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teachings are offered in a traditional way. By honoring each tradition
for it's uniqueness and integrity, we build fellowship and respect
for our own and others' heritage; which helps us recreate the
wholeness of the planet.
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Teachings of the North
You are entering into the world of the
Medicine Wheel and it's sacred teachings
as they have been passed down to me, Spiritwind.
The Great Wheel
The Great Wheel moves again within the cycle of a year, turning to the North, the place of Winter. The direction of the North begins on the Winter Solstice, December 21st and ends on the Spring Equinox, March 21st.
The color associated with the North is usually white or blue, like the snow with the cold wind of the North blowing. In human years, it is the time of the Elder. Many tribes hold their elders in high regard because of their wisdom. The elders teach through the stories and their knowledge, and from this we gain wisdom. We are given the opportunity to explore the ideas that can enlightened us further increasing our knowledge, but we first must admit that we need to know more; this then is true wisdom. The North teaches us the quiet path of self-mastery, through wisdom and the understanding of all things in Nature. True wisdom teaches us to be the master of our own path, as well as our trade. Our elders teach us to become quiet, to learn to use the stillness gained from moving within. There is great power in moving within the stillness and releasing the mindless, needless chatter of our minds. It is only when we are able to be within, in the stillness, that we learn to vision; this is when true creation can begin.
The North of the wheel is not the end to the circle, it is the beginning of the end. It is a preparation for that which lies beyond the known. This is why we must let go of our preconceived beliefs and attitudes, allowing ourselves to explore beyond what we are comfortable in knowing.
The Elders teach us that the first way to find that center of wisdom is to quiet ourselves, to prepare a sacred space and cleanse ourselves with sage or cedar. This act of preparing a space and cleansing changes the flow of our minds. It cleanses away the day’s harmful energies that we have collected. Smudging or cleansing also allows us to move within the stillness, by placing us in the moment. Prayers are offered as we thank the plant people for their healing energy as we connect to all our relations.
Meditation is one of the first lessons we learn on the medicine path, for it is the only way to understand how to develop a clear and perfect energy system. When the mind’s energy system is out of balance due to everyday demands, we lose sight of ourselves and our bodies become stressed. Over time, if our bodies remain in this unbalanced state, we can become critically ill and can even die from this state. It is known that stress is the number one killer in America, causing many types of physical and mental illness. It is not only for this reason that we need to take time out of our day to quiet our mind in some way, but it is critical if we are going to have good health, abundance and creativity in our lives. If we have too much on our minds, or if we are ill, it is impossible to complete a project or create with passion. If our minds are clear,
we can then concentrate on creating what we really want to manifest in our lives, and if given the fruit of positive intent, it will become a reality in your life.
Through meditation we learn to use our inner vision. You may think that this is unimportant, but to have the ability to vision allows us freedom to create without the need to control the outcome. If our minds hold self doubt and fear, then it becomes a barrier in the ability to manifest. As I explained in the lesson on the West, imagination is the key to being able to truly create.
As we continue to explore the direction of the North, we can learn from stories that teach us to live in a natural way. They can teach us skills, values and sacred laws, ways of living in right relations. I have always loved the stories told to me by my elders for I know that these stories are teaching me the ways of living, for each story holds great medicine when told by an elder. Many of the stories that have been passed down from generation to generation are stories that teach us to live in harmony and balance.
Animals have also received this knowledge from the Creator and in many ways we are much like the animals. Animals have taught Native Americans how to hunt for plants, food and shelter, and how to live in right relations.
There are three central animals that are considered teachers for the North. One of these medicine animals is the deer. The stories of the deer are told to teach the hunter the quiet way. Deer teaches us to become quiet and observe the sounds and smells around us. Deer is able to be very quiet and find his food in the snow, yet still be aware of all that is around him. Early Cherokees respected the deer so much that hunters would try to be as much like the deer as possible, even using the movements of the deer. The hunters always gave thanks to the deer for all that the deer would mean in feeding the human families, as well as the deerskin to keep warm in the winter. Prayers and gifting was always done after taking the life of the deer. The Cherokee hunters were great hunters, not just for their skill, but because they honored the
medicine and spirit of the animals. Deer teaches us to become still and to observe all life and to honor life for everything that it offers us.
