A Red Medicine Wheel is Afoot, Among Other Things.

Some of you will read this post as a nice view of various symbols. Others may see a deeper meaning on the choice of symbols presented. Either way, I hope we all grow a little more by the end. 

Each symbol explained has a special significance to me. I hope this is an effective way to present the information, and I hope that understanding will be achieved through my efforts.

[Words italicized are personal commentaries]

The Medicine Wheel

"The world and its peoples are but a huge wagon wheel, an eternal circle traversed by several spokes. The spokes represent various peoples and [cultures] of the world, each unique unto itself, yet none more important than another. None can be lengthened, none can be shortened, and none can be removed, because each spoke is necessary for the wheel to turn. Each people and each [culture] are necessary for the whole.
"Yet all spokes are united at the wheel's hub by the pervasive Maker, who is shared and touched by all. Though perhaps conceived of differently by each spoke, the Maker nevertheless remains fundamental to the wheel's support and movement."

"In conformity with the wagon wheel symbolism, the spokes of the wheel should remain distinct. The Apsaalooke [Crow] envision themselves as unique from the Cheyenne, just as the Cheyenne are unique from non-indians. Each people has been given its own gifts... Each individual is recognized for his or her unique attributes, for the gifts that are his or hers alone. These distinctions should be maintained, for the strength of the entire wheel depends on the integrity of each of its parts."

- Imagine a world where people were encouraged to be themselves. To cherish who they are and what they have to offer this world; to respect others and their talents, abilities, and attributes. Each person has a sacred story to tell. When we disregard our own stories, or the stories of others, the integrity of the wheel [or community/society/nation/world] is weakened. Take a moment to recognize your gifts, unique attributes and character, your history. Write them down. Cherish them. Share them.
The Maker is just that: a maker. We were made to be unique, not to fit into a common mold. Break the mold and let your light shine.

"A choice is made. A consequence awaits. As a "Hub" each individual acts upon the world, choosing a course of action, and creating a path. The very words one chooses help to bring the path about. Medicine can be directed to cure or "to take the arm." A name can nurture or cripple. As a story is being told, a listener can become part of Burnt Face's adventure, or elect not to listen. A choice is made. A consequence awaits."

- We choose our fate. We choose our path. Imagine the power that lies in those truths. We have been given the opportunity to choose - timshel. What we choose will have an eternal impact on the world, and it is up to us whether it will be a positive impact or a negative one.

- The Medicine Wheel is essentially a call for balance. Balance in all things:
     - Emotional, Spiritual, Mental, Physical
     - Body, Spirit, Earth, Animals
     - Education, Work, Personal, Spiritual
- Balance does not mean equal time given to each aspect, but is, instead, a healthy connection to each. 

The Circle


"The Oglala believe the circle to be sacred because the Great Spirit caused everything in nature to be round except stone. Stone is the implement of destruction. The sun and the sky, the earth and the moon are round like a shield, though the sky is deep like a bowl. Everything that breathes is round like the body of a man. Everything that grows from the ground is round like the stem of a tree. Since the Great Spirit has caused everything to be round, mankind should look upon the circle as sacred for it is the symbol of all things in nature except stone... It is also the symbol of a year. The day, the night, and the moon go in a circle above the sky. Therefore the circle is a symbol of the divisions of time and hence the symbol of all time."

- The circle is a great symbol. The symbol of eternity and time. A reminder to use your time wisely and carefully. It is a symbol of life. To cherish it and to make the most of it. To not take life when unnecessary, and to serve life when able.
- The circle has no edges, and is thus symbolic of a perfected life: the ultimate goal. To become well rounded in all things, to be unified, to smooth all rough edges, and to become what God wants us to become.
- Essentially, the symbolism of the circle is too far-reaching to be explained here.


The Color Red


- Red is symbolic of many things:
     - Courage / Strength
     - Sacrifice
          - Remember the principle and doctrine of the Great Sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ. He made it possible for us to find eternal happiness and salvation. His sacrifice was a vital example for us to live by, teaching us the importance of love, peace, and charity. A reminder for me to sacrifice wants and desires for a greater good.
     - Emotion
          - It is ok to display emotion. Real men care.
     - Power
     - Passion
     - Fire
          -  The concept of fire is important to me. The smallest of flames has the potential to cause a great change - consuming entire forests - and, if left alone, could consume continents. I don't share this to portray the destructive quality of fire, but rather to show that with the light (or "flame") within us, we have the potential to change the world. As small and insignificant we seem to be, we can actually have a major impact on the course of history. 
          - "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." - Matthew 5: 14-16
     - Life / Health
     - Blood
          - Let the truths, beliefs, and values that I hold flow through my veins just as the very blood within me. As I do so, they will act as a life-source, giving me strength and power.

