Walking the Medicine Wheel for Balanced Health
Posted: Friday, July 30, 2010
by Dr. Carla Goddard
The Medcine Wheel medicine comes from traditional belief that all that effects the body physically originates in an imbalance of the whole person. The whole person is the mental, emotional, spiritual and the physical bodies. Each part of the whole must be in complete balance and harmony with each part. Various tradtions and cultures have divided the Wheel of Life (as it is sometimes referred to) in various ways. It is simply a sacred tool that is used by many for health, interconnectedness to all, and personal growth. The walking of the Medicine Wheel can be made for contemplating personal wellness, astrological correspondence, to the inter relatedness between all things.
Within the Medicine Wheel all of life is interconnected and interrelated. Life of people, life of animals, life of plants, and life of the Universe. Every part of life can be explored when a person delves into the Medicine that the Wheel holds. This walk around the sacred Wheel we will concentrate on the Medicine for the four bodies of the human being.
The Medicine Wheel is a circle in shape - a sacred Hoop. The circle has long stood for infinity, perfection, the Universal life in a variety of spiritual paths. It is represented here as the 'hoop' of life that never ends and connects all through interrelatedness. The circle is divided by a cross that is equal in division through the center. This cross divides the center into four equally balanced quadrants. Each quadrant represents a direction of east, west, north, and south. Each direction or quadrant represents one of the four bodies of the human being. The north quadrant is the mental body and is easiest to remeber as the top of the human body. It deals with all things of the mind. The east is the physical body. All physical manifestations of wellness are dealt with here. The south is the emotional body. The things of the heart such as emotions are dealt with here. The west is the spiritual body. Your spiritual beliefs and patterns are dealt with here. Each part of the wheel are not only interconnected, they are interdependent upon one another. For a balanced and healthy life, each part of the wheel must work together in unity. There are also, in the traditional sacred Medicine Wheel, additional directions of Above and Below. Above relates to the Sky above, the heavens, and Father Spirit or God. Below relates to Mother Earth and the ideals creation and nurturing.
The North or the Mental Body
The mental body is your thoughts, where creation begins, and where knowledge develops. Represented by midnight where dreams live. It is where facts of knowledge transmute into wisdom.
The East or the Physical Body
The physical body has certain needs to be an optimum performance. Diet, exercise, and rest are elements that the human body requires. The sun rises in the east bringing illumination and awareness to all.
The South or the Emotional Body
If balanced in the emotional body a person will have a positive attitude about life. Emotions and feelings must be not only experienced but understood to find a state of balance. The Wheel looks at certain emotions as base emotions that a myriad of feelings stem from. The Wheel looks at life as an existence and living as thriving in existence. The Wheel also looks at both the outward emotional body (the relationships) and the inner emotional body (self awareness). The south is connected to the midday cycle. Thus the idea of growth beneath the strongest rays of sun provide for the outer relationships warming down deep into our inner hearts. It represents learning trust within the growth.
The West or the Spiritual Body
The spiritual body is the very essence of who a person is - their soul core. The Wheel looks at questions such as why are you here? What is your purpose? Is there something more than 'here'?
Represented by the twilight hours of dawn and dusk which is the time to look deep within and to contemplate all things and is thought to be the time when the veils between the realms is thinnest allowing the connection with Spirit.
When using the Wheel for wellness to balance all things in my personal walk of the Medicine Wheel there are specific areas and specific questions that I meditate on for each quadrant. It is important to understand as you begin to Walk the Wheel there are no right or wrong ways nor questions to ask yourself. My own personal methods are designed to result in an virtual inventory of my entire being from how I am eating and exercising to meditative contemplations of where my life is and where I wish it to go.
The Medicine Wheel is a circle in shape - a sacred Hoop. The circle has long stood for infinity, perfection, the Universal life in a variety of spiritual paths. It is represented here as the 'hoop' of life that never ends and connects all through interrelatedness. The circle is divided by a cross that is equal in division through the center. This cross divides the center into four equally balanced quadrants. Each quadrant represents a direction of east, west, north, and south. Each direction or quadrant represents one of the four bodies of the human being. The north quadrant is the mental body and is easiest to remeber as the top of the human body. It deals with all things of the mind. The east is the physical body. All physical manifestations of wellness are dealt with here. The south is the emotional body. The things of the heart such as emotions are dealt with here. The west is the spiritual body. Your spiritual beliefs and patterns are dealt with here. Each part of the wheel are not only interconnected, they are interdependent upon one another. For a balanced and healthy life, each part of the wheel must work together in unity. There are also, in the traditional sacred Medicine Wheel, additional directions of Above and Below. Above relates to the Sky above, the heavens, and Father Spirit or God. Below relates to Mother Earth and the ideals creation and nurturing.
The North or the Mental Body
The mental body is your thoughts, where creation begins, and where knowledge develops. Represented by midnight where dreams live. It is where facts of knowledge transmute into wisdom.
The East or the Physical Body
The physical body has certain needs to be an optimum performance. Diet, exercise, and rest are elements that the human body requires. The sun rises in the east bringing illumination and awareness to all.
The South or the Emotional Body
If balanced in the emotional body a person will have a positive attitude about life. Emotions and feelings must be not only experienced but understood to find a state of balance. The Wheel looks at certain emotions as base emotions that a myriad of feelings stem from. The Wheel looks at life as an existence and living as thriving in existence. The Wheel also looks at both the outward emotional body (the relationships) and the inner emotional body (self awareness). The south is connected to the midday cycle. Thus the idea of growth beneath the strongest rays of sun provide for the outer relationships warming down deep into our inner hearts. It represents learning trust within the growth.
The West or the Spiritual Body
The spiritual body is the very essence of who a person is - their soul core. The Wheel looks at questions such as why are you here? What is your purpose? Is there something more than 'here'?
Represented by the twilight hours of dawn and dusk which is the time to look deep within and to contemplate all things and is thought to be the time when the veils between the realms is thinnest allowing the connection with Spirit.
When using the Wheel for wellness to balance all things in my personal walk of the Medicine Wheel there are specific areas and specific questions that I meditate on for each quadrant. It is important to understand as you begin to Walk the Wheel there are no right or wrong ways nor questions to ask yourself. My own personal methods are designed to result in an virtual inventory of my entire being from how I am eating and exercising to meditative contemplations of where my life is and where I wish it to go.
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