2.1 East - Yellow or Red - Summer - Sunrise

• both yellow and red refer to the rising sun
  • whence springs light; sun rises to light world; morning star gives men wisdom

2.1.1 Medicine Wheels

2.1.1.1 Wilson's Medicine Wheel

• Ox or Buffalo
  • The "giver" or giveaway animal; all is used, every part; sacrificial
• Sacramental Door
  • Ox/buffalo ("giver"), turkey ("giveaway eagle")
  • Turtle ("turtle island"), owl ("for better perception")
• Moons of the East (Spring)
  • Budding Trees Moon, March 21-April 19
  • Frogs Return Moon, April 20-May 20
  • Corn Planting Moon, May 21-June 20
• Spring Equinox - where day and night are equal - March 21

2.1.1.2 Sun Bear's Medicine Wheel

• Wabun, Spirit Keeper of the East
  • Season is Spring
  • Daily time is Dawn
  • Animal Association is Eagle
  • Colors are red and gold
• Moons of the East (Spring)
  • Budding Trees Moon, March 21-April 19
  • Frogs Return Moon, April 20-May 20
  • Corn Planting Moon, May 21-June 20

2.1.2 Correlations for East (Wilson MW 37-44)

• 2.1.2.1 Direction of beginnings

  • Sun rises, begins new day; color yellow or amber
  • Spirit of Innocence, Spirit of Resurrection, Spirit of Enlightenment:
    • Innocence or Justification
      • New day, fresh, anew with no mistakes
      • Begin each day with prayer: Amerindian, Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism
    • Resurrection
      • Newness of life, new day; life after death; die to old stuff, begin new
      • Easter to Christians; springtime, new growth
    • Light prevails over darkness, Enlightenment
      • Darkness before dawn; darkness cannot apprehend the light
      • Light swallows up darkness; David in Psalms 139:11

  2.1.2.2 Birth, rebirth, being born again, renewal, childhood (Wilson MW 42-43)

  • Illumination, guilelessness, truthfulness, ability to see through complex situations
  • Guidance, leadership, trust, hope, capacity to believe in the unseen
  • Warmth of spirit, love that does not question others
  • Uncritical acceptance of others, watching over others, guiding others
  • Hope for the people, trust in your own vision
  • Ability to focus attention on present-time tasks
  • Seeing situations in perspective, and beautiful speech
  • Understandings about joy, spontaneity, courage, and devotion to the service of others
  • Purity, holiness, vulnerability

  2.1.2.3 The Age of Stone of Humankind

  • Paleolithic (Old Stone) Age, c. 2,500,000-7,000 BCE
    • The Great Mother, The Horned God and the Hunter-Gatherer
  • Neolithic (New Stone) Age, c. 9,000-5,000 BCE
    • The Herder-Grower, and the Villager

  2.1.2.4 Of the Buffalo Totem for the East

  • Visions of John and Ezekiel with 4 living creatures - ox
    • Same family as buffalo; may be crossed with buffalo to make beefalo
  • "The Giver"
    • Flesh for food; hides for clothing, shelter
    • Every part used, complete giving; sacrifice
  • Sacrificial or Sacramental
    • Power revealed, sacramental through sacrifice
  • Cedar Tree of the Pacific Northwest - sacrificed
    • Provides shelter, longhouses; transportation, canoes
    • clothing from inner bark; baskets for gathering, cooking

  2.1.2.5 Plant Totem: Cedar Tree (Wilson VFEM 43)

  • Teachings of the buffalo experience in the Pacific Northwest through the Cedar Tree.
  • It gave of itself, providing shelter, clothing, transportation, baskets
  • This large evergreen tree is related to pines
  • Because of its durability when in contact with the soil, it is widely used for poles and posts
  • Used for making lead pencils
  • Used in cedar chests for its sweet, fresh, aroma
  • Wood provided wood for longhouses and large canoes
  • Inner bark provided clothing, baskets for gathering and cooking foods
  • Inner bark also used to make rope for fish nets and many other purposes
  • Cedar buds may be chewed for toothaches

  2.1.2.6 From the Cycle Teachings (Wilson MW 65-99)

  • Childhood of the Life Cycle
  • Spring of the Annual cycle
  • The Yellow race (Asian/Oriental)
  • Air of the Elements
  • Wingeds of the Things that Breathe
  • Stars above the Earth
  • Roots of Green Things
  • Day of the Divisions of Time

