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SPIRIT
LODGE
LIBRARY
Medicine
Wheel
Page
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(Main
Links of the site are right at the bottom of the page)
The 24 pages in this Medicine Wheel section are linked below
The
Kvnaikati Tsulawi… Cherokee East Texas… Medicine Wheel
By SwanFeather
The following is the introduction
to an online reading I had done. I know nothing more about Mr.
Roffe than what is here. I do know that the Tsulawi are Cherokee
(East Texas), but know little else besides some history I found
about them. I thought it might be interesting to see how it
differs and what the similarities are from what Cinn has posted
in the Library. (I hope that's okay, Cinn?) Kvniakati Tsulawi
Medicine Wheel
A traditional Native American astrology
program by Randall Cole Roffe, for natal charts; based on the
Kvniakati Tsulawi Medicine Wheel tradition of the Southern Shawnee
and Cherokee, with some references to the traditions of other
North American tribes.
Dr. Roffe is a direct descendant
of the Chickamaugan Tsulawi Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Southern
Shawnee Kvniakati practitioners. He is not a member of any currently
Federally recognized tribal entity.
MEDICINE WHEEL ANIMALS:
1. Red Hawk (Aries) 2. Beaver (Taurus)
3. Songbirds (Gemini) 4. Rabbit (Cancer) (Coyote - other tribes)
5. Alligator (Leo) 6. Mouse (Virgo) 7. Bear (Libra) 8. Snake
(Scorpio) 9. Elk (Sagittarius) 10. Deer (Capricorn) (Buffalo
- other tribes) 11. Otter (Aquarius) 12. Panther (Pisces)
THE THREE REALMS AND THE ELEMENTS
OF THE MEDICINE WHEEL
Every animal power represents several
of the Star Clans; that is why all over the world there are
different symbolic images of the subdivisions of the seasonal
circle of the sky. This seasonal circle, and all that it contains,
is known as the Medicine Wheel by many Native Americans.
The circle of our more immediate
experience, extending to the horizons of the Four Directions,
is also known as the Medicine Wheel, nesting within larger and
larger wheels.
Every Medicine Animal has power in
one or more of the Three Realms of Above, Middle and Below;
and with one or more of the Elements. The Medicine Powers of
the Three Realms or Worlds,
like that of the Four Directions, is a very ancient tradition
of pretty much all the Native American people. The Medicine
Powers of the Twelve Directions and the Seven Heavens and their
Lights are in most ways special to the Kvniakati, Tsulawi and
other Cherokee and Shawnee traditions, though others may know
these things in a parallel manner. The Medicine Powers of the
Elements are partially Kvniakati traditions but have certainly
been influenced by early interactions of Cherokee/ Shawnee,
Scottish and Chinese astrological and medical systems.
It is good to have a balance of powers
in the Realms and the Elements.
THE ABOVE REALM
The Above Realm is the world of the
sky, the mind, fire and air. Red Hawk and Songbirds have power
in this higher realm of cause and effect in the abstract and
subtle sense. Bear has power here when she can stand up; her
ally is the Crow who has power in the Above. Snake has some
power here through his ally the Owl who has power in the Above
Realm at night.
It is good to have something going
on with one of these Medicine Animals or have them high in one
of the Heavens if one wishes to exert subtle cause and effect,
or in any way take a truly higher view of things.
Red Hawk and her Eagle relatives
have the greatest power in the Above Realm and are the guardians
of the East, the primary direction.
THE MIDDLE REALM
Beaver, Rabbit, Mouse, Bear, Elk,
Deer, Otter, and Panther all have varying degrees of power in
the familiar Middle Realm where humans also have power. Red
Hawk and Songbirds can come into the Middle Realm but have little
strength here. Snake and Alligator can come into the Middle
Realm also but lack strength here as well.
On the face of it, Bear has the greatest
power in the Middle Realm; she guards the Gate of the West into
the Below Realm. Rabbit also has great power, more than is apparent,
as he guards the Gate of the South; and the Deer guards the
powerful Gate of the North.
These are the guardians of the Four
Directions which are the axes of the powerful momenta of the
Earth and the heavenly bodies - Red Hawk in the East, Black
Bear in the West, Tiny White Deer in the North, and Great White
Rabbit in the South.
It is good to have something going
on with one of these Medicine Animals or have them high in one
of the Heavens if one wishes to exert practical effects in the
real world, or in any way make real changes in the daily life.
THE BELOW REALM
The Below Realm is the world of water,
emotions and the tides. The Below is where subconscious and
sometimes malevolent powers can reside. Snake and Alligator
have great power in the Below
Realm, and Panther also has a special power here by night.
Otter, Beaver and Mouse have varying
temporary powers in this Realm.
Rabbit can hide very securely in
this Realm and has a special power that is not active or obvious.
