The Indian medicine is much broader than” treatment”, “health “, “self-care “, or “prevention”. The traditional idea of Medicine is based on the earlier meanings of four cardinal directions and the Universal Circle. When the sacred pipe was shared in Four Directions in earlier years, each of the directions had its own prayer of thanks. For example: Water-You teach us many lessons: Of how to go with the flow; Never fighting the currents, that directs the way we grow.
The meaning of the Four Directions could be framed as spiritual in the East, natural in the South, physical in the West, and mental in the North. These broad aspects help to describe the importance and sacred influence of each direction in our lives.
Thus, one direction in our lives does not exist without the opposite energy. Of course, everything exists within the Universal Circle of life, energy, influence and relationship that makes up American Indian Medicine. The phrases ‘Medicine bundle”, “Medicine Bag” are ways of describing of all that exist, that influences or assists us in the circle of life.
