Native American Medicine Wheel
Introduction: Page One
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1.1 The Medicine Wheel
Fill this land with the Father's glory;
Blaze, Spirit, Blaze,
Flow, River, Flow,
Flood the nations with grace and mercy;
Send forth your word, Lord,
1.1.1 The Sundance Medicine Wheel
- Represents the cycle of the Sun (Wilson MW 29-30)
- Rising in the East (yellow)
- Dances to the South (white)
- Dances to the West (black)
- Dances to the North (red)
1.3 Seven Spirits around the Throne
1.3.1 John the Revelator's vision (Rev 4:5 NIV)
- From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.
- Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing.
- These are the seven spirits of God.
- Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
- various translations refer to these seven as spirits, torches, lamps, or eyes of God.
1.3.2 Amerindian wheel
- Seven spirit messengers of the Great Spirit
- First is Owl, messenger of death, wisdom
- Second is Cougar, great huntress (seeker of wisdom)
- Third is Hawk, spirit of prophecy
- Fourth is coyote, changer, trickster-teacher
- Fifth is wolf, pathfinder and protector
- Sixth is bear, leader, warrior and healer
- Seventh is raven, spirit of wisdom
1.3.3 Sevens
- Seven golden candlesticks representing seven churches
- Letters directed to spirit messengers (Rev 1-3)
- Spirits of wisdom, understanding, power, might
- Seven chakras of India
- The seven powers from Hindu trinity of Vishnu, S'iva and Brahma
- Seven messengers of Great Spirit are
- Seven reflections, understandings of the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit
- Seven is the number of perfection, completion, fulfillment
- Symbolic in Biblical creation in 6 days, God rested on the seventh
- Samson's seven locks of hair to give him strength, perfect and complete
- Seven pillars in Solomon's House of Wisdom, a place of complete & perfect wisdom
- Seven pillars in the traditional Cherokee ceremonial lodge
- Seven celestial powers of Mesopotamian belief (Joseph Campbell) (Wilson MW 118-119):
- Sun, moon, and five visible planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn)
- Move at mathematically determinable rates through fixed constellations
- Seven-ness or sequence of kingdoms (Arthur Young) (Wilson MW 119):
- Sequence of kingdoms:
- Light, particles, atoms, molecules, plants, animals, man
- 7 in quantum theory
- 7 postulated of projective geometry
- The heptaverton
1.4 The Elders around the Throne
1.4.1 John the Revelator's vision (Rev 4:4-11 NIV)
- Around the throne were 24 thrones where 24 elders stood
- Elders clad in white with golden crowns
- Thrones for the elders in a circle about the throne
- Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor
- And thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,
- The 24 elders fall down before him who lives for ever and ever
- They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
- You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power
- For you created all things, & by your will they were created & have their being.
1.4.2 Theologically speaking, 24 represents 2 set of elders:
- 12 patriarchs of Judaism
- 12 apostles of Christianity
1.4.3 Many Amerindian mandalas share this theme
- 12 feathers encompass the circle of the mandala
- 2 colors for each feather, black and white
Introduction: Page One
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~ | ~ 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 ~ | ~