The Foot


- The foot was symbolic for me in the concept of a pathway, a way of life. Just as the truths and values should flow through my veins, I should strive to daily walk in that path: the path of those things mentioned above. I should STAND my ground in defense of those things as well. STAND tall for those things I believe, for balance, courage, change, etc.


The Color White


- The most obvious symbolism of this color is that of purity and cleanliness. A constant need for rebirth and renewal. A reminder that the past can be forgotten and forgiven.
- Other symbolic attributes that pertain to this post are as follows:
     - Peace
     - Life
          - Through Christ, all shall live again. Also, a symbol and reminder to always value life, and to live life to the fullest.
          - Live and let live. Nobody has the same understanding/attitude/ideology toward certain things. Just as you would wish that others respect your opinions, respect theirs.
     - Healing
          - Not only physical healing, but emotional and spiritual healing as well. 
- All of these meanings are intertwined to sum up a concept.


The Wrist


- The wrist is one of the most common places to test one's pulse. With that said, it can represent life. [See "Life" under "The Color White"]


Remember


- For significance, click HERE.

Alas, I will close. I hope this was a beneficial read for you. If you have any questions, please let me know. I apologize for the series of lengthy posts...

With this, I close mine epistle on symbols.

Books, School, and Life - Not Necessarily in That Order.

Good news: I am changing my major. No longer am I pursuing Political Science, but rather Humanities. This is a more applicable major to my career/life objectives. Thoughts?

More good news: I survived my first week of school! It will be an interesting one, for sure. I nearly went crazy trying to figure out what I want to do with my life... Its my last semester before I graduate. Am I going to a 4 year institution? Am I staying at SLCC? Am I going on an adventure for a year? Fortunately, I think I have figured it out (with back-up plans)! It is amazing how much better I feel now.

Prayer works, thats for sure.

So, I am taking two Native American Studies classes, right? One is taught by a Native and the other is taught by a white couple. It is amazing how differently they approach the topic. To be honest, the white couple is driving me insane... They are teaching the class that all Natives are the same... same traditions, same ideologies, same language, etc.

IT.MAKES.ME.SICK.

Luckily I have the other class to keep things straight. :)

My Biology class is worrisome. Not only am I terrible at hard sciences, but the teacher seems like a difficult one. Needless to say, I can really use some prayers!


On a lighter note, I was asked to put some of my art in an art show the other day. It will be in April, and along side my work will be art of all shapes and sizes from other local artists and even a few from across the nation! Pretty cool, eh? The host of the art show: a local art blog, ArtDuh.com

------ Above: Journal Entry --------------------- Below: Thoughts and Ramblings ------

As of late, I have been fortunate to have some time to just storm through a few books [Compliments of the Great American Bathroom Book].

This morning, I read The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. Yesterday and the day before, I read Generation X: Tales For An Accelerated Culture by Douglas Coupland, and Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. Before that: Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, East of Eden by John Steinbeck (of which I wrote about in a previous post), and The Enigma of Suicide by George Howe Colt. Lets talk about a few of them!

Generation X: Tales For An Accelerated Culture
- Read this book.
- "People gripe that it's some horrible curse against society not to work a creepy job that has no loyalty to you and is killing you... But... I'm happy to know there are dreamers out on the edge, characters out of key, in and out of love, drifting, slightly twisted, still willing to listen - childlike and full of wonder with their world - people I would consider my friends."
- "Either our lives become stories, or there's just no way to get through them."
- "I can't remember whether I said thank you."

Something Wicked This Way Comes
- "They... change you so no one ever knows you again."
- The carnival was evil, and those in it survived by "living off the poison of the sins we do to each other, and the ferment of our most terrible regrets."
- The quotes above make an interesting connection to one another. First, the carnival survives off sins and regrets. The carnival then changes people, becoming unknown to others.
     This is our life, sans evil carnival. The more we dive into sins and regrets, the more we are changed. They create within us a monster that consumes our being and fills the void with Unknownness. A darkness is apparent - if not a physical change that occurs.
     Likewise, when one avoids sins and terrible regrets and pursues positivity and enlightenment, they are also changed. Only this change doesn't create a stranger, but rather a reliable and trustworthy "amigo-monger" (I totally just made that word up... love it. spread it.). Remove the repelling darkness and replace with the attractive light. Familiarity is created, as opposed to the unknownness from sin. INTERESTING!

