Tosia H Zraikat

Medicine Wheel and the Four Directions

 

This week, I've been practicing 'calling in the four directions', a shamanic ritual for calling on the energies of the directions, and made this medicine wheel as a natural progression of that work. I would have preferred to make the medicine wheel someplace where it I could reflect on it often, but I had already collected the materials so I thought I'd make a small wheel and photograph it. Which I have done.

So what does it mean to me?

East represents dawn, new beginnings, change and movement, and I represented that with feathers, as every dawn I am awoken by the sounds of birds outside my window. The bird shape (roughly) is actually a seed sheath from one of our native trees that reminded me immediately of a bird. East also is the energy of determination, setting intentions, choices, which to me is well-symbolised by birds, who often appear as omens to me and guides to this or that path.

South represents midday, activity, productivity, fruition, and the energies of giving, so I represented that with leaves and flowers (dry because I only used fallen material).

West represents sunset, the closing down of the matured day, the diminishing of the day's energies, return to the home and family. It represents the energies of holding, of embodying, where at the day's end, we return to the centre to ground our active minds and spirits in ourselves and our closest relationships. The symbols for these are earth, minerals (represented by soil and rocks), and bones (which I look for, but didn't find).

North represents midnight, winter, the time of withdrawing, integration of one's learning and reflection. It is the direction of the elders, of wisdom and mind. It holds the energies of receiving, of receiving one's learning into one's bones and heart, of receiving the teachings of the elders around the fireplace, and the wisdom of one's inner guides through contemplation and reflection.

I represented these North energies with shells and water (in the shell), water being a traditional symbol of deep consciousness, cosmic consciousness, and connection with the Source, and shells being an ancient symbol of rebirth, regeneration and harmony (Venus is born out of a shell). I also used two large eucalyptus seed pods, as to me they suggest the potential of life, of regeneration held safe within the pods until the time and conditions are right for the seeds to awaken.

The central stone represents, of course, the Centre, and I chose it because it contains traces of green and blue, representing Mother Earth and Father Sky respectively.

Although I learned about the four directions in my shaman course (Shamanism 101), Barry Bailey's* descriptions of his medicine wheels and the symbolism of the Four Directions resonated strongly with me, so that's what I  based mine on.  There are many variations on the medicine wheel anyway, so I feel it is quite permissible to take what feels right to me.

Now I'm looking for a way to make a larger medicine wheel outside in my mostly brick garden to use as a focal point for some of my meditations and energy work. 

   

  *Bailey's medicine wheel lessons start at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ32re5c-A

This week, I've been practicing 'calling in the four directions', a shamanic ritual for calling on the energies of the directions, and made this medicine wheel as a natural progression of that work. I would have preferred to make the medicine wheel someplace where it I could reflect on it often, but I had already collected the materials so I thought I'd make a small wheel and photograph it. Which I have done.

So what does it mean to me?

East represents dawn, new beginnings, change and movement, and I represented that with feathers, as every dawn I am awoken by the sounds of birds outside my window. The bird shape (roughly) is actually a seed sheath from one of our native trees that reminded me immediately of a bird. East also is the energy of determination, setting intentions, choices, which to me is well-symbolised by birds, who often appear as omens to me and guides to this or that path.

South represents midday, activity, productivity, fruition, and the energies of giving, so I represented that with leaves and flowers (dry because I only used fallen material).

West represents sunset, the closing down of the matured day, the diminishing of the day's energies, return to the home and family. It represents the energies of holding, of embodying, where at the day's end, we return to the centre to ground our active minds and spirits in ourselves and our closest relationships. The symbols for these are earth, minerals (represented by soil and rocks), and bones (which I look for, but didn't find).

North represents midnight, winter, the time of withdrawing, integration of one's learning and reflection. It is the direction of the elders, of wisdom and mind. It holds the energies of receiving, of receiving one's learning into one's bones and heart, of receiving the teachings of the elders around the fireplace, and the wisdom of one's inner guides through contemplation and reflection.

I represented these North energies with shells and water (in the shell), water being a traditional symbol of deep consciousness, cosmic consciousness, and connection with the Source, and shells being an ancient symbol of rebirth, regeneration and harmony (Venus is born out of a shell). I also used two large eucalyptus seed pods, as to me they suggest the potential of life, of regeneration held safe within the pods until the time and conditions are right for the seeds to awaken.