Wolf is another animal of the North, for wolf teaches us to find the path of pure heart. Wolf is a forerunner of new ideas who returns to the clan to teach and to share. Wolf also takes one mate for life and has an enormous sense of family within the pack.
Hawk is also an animal of the North, for hawk is the messenger for the Creator. Hawk teaches us to be observant; to look at our surroundings and pay attention to what signals life is sending us. Many of the ceremonies during the North teach us to learn to give away to others as well as learning to receive the gifts of abundance for ourselves.
The North is in opposition to the South and therefore becomes a teacher as well. We learn from the South that there is a time to be active as well as a time to slow down and quiet ourselves much as we learn in the North. This is so that we can observe and understand the knowledge we have learned as well as to take action once we understand. The medicine of the North teaches us that we must learn to be receivers, receiving the gifts that come from quieting the mind so one can create a vision, while the South teaches us the giveaway to share our gifts with others. This is why many of the ceremonies of the North deal with the giving and receiving of gifts. As we face our child, we learn to trust and to receive the gifts that we have been born with. We see through the eyes of wisdom what truth lies within us, and we examine the power of our mastery through quiet contemplation. Our mental mind becomes the active
force of the creation of new ideas as well as strengthening the skills that we have learned.
One of my Elders once told me that if I wanted to manifest something in my life, I was to sit down, smudge myself, clear my mind, and then focus on what it was that I wanted to manifest. I was to do this every day for twenty-eight days. If it was meant to be, it would manifest within this time, if it was not meant to be and was not for my best good, then it would not. She said there are only three reasons why it would not manifest: First, you are not clear
enough; second you are not doing the meditation every day, and last, it is not for your best interest.
The best way that we can learn the medicine of the North is to look to the animals to teach us. The North teaches us that the animals are the great receivers of Creator’s messages. It is always important to remember our place in creation as one among many and to honor this truth. In order to know ourselves better, to know our weaknesses as well as our strengths, we must take the time and patience to listen to the lessons presented to us by those around us. It is believed that each animal holds at least one lesson for us to learn. Every animal has its own medicine or way of being, a unique personality. The same is true of humans. For every person it is said there is at least one animal with which that person can identify with. These animals teach us and are helping guides along our path.
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The
Story of Johnny Cat
The story that I would like to tell you for the North is about a very special animal named Johnny Cat. Now Johnny Cat was no ordinary cat. He was in his last lifetime of mastery and had only come into our family to teach us. Johnny Cat taught us all to take things in stride and to walk through life with assurance and personal power. He was a healer and a great teacher to many of the people that would gather in our weekly circles.
Johnny
Cat’s intent was so strong to stay with us that he got my youngest
daughter, then age 11, to put up posters all over the house that said
Save Johnny Cat, named so by my kids because he looked like the cat
on the Johnny Cat litter bag. We already had too many cats and a Rottweiler
named Czar. My husband and I fought it, but Johnny’s mojo was
just too strong to resist, so we kept the cat named Johnny.
Now, as Johnny became older he quickly learned the art of getting along with my dog Czar. In fact, between the both of them, they could make the food disappear that was defrosting on the sink leaving me wondering whether I had put meat out at all. Czar and Johnny became great friends and I watched with amazement how a dog and a cat could live in such harmony. One day, however, I caught them in the act. I watched as Johnny Cat, after helping himself to the meat that by now was nicely defrosted, push the remainder of the meat down to the waiting Czar.
