Medicine Wheels

[Pharm Girl]

Medicine Wheels have been a part of many ancient cultures dating as far back as 5,500 years. They are sacred power locations that contain the collective energy investment of the ancient peoples who used them in ceremony.
The Medicine Wheel was a time-honoured ceremonial space to honour the gifts of growth, rites of passage, seasonal changes of Mother Earth and the interconnectedness of all life.

The ancient peoples recognized that they were influenced by the rhythms of Mother Earth and the cycles of life and lived in accordance with those natural rhythms. They honoured all the life cycles - times for creation, gestation, planting, birth, growth, change, death and rebirth.

"Medicine" was about coming back into balance and harmony with those cycles.much different than today's modern medicine.

[SweetSativa]

I met a Lakota elder this weekend. During one of the ceremonies (invoking spirits of W,N,E, and S), my mind went fully to the garden that we had at our old house which was a circle with entryways due N S E&W. Kinda magnetic

Medicine Wheel

[Pharm Girl]

What direction does each of the four colours of human belong?

Lakota teachers who place the yellow race in the west and the black race in the east; Anishinaabe version places the Red Race in the South and the Black Race in the West; others suggest the wheel is walked in a counter-clockwise direction. As so little is really known, there is really no wrong way to build a wheel, a circular walk after all has no beginning and no end.

Medicine Wheel teachings are among the oldest of First Nations people and are based on the seven directions (North, East, South West, Father Sky, Mother Earth, Centre)

MEDICINE WHEEL TEACHINGS

Kwey, kwey! Ki mino pimadiz na? bongsmilie

[SweetSativa]

I don't know. He started West and went clockwise. I've only learned little bits here and there and I'm now DYING to find that part of my family. I've traced my Scottish/ Irish side (which didn't take long as that side isn't all that new to this country) but I have had SUCH A HARD TIME finding my Indian roots and it's weird because dad's family has STRONG native blood. I just can't find anything beyond my great-grandmother... she just 'showed up' with no parents...lol. I'll find it though, I just have to find the right relatives. I am learning a little bit but I just really feel that I should learn the ways that I came from if possible. Anyway (rambling)

As you say, it's a circle. It would make sense to place the black to the South but I am uncertain as to the beginning or end of the rainbow.

I am great! And how are you, wichkewan?

[Pharm Girl]

Tebwe!


RAINBOW CIRCLE OF LIGHT

The rainbow was a sign of the omnipotent grace of the Great Mystery.

It was by grace, freely given, unmerited favor and love of the Creator that allowed our people to walk this earth in respect for thousands of years barely leaving a footprint. It was also a focal point and great sign of the Place of Peace, Manataka. For the Creator chose Manataka to display this beautiful phenomena of nature in a spectacular and unique way.

The Rainbow Woman and the beautiful rainbows of Manataka disappeared to live deep within the sacred mountain when our Circle was broken by invasion and destruction by a people who did not understand the beauty and grace of our sacred places.

bongsmilie

[SweetSativa]

Pilamayaye Hopa or minwashin!!!!



Within the mountain, they are safe until they emerge once again.

[Prophet Saddam]

never heard of this before. neat stuff!

Medicine wheel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Pharm Girl]

Pilamayaye Hopa or minwashin!!!!



Within the mountain, they are safe until they emerge once again.

Welcome to Minwaashin Lodge

Anpetu waste yuha po..........~

in the Valley..........~

[SweetSativa]

Very neat site and service! I'm in the states. I'm not Lakota (of course, we are ALL brothers and sisters). I have conflicting information on my origin I was told once the name of my great-grandmother but I can't remember.... it's weird how overwhelming is the drive to discover this. I've never felt that your blood is necessarily what makes you who you are (my husband was adopted and doesn't even know his blood) and that we're all ONE but this drive is powered by Spirit... who am I to argue?

The elder that I met said something interesting about the pipe holders (which he is not yet). He told about how they held the pipe and how it was actually an antenna.

[NudeIntruder]

i think knowin ur heritage can prepare you to meet the future. The traits of your ancestors can give u insight into ur character and beliefs..so u'd be able, as a spiritual being, to bring in ur free will (ur values will get stronger)
its sort of like bringing together what divides ur past from ur future

[SweetSativa]

its sort of like bringing together what divides ur past from ur future

Awesome! Thank you

[Pharm Girl]

The Power of the Circle.............. ..~

When standing in a Circle and we all join hands.............
The right palm faces the Sky.............
The left palm facing the Earth............

