USING THE COLOURS WITH SACRED MEDICINE

• Have available a supply of small to tiny seeds, stones, sweetgrass, feathers, cedar and sage (not the green, cooking sage, but prairie, mountain or silver sage).

• A supply of tissue paper in the following colours: Blue, Green, Orange, Pink, Red, White (or silver), Yellow (or Gold).

• Wrap a bit of each of the elements into the different colours of tissue paper.

• Put the little bundles in a basket or bowl (not plastic).

• Bowl and contents should be smudged.

• Cover the basket with a red cloth (Red brings the Ancestors).

• Ask your guests or circle participants to reach in under the cloth and draw one of the little packages.  They should not look.  Whatever colour and element they pull from the basket will tell them something about where they are on their current earth walk. 

MEANINGS:

SEEDS: Potential for the future; rebirth; renewal, spring, winds of change, south on the medicine wheel.

CEDAR:  Healer of the physical body. South on the medicine wheel.

SAGE: Helps stabilize emotions, and create beautiful dreams and visions. West on the medicine wheel.

FEATHERS: Represents a Message; the good things in life; wisdom and knowledge; Flying free with creative thought is a privilege. East on the Medicine wheel.

STONES: Keepers of your inner knowledge and that of the living world; look for your own truth.  West on the Medicine Wheel.

SWEETGRASS: Is about kindness, fairness and equality.  It sits in the north where the white bear sings.

SEEDS

BLUE - Introspection, great hope and inspiration and spiritual energy. Seeds tell you to listen to your inner self, and the inner messages being given to you, not to be afraid to grow and change. No one knows better than yourself what is proper and timely for your personal evolution.

GREEN -  Green is the symbol of Mother Earth and the hope for eternal life, because all things that the Creator made on Mother Earth grow from seeds. Feel the ground underneath you and walk softly upon Mother Earth, for she is telling you of your value as you come from a seed directly from the Creator.

ORANGE - Has an enlivening effect on the emotions. It gives you strength and endurance. If you have been given seeds, then you know that your own inner strength was born was born from a seed. Seeds grow into strong entities, so listen and believe in your own inner strength.

PINK - The colour of creativity, and Grandmother Moon. Woman's creativity comes directly from her womb, where seeds are planted to bring new life to Mother Earth. From woman's creativity comes forgiveness, compassion, love, and dreams, and dreams are where the future lives. It is a freeness of love without jealousy.

PURPLE - Is one of the colours of transformation (black is the other). In other words regeneration. It is soothing to all systems, particularly the nervous system. A seed transforms itself into life. From that seed comes the different stages of your life, are you at the egg staff: Is it just a thought or an idea? the Larva stage: Am Do I need to make a decision? Cocoon Stage: Am I developing and doing something to make my idea a reality? Birth stage: Am I sharing my completed ideas?

RED - The most powerful of all the colours. Grandfather Sun and the Ancestors, when they are called in ceremony are attracted to the colour red. Red revitalizes, stimulates and harmonizes all body systems. Red is the warming element of sunlight and when it casts its light upon seeds, new growth and energy is the result. For a seed to grow into a life-form be it human, plant or animal, requires courage and an enthusiasm to be other than what it is.

YELLOW (GOLD) - Yellow is a physical and mental stimulant. It is the colour of honour, loyalty, happiness and prosperity. When Grandfather Sun shines its light on seeds, and new growth, new-life is inspired to grow and be happy and warm.

WHITE/SILVER - Symbol of innocence, faith, purity, joy and glory. White has the protection of heaven. From seeds comes the joy of life, potential for the future, and the journey towards alignment with the higher self and trusting that the Creator has a divine plan. (Porcupine medicine - south on the medicine wheel.

CEDAR

BLUE - Introspection, great hope and inspiration and spiritual energy. Cedar cleanses the physical body and brings it into balance with the spiritual body. The combination of blue and cedar suggests that work on aligning these two aspects of yourself is in order. Lay aside thoughts of confusion and let clarity emerge.

GREEN - A combination of cedar and the colour green, suggests that emotional and physical tranquility, and spiritual insight will come if you walk softly upon Mother Earth and listen to her heartbeat. Don't push yourself too fast in the physical world.

ORANGE - Cedar will help ground excess energy that is stimulated by orange. The combination of the two suggests that you may wish to enhance your own understanding and sensitivity when it comes to others. Family matters need to be considered and solved.

PINK - The colour pink is a stress reducer. When combined with cedar, you are being reminded to 'wake up and smell the roses' - walk upon Mother Earth, hear her sing to you, feel the energy of your body flow down through your feet deep into Mother Earth, feel that interconnectedness. Share the bounty of your life with others. Honour your creative source, be grounded to the Earth, and observe your situation with motherly compassion. (Turtle medicine)

PURPLE - Feel the calmness of purple combined with cedar. Trust in your own healing powers to quell an active nervous system. Delete old ideas and make room for new knowledge. The road to wisdom comes when you have walked enough pathways and found enough dead ends to truly know the forest. Question: Have I recently forgotten that I owe my allegiance to my personal truth in life? )dog medicine).

RED - The red glow of Grandfather Sun grew cedar as a gift to the two-leggeds to balance the physical body and enhance circulation. Red is a universal healer and when combined with cedar is telling to banish your self-imposed limitations and have the courage to move forward.