I also noticed, as time went on, that Johnny was participating in all of our lodge gatherings, always insisting with his mEEEOOw to be given a proper seat next to me. If anyone tried to sit in his chair before he came in the room, he would sit in front of them and his chair and mEEEOOwed till they moved. It was a mEEEOOw because it never sounded like a cat’s meow. He sounded like an old man with a great deal of authority. During our circle gatherings, as I took my group on journeys while drumming, Johnny would sit next to me often times falling off to sleep till the end of the journey. During one gathering, I was doing a journey with the group for each to find the power animal of the South. Johnny, in the middle of the journey, went to the door that was behind me and quietly meowed to me that he needed to go out. I let him out and left the door open so that he could return without disturbing the group. I returned to my drumming without much loss to the beats and finished the journey calling all back from the inner worlds. In our circles we used what is known to us as the Talking Stick. This stick holds power for each person that holds it, for it is their time to talk in the circle and the circle gives them the respect to listen. Johnny had come back into the circle and back to his seat sometime during the end of the journey. I didn’t notice him when he came into the room. for the room was dreamed for the journey and he had not made a noise. As the talking stick went around the circle and each person shared their story, Johnny sat straight up listening with great intent. When the student next to him went to hand me the stick over Johnny, Johnny mEEEOOwed very loudly and it was then that I knew that Johnny wanted his turn. It was as if he said, “Wait I want to share.” I said, “Ok Johnny, what would you like to share with us?” Johnny, much to my surprise, had been holding a mouse under his paws all that time. He had gone outside, had caught a mouse and brought it back uninjured. The mouse was frozen and didn’t move, but I could tell that it was still alive. What was so amazing was that he had gone and got the medicine animal of the South, the mouse, who teaches us to see things that are right in front of us and to go through life without limitations. I said to Johnny and to the class, ”That’s right Johnny Cat, the medicine animal of the south is the mouse.” I then picked up the mouse and carried it to the fence outside as Johnny and the class watched the mouse come out of its frozen state and run down the fence looking back to see if he was in pursuit. Johnny however turned and walked back into the room and back to his chair as if to say, “let’s close the circle, I am done.” I took the talking stick and we closed the circle. From that day forward I understood that Johnny was a master teacher and guide. He would always follow my clients that had come for doctoring to and from their cars, leading them to my office door. He would sit with me as I went to the fire and asked for help for my patients. He would walk them back to the cars always demanding a final pat on the head good bye, and say goodbye with his old man voice, “Take care of yourself.”
There
are so many more stories about Johnny that I could tell you here, but
it was the beautiful way in which he demonstrated dignity in death.
Johnny lived for 15 years and he taught my next cat, as a baby, to stay
in the yard and to take care of me before he left this earth. Johnny
had a brain tumor, and when it came time for his death, he came into
my office calling to me and my daughter to come and pray with him. He
sat down on my medicine blanket and he meeeooowed. I asked him if he
wanted me to do ceremony for him and he answered yes. So I smudged the
room and offered prayers as I smudged Johnny, my daughter and myself.
We used a special whistle and feather to pray and all the time he sat
quietly. We drummed, prayed and said our good-byes, and when we were
done with the ceremony, Johnny went and laid down waiting to be taken
to his favorite vet who he loved. Dr. Sharp had patched him up on many
occasions as he defended his territory over the years. My son and husband
had came with me to take Johnny to the vet and when we pulled up to
the vet’s office, Johnny got up and kissed my son goodbye in the
back seat, and did the same with my husband and me. We took Johnny into
Dr. Sharp’s office and we were told there was no hope. Johnny
meowed to Dr. Sharp and I believe he said, “Thank you for all
the years you helped me,” and stood up to
give him a nudge. Dr. Sharp turned away with tears in his eyes to get
a needle to put him to sleep, and when he turned around, Johnny had
laid down and had simply done what all great masters do, he ascended
from his body. I realized, as well as the rest of us, that Johnny wanted
to say good-bye to everyone he loved before he died.
I have been left with Johnny teaching me to trust what I think is being said to me by the animals and to quiet myself and observe the behavior of the animals that I love. I feel that I have amazing conversations now with my animals and have learned to make friends with a family of blue jays that built a nest in my yard. Because of the lessons that Johnny taught me, I learned that all animals could teach us if only we listen.
One
of the most important things that I was taught by my father when I was
a
child was that if I want to connect to an animal, such as a cat, I needed
to quiet myself and look into the eyes of the animal. He told me to
hold eye contact for as long as possible until the animal looked away,
sending love and peacefulness. I like to match my breathing with that
of my cats and look into their eyes connecting my spirit with theirs.
I did this with Johnny when he was small and he never did look away,
instead I fell asleep as well as he.
