Installing an Ancient Medicine Wheel or Lawn Compass

SET UP FOR

LAWN COMPASS/

YOUR ANCIENT MEDICINE WHEEL


Your Medicine Wheel / Lawn Compass is hand made limited edition West Coast Art. Imperfections are part of the aged effect. Chips may occur but that enhances the ancient look. Because they are individually made the shades vary. The fact is that no two ever wanted to be exactly the same. In time an even patina will develop .

MY INSPIRATION
One Christmas I was given, “Medicine Cards : THE DISCOVERY OF POWER THROUGH THE WAYS OF ANIMALS”, By Jamie Sams and David Carson. The forward of the book introduced me to a Medicine Wheel as a Place For Meditation. My concept developed from their wisdom into a 12 piece Garden Art Set of West Coast Art for easy installation into the garden.

EASY TO SET UP
The four directional points: NORTH, SOUTH, EAST AND WEST should be determined using a compass. You can find a compass on most Smart Phones. If a compass is not available use your best judgment. Intention is the key and you will not miss out on the value of your ‘wheel’ if it is not exact in the direction or circular shape.
DECIDE HOW WIDE your MEDICINE WHEEL / LAWN COMPASS will be. It will fit into a space as small as 6
(six ) feet and as wide as you wish .
The four large directional stones: NORTH (Buffalo) , SOUTH (Porcupine), EAST (Eagle) and WEST (Bear) are guardian/watchtower stones.  Across North America tribes adopted local fauna but their fundamentals remain remarkably constant.
The other eight stones depict the Salmon and Crab in the Moon. (Description below)

TOOLS THAT WILL HELP
A stake to put in the very centre of your ‘Wheel’
for measuring.
A tape measure or string as long as you need it to be. One end attached to the stake.
A compass or a good sense of direction.
A shovel or appropriate garden tools for cutting sod from the lawn.
You might want sand or gravel to settle the pieces in place. You decide.

A FEW EASY STEPS
This is a space of High Spiritual Medicine and should be built with Respect, Time and Sincerity as a permanent place of Peace and Healing.

1. The centre is the power point of the circle. Take a stake with a string tied on to it and embed the stick into this centre point. Or mark the centre your way and Use Tape Measure
Bring the string out as far as the outside of your circle will be. Tie a knot in the string at the outer edge for accuracy.

2.

Stretch the string:
to the NORTH and Place the Buffalo with the top of his head and horns up.
Stretch the string to the

SOUTH and Place the Porcupine with its face and paws pointing SOUTH .
Repeat the process and
Place the Bear in The WEST. Bear looks toward the setting sun.

Finally
Place the Eagle in The EAST. You can face them into the circle or outward but I designed them to look out into the world. In traditional construction the EAST Eagle stone is placed LAST .

3. Use the string to place the round stones at one o’clock and two o’clock, four and five , seven and eight , ten and eleven o’clock.

Balance things out with the help of your eye or the string or tape measure. Rotate each round stone by a quarter turn or make your own decision on how you want them facing.
4. With your shovel or tool of your choice cut out the sod in the shape of the stones . Lift the sod out. Use some loose soil or sand under the stone to make sure it is level and does not wobble when you place it into its space. Don’t stand on them with both feet to help level them because you can break them. You may need to fiddle to get them level but make sure there is no rocking when you stand on the them. Be Careful: Make sure they sit low enough to be lawnmower friendly.
You may not want lawn in your circle. Aromatherapy herbs like low growing thyme or mint make wonderful enhancements to the ‘wheel’. You may prefer gravel or wood chips. What works for your space ?

WAYS TO USE THE MEDICINE WHEEL / LAWN COMPASS.
Many people use this space for healing and meditation. Remember that you must leave your problems and issues outside of the space. Inside is a place of healing, serenity and respite from earthly issues. Upon completion stand within your new space and make up a prayer asking it to be a safe place. You can sit within for protection from the world. If you seek Healing this is a good place to ASK FOR IT and to OPEN UP TO ACCEPT IT.
It might suit you to walk around the circle in a Walking Meditation Connecting with the Great Spirit of All on the ‘Good Red Road’.
The more often you use the space the more residual energy and power it will hold for you.

