The Medicine Wheel, Sacred Circle of Life (ritual, Earth, tradition)

[t3gah]

"Walk in Balance on the Earth Mother." Traditional Native American wisdom has taught that to experience the essence of life, one must blend with all of creation. It was felt man must come to a point where the unity that connects us all to the universe must be understood and reflected in all aspects of daily life.

Many of our contemporary Native American leaders echo a current need for a truer understanding of the earth and our relations with her. They are encouraging a joining together, regardless of ethnic background, in a committed effort to effect a cleansing of the earth. This both for the sake of the Earth Mother, as well as for our evolution as human beings.

The ancestors knew of the magic circle of the Medicine Wheel. They saw life as a circle, from birth to death to rebirth. They understood the changing energies that came with different ages, and that they, like the seasons, passed through phases as the circle of life and time passed around them. They knew that to fall out of this circle was to fall out of rhythm with life and to cease to grow.

The intended relationship with the Medicine Wheel was to relate better to the Earth Mother and to all of creation. To find a kinship with the universe, everything known and unknown. In everything, the ancestors reminded themselves that the earth, and everything on her, were part of the magic circle of life. The journey is an individual experience, and we must discover our path around the sacred circle alone. When we are able to completely blend with all things, then we are truly a part of the whole.

Remember that you are always traveling around the circle. The essence of the Medicine Wheel is movement and change. We must progress around the wheel and experience as many manifestations of human nature as possible. Through this knowledge, we should attempt to allow ourselves as much room for change in any one life as we can handle. For those who live in a way that is open to all of the lessons creation has to teach, the proper lesson will always come at the right time, no matter who the necessary teacher may be. Every position along the way has something to give, some gift that will enlarge and enrich our lives. The more you are willing to learn, the further you can travel on your journey around the Medicine Wheel, the wheel of life.

You pass around the Wheel with the responsibility of learning of the different elements through which you pass. By this learning, you keep your own life in constant change, you keep the life force beating within your heart as you grow more knowledgeable about those with whom you share the earth. As the Medicine Wheel becomes the background of our lives, the foreground too, we come to know that there are countless ways to travel the circle. As our realizations grow deeper, we continue along our myriad path leading towards the Center, towards the path of Wakan Tanka, the Great Spirit.

Along the way, we meet the Four Great Powers who rule the Four Directions, and we must give honor to each, as also to Grandfather Sky and Mother Earth thus completing our blessings to the Six Directions. The East, the direction of illumination, is marked by the sign of the eagle and the gold of the morning sun. Here is the place where we may see things clearly, far and wide, as if from the eagle's eye.

The green of the South is our place of trust and openness and the hot winds of summer; a time of fruitfulness and growth. When traveling in the West, we would seek a time of reflection and introspection. The West is a place of looking within; to find one's own strengths and weaknesses. When one looks within, he is able to recognize the stars that guide him in his times of darkness.

The power of the North is one of renewal and purity. It is the time of winter, of resting and insight and preparation. The white of the Northern winter is a color of purity, of balance, of life renewing itself.

As we journey the wheel of life, there are daily signs and tokens to remind us of the Great Spirit, Maker of All. Yet in order to honor Him, we must honor his works in all of nature and endeavor to remain in harmony with all of creation. In everything, we must remind ourselves that the earth and everything on her are part of the sacred circle of life.

("The Medicine Wheel, Sacred Circle of Life" by Chris Garner)

http://www.powersource.com/talkingleaf/16.txt

[painted wolf]

one intresting tidbit... most tribes move clockwise when in the circle, be it for dancing or ceremony. Cherokee and a few other tribes however move counter clockwise.
For every 'rule' in Native society there is someone who does the opposite.

wa:do

[Feathers in Hair]

Is that the Eastern branch of it, PW? I remember that the Western Cherokee move clockwise, but then I know they have the wheel set up differently from the Eastern branch as well. (Again, as far as I remember it.)

[kreeden]

The Medicine Wheel is another of those things that have been adopted by the New Age movement . And it has gotten very difficult to tell which is which . { The reference to the " Earth Mother " tends to make me think that the above is somewhat New Age }.

Anyway , what I'm wondering is about the terms . Are the Medicine Wheel and the Sacred Circle the same thing ? I have been told that the Medicine Wheel only refers to the stone circles with 36 stones ?

[painted wolf]

It could be feathers, I'm still learning and don't have all the differences between Eastern and Western down.

I know that the people I learned from moved counter clockwise for personal ceremony. In 'public' ceremony and pow-wows we went with the majority and went clockwise. Some people are offended by people moving counter clockwise so out of respect we went with the wishes of those in charge.

I know there are others who go counter clockwise, but I don't remember who off the top of my head.

Kreeden- I know that the medicine wheel was not origionally practiced by all. It has over time spread out to other nations and is becoming 'pan-indian' for lack of a better term. The circle is sacred to all native peoples but no, the medicine wheel is a specific thing to itself. A sacred cirlcle is usually a 'holy' place set aside for ritual/dancing/gathering. A cirlcle can be 'sacred' or not, but honestly everything is sacred when you think about it.

I don't personally have a lot of experience with the medicine wheel. I hope to learn more when the time and the oportunity are right. Untill then I can't really say anything definitive and I hate to guess or go just by what I have read.

I do know that it has been 'adopted' by new age groups for thier purposes, and most things you will find written about it are from a new age perspective.
Yes, terms like 'earth mother' are again difficult because they are used by both groups. It can be very tricky to seperate new age from genuine native sprituality.

wa:do

[Feathers in Hair]

I enjoy working with medicine wheels, in all their forms. I was nearly overcome by the power of one I participated in. The four directions were built using rose quartz to amplify their power (These things were huge, about the size of a grown mans' torso.) Slightly smaller amethists were at the quarter-directions, and the buffulo skull which had been watching the participants for several days sat in the middle, looking down from the North. I don't think you could describe the experience to someone who's never worked within a Medicine Wheel. The joy and the wonder would be impossible to explain.

For non-life altering experiences, I prefer the 'desktop' version, though. It's great, knowing that some of the wisdom you gain is coming from within yourself, and that some of it is most decidedly not. (Spirits seem to like to check in with me while I'm doing this, so I tend to meet the most interesting people/ animals/ things that way.)

[kreeden]

There appears to be a lot of confession with the Medicine Wheel , and not all on my part . I understand that many of the Nations had their own views , which add to the confusion . Dancing clockwise or counter clockwise . Do you start from the South , or from the East ? The colours sometimes differ ...

But I'm confessed about what a Medicine Wheel is . I know that the name refers to the stone circles . { it appears that the number of stones varies } . But does the term also apply to the Circle with the Four Directions ? { wooden loop with a cross } .

And what is a " desktop version " ?

I may have quite a few questions on the subject . I have been trying to sort this out for sometime now .

[painted wolf]

yes, the term also applies to the circle with the four directions.

I know we have always had the entrance to a circle in the east. Again I'm not sure about every tribe or eaven really the traditional medicine wheel.
East is used primarily for the entrance, this is where the sun starts his jurney. The east was also seen as lucky for this reason.

I'm also curious about a 'desktop version'

wa:do