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..........

[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.

[Ryan Jaimz Knight]

Lots of spelling and grammar errors, but one those are corrected there will be nothing to stop the full presence and beauty of this poem from shining through. Well done.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Ryan for reading and the comment. I do appreciate. I will edit now.

[Coyote Poetry]

I try to repair. Is it better?

[Rose Burke]

This is very profound and thought-provoking. An important message and beautifully written, I love it!

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Rose. I appreciate the comment.

[Jen Walters]

I love that you write about a topic that I am very passionate about. I used to dream of being a nurse on a reservation somewhere, hoping to encourage the native americans I treated to sing and dance the old ways that I respected and valued more than life itself. I love Native Americans and value and respect their lifestyles. Thank you for sharing such a beautifully rich and well written poem. Have a great evening.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Jen. I wish I could of took my kids to the reservation. My tribe is 500 miles away from me. I'm 1/2 Ojibwa.

[Jen Walters]

I have heard that name before, my mom's step mother's sister was Cherokee I don't know how much she died before I could meet her. I wished I had the chance, maybe one day I will make it to a reservation. Have a great day, sorry I did not get back to you sooner I had internet issues.

[Coyote Poetry]

The Cherokee have great and proud history. Written language and defeated the USA army to keep their land in North Carolina mountains.

[andrew mitchell]

Just one of your very very best CP. I love Indian folk lore , Native American Wisdom and have a book from Chief George Dan lol. I often wonder if Northern America would be the same as 6oo yrs ago if whiteman didn't evade. I think so because they were one with nature! As a race we don't fit in the medicine wheel we brought disease and terrible unrest but all indigenous people do fit in cos they are one with nature and more importantly happy to. Excellent topic CP and well done!

[Coyote Poetry]

Native Americans were not perfect. But I believe. Would be more logical with the land. Like Germany. Each city surrounded by forest and walking path. Thank you Andrew for reading and the comment.

[Cody]

This seems like something I'd read in an old Mark Twain book. Very well done how you paid a lot of homage to Native American mysticism but put it into your own words.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Cody. Many versions with same meaning. All color of this world must work together for the sake of the children.

[Corset]

Coyote this was just wonderful, my favorite so far, is it any wonder this found its way into so many personal favorites! Peace, I so loved the message in this and this was an amazing write, enjoyed reading it immensely :)

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Corset. Old wisdom is best knowledge.

[Corset]

I remember this one, did you edit?

[E G TEN]

CP, you are blessed throughout your travels, specially with all the
Experience, stories, and wisdom that you had been offered with.
This is such a wonderful story, I'll definitely be hanging on to this
one. Thanks for sharing and more safe journeys to come.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you my friend. Many wise sayings we need to obey. "Take a city to raise a child." and "One people and one earth. We must get a long for the sake of the children."

[Lyingwithlions]

This was really awesome and told so well. It brought me a peaceful calm that was very welcomed.
Thank you. I know I will try harder to forgive, and hope and pray for peace. We deserve to live within the beauty of nature as one, just as our creator intended.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you for reading and the comment. We need prayers and actions. Before it is too late.

[Lyingwithlions]

So true. Then again I wonder, is it already to late? Or will it never be to late.? If fate is real, then I have faith that for those who have awakened, have a multitude of ancestors whom await us.

[Coyote Poetry]

Not too late today. Each day we are falling behind. Old wise saying. "When the forest is gone. Sea is polluted and no life. The bear and wolves gone. Man will follow".

[Lyingwithlions]

Very wise saying. We need more who will begin to tend to our oceans and forests for for sure.
I Have always picked up trash and carried it away when visiting both. However I know that is just a tiny drop in the bucket compared to what should be being done.

[Coyote Poetry]

Every effort is important.

[Cherry Pepperweb]

Excellent story here Coyote!
Very profound, a pleasure to read.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you. Old wisdom is better than today wisdom.