Ancient Mystic Healer

There is a lot of mystery surrounding the history of Medicine Wheels. Actually, there are more unanswered questions by researchers than there are answered questions. It is similar to understanding the history of Stonehenge or the Great Pyramids in Egypt.

What is known is that medicine wheels have been found relative to the Plains Indian people, which their symbolism and meaning may have varied from tribe to tribe. There is no known consensus of belief within tribes.

The oldest stony wheels date back approximately 4,000 years ago, to the time of the Egyptian pyramids and the English megaliths like Stonehenge. Much of the history of medicine wheels in the U.S. was collected from oral history than researched and proved archaeology. And since the carbon dating goes back 4,000 years, then the oral history throws me for a loop. There is some evidence that the Blackfoot tribes used medicine wheels, and like the Indian groups before them who migrated to the Northern Plains adopted the medicine wheel as a cultural and spiritual icon. But the question still remains, "why?"

Some people believe they were used for a ceremony or ritual, and more than likely this is the case. But what was the ceremony or ritual? Some people claim they were for cleansing, praying, meditating, etc., but there still seems to be no consensus by Elders, archaeologists, researchers, etc.

Although there are hundreds of different Medicine Wheels, the following is presented as a preliminary introduction to a portion of the Native American Medicine Wheel as described in the books "Dancing with the Wheel" and "The Medicine Wheel Concept." I am only presenting some of the information of the Four Directions and the Birth Totems at this time. This information gives a nice parallel to astrology.

As in astrology, we should also give particular attention to our rising sign and moon sign as well as our sun sign. The basic concepts of their symbolism and interconnectedness is a compilation of oral history passed on from various elders. The purpose of the Medicine Wheel is spiritual growth by understanding these concepts: