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..........

[gram linski]

Excellent poem, Coyote, wise words spoke loud and true, ever read a guy called Jimi Santiago Baca, I think you would enjoy

[Coyote Poetry]

I haven't and I will research. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[Simran Kewlani]

You are so wise. This is beautiful, Coyote.
Hope you're doing well. It has been very long.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Simran. One people and one earth. We must get along.

[BlackPrince]

This is such a powerful work of love and wisdom. It's like a treatise, a guide on human harmonious relations.
To me, this is what writing is about: always learning something fresh that adds to one's existing knowledge of humanity and the positive elevation of the human spirit in harmonious coexistence.

[Coyote Poetry]

My friend. We need the four corners of the word to work as-one. We need every child to have food, shelter, safe place to live and opportunity. Thank you for reading and the kind words. I do appreciate.

[Carthage Thorne| The Wi..]

This poem is epic! I love the cultural history, the reference and the wisdom and knowledge this piece contains. It's all well rounded, its dynamic as well and very moving as well as inspirational. The thoughts in this poem express interesting traditions, and is an overall eye-opener. Thanks for sharing this Coyote!

~CarthageThorne

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Carthage. I wish we would learn. One earth and one people.

[Carthage Thorne| The Wildcard]

Aye, same! There was a line from out of a song that really hit me once after listening to it... and it went along the lines of... "Skin different, but the same color we bleed." Really was something to think on after hearing that part of the song.

[Coyote Poetry]

A great song. I pray for peace every day. Too many days of war.

[Hasan669]

An excellent mixture of prose poetry and conventional poetry used to emphasise the need for us humans to group together and work together for the common good. I am taken in by the combination you've made of some biographical lines together with descriptive lines about the Native American people. I am thoroughly impressed overall.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you for reading and the comment. The four corners of the world must get along. Or we shall fall.

[Christian]

I love this poem a lot. The inspiration alone humbles me into finding further peace. Great work and thank you for sharing.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Christian. I appreciate the comment.

[R.E.K.]

This piece is a breathing living child of your history....it tells of the depth and the beauty of the cultures from which you were formed. Medicine Wheel is a lyrical thing that I would find exhilarating and gentle in the same warm way if i were to read it many times. Reading this has touched me in a profound way. Thank you coyote for sharing this magic!!!

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you R.E.K. for reading and the comment. I do appreciate.

[Robert Trakofler]

Thank you for sharing this!!!! I have a medicine bag from an old friend that i cherish to this day. I was very lucky to be able to learn of his native american culture, he would tell stories to me and his son when we would take walks through the woods as a boy.

[Coyote Poetry]

I carry a medicine bag too for 40 years. Old world belief. I store simple items from my mentors. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[Coffee Lady]

I forgot to mention in my previous review that I like the way you use story telling within your poetry. Great poetry.

[Coyote Poetry]

The Medicine wheel show us. We are once people and one earth. The colors decided by a old tribe.Many colors in this world. I believe the meaning is. Will take the four corners and middle to seek peace for us to forget war. Thank you for reading and the comment. I do appreciate.

[Coffee Lady]

Very beautiful! Thank you for the explanation.

[Coffee Lady]

This is beautiful. Although I do have a question. When you discuss the four winds, are you referring to the geographical location of these various peoples? And if so, I notice that those winds do not appear to match the colours on the medicine when (for example, south is depicted in yellow). Am I missing something regarding the meaning? Regardless, I love this concept that all people have something to contribute and that we must all be respectful of our unique cultural gifts. Thank you for sharing.