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Medicine Wheel Exercise – 20 MinOBJECTIVE: Understand benefits of self-care within the medicine wheel teachings.HOW: Introduce the Medicine Wheel (15 min) The following information offers some insight into terminology used in Aboriginal community. The best knowledge source regarding Aboriginal culture and traditions is Aboriginal people and communities themselves. Refer to the Medicine Wheel handout as a resource for further understanding of the teachings. The Medicine Wheel is a symbol that represents the circle of life. It is a very deep and complex symbol. A full understanding of all the teachings related to the Medicine Wheel would take a lifetime. A core concept of the Medicine Wheel is balance, harmony, and interconnectedness.The four directions of the Medicine Wheel remind us of many things, particularly the need for balance in the world, and the balance we must strive for every day, within ourselves.?For this workshop, we provide a handout with a very basic explanation of the Medicine Wheel. We acknowledge that teachings vary throughout Turtle Island (North America), and are respected as such. This is one version of those teachings. ?The underlying?basic precepts of each Nation's teachings are the same.THE EASTThis direction is the place of the?Physical realm, the colour Yellow.THE SOUTH?This direction is the place of?the?Mental realm, the colour Red.? THE WESTThis direction is the place of the Emotional realm, the colour Black.??Finding peace doesn’t necessarily come from the head, as the West teaches, it comes from the heart. It also teaches us about creativity and the joy of spontaneity and artistic expression.?THE NORTHThis direction is the place of the?Spiritual realm, the colour White.? Spiritual in this context means where you find peace, connectedness and deep meaning.And so now we have come full circle, and I give thanks to the Teachings of the East, the South, the West, and the North. Meegwetch (gratitude) to the many Elders who have shared their Teachings for the next seven generations. -- Source: ?Traditional Teachings from various North American Aboriginal Grandmothers and Grandfathers. Complete the Medicine Wheel (15 min)Invite individuals to complete their own medicine wheel by providing the Medicine Wheel handout. Pose the question: “How do you, or would you like to, take care of yourself in the specified directions?”East/Physical: exercise, eating well, relaxationSouth/Mental: learning, reading, time for reflectionWest/Emotional: honouring and expressing your feelingsNorth/Spiritual: prayer, meditation, time in nature, connectionInvite participants to report back and share one self-care idea from their medicine wheel. Write responses on Flipchart. Give participants the Benefits of Caring for Ourselves handout with the individual at the centre, the next circle is family/friends, the next circle is the neighbourhood, and the last circle the City. Refer to the drawing of the above circles on a flipchart and invite participants to share one response from each section. (5 min)Tip: Highlight that in taking care of ourselves within the context of doing neighbourhood work, we as individuals and as a group, are better able to affect system level change such as voicing our concerns and working with service providers and the City. Medicine WheelBenefits of Caring for Ourselvesand Each Other ................
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