The central stone represents, of course, the Centre, and I chose it because it contains traces of green and blue, representing Mother Earth and Father Sky respectively.

Although I learned about the four directions in my shaman course (Shamanism 101), Barry Bailey's* descriptions of his medicine wheels and the symbolism of the Four Directions resonated strongly with me, so that's what I  based mine on.  There are many variations on the medicine wheel anyway, so I feel it is quite permissible to take what feels right to me.

Now I'm looking for a way to make a larger medicine wheel outside in my mostly brick garden to use as a focal point for some of my meditations and energy work. 

   

  *Bailey's medicine wheel lessons start at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ32re5c-A

This week, I've been practicing 'calling in the four directions', a shamanic ritual for calling on the energies of the directions, and made this medicine wheel as a natural progression of that work. I would have preferred to make the medicine wheel someplace where it I could reflect on it often, but I had already collected the materials so I thought I'd make a small wheel and photograph it. Which I have done.

So what does it mean to me?

East represents dawn, new beginnings, change and movement, and I represented that with feathers, as every dawn I am awoken by the sounds of birds outside my window. The bird shape (roughly) is actually a seed sheath from one of our native trees that reminded me immediately of a bird. East also is the energy of determination, setting intentions, choices, which to me is well-symbolised by birds, who often appear as omens to me and guides to this or that path.

South represents midday, activity, productivity, fruition, and the energies of giving, so I represented that with leaves and flowers (dry because I only used fallen material).

West represents sunset, the closing down of the matured day, the diminishing of the day's energies, return to the home and family. It represents the energies of holding, of embodying, where at the day's end, we return to the centre to ground our active minds and spirits in ourselves and our closest relationships. The symbols for these are earth, minerals (represented by soil and rocks), and bones (which I look for, but didn't find).

North represents midnight, winter, the time of withdrawing, integration of one's learning and reflection. It is the direction of the elders, of wisdom and mind. It holds the energies of receiving, of receiving one's learning into one's bones and heart, of receiving the teachings of the elders around the fireplace, and the wisdom of one's inner guides through contemplation and reflection.

I represented these North energies with shells and water (in the shell), water being a traditional symbol of deep consciousness, cosmic consciousness, and connection with the Source, and shells being an ancient symbol of rebirth, regeneration and harmony (Venus is born out of a shell). I also used two large eucalyptus seed pods, as to me they suggest the potential of life, of regeneration held safe within the pods until the time and conditions are right for the seeds to awaken.

The central stone represents, of course, the Centre, and I chose it because it contains traces of green and blue, representing Mother Earth and Father Sky respectively.

Although I learned about the four directions in my shaman course (Shamanism 101), Barry Bailey's* descriptions of his medicine wheels and the symbolism of the Four Directions resonated strongly with me, so that's what I  based mine on.  There are many variations on the medicine wheel anyway, so I feel it is quite permissible to take what feels right to me.

Now I'm looking for a way to make a larger medicine wheel outside in my mostly brick garden to use as a focal point for some of my meditations and energy work. 

   

  *Bailey's medicine wheel lessons start at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ32re5c-A

Ten things to know about dreams

Jeremy Taylor is a highly respected expert on dreams, and for decades has been helping people understand their dreams, individually and in groups.

Jeremy Taylor’s Ten Basic Assumptions of Dreams

1. All dreams come in the service of health and wholeness, even those that take a dramatically negative form.

2. No dreams come just to tell you what you already know. All dreams break new ground and invite new insights.

3. Only the dreamer can say with any certainty what meanings his or her dream may have.

4. The dreamer’s "aha!" of recognition is the only reliable touchstone of dream work.

5. There is no such thing as a dream with only one meaning. All dreams and dream images have multiple meanings and layers of significance.

6. All dreams speak a universal language of symbol and metaphor.

7. All dream reflect inborn creativity and ability to face and solve life’s problems.

8. All dreams reflect society as a whole, as well as the dreamer’s relationship to it.

9. Working with dreams regularly improves relationships with friends, family and others.

10. Working with dreams in groups builds community, intimacy, and support and begins to impact on society as a whole.

 

                                                                Image: Sleeping Beauty, by Edward Burne-Jones.