Uncle Tom's Cabin
- Things to learn from Uncle Tom:
     - Rely on God, no matter how bad it gets.
     - Kindness first, regardless of the consequences.
     - Kindness second, regardless of the consequences.
     - Stand up for what you believe, even if you stand alone.
     - Your reward may not be instant, but it will be lasting.
          - "Think of your freedom every time you see Uncle Tom's cabin; and let it be a memorial to put you all in mind to follow in his steps, and be honest and faithful and Christian as he was."

I want to write a little bit about Great Expectations and The Enigma of Suicide, but I can't write any more today... Which is probably a good thing for both of us! This is, after all, a ridiculously long post. I would love for you to leave your thoughts, comments, questions, or concerns!

Cheers, yo.

The Hardest Button to Button...

The road has been an uneven one - A trial of my own device.
I chose the path more commonly traveled and it left me here alone.
The endowments of the route had a costly price.
That which seemed clear from a distance was simply overgrown.

---

**I get in these writey moods and don't always know what to do with them. So disregard if you will. Or try to somehow make sense of them.

---

A chapter ends while a new one begins.
The setting remains the same while some things change.
New characters, new plots, new challenges.
Its hard to keep up with the new and make the old hold true.

---

I can't escape the chill of winter by retreating to the warmth of a fire.

---

Wow. Ok. Move right along to the next post please! I just wrote it before this one! It makes a LITTLE more sense than what is written above. Thanks.

Timshel

My mind has been racing NON-STOP today. Spirituality, life-paths, school, and the like have all taken a turn deep underneath this nasty mop of hair on my cranium.

I shall start with the obvious: School starts tomorrow. I am both excited an nervous. Excited for what the future will bring me this semester; nervous for the responsibilities and changes that will take place throughout and at its close. You see, I am taking some (hopefully) great classes:

- American Sign Language 2010

- Human Biology

- Native American Culture

- Native American Literature & Experience

Despite the greatness of most of these classes, this is my last semester before I graduate... Then I am kinda lost on what to do. I guess we will play it by ear for a while, eh?

---

Spirituality. My favorite thing ever. It is what drives me (or kicks my butt when I am not driving). I really need to get back to where I was on my mission. It will be hard, but hey, this is the year of the Rabbit! THIS IS MY YEAR!

Anyway... The other day I read East of Eden. And when I say that I read East of Eden, I really read a two-page summary out of the Great American Bathroom Book. It was mediocre at best. BUT something really got me thinking... Timshel.

Lets go back... Way back.

So there is a little family: Adam, Eve, children. Sound familiar? Two of the kids, Cain and Abel, make offerings to God. Abel's is accepted, Cain's is not. Then God asks Cain,

"If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." (vs. 7)

Now God mentions that he shall rule over sin. Some may interpret "thou shalt" as a promise that all men will conquer sin.

Next, we have the American Standard Version. Instead of "thou shalt rule over him," it has "do thou rule over it." This implies a commandment; an order from God. I think that this is a tad bit closer to what is correct, seeing as we are commanded to do many things. Yet, though we are commanded to do something, we are of the flesh - we are human. It is impossible in our state to succeed in such a feat as to completely rule over sin. In this case, we may find ourselves bargaining with God that "what you gave us was too hard. We were just incapable, so how could we even begin to try?"

OK, enough of me trying to make sense: I quote Steinbeck's East of Eden, 

"I wondered what the original word of the original writer had been that these very different translations could be made...

"Well, it seemed to me that the man who could conceive this great story would know exactly what he wanted to say and there would be no confusion in his statement...

"The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin, and you can call sin ignorance. The [KJV] makes a promise in 'Thou shalt,' meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. But the Hebrew word, the word timshel - 'Thou mayest' - that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on a man. For if 'Thou mayest' - it is also true that 'Thou mayest not...

"Now, there are millions in their sects and churches who feel the order, 'Do thou,' and throw their weight into obedience. And there are millions more who feel predestination in 'Thou shalt.' Nothing they may do can interfere with what will be.  But 'Thou mayest!' Why, that makes a man great, that gives him stature with the gods, for in his weakness and filth and his murder of his brother he still has a great choice. He can choose his course and fight through and win."

[emphasis added]

So, here we are... in the 21st century, full of agency and consequences. This whole idea of timshel has kept me thinking... Though I have done a lot of stupid things (especially lately), and though I cannot choose the consequences of them, I can essentially choose my course and fight through and win.

2 Nephi 2:27

"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto  man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

I wish I had more to say myself, instead of quoting others. But I can't. All I can say is that the ball is in my court [and yours]. We get to make the choices. For too long I have been making the wrong choices, but I am ready to make the change. 

