The Medicine wheel

Old Native American wisdom. We need to gather as one people to save earth and all people.

 
 

Wisdom of the Medicine wheel
 

I have been  lucky.  Many kind Native Americans took me under their wing and taught me how to find peace.
 
At the Mall I went to the so-call Native American store. A Middle Eastern man tried to sell me a Chinese made items.  I touched a Medicine Wheel.
 
I told him:  "A proper Medicine Wheel has the power of the four winds."

I touched a  Dream Catcher." A real one would protect your spirit and keep bad dreams away."
 
He grinned at me. He didn't understand a word that I have spoken. He told me. "It does the same things." I left the store with nothing.
 
I sat with my Apache Friend and his family outside the gate of Fort Hood, Texas. I sat and listened to him.  His skin hardened by the Texas sun. I came and sat with him every Saturday for many months.

He had a story for every item he sold. I brought him food and water.  His stories were passed on to him by family and elders.
 
He gave me a Medicine Wheel. He rose up and made a circle with his hands. He told me.  "All people are part of the circle of life.  We all have a purpose, he had sadness in his voice. We Apache and Native Americans were responsible to protect Nature. We did a poor job."
 
"The white people were responsible for the fire. They shared their gift and now fire is held in every corner of the planet. His eyes looked at the ground, then he raised his eyes and looked to the sky. The fire was taught Atomic and nuclear power too well."
 
"The black people held the strength, wisdom and honour. The wisdom of the black people lost direction. We need their strength before we kill off all that is good."
 
"The yellow people have courage, leadership and clarity. The gentle and calm souls will be necessary for this world to seek peace."
 
"The medicine wheel is a compass to all life. We must know all four directions."
 
At a Pow Wow in Texas a few Native Americans danced and invited all of us to join the dance of friendship. A old Apache man moved around the circle. Burned sage and blessed everyone who came.
 
He welcomed us. He began to speak.

"We were the last Americans allowed to dance our Native dances.
We were the last allowed to speak our language in public.
We have not forgotten. 
We go on and hope for better days."
 
He blessed all of us and his kind eyes show respect for all.
He raise his hands and spoke to the sky.
"Teach us the four winds. 
Give us wisdom. 
Teach us humility. 
Show us clarity. 
Allow us to trust our brothers."
 
I'm proud of my Ojibwa heritage.  I'm proud of my Mexican/white heritage. The Medicine wheel showed us we are one. We need to work together. Red, black, white and yellow were given gifts.
 
Old Apache raised his hands to the sky. Then created a full circle. He moved slowly around  the inner circle and looked in all our eyes.
 
 
"We are one.
Let's pray for peace."
 
East wind - Yellow people - Path of light - Spiritual - courage.
West wind - Red people - Path of vision - physical -prayer
North wind - White people - Path of quiet - Mental - wisdom
South wind - Black people - Path of peace - natural - trust

 
This is a view of many years of learning. Every teacher tells the story differently. I believe we are one people. Peace will come when we learn to work together.

Black, White, Red and Yellow are the four corners of the Medicine Wheel. All with important gifts to bring to achieve peace with each other and the planet.


                                     Coyote

 
 

Author's Note

If mistakes. Please tell me. Never too old to learn.

Reviews

[Neville]

What a truly inspirational and important poem we have here. Until now, I did not appreciate the true significance of the 'Medicine Wheel'
I have learn't many things this evening and am subsequently both humbled and very grateful to you my dear friend Coyote.................All Good Things, Neville

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Neville. The Medicine. A symbol of peace. One people and one earth.

[Neville]

Amen to that..........

[Taylor H.]

great, powerful and fantastic. Great great job!

[raining]

good poem. my father is abenaki, from Canada and from Vermont, they were moved and they moved on their own. They lived in utter poverty dirt floors, no money, they lived and tried to escape the poverty. my father did escape and worked on the railroad, and he died and he never talked much about his past.

this is a good poem and is of another tribe, but I think there is a connection, The Abenaki had turtle totems, and bear, and the wolf. I feel bad that I don't know more about the language. I was asked to learn it, to study the sings but I haven't, lazy.... maybe I should do it now.

[alan khan]

powerful stuff. i've always been interested in native american culture. i'm very passionate about learning it all with it's respect for nature, and being one with nature and the world and all that. this was a really nice write. great work.

[Susan]

What a wonderful and powerful poem. I hope that you share this with others, hoping that they understand and spread your message.

[Emily B]

I started taking my children to the local pow wow many years ago. I knew it was something they should be exposed to . . . and when the public was invited to participate in the friendship dances I pushed them toward the center of the ring while I sat on the bleachers. I took my friend Beverly one year and her children. And while we sat, waiting on the children to get to the circle, a big and mean looking woman stopped in front of Beverly and said 'you come on'. She was bigger and meaner looking than Beverly though I had never imagined such a thing. And I waited for Beverly to tell her no thank you or something like that. And Beverly looked at me and said 'you come on'. I could never have imagined an experience like that. The way the music moved through me. The way I felt one with heaven and earth, with past and present, for those few moments.

[ransom]

Powerful words. Powerfully spoken. They remind me so much of one of my all-time favorite quotes by Black Elk.

"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." ---Black Elk

I keep this quote on my wall because the words remind me of being a child and standing in the dinosaur tracks that are present in a riverbed nearby. I used to just let the water run over my feet, look up at Comanche Peak and simply try to absorb the fact that the dinosaurs, the Comanches and even myself all shared that same little river bottom.

Thank you for reminding me of the Oneness that lives around me still. I think I will hang your poem up with my Black Elk quote. It just seems undeniably appropriate.

[Rhonda]

wow! this is so amazing! i'm a little native american myself, but mostly white. i know i'm prouf for being a little native american and for being white. all people are one. thanks for this pleasant poem.

[Bullet Soul]

I found this so interesting! I love learning about others beliefs, and these seems o alive and full of life, and accepting of all people in the world. If only every religion could be open to so many people, regardless of their skin color, ethnicity, etc. This is so different than the catholic beliefs that only some will be accepted into God's kingdom. You've really captivated me with this, so much so that I want to learn more! You really did a great job with this one.

[Tracie Skarbo]

I love this. I have much respect for the native indians who care for the planet and all who dwell upon. Their quiet spoken ways. There is so much to be learnt from them...thanks for giving me this look at the medicine wheel.