medicine wheel icon

Introduction to the Medicine Wheel

by Mark Halliday and Spirit Guides

Consciousness, is what the medicine wheel is trying to tell us: Everything is connected, it might seems separated, but it is not. Like our fingers, they look like separated, yet, they make up the hands.

If you can hear what the Sun says, you have transcended the directions and you seat in the Centre of the Medicine Wheel.

medicine wheel East

The East Direction

element
Fire. Fire is the beginning of everything. Scientists call it the big bang. Fire is light.
season
Spring
colour
yellow
totem animal or spirit keeper
Hawk, eagle, owls, birds of prey, condors
medicine tool
the Sacred Pipe
herb
sage
some professions related
Guru, artists, priests, visionaries, prophets, clairvoyants, pipe carriers, fire walker facilitators
shamanic profession
Vision Quest Guide
quality
illumination 

New beginnings, birth, has the medicine of illumination, vision, seeing, transcendence. It is where our spirit is, our full spirit. The Healing power of the East is Vision, being able to see into the problem. In human life it is the birth, new beginnings, baby, infancy. The spiritual body. Male energy sits on the East. Although the Pipe is balanced, it sits on the East because it represents Spirit. The calling of the East is Vision Quest Guide. That is where the calling for the Soul is. It is the start of anything new in life. The beginning of the journey.

medicine wheel South

The South Direction

element
water
season
Summer
colour
red
totem animal or spirit keeper
fish, dolphins, snakes, anacondas, cobras. Place of coyote, deer, mouse, giraffe, rabbit, bees, peacocks, beavers, water birds and animals, porcupine, hedgehogs
medicine tool
the Drum
herb
sweetgrass
some professions related
nurse, doctor, the healer, the herbalist, peyote ceremonial leader, yuascakero
shamanic profession
The healer
quality
trust 

This is the place of growth. Also the place of movement of water. In human life it is the time of childhood. The South is the place of blood, passion, body, feelings, heart, sensuality, inner child in healing terms. The emotional body. Red race, Atic people, South America. Laughter in humour, gentleness, innocence, trust, growth and love. Divine feminine is the energy. The plant kingdom stay in the South of the medicine wheel.

medicine wheel West

The West Direction

element
earth
season
Autumn
colour
black
totem animal or spirit keeper
bear, badger, black panther, cougar, tiger, bats, big cats, jaguar
medicine tool
rattle
herb
tobacco
some professions related
farmers, mechanics, plumbers, cooks, chefs, professions where you work with the hands, practical people, grounded people
shamanic profession
Sweatlodge keeper
quality
strength

The living goddess of the Earth. Female energy, silence, stillness. Quality: strength. The physical body. Time of the day is late afternoon, when the shadows go and darkness come. The Spiritual power: Introspection, reflections, looking within place, questioning who am I, where am I going to? In human life it is the adolescence. The rebel, the one who wishes to change the world. The thunder beings. The being is the clown, or the heyoka.

medicine wheel North

The North Direction

element
air
season
Winter
colour
white
totem animal or spirit keeper
buffalo, elk, moose, stag, insect people like ants, the ones who live in community. Hummingbird, the one who serves by spreading its love, kissing all flowers. Dragon, dog (the one who serves)
medicine tool
flute, the smudge fan or the feather
herb
cedar
some professions related
teachers, intellectual pursuits, historians, record keepers, healers wind talkers, warriors because they serve the people
shamanic profession
teacher , wisdom keeper , storyteller, councillor
quality
wisdom

The mental body. Old and wise, we have passed through birth, childhood, adolescence and we move into adulthood. The North is the place of elders, grandmothers, grandfathers. Place of purification, renewal and cleansing. Snow covers the ground and prepares the earth for rebirth, renew. Air brings the healing medicine of clarity, expansion. The ahaha! Realisation moment. Bones: All our knowledge and wisdom are written in our bones. The North is the place of the mind, Science, European ways, logic, left brain activity. The North is the place you serve your community.

Acceptance is the power of the Goddess. Acceptance is a difficult word in our culture. When we accept the Medicine Wheel as a teacher, a reality, a tool, that is when it starts to work with us.