Trying to explain this in one post is like diluting Shakespeare to fridge magnets: it’s fine if you want to whet your whistle, or are already familiar with the material, but it’s probably not enough to make you an authority on the subject. My main purpose in presenting this system of organization is to elucidate my own progress working with it, and to provide a starting point for others seeking a framework to begin their own healing processes.
The Medicine Wheel, or Sacred Hoop, is common to many native (including Celtic) traditions, representing the universe and the individual journey we all must take to become fully human. Colors, animals, and symbolism vary from person to person, dependent on specific teachings and visions. There is no wrong way to create a Medicine Wheel; its teachings are myriad and its purpose is to aid our search of universal knowledge. It is a map that guides us so that we can establish a deeper relationship with ourselves while also connecting us to the larger community.
There are physical manifestations of this spiritual energy, such as the Big Horn Medicine Wheel in Wyoming, which was created as a ceremonial space, but it also exists as a metaphor for life, and the endless series of cycles in our days, seasons, and the process of growing and evolving as spiritual beings. The Medicine Wheel allows us to see where we are based on the choices we’ve made and how to learn from these experiences, so we are better equipped to move forward with our own healing, feeling a deeper sense of connection, and ultimately benefiting all of mankind.
I’ll delve deeper into each direction in later posts, but here is a little appetizer:
- The winds of the South teach us to shed the past the way the Serpent sheds her skin. We must let go of ideas, imprints, programs, and other wounds so that we can then experience a rebirth, allowing us to then fill the void with healing, compassion, love, and our lost power.
- The winds of the West teach us how to heal and become luminous warriors, protected by Mother Jaguar. We step beyond our fear, and learn the way of peace, to live impeccably upon the Earth.
- The winds of the North, Hummingbird, bring us wisdom from Grandmothers and Grandfathers, the Ancient Ones. We are not alone in our endeavors, and we honor those who have come before us, and those who will come after us.
- The winds of the East teach us to fly with the Eagle, Condor, showing us the world as we have never seen it before, opening our eyes to the bigger picture (literally, a bird’s eye view!).
- Mother Earth nourishes and grounds us, in all that we endeavor, and connects us to all of our relations, whether they are stone, plant, finned, furred, four-legged, or two-legged.
- Father Sun, Grandmother Moon, and the Star Nations shine their light on us, guiding and helping us connect with the Great Spirit, the unnamable One, the infinite divine.
As I mentioned before, these archetypes are not set in stone – they act as a mirror, showing us what we need to know about ourselves in relation to the entire universe. There are many ways to work with this tool, and I encourage you to read Shaman Healer Sage by Alberto Villoldo for a deeper treatment of these concepts.
The Healer's Librarian 