1. Traditional Welcome / Opening Ceremony
2. Symbols of The Sacred Circle
   Rattle
   The Winds of Change
   The Medicine Wheel
3. The Concept of Self
4. The Concept of Connectedness
5. The 4 Aspects of Everyone's Nature
6. The 4 Stages of Life
7. The Concept of the 4 Seasons
8. The Concept of Vision
9. The Concept of 4 Elements
10. The Concept of Learning
11. The 4 Races of Mankind
12. The Concept of Balance
13. Conclusion

The symbol of the circle is used by almost all the Native People in all parts of the world. Each symbol is used for many different purposes. Our purpose is to show the interconnectedness of nature and relationship, as Aboriginal people, to all of creation. Our first circle emphasizes the self as the centre and the outside circle as the universe and the four directions. We always move in a clockwise direction as the sun does. It is a never-ending cycle of beginning and ending. When we come to an end it is merely a new beginning.

The East is the direction of new beginning as the light of a sun on a new day.
The South is the direction of warmth as the sun is at its peak at high noon.
The West is the direction of night time, darkness, or unknown mysteries, as the night time approaches.
The North is the direction of cold as the cold of the night cold sets in, and the snow of the Arctic. It is also the direction of wisdom.

Aboriginal People believe that the self is the centre of the universe. All the personalities in the world appear on the sacred circle.

The circle is you, the self. All the personalities in the world are within the circle. Each of us is born somewhere on this circle, with all the personalities. However, we usually have one personality that distinguishes us from others, depending on where we were born on the circle. The objective is to try to experience as many of the personalities as we can on our journey along the cycle of life. Only in experiencing as many of these personalities can we lead balanced and fulfilled lives, much as the concept of self-actualization on Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

The inner circle is what is deep inside everyone of us. These are the private thoughts, emotions, and spiritual things we share with the creator through prayer and meditation. As we pray and meditate our energy force is strengthened, affecting our outer self.

The outer circle represents the interaction we have with our personalities thus affecting our behaviour. This is the area that must be affected by the inner circle to produce positive behaviour such as honesty.

The circle of creation or four directions is the stage where we act out our behaviours. Our ceremonies which were given to us by the creator are our tools for the continued development as a person. We constantly show our appreciation for all the things which exist.

The 4 aspects of man - mental, physical, emotional, spiritual

The idea is to try and keep these four aspects in balance so as to maintain a good rhythm and lead a balanced life. The greatest teacher anyone will ever have is himself. Each aspect is a teacher.

The Physical lets you know when you must see a doctor.

The Emotional is the direction of feelings. We must learn to experience our emotions in a healthy manner and not suppress them due to negative reactions or feedback we have received. It is the direction of counsellors.

The Spiritual is the direction of energy, for it is an unseen concept. It is the alternate reality or mirror image of the physical. When our energy levels are low it affects all the other aspects. When we speak of someone being in good spirits, we think of them as being happy.

The Mental is the direction of thinking. These are the intellectual gifts we may acquire: to predict, to interpret hidden messages. The mind can be trained until it becomes a highly developed instrument.

What must be remembered is that each of these gifts must be in balance with one another to maintain a good rhythm and lead a balanced life.

The 4 stages of life - child, youth, adult, elder

The relationship of the four stages and how they appear on the sacred circle is shown as having balance and responsibility to their respective roles.

The gift of the child is a time of play and innocence. The child is on the east, the place of new birth or rebirth.
The youth is a time of learning; the youth appears on the south.
The adult appears on the west and is a time for protection.
The elder appears on the north and provides guidance and direction.

These are the prime responsibilities of each stage of life. Everyone reaches each stage at different times of their life. Some children may reach the age of youth earlier than others, and it is their nature.

The concept of the 4 seasons - spring, summer, fall, winter

The cycle of change is emphasized as it relates to nature. Balance is also depicted as opposites appear to balance themselves on the medicine wheel. This is a continuous cycle of change.

Spring, is a time of new life and it appears in the east.
Summer, which is a time of growth, work and play, appears to the south.
Fall, which is harvest time, appears on the west, and
Winter which is a time of rest appears to the north.

