![]() ![]() Other teachings of the Medicine Wheel focus on developmental stages. This is referred to as Mino-Bimaadisiwin (the Good Life). Each and every day, individuals strive for a balanced life. This duality in life is experienced as night and day, rain and sunshine, men and women, sun and moon and so on. The negative and positive aspects of life also speak to the duality in life. We know the rascals are there and are always trying to interfere with having a good balanced life. The negative side of the wheel are known as the rascals. The negative aspects are reflected in inferior feelings, envy, resentment, and uncaring which leads one to jealousy. The positive aspects are reflected in good feelings, relationships, respect and caring which contribute to being able to listen and heal. The Hub describes both positive and negative aspects of our being. Nabigon (2006) refers to the Medicine Wheel as the Hub. Helpers who are able to apply the lessons of the Medicine Wheel and the Seven Grandfather Teachings in their life will be able to develop wise practices in their work and learn the art of working from the heart.” (Nabigon et al., 2014) Training can be gained, but learning and healing is an on-going growth process. They need to be able to truly listen to their own heart before they can hear the heart of another. “Helpers who seek wise practices must seek their own healing. By looking at the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual aspects of our lives, we will then be able to see where we are unbalanced and be able to develop a plan of care to find that harmony to be better helpers. How are we able to assist a person in need if we have not used the tool of self-reflection to evaluate where we are as helpers? We must look at all aspects of our lives and the relations we have to fully understand where we are on our journey. In using the Medicine Wheel in this manner you might also explore what can be done to become re-balanced.įinding balance among the four quadrants of the Medicine Wheel is essential for a helper. When we become out of balance, we experience disease. The Medicine Wheel reminds us that we need to balance all four aspects of our being – the spiritual, emotional, physical and mental aspects. One way to use the Medicine Wheel is as a self-assessment to determine how balanced one is. The four symbolic races of humanity are depicted on this circle: Source: James Dumont (1993) “Justice and Aboriginal People” These are the foundational values used in the School of Indigenous Relations – Indigenous Social Work program at Laurentian University. The following teachings on the Medicine Wheel by James Dumont (1993) depicts Ojibwe Anishinabe values. The medicine wheel reminds us that everything comes in fours – the four seasons, the four stages of life, the four races of humanity, four cardinal directions, etc. ![]() For Ojibwe people, the colours are yellow (east), red (south), black (west), white (north), father sky (blue), mother earth (green) and the self (Centre, purple). There are really seven directions associated with the Medicine Wheel – the four cardinal directions (north, south, east and west) as well as the sky, the earth and the centre. The colours of the Medicine Wheel will also vary depending on the teachings and the location. For example, the teachings that come from someone on the east coast of Canada will be different from someone’s teaching who lives in central Canada or from someone who lives on the west coast. We also learned that there are many versions of the Medicine Wheel teachings depending where one resides, yet the foundation concepts are similar. We learned in Chapter 1 that the Medicine Wheel teachings contain the values and principles for how Indigenous people are to conduct themselves in order to reach mino bimaadiziwin – the good life. The Sacred Circle of the Medicine Wheel, and the Sacred Teachings, encapsulate all the spiritual wisdom required to guide the healing journey, sustain healing relationships, and promote positive change.” (Nabigon et al., 2014) Without Spirit, and personal commitment, it is unlikely that any teaching or any strategy, from whichever direction, will help people attain and maintain balance. They convey a core understanding of a spiritual life. “The traditions give the guidance and support that is necessary for on-going healing and change. ![]()
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