Care and Cleaning : Your Ancient Medicine Wheel & Lawn Compass will be here lifetime after lifetime to greet you. They have three coats of sealer that will last years. They will develop a patina of their own . You may allow moss to grow on them. They age beautifully. Hose them off and pull back the grass from time to time while you are enjoying the energizing benefits the ‘ wheel’ can offer . Imperfections are part of the hand made process. Chips and gouges may occur over the years but – they were made to look old so don’t get upset if you chip or even break one in half !

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NORTH – BUFFALO -YOUR CONNECTION TO SPIRIT

North – prayer and abundance is symbolized by Buffalo.  With experience and age we gain wisdom. North is purity and wisdom, a great place of healing.  This reminds us to stop and listen.
The buffalo was the primary source of survival during the winter time for people. Every part of the buffalo was used. My design depicts the buffalo with inverted hooves indicating that it has offered itself up for the good of the many.
Buffalo medicine is a reminder that you achieve nothing without the aid of the Great Spirit and that you must be humble enough to ask for that assistance and then be grateful for what you receive.

SOUTH  – PORCUPINE   REPRESENTING YOUR INNER CHILD

We rise from childhood into being an adult. Our Passion and Curiosity for Life resides in the South of the Medicine Wheel.
Opening to the world as a flower bud the Porcupine stone represents the Inner Child. Innocence , humility and playfulness. Porcupine is a powerful medicine: the power of faith and trust. The Flower buds are the quills -only used when trust has been broken between Porcupine and another creature. With wide eyes this creature notices and examines everything with curiosity and an openness to explore the world.
Porcupine is a gentle, loving creature, and non aggressive. Honour the child within and the wonder of life and the appreciation of each new day as an adventure of discovery. Open your heart to those things that gave you joy as a child.

WEST –BEAR  –  WATER AND EMOTIONS

Bear represents the setting sun – twilight. The daylight fades and brings a new awareness in this time of gradual change. Bear is represented in the West because the Bear goes within and hibernates to renews itself. When the darkness comes we must look inward to find the light and have courage.
This is the emotional part of ourselves, like the flowing water we must learn to go with the flow of life. In the West we learn that we are responsible to all things and to each other.  It is the time to prepare, to finish things for Winter is coming. We gather ourselves and family, working together to prepare for what is to come.   As the centre of emotions it is the place of family and love.
My design of Bear depicts the sun above the third eye. This represents the pineal gland which sits in the centre of the four lobes of the brain.

EAST   – EAGLE AND ILLUMINATION

Beginnings start in the east – from where the sun rises we begin a new day. Each day is a good new day with a fresh beginning, a new start.

“This is a wonderful Day ! I haven’t seen this one before!” – Maya Angelou

East is the direction of the physical body and newness including children and new born. It is the time of change for all is a new beginning. New ideas and seeing the light. The sun rising in the east empowers each of us. The energy to do and to begin the action of the mind and heart is there.

 Eagle represents great power and Divine Energy. My depiction of Eagle shows wings spread while seizing the sun as it rises in the East . Grab the sun as it rises and be conscious of its’ power in your day. Take every opportunity and touch the sky. Eagle teaches you to broaden your senses of self beyond the horizon of what is presently visible. Eagle reminds you of the freedom and openness of the sky.

The Filler Stones SALMON AND CRAB EMBRACED BY THE MOON

The Salmon and Crab in the Moon Stone represents physical sustenance or our dependence on the earth for our survival.  The Crab design  can be seen integrated within the belly of the Salmon.  It also represents all that is open to you here in the physical world between the sun , moon and the earth. This stone is used between the cardinal directions . Similar to a clock they should be placed at one , two, four and five, seven and eight, ten and eleven o’clock respectively. Rotate each a quarter turn so they do not all face the same way.