2.3 West - Black - Autumn - Sunset

• Black, sun setting, darkness, mystery, night; Thunder Beings dwell there, send rain
• Black is the color; (and dark blue in my wheel)
• Fasting, sacrifice, perserverence, testing of the will, humility
• Fall of the year, adults; dreams and visions
• Respect, for elders, other people's belief systems, spiritual struggle of others
• Commitment: to the Creator, to self, to values; participation in ceremonies

2.3.1 Medicine Wheels

2.3.1.1 Wilson's Medicine Wheel (Wilson VFEM 51-56)

• Eagle - Spirit communication via air; Great Spirit indwelling
• Door of Service
  • Eagle - "divinity incarnate"
  • Butterfly - "transformation"
  • Bat - "death and rebirth"
  • Grouse - "spiral dance to center"
• Moons of the West
  • Ducks Fly Moon, September 23 - October 23
  • Freeze Up Moon, October 24 - November 21
  • Long Snows Moon, November 22 - December 21
• Autumn Equinox - September 23, when night equals day

2.3.1.2 Sun Bear's Medicine Wheel

• Mudjekeewis, Spirit Keeper of the West
  • Season is Autumn
  • Time of Day is Sunset and Twilight
  • Animal associatin is Grizzly Bear
  • Colors are blue and black
• Moons of the West
  • Ducks Fly Moon, September 23 - October 23
  • Freeze Up Moon, October 24 - November 21
  • Long Snows Moon, November 22 - December 21

2.3.1.3 Earth Signs (Grey Wolf 12-15, 41-42)

• Power of the West Wind
  • Season is Fall, Fall Equinox is September 21
  • Daily cycle is sunset, a time of darkness
  • The time of harvest and completion, the power within
  • Human cycle is adulthood, the power of song
  • Animal Totem is Thunderbird; Stone Totem is Snowflake Obsidian
  • Color is black, blue, or purple
• Moons of the West (Fall)
  • Hunters Moon, August 11-September 10
  • Ripening Moon, September 11-October 10
  • Harvest Moon, October 11-November 10
• A Time of Darkness
• The Power Within
• The Thunderbird and Thunder-Beings
• The Creator's Gift ~ The Power of Song
• The Flood

2.3.4 Other Associations

• Native American Associations:
  • Wilson: Eagle, Autumn
  • Sun Bear: Mudjekeewis, Bear

2.3.7 Sun Bear's Medicine Wheel (Sun Bear MWEA 145-149)

• The power of Mudjekeewis, Spirit Keeper of the West
  • Is the power of strength and introspection
• The season of Mudjekeewis is the autumn
  • When the growth of summer stops
  • And earth's children prepare for their season of renewal
• The time of day of Mudjekeewis is the sunset and Twilight
  • When the activity of the day slows down
  • And day's creatures prepare for their time of sleep and renewal
• In human life the time of Mudjekeewis is the middle years
  • When people have found their direction
  • And work strongly to achieve those tasks that they have been given for this lifetime

• 2.3.7.1 Autumn

  • While the time of Mudjekeewis is a slower time than that of Shawnodese
    • It is a stronger time
  • Plants come to their full maturity
    • As their blossoms become the seeds for plants to come
  • Rocks lose the warmth of the summer sun
    • But strengthen their internal structure
    • So they don't crumble during the first frost
  • The ones newly born in the previous spring strengthen their bodies
    • For the winter to come
  • All of the things in nature stop their growing
    • And consolidate the growth they have had
    • The things they have learned in the previous season
    • They begin to look within themselves to see what is strong enough to survive
      • The time of renewal that is to come

• 2.3.7.2 Sunset and Twilight

  • As the sun sets in the West, humans stop their outward activities
    • Take time to contemplate what gains they have made
    • And what lessons they have learned
  • In the semilight of dusk
    • Thoughts beging to turn from things of the world to things of the spirit
  • This is the time to evaluate the gains ot losses of the day
    • So minds are clear to learn the lessons that come in sleep