Each season change happens on solstice, as opposed to the idea of specific on the calendar for each season change.

The concept of vision - the eagle, mouse, bear, buffalo The animal world is emphasized on this circle to relate the personality traits of each direction.

To the east is the eagle who sees far and wide. This gift teaches us that we must be able to see the outcome or end result of things. It is the direction of illumination and the direction of leadership. Like the eagle a leader must often travel alone.

To the south is the mouse who teaches us about the here and now. A mouse lives close to Mother Earth and is very focused in what it does, much as when a child observes a butterfly or some other aspect of nature. The child is totally engrossed in the new discovery and is oblivious to everything else. Many of us are too concerned about the future or the past, and as a result we neglect the present. The mouse teaches us to focus on the activity we are doing. This focus can be the creation of skilled hunters, accomplished musicians, or great artists.

To the west is the bear or turtle. It is also the place of the thunder beings who represent power, which is the power to heal. We learn to manage our power in relation to all of creation. The bear who goes underground to sleep during the winter symbolizes the insight that we are able to gain through our ceremonies. The turtle also teaches perseverance. By going into the centre of one's being we experience our relationship to all of creation and the creator.

To the north is the buffalo or white owl. The white owl, who can just about move his head in a complete circle, teaches us that we must be able to see things from all aspects. The buffalo, who was the backbone of the Plains Indian nations, teaches us to utilize all and not waste any gifts. The buffalo was used as a food source, clothing and shelter (tipis). The sinew was used for thread, the bones for tools, and the skull was used for spiritual purposes.

The concept of 4 elements - air, earth, fire/sun, water Each element in its respective position relates how Aboriginal People perceive the world around them. The 4 basic elements of nature appear in their respective places. Humanity would perish if one of these elements were missing.

The gift of earth appears to the east, and one of the many teachings we learn is vision. We perceive the world around us and marvel at the beauty and the vision of the creator.

The gift of fire or sun appears to the south, and some of the teachings we learn are time, discipline, and patience. Most nations of the world use the sun as a basis of keeping time. We learn that we cannot make the sun go faster or slower--therefore, we learn patience. True Indian time is based on responsibility and commitment. When we think of fire, we think of it as a great gift. We use fire to cook our food and we use it to warm ourselves. This is done in a controlled manner. Fire can also destroy if it is not controlled. It is also true that the fire that burns deep within us must be disciplined or it will run wild with anger. However we must not suppress our anger, but express it in a manner which will not be harmful to ourselves or others.

The third element is water, the giver of life. It appears to the west and teaches us reason. Water will always find its own way and cannot be contained. It will eventually overcome any barrier. Our reason must be like water. It must continue to develop and not allow problems to become obstacles, but rather a challenge for a new learning. The power of reason must be tempered by our vision.

The fourth element is air. One of the teachings we learn from air is movement. Air is all around us and moves anywhere--it even finds the tiniest opening. Our development must also be like the water. As we move in our journey around the circle, we learn new things and we broaden our knowledge, which gives us more strength.

The Aboriginal people took a lot of their learning from observing nature. Animals appear to the east and their teaching is sacrifice, sharing, affection, and companionship. Animals constantly nurture and groom their young. Ducks carry their young on their backs and also keep them warm with their feathers and body heat.A mother bear will give up her life to save her young ones. Some animals will pretend to be wounded to lure predators away from their young. When an animal has been killed the predator will eat its fill and then leave, thus allowing other animals to share in the feast.

Red, Yellow, Black, and White: Each race of people has language, customs, culture and nations. The methods and processes are different, but the ultimates are the same.

The red race, which is situated to the east of the sacred circle, are the keepers of Mother Earth. The relationship Aboriginal people have with the earth is one of respect. Nothing is ever taken without asking for permission and then giving something in return.

The yellow race is to the south, the direction of the noonday sun. The flag of Japan has the symbol of the sun. Loyalty and noble passions are teachings which are in the south. During the Second World War, kamikaze pilots flew suicide missions, displaying their loyalty to their cause. Rather than live with shame, Japanese people committed hari-kari and ended their lives in a noble fashion.