JOSE ATID LEIIA STEVENS 155spirit center. When you consciously reach this center, you
have access to all points on the mandala at once. You could
say that each person simultaneously and paradoxically knows
two places on the wheel: their physical-self position some-
where in the circle and their spirit self position at the center
of the circle.
The greater the awareness that you have of the center, the
greater the power available to you. Therefore, much of the
shaman's work is related to achieving balance and becoming
"centered." For this, the medicine wheel or mandala proves
a helpful symbol.Exercise #1: rinding Your Place in the Medicine Wheel
Close your eyes and relax.
Imagine a large wheel like a giant compass or dart board
with concentric circles and two lines intersecting to form four
equal quadrants. Label the tips of these lines with initials for
the four directions: north, south, east, and west.
Make the dot at the center the same color as the rim and
if you wish you can make each quadrant or concentric circle
a different color, depending on your powers of imagination.
Allow each quadrant to be represented by a different
power animal. Do not think about this much—just let them
appear.
Now ask your own power animal or guide to show you
exactly where you are on the medicine wheel right now. They
may indicate it with a point of light or some other means.
Note the quadrant and the proximity to the center. Also note
the power animal that represents that quadrant.
You may wish to interview that power animal and ask
what that position means for you right now.
Thank your helpers, orient yourself back to the room you
Exercise #1: The Steps
- Close your eyes. Relax.
- Envision a large medicine wheel.
- Divide it into quadrants and color it.
- Let power animals represent each quadrant.
- Ask your own power animal to reveal your present
position. - Interview power animals.
- Thank them and reorient yourself.
- Write down, draw, or paint what you experienced.