• 2.3.7.3 Middle Years

  • In human life the middle years are those of power
    • You have experienced some of life
    • You have learned some of its lessons and made your initial mistakes
    • You have tried working on the many projects that seemed appealing in your youth
      • And often have found the directino you were meant to take
  • Once you find your direction
    • You receive the power that comes with knowing where you are going
    • You are no longer subject to chaneg at every hint of a new idea
      • Nor dazzled by every strong personality you meet
    • You know the path that you are walking
      • And you are able to walk it in a calm and peaceful manner
  • The middle years are the ones of responsibility
    • There are growing children to raise
    • There are aging parents to care for
    • There are younger brothers and sisters to teach
      • And help find their own paths
    • You must be strong to be able to follow your direction
      • While doing akk if these other things
    • You must have spent time looking wihtin so that you know your own strengths and weaknesses
      • And can work with others without thinking that their weaknesses are your own

• 2.3.7.4 Power of Mudjekeewis

  • In its own way the power of Mudjekeewis is as straightforward as the pwoer of Wabun
  • It is the power of strength that can come only from knowing yourself
  • It is the power of the spirit coming to the earth
  • It is the power that comes from the ability and freedom to be idealistic
    • And selfless serving the world in all ways possible to you
  • It is the power of a stable mineral, a matured plant or human
    • Who is well on the way to fulfilling its reason for existence
  • It is the power of the twilight changing the landscape of the earth
  • It is the pwoer of the nighthakws circling and singing to the earth
  • It is the power of the sunset throwing its color over the earth
  • It is the power of the moon as she begins to rise

• 2.3.7.5 Grizzly Bear

  • The animal of Mudjekeewis is the grizzly bear
    • The strongest of the bears
    • The grizzly is able to live by its own strength
    • It knows the ways of life and the ways of earth
      • Well enough to heal itself and most illnesses
    • Like all bears, it is able to make the great sleep in winter
      • Awaken renewed
      • Then find the herbs and mud that will give it energy to be ready for springtime
  • The fall is its time of preparation
    • When the bear readies itself for the time of renewal to come
    • By eating well and strengthening its body
  • The bear is considered to be the chief of the council of the animals
    • With all its strength the bear is gentle and introspective
    • About decisions he must make
  • Because the bear has looked within heimself and knows his own heart
    • He is able to look within the hearts of the other animals
    • And help them learn the lessons they must
    The grizzly of Mudjekeewis is black like the night, with some silver hairs

• 2.3.7.6 Blue and Black

  • The colors of Mudjekeewis are the blues of tiwlight
    • Merging into the blacks of night
  • Blue is the color of spiritual strength, idealism and selflessness
  • Black is the color of one looking within
    • Purposely blinding oneself to the things of earth
    • Of formlessness from which all things can come

• 2.3.7.7 Moons of the West

  • The Ducks Fly Moon, The Freeze Up Moon and The Long Snows Moon
  • The people of these moons and those who travel through their times
    • Will have to learn to look within and find their own strengths and weaknesses
  • The people fo the moons of Mudjekeewis represent
    • The strenghth and power that come to the earth in autumn
      • The seaon of looking within
    • They have the strength that only comes to those who have looked within themselves
      • And have truly evaluated the things they found
    • They are the people who know their place on the earth
      • And are able to reach out to other realms
      • With the power that thisknowledge gives them
  • People born under the moons of this direction are comfortable
    • Both with the things of the earth and with those of the spirit
    • They have the patience necessary to journey betweent hese realms
    • They have the ability to be leaders and teachers in either of these spheres
      • As long as they have learned to control the confusion
      • Their own power and adaptability can bring to them
  • The moons of Mudjekeewis, the Chief of the Spirit Keepers are moons of power
    • This power can affect those born under them in either positive or negative ways
      • Depending upon their willingness to truly know themselves
      • And their own gifts and abilities
  • People of this direction are powerful and will affect many others
    • Whether their effect promotes unity or disharmony
    • Depends on their undividal honesty and strength

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.