Oneness ~ The Medicine Wheel
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| Turtle Island ~ depiction of America by Native Americans |
They divide the peoples of the world into 4 colors, each with their own significant characteristics and contributions to civilization. This is best depicted in the Medicine Wheel.
The Medicine Wheel depicts our oneness as a humanity and as a creation; it also portrays our interconnectedness and wholeness as a human race. I use the Medicine Wheel as a basic foundation and symbol for understanding God's Creation. In this view of humanity, there is no separation, no superiority, no division -- only complementary parts of one whole..for we are all part of one creation.
For me, the medicine wheel represents the Baha'i theme, 'unity in diversity': one creation with infinite diversity. the 4 kingdoms of creation -- mineral, plant, animal and human -- are held together by the spiritual force of Love which brought creation into being.
The human kingdom, with the distinguishing feature of that part of us which belongs to the Creator, our soul, fully manifests all of the qualities of spirit by means of those eternal powers from God we call virtues: loving-kindness, patience, purity, holiness, forgiveness, mercy, humility, generosity, courage, courtesy, justice, etc.
In order for life on earth to be healthy and thrive with infinite progress, we as a human race must utilize these virtues in every possible way with the natural world. In the spirit of infinite diversity that exists in both the natural and human worlds, everything is honored. Nothing is oppressed, or eliminated, or degraded. What each of us does affects everything else, just like the human body as a whole experiences health or illness depending on all the parts working together to create the quality of one's life..
"Now concerning nature, it is but the essential properties and the necessary relations inherent in the realities of things. And though these infinite realities are diverse in their character yet they are in the utmost harmony and closely connected together. As one's vision is broadened and the matter observed carefully, it will be made certain that every reality is but an essential requisite of other realities. Thus to connect and harmonize these diverse and infinite realities an all-unifying Power is necessary, that every part of existent being may in perfect order discharge its own function. Consider the body of man, and let the part be an indication of the whole. Consider how these diverse parts and members of the human body are closely connected and harmoniously united one with the other. Every part is the essential requisite of all other parts and has a function by itself. It is the mind that is the all-unifying agency that so uniteth all the component parts one with the other that each dischargeth its specific function in perfect order, and thereby co-operation and reaction are made possible. All parts function under certain laws that are essential to existence. Should that all-unifying agency that directeth all these parts be harmed in any way there is no doubt that the constituent parts and members will cease functioning properly; and though that all-unifying agency in the temple of man be not sensed or seen and the reality thereof be unknown, yet by its effects it manifesteth itself with the greatest power.
"Thus it hath been proven and made evident that these infinite beings in this wondrous universe will discharge their functions properly only when directed and controlled by that Universal Reality, so that order may be established in the world."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablet to August Forel, p. 20)
Below is a Hopi 'shield symbol' which means,
"Together with all nations we protect both land and life, and hold the world in balance."
Below is a depiction of the Hopi's "Prophecy Rock" which is interesting as well..
PROPHECY ROCK
Near Oraibi, Arizona, there is a petroglyph known as Prophecy Rock which symbolizes many Hopi prophecies. Its interpretation is:
The large human figure on the left is the Great Spirit. The bow in his left hand represents his instructions to the Hopi to lay down their weapons. The vertical line to the right of the Great Spirit is a time scale in thousands of years. The point at which the great Spirit touches the line is the time of his return.
The "life path" established by the Great Spirit divides into the lower, narrow path of continuous Life in harmony with nature and the wide upper road of white man's scientific achievements. The bar between the paths, above the cross, is the coming of white men; the Cross is that of Christianity. The circle below the cross represents the continuous Path of Life.
The four small human figures on the upper road represent, on one level, the past three worlds and the present; on another level, the figures indicate that some of the Hopi will travel the white man's path, having been seduced by its glamour.
The two circles on the lower Path of Life are the "great shaking of the earth" (World Wars One and Two).
The swastika in the sun and the Celtic cross represent the two helpers of Pahana, the True White Brother.
The short line that returns to the straight Path of Life is the last chance for people to turn back to nature before the upper road disintegrates and dissipates. The small circle above the Path of Life, after the last chance, is the Great Purification, after which corn will grow in abundance again when the Great Spirit returns. And the Path of Life continues forever...
The Hopi shield in the lower right corner symbolizes the Earth and the Four-Corners area where the Hopi have been reserved. The arms of the cross also represent the four directions in which they migrated according to the instructions of the Great Spirit.
The dots represent the four colors of Hopi corn, and the four racial colors of humanity.
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