It is important to understand the medicine of animals for they live in our medicine wheel that surrounds us. If we then look and see what animals are the closest to us, we can see that they are the animals that are our pets, then they would be the animals in our yard, or as far as one can see away from your home in all directions, and finally all other animals that live on Mother Earth that can’t always be seen, unless perhaps we go to a zoo or go to the place where they live. Our family pets are the most easy to learn to communicate with and are our physical helping animals. Cats are natural Reiki Masters, for they seem to always want to put their paws on you, or lay on an area that is injured or is in pain. My present cat, Oste-Yona (Little Bear), stayed by my side when I had taken a fall, and would not allow me to get up unless I was going in to use the restroom. Unknown to me, I had Type II diabetes. and when I found out that my cat had also come down with it, I made him a promise to get well and told him he was not to own my illness for it was my lesson. I have since healed myself and my cat is recovering as well. Cats as well as dogs take on the family’s energy, so it is important to stay healthy and to pay attention to the health of our pets, for they will warn us when we are off balance.
Next, the animals that live wild around our homes, as far as the eye can see, are teacher animals and serve to teach us about our environment. We can tell by the melody of the birds the changes in weather and even when a natural disaster is about to occur. Snakes go underground when there is going to be an earthquake, and hawks can bring messages from Creator or even a loved one who may soon be calling or coming for a visit. The animals that are not usually seen by us, can be showing us something important about the changes on our planet, like the mountain lion that recently killed a man and attacked a woman on a bike. This mountain lion is coming down to hunt, because the environment that it lived in has been destroyed by fire and man’s encroachment into the environment of the mountainlion. We are being told that we are becoming greedy and not respecting our Mother Earth and the animals that live there by protecting them.
Animals can also come as strong medicine when we have an encounter with one close up. I am of the wolf clan and I have wolf medicine. As far back as I can remember, I would dream of running as a white wolf across the valley and through woods so thick that you couldn’t see the sky. When I was older, I came face toface with a wild white wolf and I knew that it was my spirit animal. I have journeyed many places with the white wolf as my guide and helping spirit. Many that have worked with me either have had a dream or vision of a white wolf leading them to a healer, while other clients have reported seeing a white wolf leading them in the journey till they receive their own animal. I once had a client who also had a wolf, and when we went to do a journey, the two of them took off leading both me and the client on our own journey.
Everyone has a power animal that will aid them in life. Some come only for a short stay to teach us a skill or a lesson, some, which I call spirit animals, live within us and are a part of our very essence. They help to maintain health and protect us from attacks in the unseen world. They help us to retrieve energy and for a medicine person, they are our guide’s helper and healers. I have a helping animal which I use only when I do a doctoring. He is the medicine bear whom I call through songs to help in the healing and in going after the person’s spirit, but he is not my spirit animal. My wolf is my only spirit animal, and when I am sick, she protects me from harm.
In
the meditation that we are about to do, you will be instructed to go
into the
world of your spirit animal and bring him or her back with you. Your
animal will
show itself in four different ways. Once the animal has done so, ask
if it is your
spirit animal or a helping guide. An example of the way an animal might
appear is you see a bird’s wing through the trees. You then see
the talons of the bird, then an eye of the bird, and las,t the bird
is perched on a branch in front of you. Once this happens, the animal
has shown itself in four different ways, or what is related to the directions
of the medicine wheel. Some times we might see one animal, then another
and become confused. When it is a guide or a spirit guide, it will show
you four different ways of seeing him. If it is your spirit animal,
ask it to fade into mist then imagine yourself inhaling its essence
,and then exhale, blowing the animal into your solar plexus, placing
your hands over this center till the journey has ended. If the animal
is not your spirit animal, ask if it is a guide and is here to teach
you something. Make sure to listen to the message you receive, but don’t
bring the animal within you, as it is only here to teach you. Always
journal when you finish a journey.
For
this journey, it would be nice if you had a drumming tape or could drum
while reading or remembering the meditation. You can also tape the meditation.
I always have tapes available for sale if you wish to order them.
