It is this philosophy from which the much-quoted axiom, as above, so below is derived. The moment of fertility. The element of the west is water, and here on our altar we have some of the water collected at our Ingathering services each September. Shamanic tribes relate the west with new awareness.. We next turn to the West direction, the direction of the setting sun, and of the autumn season. Is Quantum Entanglement the Key to Spiritual Ascension? The elements and cardinal directions are most commonly represented on a basic altar. This journey will be a reconnection to the subtler, potent Earth energies. Wrap your coils of light around me There is Healing in the washing clean that comes with . When a thought enters your mind, it creates a spark, a neuron fires and becomes wired in your conscious mind. In the bible, east is repeatedly used as a symbolic tool in the creation story of Genesis. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Past experiences are stored within the neural programming. We are what we think. 4) Fix your attention on your breath without changing your breath; just notice it. Do they not also deserve to be capitalized? Spirit Keeper of the West, Brown Bear, Be with me. Come to me in the dreamtime Then create the determination to sit still for the period of the meditation. May the four winds carry blessings far and wide. Get instant access to free videos, helpful articles, and exclusive offers. : it symbolizes the cycle of life, without beginning or end, and provides guidance for living. We acknowledge cedar, the western medicine, and earth, the western element. Furthermore, the south is linked with the element of fire and it is from this point onwards that you have the choice to rise Phoenix-like from the flames. It is also the place of embodiment, of connecting with our physical self, with the concrete, tangible world around us. I felt the Darkness and the Night and the coolness. Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we're doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what's going on around us. And its here that we find the first instance of Amanitas connection to the story of Santa Clausthe mushroom growing under the Christmas Tree. The symbolism of the Medicine Wheel is so important to the teachings of Indigenous culture that you'll see cultural groups, artists, and even businesses using the symbol in . We can get so bogged down in the mundane, but if we soar with the Eagle and the Angels, we can see things from a distance and gain greater clarity. Specialties: Four Directions Wellness is an integrative healing provider, based in Alexandria, VA and focused on connecting body, mind, emotions and spirit. . Royal Hummingbird The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The. It makes sense for us to enter in the north-east section also. Remember the heart chakra is associated with the element of air, and air is required to stoke a fire. Spirit Keeper of the North, White Buffalo, Be with me. Mother of the Life-giving waters Each 45-minute class will center around a different theme. tai chi. For me it has to do with the habit of being busy and right now in my life it is just thata habit. Thus we have cycles of life and the transformation of energy. No matter what our life looks like, no matter how we feel, no matter what weve done or not done, there is an opportunity to begin again, to make new choices with the coming of a new day. This path draws information you need to know from your unconscious and enables you to change your habitual thinking and behaviours. In his book, The Secret Teachings of All Ages, Manly P. Hall tells us air comes from water and fire. To the four powers of Creation, to the Grandfather Sun, to the Grandmother Moon, to the Mother Earth, and to my ancestors. The color is red and it symbolizes protection. This is the time of year trees and plants shed their leaves, and nature essentially dies. On a deeper level, east stands for the wisdom helping people live good lives. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The Medicine Wheel. Mindfulness Mondays happens every 2nd and 4th Monday of the month at Four Directions Wellness. Great Spirit of Light, come to me out of the East (red) with the power of the rising sun. Red beads were used to call forth the red spirit for strong love relations, to heal from illness, and to pray for longevity. In times past it was believed that the human soul shared characteristics with all things divine. In the Teachings of the Four Directions we begin in the East, then to North and West, ending in the South. Communing with god, the universe, or nature. Furthermore, the west is associated with the element of water which in esoteric symbolism is used to represent the unconscious and emotions. Reiki . ~ Joseph Cardinal RatzingerThe Spirit of the Liturgy. This state of stillness is when you are most receptive to your higher conscious Self. When you are feeling stuck in a rut, beholden to a routine, or if the wind has gone out of your sails, look eastward. It is the dwelling place of God from where he descends in all his glory: Out of the north he comes in golden splendor; God comes in awesome majesty. I cant believe it took me so long. In other words, the True Self which is not polluted by poor information stored in the personal unconscious. Here's a guide to help you get started. Car trips can be good that way. From a feng shui and aesthetic point of view, it may not be an ideal placement for that chair, but from a meditators point of view, it is absolutely perfect. Liberation from suffering. Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim traditions also, Sanskrit this practice is known as Pradakshina. I've read that the four directions are an important consideration when doing practice. When I imagined sitting on that mountain facing South, I felt the power of Sun shining on my face. This is what Freud term precognition. Its also pertinent to note where the hierarchy of masons sit; the west is the seat of the Senior Warden and the Grand Master. There are many people, books and websites, that say the Directions . We ask that we always remain aware that we are all interconnected in the web of life, for there are too many who are blind to this fact. You can use this chakra during meditation to burn away past experiences and attitudes you do not want. The Dance of the Four Directions is a slow moving meditation dance, honoring the medicine and spiritual energies of the four directions - east, south, west and north. Known for its distinctive red and white speckled cap, Amanita muscaria is one of the most recognized mushrooms in the world. While there is some contention around this theory, there are a number of undeniable motifs connecting Santas yearly trip drawn by flying reindeer, and the analogous rituals of an isolated peoples use of the psychedelic Amanita muscaria mushroom. The creation of life ultimately manifests as your physical reality and will continue to repeat the same patterns whilstever you vibrate at the same frequency. When I faced the North, I felt the lack of Sun. . And they could not be further from the truth. Science reveals through the Universal Laws of Nature, that everything is in a constant state of flux (the law of impermanence) and everything vibrates at its own frequency (the law of vibration). Qedem means "forward" which shows us that people in ancient times would face the rising sun as the default direction, but it also means "ancient.". How does a practice like meditation help diffuse intense emotions like sadness, anger, or guilt? The Queen of the South here is referring to the solar plexus chakra which is just below the heart chakra. Further, each corresponds to a quadrant in the . In every ancient myth that recites a creation story, water is always present. When he prepared the heavens. This mountain is like a beacon to many of us who live here in this small town. Meditations We are life in action, loving, moving and growing. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. This can be done silently or spoken aloud, but it must be intentional. It is the time of awakening, the beginning point. Meaning of Cardinal Directions. 00:49:16 - In this meditation Colleen guides you through a Reiki journey and meditation to assist you in finding your path and next step in 2023. Therefore, we see the confusion between the east and west. To begin, take some deep breaths, let go of mental preoccupations and align with your hearts intention to create sacred space. The number four corresponds to rootedness, solidity, containment, and giving grounded structure to spiritual and creative inspirations. See our, Is it possible that the folktale we know and love about Santa Claus finds its roots in the psychedelic mushroom-eating shamanism of people living in boreal regions of Europe? Related products. A link to reset your password has been sent to you. You can, of course, use this symbolism both ways: Firstly, the exoteric sequence will help you integrate this knowledge into your life on a practical level. In fact, the mycelia of the mushroom intertwine with the roots of the tree in a mycorrhizal relationshipin this case, a positive symbiosis. We acknowledge the colour yellow, and the Yellow Race that it represents. In the old days, when we were a strong and happy people, all our power came to us from the sacred hoop of the nation, and so long as the hoop was unbroken, the people flourished. In the pagan tradition, which is grounded in a respect and reverence for the natural world, calling upon the four directions is the usual way to begin any ceremony. . East is the direction in which the sun rises. North: Earth, balance and wisdom. These animals are a reminder to be patient with the seasons. Master Mind Content is a leading authority in decoding ancient symbolism . For understanding of life cycles I work with the four directions of the medicine wheel: East, South, West, and North. Certain plants give up their lives so that we can use their smoke for prayers and cleansing. Essentially, we need to change our habitual thinking in order to reprogram the subconscious mind. We offer thanks for the visions and dreams that help us remember who we are, and why we are here, and ask that all people be given this wonderful gift. In Shamanic traditions, the west is associated with Spirit Keeper of Death. And never