Medicine Wheel Studies - The Circle of Life

"Matts Mind" Copyright don wright 2009

I was surfing the net this morning and studying Anishnabek culture and beliefs. I came across this article about the Medicine Wheel at the AAA Native Arts Gallery here: http://www.aaanativearts.com/article925.html ,

"All tribes have a form of medicine wheel. There is no single answer as to its meaning. The Anishnaabek often referred to the medicine wheel as the CIRCLE OF LIFE symbolizing the natural cycles of birth, growth, death, and regeneration.


The FOUR CIRCLES are viewed in a clockwise direction. East will be to the viewer's right, south on the bottom and west on the left. In native culture we start in the east and rotate to the south and west, arriving at the north circle on top. "

Here are some of the interpretations of the Medicine Wheel found on the AAA Native Arts Gallery:

4 Medicine Wheel COLORS
East - Zaawaa -Yellow
South - Miskwaa - Red
West - Mkade - Black
North - Waabishkaa - White

4 RACES OF MAN - The 4 Brothers
East - Niibiish aabooke ininwag - Yellow
South - Anishinaabek - Red
West - Mkade ininwag - Black
North - Zhaaganaashag - White

4 NATURES OF MAN
East - Physical
South - Emotional
West - Mental
North - Spiritual

4 HILLS (stages)OF MAN
East - Binoojiinhsag - Childhood
South - Shki niigi - Adolescence
West - Gitziimak - Adult
North - Gchi epiitzjiik - Elder

4 PHASES OF HEALTH
East - Physical
South - Social
West - Intellectual
North - Spiritual

4 GRANDFATHERS / GRANDMOTHERS
East - Waabinong - Beginning
South - Zhaawinong - Going Along
West - Epngishmok - Getting Settled
North - Giiwednong - Going Home

4 SEASONS
East - Mnookmi - Spring
South - Niibin - Summer
West - Dgwaagi - Autumn
North - Biiboon - Winter

4 TIMES OF DAY
East - Sunrise
South - High Noon
West - Sunset
North - Night

4 BASIC ELEMENTS
East - Nbiish - Water
South - Noodin - Wind
West - Aki - Earth
North - Ishkode - Fire

4 DIRECTIONS
East - Waboon
South - Shawan
West - Ningabianong
North - Kewadin

4 SACRED PLANTS
East - Semaa - Tobacco - Prayer, renewal of life.
South - Giizhik - Cedar - Courage, cleansing, growth, express feelings.
West - Mmuskode-washk - Sage - Purifies, introspection, direction we go when we change worlds in death.
North - Wiingashk - Sweetgrass - Invites in good.

I am grateful for these teachings and here is a prophetic passage I found in Holy Bible : Ezekiel

As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction as the creatures went. Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+1&version=NIV