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Medicine Wheel Directions for Change
By Ann Dapice, Ph.D. July 2004
The Medicine Wheel
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Direction-North
Aspect--Spiritual
Color--White
Animal--White Buffalo
Medicine--Sweetgrass
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Direction--West
Aspect--Physical
Color--Black
Animal--Bear
Medicine--Sage
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Direction--East
Aspect--Mental
Color--Yellow
Animal--Eagle
Medicine--Tobacco
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Direction--South
Aspect--Emotional
Color--Red
Animal--Red Tail Hawk
Medicine--Cedar
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BACKDROP
Genocide
Cultural Genocide
Land Loss
Oppression
Forced Assimilation
Racism
Poverty
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Spiritual
Loss of religions &
ceremonies
Hopelessness
Despair
Desolation
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Physical
Loss of strong bodies
Abuse of substances—food, alcohol, tobacco
Obesity—diabetes,
Cardio-vascular disease
Cortisol damage
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Mental
Loss of teaching elders/experiential learning
Education devalued
Lost communication skills and native languages
Substance damage to mind
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Emotional
Loss of Identity
Stress
Anxiety
Depression
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
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PRESENT
Preventable disease
Suicide
Homicide
Domestic violence
Accidents
Once adaptive survival mechanisms—1) insulin (to provide bodily food storage
in famine) and 2) cortisol (for fight/flight responses during danger)—become
destructive and cause mental, emotional, physical and spiritual disease
CHANGES NEEDED
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Spiritual
Re-connection to Creator and Creation
Religious Ceremonies and Traditions
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Physical
Hunter/gatherer
diet/exercise
Cortisol damage repair
EEG normalization
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Mental
Elder/experiential learning
Supportive education
Knowledge of two worlds
Accurate history
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Emotional
Brain damage repair
PTSD treatment
Culturally competent counseling
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