Meditation to Find Your Spirit
Animal or Animal Guide
Take a deep breath and exhale... listen to the sound of the drum, the sacred drum. The skin of the drum is the skin of an animal who has given its life for the medicine of the drum and its great healing power. The animal spirit of the drum now guides you into a relaxed state of being. Breathe in slowly and exhale out of your mouth... letting go of all the mindless chatter of the day. Know that there is nothing more important for you to be doing and no place more important for you to be then to be in this moment. Quiet yourself and move into the silence. Let the drumbeat, the heart of the earth begin to guide you in your imagination down a path. The path is of red earth and is the good red road. You are led down the path by the sound of the heartbeat... until you find yourself standing in front of a cave. It is dark within the cave, but you are not afraid for you know that no matter what way the path leads, you will always follow the right path. As you enter the cave it is very dark, but soon your eyes adjust to the darkness and you can make out the path as it leads you down through the underworld. This is the shaman’s underworld, this is a place that is neither here nor there. It is dark and still within, and you hear the sound of the heartbeat of the drum that guides you.....Pause…You begin to see a light ahead and as you follow the light, you are led to an opening in the cave. You emerge into a wilderness place.... one that your spirit animal or animal guide lives in. Take your time to explore this wilderness place. Take in the smells, the sounds and colors. Is it a barren place, or does it have many trees. Are you at the ocean’s edge, or standing near a lake. Are you in the mountains, or in a valley or desert? Take time to observe your surroundings while listening to a drum or music….long pause..... Now look around you.... call out for your spirit animal or guide to come to you. Watch and see as the animal now appears four different ways to you.... pause… Once the animal has done so, ask if it is your spirit animal. If so, ask it to turn into mist... then inhale the animal and blow into your solar plexus. Now feel the heart beat of the animal within you. Feel yourself slowly shape shift into your spirit animal and explore while in its body.... the place in which it lives. Allow the animal to become a part of you and when you’re done, ask your animal to travel back into your world with you and be your helper and healer. You might also want to ask what name of your animal so that you can call upon it in the future.... long pause… If the animal that has come to you is a guide, spend this time to understand the lesson that the animal brings you.... Take a long pause so that you can explore the information that you are receiving. Once you have received the teachings.... thank the animal teacher and return through the shaman’s cave to your starting place. Take a few moments now to answer the following questions for either your spirit animal or power animal.
Spirit Animal Questions:
1. How is your spirit animal like you? What are its strengths and weakness?
2. How did you feel when you were traveling in the spirit animal’s
form? Did
you hear, smell or see anything. Was it different then the way you sense
as
a human.
3. What unique gift or power does this animal bring you?
4. Did your animal share its name? Remember to never reveal the name
to
anyone. You can share the animal, but not its name.
5. Find a picture or a fetish of your spirit animal.
Make sure to journal every time you do this meditation.
Once you have received your spirit animal you can call your animal to journey with you in the future. Use a drum and just allow yourself to imagine traveling through the spirit animal’s world and explore the inner worlds of the shaman. You can also ask your spirit animal to help you retrieve any energy you lost during the day. Just close your eyes and imagine yourself and your animal going to the time where you felt a loss of power. Ask your animal to bring back the energy from that situation.
Power Animal/Animal Guide Questions:
1. What message did your power animal bring you?
2. What lesson did the animal teach you?
3. Have you seen this animal in your physical world other then just
this
journey?
You
might want to check the list of power animals to gain more insight.
Sacred Space
This exercise is to help you with setting up a sacred space in your home to mediate and pray daily. This is a very important exercise in learning how to give to yourself a gift that will help you to maintain a healthy life.
Find
a place that you really enjoy being in in your home. Face north and
find a
space in this direction that you can set up a small altar. This alter
is nothing like those in a church for it can be as simple or as extravagant
as you desire. Place a white candle that you have blessed and put it
on the alter. You need a smudging bowl, charcoal for the cedar or you
can use sage and a smudging fan or feather. If you have a personal crystal,
you might want to put it on your alter too.
Start by giving thanks to the plant people for sharing its medicine with you. Ask as you light it to cleanse you and cleanse this sacred space. Use your fan to smudge yourself from your feet to your head with smoke. Then stand and smudge to the four directions starting with the East and ending in the North, then to Mother Earth and Father Sky. Now light your candle and ask for the light to surround the room and you with the light and love of the Creator. If you want, play some nice, quiet, meditative music while you are doing this. Then pick up your crystal, sit down on a chair or the floor, close your eyes, and quiet your mind. Ask for the crystal to bring you clear vision, to still the chatter in your mind. Once you have cleared your mind, focus on what it is you truly want to bring into your life ,or see yourself in a garden spending time with your guides. This should always precede any meditations that you do, even when going on a journey with your guide or spirit animal. When you have finished, thank the powers of the directions and open your eyes. You can leave your altar in the space you created or set it up each time according to your life style.
