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..........

[Ralph Rosell]

Wow! Didn't even know about the medicine wheel! Love it! Made me research! We are one for sure.. Ubuntu. Like the way you portrayed the concept. Just wanted to say that I only found 3 spelling mistakes:
were the last Americans allowED to dance our Native dances. And there were other two having problems copying and pasting.. But it was raiseD his hands... And createD a circle.. So nothing big, just wanted to let you know.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Ralph for reading and the comment. I appreciate the help on the edit also.

[MelissaAndres]

Very nice! At the very end when you say, 'Peace will come when we learn to work together' - that is so true! Won't that be a wonderful day? You did a good job with this. I enjoyed it very much!

[Coyote Poetry]

I wish we could learn common sense. We may be different in the place we live, color of skin and needs. But we love our children and we need opportunity for a safe place to sleep, opportunity for work and a chance at a good life. Thank you Melissa for reading and the comment. I do appreciate.

[MelissaAndres]

You are very welcome. I think that, sometimes, if we learn about other cultures and someone's background we could learn a lot of things too. Just knowing where someone comes from and why they do what they do can give us compassion and understanding.

[LapseOfMind]

Wonderful writing, puts things into perspective. If only more people understood this why might live in a world of peace and respect, instead of chaos and noise.

[Coyote Poetry]

I wish we will learn soon. A lot of dangerous actions in the world today. We need to slow down and find even and similar ground to know and find peace. Thank you for reading and the comment. I do appreciate.

[paulina misiewicz]

This is a GREAT piece of writing Coyote, totally uplifting! it should be spread and read worldwide! for we all play our part in this life and are ambassadors of peace. I absolutely loved it and I'll share it with all!

[Coyote Poetry]

Please do. When we learn. One earth and one people. Every life is needed and worthwhile. Will be a better world. Thank you Paulina for reading and the comment.

[AE]

This is beautiful. Very well done! I wish I knew more about my native american heritage, but that pretty much went when my grandparents died. I know old folktales and legends, but that's never really enough. Great job.

[Coyote Poetry]

Always time to learn. A lot of good materials about all tribes. I want to learn my Ojibwa language. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[Roxie M]

Beautiful. United in God's faithful Hands, we can peacefully rule the Universe in Love. We must accept our place in His plan. I am Osage, English, Irish, Scottish and other unknown American Native Tribes. So, I am spiritually blessed by this piece with its truth that lines up with the Holy Bible.

[Coyote Poetry]

A great chief once said. "He don't understand why the white man want to change the Native Americans religion. We have one God like like them. We pray and love our family. We have the same belief." Thank you Roxie for reading and the comment.

[Winslow Des Totes]

There is a very important message here that we must all embrace; through unity we gain strength and that is the only way we will know peace. You did a wonderful job :)

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you. Simple logic. One planet and one people. We must work together and try to get along.

[Winslow Des Totes]

Exactly it's simple and yet so hard for people to follow :/ hopefully someday we'll all get it right but it starts with one person at a time! :)

[Terry O'Leary]

Yes, we are one people...
a pity that many don't accept that...
a small change in genetic make up and they would see things differently...
Good poem!!!

[Coyote Poetry]

I wish we cold. Thank you Terry for reading and the comment. I do appreciate.

[Tomoe Tellez]

This is truly beautiful and moving. I hope your words are read by many for they hold a great truth everyone should know of. If only more people thought like this.

[Coyote Poetry]

Would be a better world if we live together in peace. Each part of the world is part of the puzzle. If one piece don't react right. Confusion and chaos will take over like it is. Thank you Alondra for reading and the comment.

[sL]

So beautiful. Many reviewers have captured their appreciation of this strong piece of writing, and I just have to agree. Thank you for taking the time to combine these conversations. I feel like you must be a wonderful listener and very easy to talk to. I am a teacher and I love that you seem to have crafted a lesson in this prose. Your writing engages readers to want to know more about the medicine wheel and to interpret it for themselves.

You seem to go back and forth between present and past tenses. Here are some editing suggestions:

1. At the Mall I went to the so-called Native American store.

2. He grinned at me. He didn't understand a word that I had spoken. He told me: "Does the same things." I left the store with nothing.

3. He told me: "All people are part of the circle of life. We all have a purpose," with sadness in his voice he continued, "Us Apache and Native Americans were responsible to protect Nature. We did a poor job."

4. "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) too well."

5. "The yellow people have courage, leadership and clarity. Their gentle and calm souls will be necessary for this world to seek peace."

6. An old Apache man moved around the circle, burned sage and blessed everyone who came that day.

7. He welcomed us. He began to speak.

8. "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.

9. He blessed all of us and his kind eyes showed respect for all.
He raised his hands and spoke to the sky.

10. 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.

Thank you for sharing and I look forward to reading more of your writing, as I am new here and this is the first of your poems that I have read.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you for reading and the help. I will fix later. On four days of work and 52 hours. I appreciate the detail edit.