Medicine Wheel

We celebrated an early solstice with a crystal rainbow medicine wheel, performed with the drum and rattle.  We smudged and read together this Sioux prayer, and the chant for healing

O our father the sky, hear us and make us strong
O our mother the earth, hear us and give us support
O spirit of the east, gift to us gentleness and strength of spirit
O spirit of the south, may we tread your path of life
O spirit of the west, may we always be ready for the long journey
O spirit of the north, purify us with your cleansing winds

Rhythm of the moon shine in my heart
Rhythm of the earth heal my body
Rhythm of the wind clear my mind
Rhythm of the sun, heal my soul
Rhythm of the universe come into my heart
Rhythm of the universe make my body whole
Rhythm of the universe focus my mind
Rhythm of the universe move my soul

There are a few pictures in my photo section of the crystal wheel, but I'm afraid they are not too clear.  We have done the medicine wheel each year since the group formed.  This year for the first time we did an outdoor wheel in the summer, and we celebrate inbetween these events too.
We have had an enjoyable year with much growth in the group and many life situations to bulid our strength.

My medicine card for the evening was turtle - I have a turtle drawing on my drum too….

Re: Medicine Wheel

Thank you for sharing this. It is good to come together in community to pray for strength and healing. While I mainly walk my path alone, I long for a time when people of like mind can come together. It is in this coming together that prayer becomes even more powerful. Even science is showing us this to be true through Quantum Physics. There was a study done where they showed that intention and cofucs can bring about changes. They found that when two people come together that effect is magnified four-fold. This is even more amplified when those two are male-female energies such as husband-wife, son-mother, daughter-father.

Re: Medicine Wheel

The medicine was “good” WhiteWolf.  The drumming was done in heartbeat pattern and helped us to be held in the now. I made a rattle from a small bottle and half filled it with rice and covered it with beautiful hand made paper.  The visions were good too, I received white bear medicine - which I've been looking up on the internet today.  I found a website www.teton-rainbows.com/bigbear.html that showed pictures of the centre of a medicine wheel with all the offerings, of crystals, sage bundles, bunches of fresh flowers and even plastic bottles of mineral water!
There were 5 of us present at the medicine wheel and it was a very productive and enjoyable night.

Re: Medicine Wheel

Can anyone give me some information about the Medicine Wheel.
I have been to one , it is very old , and I would like to know more about it?

Re: Medicine Wheel

There are many “versions” of the Medicine Wheel. I have an old posting here from Bear Warrior regarding the Cherokee Medicine Wheel. http://pods.gaia.com/elders_of_seven_tribes/discussions/view/97006#97006
The basics are the same, but the colors of the directions may change nation to nation as well as the interpretation of the directions. You could also try Googling medicine wheel with the tribe name, like Lakota Medicine Wheel.

Re: Medicine Wheel

This one that I have seen is with rocks, there is no colours , just the rocks.
Much later when I was younger I would make one , and play games using what I saw.With the snow, and my feet.

Re: Medicine Wheel

This is what it looks like , and it is also near quicksand as well.



I am not sure what Tribe roamed these lands , as I am unsure of this area , it is somewhere , my dad grew up.

Re: Medicine Wheel

The colors may not be represented in the formation. It is what is known by the people. If you notice the inner circle is quartered. This represents the four directions. Most everything else is similar. One would circle this saying prayers to each quarter. I suppose one could think of it as a meditative tool that allows one to focus, much the way some use labyrinths..
Where was this picture taken, if I may ask? It might give better insights based on the tribes in the area.

Re: Medicine Wheel

Hi everyone

What we seemed to find in our wheel, that we received similar visions relating to the 4 quarters/4 directions.  When we entered at the east we received visions relating to spirit, and eagle medicine in particularly, the south represented emotions, sometimes fear of going forward,  the west sector was earthy, relating to body and we received sensations of healing in the body.  In the north sector several of us had a swaying sensation and saw mountains with snow…..

We read from White Eagle - The Quiet Mind and said a couple of prayers

“A chant for Healing”, and a Sioux Prayer to honour Father Sky, Mother Earth and the 4 directions.

We ended by sending prayers thoughts to family, friends and mother earth/Father Sky.

The idea for our wheel came from a book Rainbow Medicine by Wolf Moondance

It must be good to experience the medicine wheel, which has been walked for generations….

Taikunping

Re: Medicine Wheel

photo to go with the rainbow crystal medicine wheel…

Re: Medicine Wheel

That is an interesting medicine wheel. I have not seen one like it. Most are of stone, outside. Some have symbols painted on the stones. I had not heard of that book. Thank you for sharing this.