Cree Teachings - The Center

As Cree people, we were given the gift of being named for the four parts of
human beings. Nehiyawak, we were called.

It means being balanced in the four parts that are found in the four directions of
the Medicine Wheel. These four parts for human beings are the spiritual,
physical, emotional and mental aspects of the self. We need to try and balance
these four parts that were given to us, to function as people.

The fire is in the centre of the Medicine Wheel. That is where the meaning of the
teachings comes from. For me this fire is also the self. When you look at the
Medicine Wheel, you start from self. And as you look out, you make your circle.
This is how the Medicine Wheel represents the life journey of people.

The old people will tell you it is life itself. Look at the four seasons and follow the
sun. Spring in the east, summer in the south, fall in the west and winter in the
north. It tells the whole story of how all life came into being abundantly bright,
rising in the east and then fading away as it moves west and north. All life rises
and sets like the sun.

What we do in between is our journey. This is where the gifts of the four
directions are needed - the gifts of the spirit, physical body, emotions and mind -
and where we need to find balance within these four realms. Today, many
people are out of balance because they tend to only favour two realms of self,
the mental and the physical. They forget to look after their spiritual

Excerpt from Four Directions Teachings.com. http://www.fourdirectionsteachings.com/transcripts/cree.pdf