The right hand facing up, receives the energy and the left facing down, continues the flow around the Circle.

bongsmilie

[Pharm Girl]

Sacred Fire Wedding Ceremony

The Sacred Fire Ceremony is symbolic of the separate lives of the couple and the union of One accomplished by this beautiful and exciting ceremony.

A fire circle is built with high sides made of stones. Seven types of wood are specially cut from specific types of trees by a priest or spiritual leader. The wood and fire circle are blessed with prayer and song ceremonies.

Three separate fires are prepared in the sacred fire circle. One large fire prepared in the center of the Circle represents the Creator and the holy union of two people. Two smaller fires are prepared, one in the north and one in the south that represents the bride and groom who have individual lives before the wedding ceremonies. Tobacco, sage, sweet grass and corn are sprinkled on the respective fires by the spiritual leader, bride and groom as prayers are given and songs are sung.

The bride and groom each offer a prayer (aloud or silently) as the two small fires are lit. After both fires burn for a few moments, the bride and groom gently push their two small fires into the large stack of wood in the center which catches fire. All sing praises to the Creator as the two lives are merged into one holy union.

Another variation of the Fire Ceremony is called the Rite of Seven Steps. In this wedding ceremony, both the bride and groom take seven steps sunwise (clockwise) around the sacred fire. For each step taken, a vow is said by each.

The groom makes one step forward and says a vow, and then the bride takes a step to join him and says her vow until one round around the fire is completed. Family and friends join hands in a circle around the fire.

A variation of the Rite of Seven Steps ceremony has the couple exchanging gifts after each step to signify each vow given. Example: kernels of corn represent fertility and growth, a feather stands for truth and loyalty, a stone stands for strength, solidarity and wisdom. The vows shown below are only an example of words that may be recited; however, you should consider writing your own vows.

GROOM STEP 1: My beloved, our love has become firm by your walking one with me. Together we will share the responsibilities of the lodge, food and children. May the Creator bless noble children to share. May they live long.

BRIDE STEP 1: This is my commitment to you, my husband. Together we will share the responsibility of the home, food and children. I promise that I shall discharge all my share of the responsibilities for the welfare of the family and the children.

GROOM STEP 2: My beloved, now you have walked with me the second step. May the Creator bless you. I will love you and you alone as my wife. I will fill your heart with strength and courage: this is my commitment and my pledge to you. May God protect the lodge and children.

BRIDE STEP 2: My husband, at all times I shall fill your heart with courage and strength. In your happiness I shall rejoice. May God bless you and our honorable lodge.

GROOM STEP 3: My beloved, now since you have walked three steps with me, our wealth and prosperity will grow. May God bless us. May we educate our children and may they live long.

BRIDE STEP 3: My husband, I love you with single-minded devotion as my husband. I will treat all other men as my brothers. My devotion to you is pure and you are my joy. This is my commitment and pledge to you.

GROOM STEP 4: My beloved, it is a great blessing that you have now walked four steps with me. May the Creator bless you. You have brought favor and sacredness in my life.

BRIDE STEP 4: My husband, in all acts of righteousness, in material prosperity, in every form of enjoyment, and in those divine acts such as fire sacrifice, worship and charity, I promise you that I shall participate and I will always be with you.

GROOM STEP 5: My beloved, now you have walked five steps with me. May the Creator make us prosperous. May the Creator bless us.

BRIDE STEP 5: My husband, I will share both in your joys and sorrows. Your love will make me very happy.

GROOM STEP 6: My beloved, by walking six steps with me, you have filled my heart with happiness. May I fill your heart with great joy and peace, time and time again. May the Creator bless you.

BRIDE STEP 6: My husband, the Creator blesses you. May I fill your heart with great joy and peace. I promise that I will always be with you. GROOM STEP 7: My beloved goddess, as you have walked the seven steps with me, our love and friendship have become inseparable and firm. We have experienced spiritual union in God. Now you have become completely mine. I offer my total self to you. May our marriage last forever.

BRIDE STEP 7: My husband, by the law of the Creator, and the spirits of our honorable ancestors, I have become your wife. Whatever promises I gave you I have spoken them with a pure heart. All the spirits are witnesses to this fact. I shall never deceive you, nor will I let you down. I shall love you forever.