2.1.3 Symbology of the Animals of the East (Wilson VFEM)

• 2.1.3.1 Buffalo (Wilson VFEM 21)

  • The give-away animal:
    • Hide for tipi, robe or blanket; meat for food
    • Hooves for glue; intestines for sinew
  • Buffalo people give of themselves unselfishly and complete for others
    • Willing to offer lives for others, sacrifice own interests, desires
    • Live to be of service to their community
  • Ox - term inclusive of all bovines:
    • Domestic cattle, water buffalo, bison, musk oxen, brahma, yak, bantang, etc
    • Most are from Asia and Europe; musk ox and bison native to North America
    • No native oxen in South America, Australia, Madagascar
  • Oxen have heavy bodies, long tails, divided hooves; chew cud
    • Horns stand out from side of heads, are curved
    • Provide meat, milk, leather; powerful work animals, beasts of burden
  • Ox people are bright, patient, and inspiring to others
    • happy alone; make excellent parents
    • ability to carry heavy loads in any group with which they are involved
    • often found to present themselves as living sacrifices to their communities
    • give of themselves completely: physically, spiritually, sociologically, mentally
  

• 2.1.3.2 Turkey (Wilson VFEM 38)

  • Powerful flight for short distances
  • Roosts high in trees at night
  • Eats large variety of foods
  • Many tribes speak of it as "give-away eagle"
  • Performs ritual of pot-latch, or give-away ceremony
  • Turkey people reveal medicine power of how to live a sacramental life
    • The giving of ourselves to others
    • Quite eccentric; can may powerful short flights spiritually or philosophically
    • Fly high, spend much time resting in meditation during search for mysteries of life
  

• 2.1.3.3 Turtle (Wilson VFEM 39)

  • A land animal, also creature of water
  • Symbolic of Earth Mother, many tribes speak of Earth as "Turtle Island"
    • She carries the Earth on her back
  • Turtle people are ecologically minded: care of Earth Mother of prime importance
    • Also carry cares of the world on backs
    • Deeply concerned about problems, needs of others
    • Bring to us the medicine power of being grounded to the Earth
  

• 2.1.3.4 Owl (Wilson VFEM 32-33)

  • A bird of the night; turns head rather than eyes,
    • Turns head farther than any other bird
    • Flies almost silently, can swoop down unsuspectingly on prey
    • Night vision gives ability to spot prey in almost absolute darkness
    • Many tribes consider owl as messenger of death; known as night eagle
    • It has amazing hearing abilities, enables location of prey in total darkness
  • Owl people are sensitive to and aware of impending death:
    • Physically, spiritually, socially, economically, or otherwise
    • Have ability to guide others through these times of dark shadows
    • Receive insights into the dark mysteries of life
    • Can hear things being said that most people would miss

2.1.4 Other Associations

• Native American Associations:
  • Wilson: Buffalo, Spring
  • Sun Bear: Wabun, Eagle

Introduction: Page One ~ | ~ Page Two ~ | ~ Page Three ~ | ~ Page Four ~ | ~ Page Five ~ | ~
~ | ~ Sacred Altar ~ | ~ East ~ | ~ South ~ | ~ West ~ | ~ North ~ | ~
Inner Circle: Owl ~ | ~ Cougar ~ | ~ Hawk ~ | ~ Coyote ~ | ~ Wolf ~ | ~ Bear ~ | ~ Raven ~ | ~
Outer Circle: Snow Goose ~ | ~ Otter ~ | ~ Cougar ~ | ~ Hawk ~ | ~ Beaver ~ | ~ Deer ~ | ~
~ | ~ Flicker ~ | ~ Sturgeon ~ | ~ Bear ~ | ~ Raven ~ | ~ Snake ~ | ~ Elk ~ | ~ Blue ~ | ~

Medicine Wheels Native American Medicine Wheel Roy Wilson's Combined Wheel Grey Wolf's Earthweb Other Medicine Wheels The Four Directions and Paths The Twelve Earthly Moons Native American Links	© 1997-2009 Refiner of Gold Creations Created 1/13/2002. by EMC, Updated 11/11/2009.