Timshel, y'all.

[P.S. - One of the best bands - ever - wrote an AMAZING song called Timshel. Check it out: Timshel, by Mumford & Sons]

The only thing constant is change

When given time, a steady stream can create grand canyons out of smooth planes. The Saint can develop a calloused heart, while the Sinner can become the repentant prodigy. Alas, here I am, changed by those steady streams of life, the construction of the flesh and of the supernatural, covered in cracks, scars, and bandages - ready to keep changing.

With a new year and new resolutions, I thought it appropriate for a new look. I hope you like it. I would like to take a short moment to explain a thing or two regarding the change.

Memoirs of a Latter-Day Rogue is the title of a future compilation of writings on my seemingly peculiar musings. Though currently unwritten, each memoir will contain insight on what makes me me. With that said, I changed the title of my blog to coincide with said compilation because this blog will hopefully coincide with those musings.

If you take a gander back to the top of this here blog, you will see a bird flying near the title. Even thought it looks great and stylish, it has a special meaning. This special meaning will not be told in this post, but rather, told in a piece of literature published in 1970 - Jonathan Livingston Seagull. If you take the time to read it and apply it, I promise you that it will change you for the better. Believe dat.

Enough about me, go read the book.

Quick Thought...

So, I mentioned Project: 1200 in my last two posts... But I didn't mention one of the greatest updates so far! Last week, a friend of mine and I sent off the final paperwork for non-profit status to the IRS! Now we wait! Exciting!

Woot.

In with the Rabbit, out with the Tiger.

For those of you who are unaware, 2011 is the year of the Rabbit.
For those of you who are unaware, I was also born in the year of the Rabbit.

I think that means this will be a good year.



Lets look forward and reflect some, shall we?



The Year of the Tiger - 2010


Top 4 songs of the year:
1. Little Lion Man, by Mumford & Sons
2. Listen, Dear Friend, by Us Thieves
3. Handlebars, the Flobots
4. One Day, by Matisyahu

Top 5 bands/musicians of the year:
1. Mumford & Sons
2. Flobots
3. Peter Brienholt
4. Bright Eyes
5. Desaparecidos

Most influential month:
September

Top 4 largest single purchases:
1. Car Windshield
2. Apple Time Capsule
3. SLCC Granite Legacy Fountain Paver
4. Jawbone Jambox

Favorite Quote:
"Activism is my rent for living on this planet." - Alice Walker

Only trips OUT of Utah:
1. Crow Agency, Montana
2. Miami/Orlando, Florida



The Year of the Rabbit - 2011


Education Plans:
This one is hard... I graduate with my Associates in Political Science in the spring... so I have a few options and would love your input.
1. Re-run for Executive Vice President at SLCC and get more pre-requisites done for my Bachelors. This will provide more great experience doing what I love, an income, and a scholarship for school.
2. Head up to University of Utah and pursue my Bachelors degree there.
3. Move to the Crow Reservation and attend school at Little Bighorn College, majoring in Crow Studies. This is mainly for the experience of living on a reservation, studying Crow Indian culture, but could possibly assist in a degree if I decide to move toward Cultural Anthropology.
4. Take a summer break from school, move to the beach and be a beach bum. As ridiculous as this sounds, it is on my bucket list... I wanna give it a shot. Granted, I will have my car, my phone, and my laptop, so I wont be engulfed in a total beach bum experience.

Let me know what you think!

Personal Plans/Goals:
- Actually get my Associates, graduating with Honors.
- Get Project: 1200 up and running
- Write at least 5 editions of Memoirs of a Latter-Day Rogue.*
- Start and progress my Praise Project.**
- Increase in spirituality (A LOT)
- Maintain a healthy schedule, i.e., sleep, work, play, exercise, etc.
- Read and write more. I love to read and I love to write... I just don't do it enough! :(
- Donate my hair to charity


Well friends, I think that will be it for now! I hope that will suffice. I believe strongly in NOT WAITING until the new year to make goals and resolutions, which is why I have been planning and working on things before today. But the new year is a good time to help track things! You know what I am sayin'?

Take care, take love, take passion.

---

*Memoirs of a Latter-Day Rogue will be a compilation of writings on issues/ideologies/explanations/understandings of things that go on in my mind and in my world. Stay tuned.


**Ok, so I suck at showing emotion or gratitude or anything positive. After the passing of a friend of mine, I decided that I needed to recognize the greatness of people and make sure they know they are important. The Praise Project is something what will help me do that - little by little.