The Medicine Wheel
(Part One)

This is part one of an eight part series. It was way too long to post all together at once. I will try and post a new part each Tuesday. It is by no means an original piece by myself. I only wish I had the knowledge to compose a piece such as this. These are from the writings of Kelly Hartley. The medicine wheels are my addition and the colors are based on factual Sioux and Cherokee Wheels. I had originally drawn them as tattoos.
The picture above is an artist's perception of the "Trail of Tears" in 1938 when President Andrew Jackson made the Eastern band of Cherokees, mainly from Tennesee, Georgia, and surrounding States, relocate to the Indian Territories to the West, (present day Oklahoma). Many died on the trail due to extremely harsh conditions and poor treatment by the Soldiers who were escorting them. Most of the Cherokees that were forced to leave their homes, lived in houses or cabins and were farmers. Many were of mixed blood and had through the years adapted to the white man's ways. Including the way they dressed and attending english speaking schools. Still it mattered little to the Government's way of thinking.

When I pass from this life the Cherokee Medicine Wheel will be on my Grave Marker along with the words "tsa-la-gi u-we-tsi", (Cherokee Son) written in the traditional language, followed by "Good Bye, Good Luck, and Good Hunting". These are my wishes.

The Introduction
In many Native American cultures, there is a vital representative of life known as the "Medicine Wheel". This circular pattern, no matter how portrayed, represents the every aspect of life. Usually this consists of the 7 directions: west, north, east, south, sky/heavens, earth, and inner self. In this particular medicine wheel, it shows how all 7 directions intertwine with each other. I have only a little knowledge of two cultures, the Sioux and the Cherokee. However, my Cherokee knowledge does surpass my knowledge of the Sioux, therefore I will give only a very brief explanation of the Sioux's medicine wheel. After that I will be using only the Cherokee way of thinking.

And please be advised here, I will represent this in the Indian way of thinking. But I will also add scripture from time to time to back up what the Cherokees believe. So if you are offended to either or both, then please don't continue. You may be disappointed to see that the Cherokee or Sioux way of belief and the Bible are quite compatible.


The Sioux Way of Life
First I will present the Sioux reference in the four directions. They start with the west, then continue clockwise to the south, then add the Father Sky, Mother Earth, and the inner self. The west is represented with the black, where the Thunder Beings (black) reside. This is from where the rains come, a necessity to life existing on Mother Earth. The north is the place of rest, from where the snow (white) comes, giving Mother Earth a rest. Next is the east, from where the sun (yellow) rises, a new awakening, a better understanding. And south is where the journey is completed, the spiritual (red) aspect, life after death. From here we continue our journey on.The Father Sky, the heavens is represented by the color blue. This is where the Great Spirit resides. In the skies are the stars and the comets, and other wondrous signs that shout that only the Creator could have created the whole universe, making it work in harmony and unity. And it is towards this direction our prayers are directed. Mother Earth, represented by the color green, is what feeds us, nourishes us. The Father Sky rains on Mother Earth and produces plants for animals to eat, in which turn we have the honor to gather both for our nourishment. And then you have the spotted eagle that represents the part of Grandfather, the Great Spirit, has placed within us, to guide us and direct us adhering to His will.

The Cherokee Way of Life
The Cherokee, as you will see, are very close to the Sioux. A few colors are changed, but all in all, the direction represents almost the same. First I will give a brief description as I did for the Sioux. Then I will give a much more detailed aspect of what each direction represent, especially the Four cardinal directions.To start the life cycle is the south, white, purity, natural things born into innocence. And the west, black, represents the physical growth of all things. North is blue, as the blue-white of the snow, where it is time to allow our minds to grow and put aside our physical, allowing it rest. Eastward is red from where the sun rises, which represents the spiritual aspects, completion of the total aspect of a full balanced human life. The sky, the heavens, are represented by the color yellow (happiness in Cherokee), while the earth is represented by the color brown, representative of ever-changing world and the Sacred Fire that resides in us is green. Once the circle is completed by the spiritual aspect, then the journey starts again as pure, forgiven, fresh in the south and then we continue on through the circle of life enduring to, yet never completely reaching, perfection in a balanced life. And in all this, the heavens, the earth, and the Sacred Fire all intertwine with every area of our life as we are striving for harmony with all creation.