[Pharm Girl]

I'd like to tell y'all about the "Teaching of The Turtle".......!

Turtle Island is comprised of the US, Mexico and Canada.
The 6 Nations are of The Turtle Clan and they adhere to The Great Law of Peace.

The Teaching is all on the Backs of the Turtle.
This Teaching is not found on the net.....it is a teaching that is told and has been hidden along with other Ceremonies. Now is The Time to Tell, Now is The Time to Unite. The 4 Races have been called........The Awakening has Begun.

[SweetSativa]

Meeting a tribal elder was cool in many ways. He reminded me of something that I started about a year ago. Last night I again attempted to contact the relative that has the records with the name of the last tribal member in my family but again I was not able to reach her. I want to know which of the seven tribes within the Cherokee I belong to and the name of the tribal member (great-great grandmother)... I want to learn the language and the specific traditions so that they will not die for my family. As I was saying though; it was neat meeting the elder but he is just a man... a man who has awakened. Before and after ceremonies we had a chance to talk and books such as the Celestine Prophesy were mentioned. We spoke of the Christs, etc. And as he said, during sweat lodge, it is completely dark and one does not see color. My dreams and the Spirits that have spoken to me are my true spiritual guides. This path leading me through red is also important... but the circle holds all colors and different roads.


My mother said to me not to forget the rich spirit of the Irish side of my family and I wonder if she knows that there's no way that I could.

One of the first words I wanted to learn was wahuhi. Messenger, for me.

[Pharm Girl]

I'd also like to tell how to build a Traditional Sweat Lodge.
Anybody can make this and use it for cleansing or just a sauna. They're easy to build...............
When I build one............somet hing very interesting occurs in The Sky!

I want to know which of the seven tribes within the Cherokee I belong to

In our Community we have people who trace ancestory.

Those records are somewhere.........so meone has the genealogy records.

Then The Jay Treaty will apply to you too........~

The Owl

[budacious]

I don't know. He started West and went clockwise. I've only learned little bits here and there and I'm now DYING to find that part of my family. I've traced my Scottish/ Irish side (which didn't take long as that side isn't all that new to this country) but I have had SUCH A HARD TIME finding my Indian roots and it's weird because dad's family has STRONG native blood. I just can't find anything beyond my great-grandmother... she just 'showed up' with no parents...lol. I'll find it though, I just have to find the right relatives. I am learning a little bit but I just really feel that I should learn the ways that I came from if possible. Anyway (rambling)

As you say, it's a circle. It would make sense to place the black to the South but I am uncertain as to the beginning or end of the rainbow.

I am great! And how are you, wichkewan?

May be hard for you to find out about your family because Native children were ripped away from their families and sent to "schools" as late as 1950s. They were forced to lose their language and change their names..it was another furthing of the genecidal tactics the USA government initialized

[SweetSativa]

^Yeah, I have the name (but I think it's the married name) of my great-great grandmother who was full-blood Cherokee. I think that I may have to do some traveling and hands-on research this summer. My aunt (who was born on a reservation in Cherokee, Oklahoma) has done this and came up empty handed but I feel such an overwhelming push to do it... there's no going back. My great-great grandmother's body was exhumed by her father and buried with her people (in Talequah, Oklahoma... Cherokee Nation) and my grandmother says that my great-grandmother was also buried with her people. I think (but am really not at all certain) that my great-great Grandmother's husband was Creek Indian (at least part). I think that I will go to Talequah this summer and see if I can find anything out. It was too long ago for anyone who may have known her to still be alive, I think. I have to get the correct spelling of her last name to begin with (my aunt with the records had a house fire so everything is boxed up). Here's a little excerpt of the e-mail she sent me:

The problem has to do with the Dawes Roll. At the time of the Trail of Tears there was not a complete listing of those moved from NC to OK by way of the Trail of Tears. The Cherokee that were forced in that move settled in and around Talequah. Local records from 1840 forward show many of the people bought or traded for property. When the US government established the Dawes Roll to provide restitution to the Cherokee there were of course stipulations. IF the head of the household was a land owner then they had to either give up their land (giving it to the government) to be placed on the Dawes Roll which then gave them privilege to free housing, education, oil rights, etc. If they refused to give up their land they were never recognized as native Cherokee. My great-great grandfather was on the Miller List which was later established for those land owners who refused to give up their land for the government handouts. We have found his name on that list and know that he owned land because I have relatives ...