let me be burdened with sorrow by not starting over again. Nor does it make any sense to create symbolic mechanisms to reflect these aspects of life. One of the fundamental aspects of the earth element is the. Each direction embodies the qualities of various life cycles. The circle is the earth, the moon and the planets. In other words, this is the future state of mind they must strive to acquire. The north calls to you if you are seeking balance, the deep wisdom that lives in your bones, a place of rest and recovery. West comes before east. Remember, the north represents darkness, emptiness, or nothingness. Therefore, people revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart? ~ Job 37:22-24. Im unfolding the story this way to demonstrate how subtle differences in the interpretation of symbolism creates a canyon between opposing points of view. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. As our Mother, the Earth has shown us much patience in our greed and thoughtlessness, but we now know better. The circle is traveled clockwise, following the motion of the sun in the sky. For this reason, we will now perform a smudging ceremony, where we will use the smoke of sacred medicines to purify ourselves, and to honour and acknowledge the universe around us. North represents the time of Lifes closing (not ending, for all of Life is a Wheel and what follows the North is the East, new beginnings.) Meditation and the Four Virtues. The element of the North is earth, represented here by some dirt from our very own garden. Do your best to slow down your thoughts and be open to the wisdom the four directions have for you. In meditation, when you ask your higher consciousness to reveal your Truth, the answer typically appears as a responding thought or in a vision. The circle is the earth, the moon and the planets. And it is so important that you are mindful of your thoughts. Fly high as you carry my prayers to the Creator. Later, I will explain how I interpret this symbolism differently. During the research for this article, I noticed that other commentators on this subject sometimes provide the same meanings for west and east - most notably new beginnings. Fire is a vital energy that brings consciousness to life. We still use light as a symbolic mechanism to represent ideas; think lightbulbs in a skull. Jeremiah 1:14 says that evil comes from the north. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". It embodies the Four Directions, as well as Father Sky, Mother Earth, and Spirit Treeall of which symbolize dimensions of health and the cycles of life. In order for us to improve our quality of life, we have to evolve by gaining knowledge and wisdom. Whenever you bring awareness to what you . Or is it the south when the sun is at its highest point in the sky..? These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. For the purpose of this article, I am going to unfold the four directions in the clockwise sequence typically iterated in spiritual practices in mainstream circles. The Medicine Wheel, or Wheel of Life, is represented by the four directions. The first four directions are the four main directions of the compass: East, South, West and North. The north is therefore where the initial idea is generated and the rest of the cycle is how we nurture the desire to fruition. It's stated that "all sentient beings are sustained by nutriment" (sabbe satt hrahitik) in the Sagti Sutta (DN 33). Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim traditions also circumambulate in rituals. When we dam up our feelings, just like when we dam up a river, the pressure builds until it finds an outlet. Because time and energy move in cycles there are always new beginnings. The north-east implies you are still awake and have some conscious thought. Affiliated with the GW Center for Integrative Medicine, we collaborate with individuals to explore all aspects of their lives for healthier and more complete living. Light your sage (or other herbs) on fire and then fan the smoke with your feather around your body and anyone else in your space. Let's examine these directions, one by one: East: Qedem, Mizrach, Motsa. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The animal often associated with the North is the Buffalo. The aromas produced by these plants help us place ourselves in a different state of mind thus bringing us into a deeper part of ourselves. Thoughts also evoke emotions which compel us to take action. But water is also a symbolic mechanism for the unconscious. The west corresponds with the season of autumn which is associated with letting go. Plus you can download videos to your device to watch offline later. This is the beginning of a new day. If we ask for it, she will also provide us with the nourishment we need to succeed. Enter your email address and we'll send you a link to reset your password. This is a continuation of Susan's last 8 meditations which can be heard by clicking below, but it can also be enjoyed on its own.1. We move around the wheel to the south. Consider the West (the setting sun) and the color black. 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meditation on the four directions