THE MEDICINE WHEEL
by Celso Fortes de Almeida, M.D.

In all North American Native Traditions, the Medicine Wheel is a common subject. This Wheel is of great importance because it is our guidance through life. We strive to improve ourselves in search of its central point, which is the moment we join the Great Spirit, saying goodbye to this life time.

The more synchronized we are with the Medicine Wheel, the greater our awareness of our life process and the greater the chances to accomplish whatever mission our soul has chosen for this life time.

According to the Sioux Lakota tradition, we get into this Wheel the moment we are born through the WEST which presents us with the quality of COURAGE. This quality is essential to come into this life. We need to be courageous in order to be in touch with our feelings and sensations.

Once we have the Courage necessary, we are ready to go to the NORTH which provides us the quality of WISDOM. We acquire knowledge in schools, in books, in our everyday life, but wisdom is something related to our cell memory, to our divine memory which we are able to achieve deeply only through personal work.

With courage and wisdom, we may now continue our journey to the EAST which brings us ILLUMINATION. Illumination is the point at which we realize we resemble God. It is the point at which we can listen to our intuitions and follow them, reducing the chances of making mistakes in life.

And now, something special and of great wisdom in this tradition is that with courage, wisdom and illumination, we may go to the SOUTH which presents us with INNOCENCE. It is this innocence that allows us to be free to try the new. It is with the fearlessness of this innocence that we give up our preconceived ideas and open space for new beliefs and a whole new life, making a quantum leap. Jumping into the abyss of illusion, we may find out that we do not succumb to this abyss, but rather that we learn to fly much higher.

In this manner, we go all the way around the Wheel, making a spiral that brings us closer and closer to the CENTER which is the point where we discover that we are not SIMILAR to the Great Spirit, but ONE with IT.

Dr. Celso Fortes de Almeida will speak at the MCNJ lecture September 23, and lead a workshop on Sept. 24th.