Here we are again (it’s so important):

The Medicine Wheel is a guide to living – how to balance the aspects of personality, in order to achieve a higher spiritual vibration – or – to be the Best Human You Can Be.

The Medicine Wheel is also a ceremony to separate “sacred space” from “functioning around consentual reality” space.  You need to carve a practice out of your day.

By opening to the 4 directions, you are literally carving a personal sacred space, separating  Inner Sanctum (the Holy of Holies) from the Outer, mundane experience.

The basic shamanic ritual or ceremony is the circle.  Or, if you want to be 3D, a sphere.

The elements of the circle are East South West North.

You are sitting at the crux, the middle.  The directions are around you.  This could be a good navigational exercise, too.  Face east or north, and call each of the directions.   If you face North, call North first.  If you face East, call East first.  If, for some reason you feel compelled to face another direction, then do so – but ALWAYS FACE that direction for this ritual, until you learn why.  Eventually, you want to orient to North (magnetic) or East (rising sun).

East = air, breath, mind.

South = fire, passion, Will, playfulness, nervous electricity.

West = water, emotion, blood, ancestors

North = earth, body, practical, financial, work.

Different cultures have different associations with the directions – there is a chart of alternative association on this page:   Shaman Explorations – Medicine Wheel and First Totem

To explore other associations, I like to Google “Medicine Wheel” then click on “Images” to see all of the differences, correspondences, affinities, symbols, colors and similarities in Medicine Wheels of various cultures.

THEN, after you have acknowledged the directions, then acknowledge these directions to complete the sphere:

ABOVE = G-d, Sky, weather, mobile fertility (think sperm, rain)

BELOW = G-ddess, Earth, Nourishment, support, stationary fertility (think seeds taking root)

WITHIN = that holy thing which is inside of you.

At the yoga studio, where I am cautious about smoke or fire (so no incense or smudge), I use essential oil spray to seal the sphere before Practice.

After you have acknowledged these things, you are perfectly safe.

I sometimes sleep in a magick sphere, if I need Deep Rest.  This has the added benefit of Medicine Wheel, I can Rest while balancing my Air, Fire, Water and Earth!

* * *

for more learning –

Medicine Wheel:

https://lonerwolf.com/medicine-wheel/

 

Here is a complicated page about the Magick Circle with Jewish mystical references for those who want to be more formal about their practice:

http://www.crystalinks.com/day8circlemagic.html

 

Here is a simpler page about the Magick Circle:

http://www.wikihow.com/Cast-a-Circle

 

 

A rough Buddhist equivalent, Buddhist wheels are like the 8 spoked wheel Bhavacakra

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavacakra

(This is more of a description of the known world and a map of the inner states, than it is a protection, a carving out of safe, sacred space from mundane, everyday space.  It is often created as a sand painting.  In Buddhism, to clear space and banish Demons, to make room for pure practice, they use  Bell and Dorje!  Ringing the bell creates the space (but you cannot use the bell for anything else):  http://www.tibetanbuddhistaltar.org/bell-and-dorje/)