THE FOUR CARDINAL DIRECTIONS

[Terri Benning]

THE FOUR CARDINAL DIRECTIONS

EAST ~ EAGLE

About the EAST Direction

* Direction: EAST
* Animal Totem: EAGLE
* Element: AIR
* Property: MASCULINE
* Season: SPRING
* Time of Day: DAWN
* Qualities: DRY
* Sense: SMELL
* Taste: SOUR
* Sacred Plant: TOBACCO
* Life Sector: THE GOLDEN DOOR ~ BIRTH
* Lesson Path: ILLUMINATION & NEW BEGINNINGS
* Energies: FREEDOM, VISION, PERSPECTIVE
* Colors: YELLOWS and GOLDS

East is the entry gateway to the "sacred circle" of life. Corresponds to Spring, birth, new beginings ~ all starts in the east ~ from where the sun rises, we begin a new dawn. Each day is a good new day with a fresh beginning, and a new start. East is the direction of air, mental activity, conception, including children and new borns. It is the time of change, for all is a new beginning. New ideas and seeing the light. Enlightenment. Change. Spring is the season when all things begin to grow and awaken. Yellow is the path of Life, to begin the walk, to shine in all that you do. The sun rising in the east empowers each of us. The energy to do and to begin the action of the mind and heart is there.

SOUTH ~ COYOTE, WOLF or RABBIT

About the SOUTH Direction

* Direction: SOUTH
* Animal: COYOTE / WOLF / RABBIT
* Element: FIRE
* Property: PHYSICAL
* Season: SUMMER
* Time of Day: NOON
* Quality: HOT
* Sense: SIGHT
* Taste: BITTER
* Sacred Plant: CEDAR
* Life Sector: YOUTH & ADOLESCENCE
* Lesson Path: INNOCENCE & PURIFICATION
* Energies: PASSIONATE, POSITIVE, AFFIRMING
* Colors: FIERY REDS, ORANGES & MAGENTAS

Growth in the South; it is the time of Summer. From the bloom we transform into the fruit of the labors. It is the time of mid-day, the hottest part of the day, the part when the sun is overhead and no shadows are cast. Maturing and growing into an adult to be that who was are. Childhood and adolescence. It is the time to accept the change and learn, to understand. Young adulthood; parental programming and cultural imprinting. Red is for fire, passion, time of fertility. The South is the place of passion in all things, sex, fertility, mating - the fires that burn within. The direction of fire, like the phoenix, we can rise from the flames, we take and rise again from childhood into being an adult in the direction of the South.

WEST ~ BEAR

About the WEST Direction

* Direction: WEST
* Animal Totem: BEAR
* Element: WATER
* Property: FEMININE
* Season: AUTUMN
* Time of Day: DUSK
* Qualities: WET
* Sense: TASTE
* Taste: SALTY
* Sacred Plant: SAGE
* Life Sector: MID-LIFE, MATURITY & ADULTHOOD
* Lesson Path: INTROSPECTION, GOALS, THE VOID
* Energies: COURAGEOUS, REFLECTIVE
* Colors: BLACK, BLUES and TURQUOISE

Maturity and later adulthood; the time of Autumn harvest, the time of the setting sun - twilight. The daylight fades and brings a new awareness in this time of gradual change. When the darkness comes we must look inward to find the light and have courage. To understand what we see in the darkness may not be real, but only shadows. Mid-life crisis; shedding unwanted imprinting and programming. This is the emotional part of ourselves, like the flowing water, we must learn to go with the flow of life. The time of the West is when we learn that we are responsible to all things and to each other. It is the time to prepare, to finish things, for the time of Winter is coming. We gather ourselves and family, working together to prepare for what is to come. As the place of emotions it is the place of family and love - of responsibility from our hearts, because of the love. It is hard work and team efforts. Black symbolizes change from this life and entering the cave of the inner self, and assessing progress that has bee made thus far on the goals for the life, as well as assessing what must still be addressed and completed.

NORTH ~ BUFFALO

About the NORTH Direction

* Direction: NORTH
* Animal Totem: BUFFALO
* Element: EARTH
* Property: SPIRITUAL
* Season: WINTER
* Time of Day: MIDNIGHT
* Qualities: COLD
* Sense: TOUCH
* Taste: SWEET
* Sacred Plant: SWEET GRASS
* Life Sector: LATER LIFE, OLD AGE & DEATH
* Lesson Path: ANCESTORS, TEACHERS, GUIDES
* Energies: GATE-KEEPERS, MYSTERIOUS, WISE
* Colors: EARTHY BROWNS, GREENS & *WHITE*

As we get older, our hair turns white, and we come to our time of winter. With experience and age, we gain wisdom. Now we have time to rest and to contemplate the lessons encountered throughout the life experiences. White (and purple) also symbolize purification and spirituality. The North also represents the element of Earth, and the colors green, brown and white. North is purity and wisdom, a great place of healing. This is the time after midnight, and reflects the dreamtime, the "after-life" and the astral plane existence. North is the place of winter. This reminds us to stop and listen. That we must have prepared for the long time of winter. Having been in action through all of the other seasons, we now rest and contemplate, in order to understand the wisdom we have been given, as well as sharing this wisdom gained through the life with others as an elder. It is the direction of the ancestors, the elders, our teachers, guides and those that have walked the path, or the good red road, before us. It is the direction of contemplation, consolidation, completion and rest, as well as teaching and instructing those who would be receptive to such wisdom and who would walk the "good red road" in generations to come.

PRAYER TO THE FOUR DIRECTIONS:

Creator, It is I.
Thank you for today's sunrise,
for the breath and life within me,
and for all of your creations.
Creator, Hear my prayer, and honour my prayer.

As the day begins with the rising sun,
I ask, Spirit keeper of the East, Brother Eagle,
be with me.
Fly high as you carry my prayers to the Creator.
May I have eyes as sharp as yours,
so I am able to see truth and hope on the path I have chosen.
Guide my step and give me courage to walk
the circle of my life with honesty and dignity.

Spirit keeper of the South, Wolf,
Be with me.
Help me to remember to love
and feel compassion for all mankind.
Help me to walk my path with joy and love
for myself, for others, for the four legged,
the winged ones, the plants and all creation
upon Mother Earth.
Show me it is right for me to make decisions
with my heart, even if at times, my heart becomes hurt.
Help me to grow and nurture my self worth in all ways.

Spirit Keeper of the West, Brown Bear,
Be with me.
Bring healing to the people I love and to myself.
Bring into balance the physical, mental and spiritual,
so I am able to know my place on this earth,
in life and in death.
Heal my body, heal my mind and
bring light, joy and awareness to my spirit.

Spirit Keeper of the North, White Buffalo,
Be with me.
As each day passes, help me to surrender,
with grace, the things of my youth.
Help me to listen to the quiet, and find serenity and comfort
in the silences as they become longer.
Give me wisdom so I am able to make wise choices
in all things which are put in front of me,
And when time for my change of worlds has come,
Let me go peacefully, without regrets, for the things
I neglected to do as I walked along my path.

Mother Earth,
Thank you for your beauty,
And for all you have given me.
Remind me never to take from you
more then I need, and
remind me to always give back more than I take.