Whether it’s global warming or exploiting the tar sands, we are all coming to understand the limitations of linear thinking as it cannot hold and explain complexities and interrelationships. Many paths within shamanism use the medicine wheel or the sacred circle as a way to have a more holistic way of coming to understand the truth of life.  The medicine wheel or sacred circle by its very nature can reveal a much more complex and whole picture. One of the wheel teachings that I use in my work is the Wheel of Human Aspects.

One of the more important conclusions we can draw from this wheel is that for us to be in balance we need to have all our 5 aspects present in a balanced way in our everyday life. Imagine the medicine wheel resting like a plate – if we spend too many of our resources being in our mental aspect while neglecting our spiritual, the “plate” will tip. If we overemphasize our physical while ignoring feeding our minds with good information, the “plate” will tip. The medicine wheel teaches us that in order to have balance we need to feed all our aspects – our spiritual, our physical, our emotional, our mental and our sexuality. So, if we are out of balance (out of sorts, ungrounded, stuck, always anxious, etc), here are some simple questions to ask yourself:

• do I acknowledge and feed the divine within me?
• do I find ways to continuously recharge my body?
• am I allowing my emotions to be present so that they may teach me?
• is my mind clear clear or is it full of negative inner dialogue?
• whether I am single or in some sort of partnership, is my sexuality enhancing my life?

So where do these teachings come from? For me they come through Harley Swiftdeer from Hyemeyohsts Storm. If you are interested in learning more, check out Hyemeyohsts’ Lightening Bolt.

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