbols are far more connected to ourselves than Freud or Jung could articulate. The aboriginal teachings have been around for thousands of years and have not been written down until recently, as the oral traditions were living traditions, constantly evolving and changing as did the culture and landscape. Writing them down would have fixed them in time and they would have stagnated like many other religions have.

yes, you're right, I don't feel any religious connection
to the medicine wheel at all, just a true vision and
wiseness and wonderful thoughts about how we fit into the
'life on this earth', and how we can fit right in, and
be a good person.

 

[AnnaG]

Here's the Anish version:

Anishinaabemowin Medicine Wheel

 

[Mowich]

Powerfull stuff.

Blessed be, Kakato. Thank you for sharing this wisdom with us. My Hummingbird salutes you. :smile:

 

[Kakato]

Blessed be, Kakato. Thank you for sharing this wisdom with us. My Hummingbird salutes you. :smile:

This morning I participated in a sweetgrass ceremony and talked to the eagle feather.

It was very moving and I hope to participate in every aspect of the red road this year.

 

[Cliffy]

Here's the Anish version:

Anishinaabemowin Medicine Wheel

Thanks Anna. Nice site. I like the buttons with the recordings of the word pronunciations. The wheel of your people is very similar to most I've seen except that some have green instead of red for the south.

 

[Kakato]

I dont know all thats involved in the sweetgrass ceremony as I'm just a noob and didnt want to ask any questions so I observed and did what the others did.It's passed around and you take off your watch and other material possesions first,then you cup your hands over the smoke and kind of bathe yourself in it,like you are washing with water,then the eagle feather is passed around and you each say your thoughts concerning what the ceremony was started with,in this case it was a meditation,you talked to the eagle feather and addressed no particular person in the circle,just expressed your thoughts,then passed the feather to your left and the next person expressed their thoughts,you could pass on saying anything and profanity was strictly forbidden as that would mean dis respect to the feather.

It was very moving experience for me and I got major goosebumps after I passed it over.

 

[Kakato]

Stuff this off-topic stuff into the Meadicine Wheel Thread....

I would love to have jbee in a sweetgrass ceremony.
;-)

Talk to the Eagle feather only.

 

[lone wolf]

I would love to have jbee in a sweetgrass ceremony.
;-)

Talk to the Eagle feather only.

8O Feathers? I didn't think you were into that sorta thing....

 

[Cliffy]

I would love to have jbee in a sweetgrass ceremony.
;-)

Talk to the Eagle feather only.

It doesn't work that way. Everyone must come to the circle of their own free will.

 

[Kakato]

8O Feathers? I didn't think you were into that sorta thing....

I am and it's a journey I'm going to continue,it's part of the ceremony.
Some go to Buddhist temples,that could be next but for now it's the medicine wheel and Sweetgrass,my new enlightenment into sprituality that doesnt involve hatred or the bad human traits we all seem to get over the years.

I have much to learn yet,when you stop learning your body starts dieing.