Shortly after moving to the Mesa I decided that I needed to build a medicine wheel. I had never built one before and had only read about it years before in Sun Bear's books. I don't know why I "had" to build one but I just felt driven to do so. In a way I suppose I felt it would honor the ancient people of this valley who believed this Mesa to be sacred land and who had left their petroglyphs throughout the area. So I started researching and came across Sun Bear's medicine wheel that was given to him in a vision. I used it as a model in creating my own. I bought a compass and for many weeks before constructing it I collected rocks. Now I know you are saying you have lots of rocks at your fingertips but each stone symbolizes a "gift" and therefore had to be hand chosen for each position. You would have laughed to see me driving down the road and coming to an abrupt stop because I spotted just the rock for one of the positions. I swear they called to me! Anyway, eventually the day came and I carefully marked the four directions and using a piece of string tied to a branch I carved out my wheel. The first stone is the Creator stone which is placed in the center. Around the creator are 7 stones symbolizing Father Sun, Mother Earth, Grandmother Moon, Thunderbird, Turtle, Butterfly and Frog. Then the four Spirit Keeper stones were placed at the Cardinal directions of East, South, West and North.
Three more stones are laid from each Spirit Keeper to the center stone. These stones symbolize the path that each direction teaches us. The stones of the Eastern path symbolize clarity, wisdom and illumination. The Southern path growth, trust and love. The Western path experience, introspection, and strength. The Northern path cleansing, renewal, and purity.
The stones representing the moons and the totem animals of each are then placed as the outer circle connecting the cardinals directions. It took me approximately 4 hours to complete the wheel. I worked steadily and quietly loosing all track of the time. When it was completed I placed a ceramic blue planter in the center in which I change out the plants for each season. Within the plants is nestled a figure of Gaia holding the Earth in her arms. I blessed the Wheel and meditated within the space and I truly believe that the "energy" around and within the wheel has changed for the better. Now the yard is alive with a multitude of birds, chipmunks, lizards and rabbits... and yes the occasional snake.
I frequently walk the Wheel round and round. Noting where I stop, asking for guidance along the way from the stones. It helps me to ground and center myself and it has helped me to connect to this land and honor the beauty and wisdom here. One of my lessons here was to "listen" to my Self, that inner voice and I did and in doing so I have grown from the experience.
Bright Blessings
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