Recently I enjoyed viewing a “Coles Notes” explanation of the a Medicine Wheel from a fellow Canadian in Alberta. This Elder was connecting with a troubled youth through the act of walking. There was not a direct focus on any issues. I observed through their discussion that the Elder was very aware of this youth and their needs through their behavior and unspoken expression. Rather than being direct and telling the youth anything, it was through guidance and modelling. The Elder began sharing the concept of the Medicine Wheel and encouraged the youth to walk, enter and stop in the center. The explanation of the Medicine Wheel was subtle and included the four directions, north, south, east and west. There was also mention of the balance of the four aspects of self for connecting to ones center.
Viewing this was a revelation and it was exciting to recognize the similarities to the core principles in the integrative centering and wellness tools offered in the getting InTouch programs at Inside. These include levels of experiencing integration from the outside in. These include
- guidance versus telling,
- mentoring versus teaching,
- modeling versus telling and not walking it oneself in reality,
- experiencing patterns versus fixing it.
The wellness tools are for creating an open learning mindfulness versus a closed mind that knows everything. The difference:
Becoming comfortable within oneself leads to acceptance and expansion beyond experiences into deeper relationships.
Staying in the discomfort of always knowing the answer, in fear of feeling, leads to a *struggle. Being right creates disconnection from all things.
*The struggle is keeping the walls of power up that come from being right.
One way to experience balancing aspects of self with Inside is through sharing a Labyrinth Walk. If you compare the following labyrinth design with the Medicine Wheel above you will see the similarities. Listening to the Elder share his Medicine Wheel with the youth I was able to hear very similar guidance of sharing a labyrinth walk with others. I was thrilled to experience the connectedness between these ancient patterns!
Chartres 11 Circuit Labyrinth
Other ways to experience balancing aspects of self with Inside tools and techniques:
Subtle Inner Connecting
- Awareness through Movement©
- Conscious Movement
- Sharing the Labyrinth (similarities to a Medicine Wheel)
- Nature Walking
- Meditation/Contemplation
Deepening Inner Connections
- Guidance with the Spoken Word
- Functional Integration©
Read more on Balance:
- Individual Steps
- Integrating these individual areas into one experience
- Your Center Experience – Unbalanced
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©by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP, May, 2014
Feldenkrais® Practitioner since 2007, Communication & Empathy Coach since 2004, Art of Placement since 2000
Inside Awareness Center for Integrative Somatic Learning 