It is good to have something going
on with one of these Medicine Animals or have them high in one
of the Heavens if one wishes to exert subconscious effects in
the motivational world, or in any way have an effect on the
motivations of life and of others.
FIRE ELEMENT
Red Hawk has the power of Fire Above
- pure intention, will and concentration.
Alligator has the power of Fire Below
- the ability to connect the primal charismatic mind with drives
and emotions in the subconscious (also sometimes called "drama").
Elk has the power of Fire in the
Middle, or Fire in Wood - the interactive and enterprising social
mind.
Snake has a power of Fire in Water
- again a reptile to represent primal subconscious drives and
emotions.
Mouse has a power of Fire in Earth
- to store and categorize the various results of mental precipitations.
WATER ELEMENT
Panther has the power of Water Below
- the depths of the subconscious and the predawn dream-state.
Rabbit has the power of Water in
the Middle, in Earth -the immediate emotions and practical nurturance.
Snake has the power of Fire in Water
in the Below Realm, and can extend into the Middle Realm and
the Above Realm by night through his ally the Owl - primal survival
drives and emotions.
Bear has power in the Middle Realm
of Air in Water - the Gate of Looks Within, gate of entry to
the afterlife.
EARTH ELEMENT
Beaver has the power of Earth in
Wood - industrious and relentlessly constructive.
Rabbit has the power of Water in
Earth - where emotions and the practical world interface.
Mouse has the power of Fire in Earth
- where the mind and the practical world interface.
Deer has the power of Earth in Crystal
- where the powers of the practical world are most crystallized.
Otter has the power of Air in Earth
- where the powers of the practical world are most transcended
in the relative mind.
AIR ELEMENT
Songbirds have the power of Air in
Crystal - where the relational mind is most crystallized and
unintentional.
Bear has the power of Air in Water
- where the relational mind guards the Gate of Looks Within.
Otter has the power of Air in Earth
- where the relational mind transcends the limitations of the
practical world.
WOOD ELEMENT
Beaver has the power of Earth in
Wood - a power to constructively transform the practical world.
Elk has the power of Fire in Wood
- a power to transform the interactive and enterprising social
mind.
CRYSTAL ELEMENT
Songbirds have the power of Air in
Crystal - a power to focus and crystallize the relational mind
by perspective.
Deer has the power of Earth in Crystal
- a power to focus and crystallize the practical world by meeting
ordeals.
******
Now below is a portion of the reading.
I really didn't find much of the rest of the reading helpful,
but this portion which deals with White Deer which is my Sun
Totem. I found the interrelationships of the totems very enlightening.
I hadn't really thought much beyond predator/prey relationships
of my totems. This broadens the perspective and I can see how
they can not only help with individual development, but also
tribal, family, group relationships.
The Deer is the partner Guardian
of the Songbirds, and the two animals are often associated in
nature. Some Songbirds eat the insect pests that bother the
Deer, and warn the Deer of danger. The Deer likewise offer some
protection to the Songbirds, and when the Deer eat barks and
roots they expose insects that the Songbirds eat.
Panther's relationship with Deer
is an intimate predator-prey. Deer fears Panther but succumbs
to his hypnotic gaze, and Panther respects Deer who is also
strong and a good fighter.
Deer knows that only a small number
of Snakes are really dangerous. Snake often gets along well
with Deer, at least some kinds of Snakes do. Snake and Deer
have a special relationship and they guard the Ginseng plants
together.
Elk and Deer are natural competitors
for food but mostly avoid each other. Deer likewise are neutral
toward the Otter and the Alligator whom they seldom encounter,
although accidents between Deer and Alligator do occur.
Mouse and Beaver get along very well
and peacefully with Deer as they all go about their business
and warn one another of danger. Sometimes they share food with
each other.
Bear and Red Hawk are fearsome to
Deer because they are known to eat young fawns. Deer stands
his ground against them with great determination. They are not
as stealthy as Panther so Deer is able to fight them or flee
more effectively.
Rabbit is very spooky to Deer, being
unpredictable and able to cause Deer to lose sure footing. Rabbit
finds Deer inconsiderate.
*****
I just thought I would post this
for further info, if anyone's interested.
CinnamonMoon:
Thank you for sharing,
SwanFeather, it's an interesting approach combining different
teachings this way. Some resonates with me and some doesn't
but that's likely because I'm set in my own understandings of
the perspectives.
Obviously the author has schooled
himself in different techniques and sees deeper similarities
than I'm seeing here...I guess I'm on the border of it like
you are.
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Libraries
are on this row
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INDEX
Page 3
(Main Section, Medicine Wheel, Native Languages &
Nations, Symbology)
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INDEX
Page 5
(Sacred Feminine & Masculine, Stones & Minerals)
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©
Copyright: Cinnamon Moon & River WildFire Moon (Founders.)
2000-date
All rights reserved.
Site
constructed by Dragonfly
Dezignz 1998-date
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