Communication With the Animals
Go outside and again find a place that feels powerful to you. Sit down and close your eyes... call on the direction to aid you, and then quiet yourself until you can hear all the sounds around you. Begin to call on the animals to come and bring you a message. See what animals come. What is the message that they are bringing you? If you have a dog or a cat, you might want to do the exercise that I described in the lesson above. Quiet yourself by lying down in front of your pet. Ask for the pet to meet with you in spirit. Match your breathing with that of your pets. Look into the pet’s eyes sending love. Once you have done this and the animal connects with you, you can begin to send thoughts in the form of mental pictures. Try simple things at first. Like seeing yourself petting the animal, but don’t actually do it. See if your pet comes to you and wants you to pet him. If you want your dog or cat or other pet to do something, send them a mental picture of them doing it over and over while giving the pet the command of what it is you want. If you want your dog to come picture the dog coming and you giving him praise, then call him. Keep doing this anytime you want the animal to respond to your commands. I taught my cat to fetch a ball this way. It takes patience and time so don’t give up. Once you have proven to yourself that this works, begin to try this with other animals till you can hear the animals speak back to you. If you are to hear the animal talk to you, you must learn to trust yourself and your own inner voice.
The Giveaway
Take
yourself out on a special day and give yourself a gift or gift a friend
for no
special reason. Do this without wanting to control the outcome or desiring
a thank-you in return. Learn how to receive as well as to give.
Ask
yourself:
1. How did it make you feel to spend a day giving to yourself?
2. What kind of a gift did you buy?
3. Was the gift you gave yourself something you needed or was it for
fun.
4. If you gifted a friend what was your friend’s reaction.
5. How did that make you feel
6. Did you have any expectations when buying the gift for your friend
or when
giving it
7. What was the gift you gave your friend and why did you give them
that gift?
Explore the answers to these questions and see what it teaches you.
Are you better at giving or receiving? Learn to balance the two so that
you are
always able to give as well as to receive in life. I have always been
a giver and this exercise over time has taught me to learn to receive.
I have learned that I don’t have to do everything myself and that
it’s really nice when I receive help.
During Christmas, I was at a little store that my daughter and I go in often. I had bought several things in which a young man had helped us with. I went to the cashier to pay and she had made a mistake in my bill. She was very upset about it and kept apologizing for it. I told her that everyone makes mistakes and not to worry. As she was redoing the bill, I was looking at some beautiful little boxes on the counter. I was saying to my daughter this would be nice for this person and that person, but had not said so for myself. The young man then asked me which one I liked. I replied, “Oh this one, its so beautiful. Look at the art work, its simply elegant. ” As the girl was finishing my order, the young man had taken the box. I thought perhaps he had asked me so he could get an idea for his own mom or girlfriend. He was wrapping it as the girl handed me my bill to sign. As I was getting ready to leave, he followed me to the door and handed me the gift of the box that I had admired and said, “Merry Christmas.” I was so surprised and thanked the young man. He was not the owner and had just done it out of his heart. I now call it my gifting box, and I keep it on my altar to remember to always receive the gifts I am given without resistance or a need to give back What a powerful gift. I realized that it was my attitude that prompted the young man to gift me for I was caring and loving to the young girl that had made a mistake. It pays to be kind, no matter what.
Winter Solstice “The Gathering”
In
silence we gather,
each knowing the other’s heart,
for we have touched each other’s soul
so many times before.
Harmony and balance we seek
as we encircle ourselves in magic
upon this holy eve of Winter Solstice.
Remembering the years that have passed
as we gather before the winter’s first fire.
Gifts of light we share,
songs, poems and wisdom gained.
A new beginning, a warm embrace
as we swear never to forget,
never to forsake one another.
A remembrance of who we really are
the light of the Creator.
Reborn on this Yule night,
we now bring forth the light
within the darkest night.
We, the new born light, now turn the Wheel
And rest, now in the arms of Winter
till Springtime brings new birth.
Edited by: D. A. Cresswell