YELLOW/GOLD - Grandfather Sun is a powerful healer and when his goldness shines upon you, look up and give thanks for his warmth, and feel the energy flow into Mother Earth through the cedar in your hand and feel yourself become more balanced. Contentment with your lot in life goes a long way to opening up all your senses. No the difference between giving orders, and getting things done, and doing things yourself. (Moose medicine in the North of the Medicine Wheel).

WHITE/SILVER - The combination of Cedar and White will balance your mental turmoil and provide clarity to situations that have been troubling you. This is a gentle reminder not to get caught up in the chaos of the adult world, but remember there is time to play, so open your heart to those things that gave you joy as a child (Porcupine).

SWEETGRASS

BLUE -  Your inner self needs to be treated with kindness.  Only you can do that. By recognizing that fair treatment of yourself will result in others doing the same with you, will elevate your life. 

GREEN - It is time to find ways to walk your earth walk softly. A raging attitude blows up and out very fast but leaves you gasping in despair in its wake.  Treating yourself fairly, requires courage. Breath the gentle smoke of the sweetgrass and let it teach you.

ORANGE - It is okay to be a high energy person and be gentle at the same time - they are not mutually exclusive.  Listen to your body; sometimes tempering your natural enthusiasm to plunge ahead gives you time to 'come down' and reflect.

PINK - Gentle, Gentle, Gentle - balance and harmony with your heart, spirit, emotions and body.  When you can do this, your creative juice flow free and clear, and the impossible becomes possible.

PURPLE - Wisdom to know that a change needs to be made in your life, and the courage to execute that change, even if means leaving all that has become familiar and comfortable.

RED - Walk confidently in the knowledge that you have a deeper understanding of where you are on your earth walk.  Holding yourself in a soft manner does not mean weakness; in fact it is the opposite. It shows strength to know the difference between a weak attitude and a tempered one.

YELLOW/GOLD - Bask in the glow of the northern lights as they dance around you.  See the lights as different aspects of yourself, and when they are combined form a celestial bond that no-one can break.

WHITE/SILVER - Grandmother Moon and Sweetgrass are a 'right' combination.  The strength of the matriarch lives in the soul; the sweetness of her song reminds you that you are connected to your endless Ancestors.  Talk to them, they have the answers for there is nothing new under the sun.

FEATHERS

BLUE - Fly into your own inner self, and listen for the messages of your our own truth and belief that it is yours. Grow quietly for awhile and calm your spirit, allow the strength and wisdom of silence to enter your heart. Dream your dreams and own them.

GREEN - Fly back to the arms of Mother Earth and feel the connectedness with her and know you are not alone. You are a child of the earth, all acts of pleasure, joy, and abundance are given by the Mother of the creative force. Use her energy to aid you, and you will healed enough to share this energy with others.

ORANGE - Fly into the knowledge of your own strengths and reasoning powers and know that trusting yourself, you will endure and triumph. Stop when you need to, persist when you need to, and allow room for change and exchange of energies.

PINK - Fly into the womb of your own creativeness, and believe that your own natural love, compassion and joy will reflect on yourself and on others. You cannot win the game of life if you are too serious. Open up your powers of observation.

PURPLE - Fly to that place that holds your own spiritual insight. Fly into your dreams and believe that you are here for a purpose and be grateful for your life. Reclaim the power of loyalty to self and self truths. Remember all gifts are equal in the eyes of the Creator.

RED - Fly to where the blood flows through your physical body. Feel its life and protection. Listen to your own integrity and courage, and provide your own leadership for yourself. Recognize that there may be a need for changed in your life that you are not recognizing.

YELLOW/GOLD - Fly to the arms of Grandfather Sun and all his healing powers. Feel your nervous system calming down, wrap yourself in the feathers of your favourite bird and give thanks for its protection.

WHITE/SILVER - Fly to the place that holds your innocence. Revisit it, for it is the very centre of you, and know that the Creator protects those with faith and purity. You may be running from one idea to another and forgotten how to receive, by blocking gifts from the universe. Let someone hug you, let someone give you a compliment - do not fear being rejected.

STONES

BLUE - Go into your own inner self and unlock the knowledge of your own inner wisdom that resides there. Try to not to get caught up in the 'high drama' of your present life. Have faith that there is another alternative.

GREEN - As you walk your earth walk, look to the rocks and the mountains for teachings. For they sit quietly upon Mother Earth providing harmony and strength.

ORANGE - Hold your stone in your left hand, and feel its energy pulsate up your arm and to that place in your soul that holds your own stories. Feel the energy of those stories asking to be freed. Be careful of undue stress levels so that you do not create an illness.

PINK - Stone does not disintegrate, nor does your creative energy. Stone will help you release that energy to be used in creative and intuitive ways.

PURPLE - The silence of the quiet mind is the sacred fertility of the receiving spirit. Sit in silence holding your stone and it will speak to you in a wondrous new way.

RED - Stone is your power ally. Feel its power, even in a little stone. It holds the songs and stories of creation and all its energy. Listen to your own songs, allow your own voice to release tension and emotion, and provide harmonization of your own personal medicine shield.

YELLOW/GOLD - Your stories await you. Look past the darkness of your soul, and soon the bright light of Grandfather Sun will illuminate you and bring you to contentment.

WHITE/SILVER - Bathe yourself in the purity of your own inner knowledge. The power of faith contains within it the power to move mountains.

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