The Teachings of the Medicine Wheel

The Medicine Wheel is an important symbol in Native American Culture.
The Medicine Wheel provides spiritual protection
as well as protection from illness.
The circle represents the cycle of life in that all
life travels in a circular path.

The four spokes in the middle represent
the four directions,
the four colors of man,
and the four faces of man
(physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual).
This wheel will bring you good feelings
and serve as a reminder that we are one
with our mother earth and each other.

A Medicine Wheel is made of stones.
There were about 20,000 medicine wheels in North America,
before the Europeans came.
Medicine wheels are places for energy and healing,
teaching and understanding.
They are used for times of reflecting on life,
and for joyous celebrations.

The Medicine Wheel represents all of creation.
All races of people,
animals, birds, fish, insects,
trees, and stones,
the sun, moon and earth
are in the circle of the medicine wheel.

Each stone tells part of the story.
The circle is all of the cycles of nature, day and night,
seasons, moons, life cycles, and orbits of the moon and planets.

In our Medicine Wheel, there are 36 stones.
One center stone is ringed by
2 circles and connected by pathways.
The stone in the center represents The Creator.

Around The Creator stone is the inner circle.
These seven stones represent the foundations of life -
World, Sun, Moon, and the 4 elements necessary for life;
fire, water, earth, air.

There are 4 stones in the 4 great directions
East, South, West and North.
These have many meanings attached to each.

Connecting the 4 direction stones are the stones
representing the 12 moon cycles.

The stones between the inner circle and the direction stones
are the spirit paths, emanating energy out wards,
and guides to lead us in wards.

All of the stones have meaning attached to them.
There is a simple meaning, but there are interpretations possible.
The meanings also take on different
perspectives when related to other stones

Stones are gathered for a Medicine Wheel with great respect
as it is believed they hold all the history of the earth ,
and all of the ancient teachings.
We set each stone in its place,
as they are set up in a very sacred way.

We walk around the Medicine Wheel in a clockwise direction
as this is the way the earth moves.
We do not walk in the Wheel,
as this represents creation, and this we respect.

When we are in a circle around the Wheel,
we listen carefully to whoever is sharing.

Given all this understanding ,the Medicine Wheel
is a place of great joy, and a light-hearted state should prevail!
Dance and sing and laugh and tell stories.
Share friendship and the love of life.

The Medicine Wheel is a symbol of wholeness,
perfection, balance, and completion.
If you take a look at nature you'll
be hard pressed to find straight lines,
instead, you'll find circular paths.
Day rolls into afternoon which turns
into night and then back to dawn again.
The rhythm of the years is a circular
pattern of moving from Spring to Summer,
Fall, Winter and then back into Spring.
And life moves from birth to youth to
maturity, death, and then
back into life again. The Medicine
Wheel is based on this natural
pattern and is used as a map, or a
compass, to help us navigate
our way through life. We use it to
help us understand ourselves and our
place in the universe and as a framework
for honoring the forces of Nature


In one of his teaching books Ken Meadows
says that the Medicine wheel was originally
given to the Native Americans as a future
way to harmonize esoteric traditions. It
can be used for the self, family, or a
social group, much in the same way that
the circle of power used by occultists.
However, rather than directing, demanding,
or commanding power, one learns to identify with
the natural forces surrounding us.

Basically, the Wheel is divided into four,
or seven quarters: Up, down, within,
and the 4 cardinal directions. Each
direction has attributes and energies
which can be used to map consciousness
attain personal growth, and for healing.


It begins with respect for the Great
Spirit, and the Great Spirit is the
life that is in all things - all the
creatures and the plants and even the
rocks and minerals. All things...have
their own will and their own way and
their own purpose.
"This is what is to be respected."

Click on a link below
to move around the circle