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..........

[Bright Ocean Star]

Coyote, this is beautiful. The Native Americans in our land were lied to, brutalized, imprisoned, and poisoned. There is much evil in the whiteman's ways. We don't respect the land; some don't, others do. But, one mark of a gentleman is how you treat others that are different from yourself. This poem or story speaks to me. Thank you for sharing it with us. It is an important lesson.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you for reading. A great chief went to Washington D.C in 1880. He saw the people. He went back to his tribe. He told his tribe. White men are like the ants. Cannot be stopped. We must find equal ground.

[Bright Ocean Star]

Your right, and your welcome. Be well, my friend.

[Daisy]

wow... great medicine wheel... great concept and wonderful words

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

then i will be south .... path of peace natural trust...
I really like these words.... great piece sir

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Daisy. Old Native wisdom stand true today. Will take whole world to act as one to know peace.

[Daisy]

you are right....

[Jacqueline]

Not only was this beautiful and moving, but the knowledge shown is priceless. Things said should be learned but probably won't be by many. I enjoyed reading this

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Jacqueline. New world. Don't seek needed knowledge. If we knew about the life and belief of others. Would be a better world.

[Sean M. Addams]

very cool and very interesting story.. overall you did a great job on this one.. lots of meaning in this,.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Sean. I appreciate the comment.

[Sean M. Addams]

No problem

[HippieSoulPunx]

Very spiritual, but easily something that anyone, regardless of spiritual or religious beliefs, can understand. Peace should be the ultimate goal, because we can't really make progress in anything else when so much money is being spent on militaries and conflicts. Until we can resolve our differences without violence, powerful people's focus will always be on how to defend what they have and take what they need. But we need to evolve past that. What a beautiful poem/story, such a clear, unifying message.

[Coyote Poetry]

I wish we could pass the need to murder and steal. The world based on wealth shall never know peace. I pray and hope for peace. For the sake of my children and all children.

[Sunny Skye]

Absolutely beautiful story you wrote here, quiet difficult for all of us to become one but there sure is hope.
I truly enjoyed your story/poem it was wonderfully written.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Sunny Skye. I appreciate the comment.

[Nila M.]

This a beautiful description of humanity and the natural world as it was intended to be. Everything has a purpose in the natural order. Even the animals and plants, rivers and oceans. It is sad that we have become so fragmented and misguided by profit and greed. I think this is why depression and anxiety have become such hallmarks of the modern world. Surely we have lost the way. We love things and use people, rather than love people and use things. I don't imagine at the end of this life anyone is thinking about the money they made or the ladders they climbed, or the averice they saw around them. They're probably looking for the quality of what they felt and what they shared with others when their little part of history ends. I hope that as a community we can search back and find some of our lost spiritual roots and values. Thank you.

[Coyote Poetry]

I wish the same. For the sake of the children. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[Ejay]

Very nice .... deeply touched by your story ... Basically , it is a highly touching and compassionate story , with a marvellous penning ... Personally , liked it very much .

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you EJAY for reading and the comment. I appreciate the comment.

[Barbara Walker]

On the one hand, so encouraging that this world can be a much better place and that gives much needed hope, but how in the world to get all of humanity to that place in their hearts? Seems insurmountable. You could give a guarantee and still there are those who wouldn't even try. Hope I am very very wrong. No matter what I read of yours, I always get a feeling of warmth and soul and caring. Thank you for sharing your writing on wc!

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Barbara for reading and the comment. I wish we(World) could learn. World is getting smaller. We must get along.

[GeekyGamer128]

Hey Coyote Poetry. I really enjoyed this poem/story. Thank you for the friend request. I have seen how popular you are on WritersCafe and it really is an honor to have such a good writer compliment this little 12 year old. (My birthday was yesterday.) Thank you so much! :)

[Coyote Poetry]

Happy birthday and good to have met you. You are a talented 12 year old writer. I hope to read more of your work.

[GeekyGamer128]

Thank you.