Medicine Wheel Gathering of May 8th, 2004
Emailed by Hopi Elder, dee see mana, Katherine Cheshire
kc4behopi@yahoo.com
Touch the Earth Foundation
http://www.thehopiway.com
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Honoring Black Elk
(Black Elk Speaks as told through John G. Neihart)
Then I was standing on the highest mountain of them all, and round about beneath me was the whole hoop of the world. And while I stood there I saw more than I can tell and I understood more than I saw; for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all things in the spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like one being.
And I saw that the sacred hoop of my people was one of many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as starlight, and in the center grew one mighty flowering tree to shelter all the children of one mother and one father. And I saw that it was HOLY!"
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The Medicine Wheel
Important Concepts of the Medicine Wheel
Symbols express and represent meaning. Meaning helps provide purpose and understanding in the lives of the human beings. Indeed, to live with our symbols is to experience existence far short of its full meaning. Ways of expressing and representing meaning, including the symbol systems of mathematics, spoken and written languages and the arts, are often in our "Rock art" petroglyphs and other information left by our ancient cultures.
The Medicine Wheel is an ancient symbol used by almost all the Native people of North and South America. There are many different ways this basic concept is expressed: the four grandfathers, the four winds, the four cardinal directions, and many other relationships that can be expressed in sets of four. Just like a mirror can be used to see things not normally visible (behind us or around a corner), the medicine wheel can be used to help us see or understand things we can't quite see or understand because they are ideas and not physical objects.
The medicine wheel teaches us that we have four aspects to our nature; the physical, the mental, the emotional, and the spiritual. Each of these aspects must be equally developed in a healthy, well-balanced human being through the development and use of volition and shear human will.
The Potential
Potentially the seed has a mighty tree within it. The four aspects of our nature -- the physical, the mental, the emotional, and the spiritual-- are like seeds. They have the potential to grow into grand gifts for all Land and Life, or lay dormant for mischief to master and over mind our good intentions.
The old ones taught me that these powerful tools could be used in a good way to reflect as a mirror does the Universal Door to Truth and Understanding, and in today's world the most needed is BALANCE.
May I share with you a teaching from the Old Ones as you prepare for this Day of prayer for the Human family and Mother Earth, May 8th, especially the sacred Waters and Peace?
Maybe you are not able to come to the ceremony and you want to do something in your own home, village, town or local sacred mountain or spring. I pray that you remember the teaching of never leaving a door open you do not know how or when to close.
If we leave our doors open all the time, think about it. What would happen in the winter -- snow in your shoes, on your bed, or, in the summer -- the heat of the summer could be sweltering. Who would be invited to your open door? Could it be someone with your best interest or even with intent to harm you?
When we open a door, such as a "Medicine Wheel", we must be mindful that the spirits are of our pure intentions; they are gifted and hosted with corn meal or tobacco in some parts of the world. Then, after the ceremony, give thanks and close the door behind you so mischief will not change your intentions of Universal Balance and Peace.
Think of our Brothers from Tibet, they often make Mandalas and often they take many days, even months, to accomplish. And after the ceremony the prayers and divine message and Mirror to the Universe is destroyed and returned to Mother Earth as the Reflection is already in the other worlds.
We live in the world of temporality and so it must be destroyed so the intention will not be misused or become stagnant.
So when you do the Drumming Circles, and I have been given a spirit vision many will try to make "medicine wheels" in your homes or community; so I send a cry that if you do so, do not forget to give thanks; do not forget when you leave the sacred spot, dismantle the circle.
If you do not know how to open and close the door -- this is not for everyone to know -- but be honest about it and hold your circle, give thanks, Drum at these times, share your hearts, prayers and feelings and healings. Let us help the best we can all over the world all peoples of the world. Let us help this vision of all the peoples being the Human Family together in one thought and one prayer for peace.
In all my traveling, I so often come across situations where people only know how to sing the chants -- they read a book, saw a movie or even a ceremony and then set out the sign saying come, I know, not understanding what they mean or how to get out of the situation they created. Even with the best intentions, they get sick or have to call on someone to help them out because of harm caused to others.
I know this May 8 ceremony is about Healing and Balance, so let it begin with each and every one of us, in a good way. Give thanks before, Give thanks after, and do not hang on. Mother Earth will be here for us to Pray another day, and with another wheel, with proper prayers and intention, all is possible. Or possibly the same ones that have guardians 24 hours a day 7 days a week, this is what the elders have taught.
Blessings and Balance, from Balance All Blessings Flow,
In Peace, dee see mana, Katherine Cheshire
