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Circles
and
Cycles
and
(From
'Earth
People'
Volume
1
Number
1)
Circles,
Cycles, Spirals
and
Spheres
(From:
‘Earth
People’
Volume
1
Number
4)
  
Now
Playing:
'Words
of
Fire,
Deeds
of
Blood'
By:
Robbie
Robertson
To
us
an
infinitesimal
fraction
of
a
second
is
an
entire
lifetime
to
an
atomic
particle,
just
as
our
lifetime
is
a
split
second
in
the
life
cycles
of
earth,
and
the
earth’s
life
is
a
split
second
in
the
life
of
stars
and
galaxies.
|
Split
Seconds:
|
Atomic
Cycles,
Quantum
Physics. |
|
Seconds:
|
Heart
Beat,
Breath. |
|
Day: |
Rotation
of
Earth. |
|
Month:
|
Lunation
Cycle. |
|
Year:
|
Solar
Cycle,
(seasons). |
|
60,000
yr.:
|
Alternating
Universal
Female
and
Universal
Male
Influences. |
|
20,000
Yr.:
|
1
Glaciation
Cycle,
Aboriginal
Culture. |
|
720,000
Yr.:
|
Earth’s
alternating
Magnetic
Polarity. |
|
240
Mill.
Yr.:
|
Continental
Drift
from
South
to
North
and
back. |
|
280
Mill.
Yr.:
|
Possibly
the
Solar
System
completes
an
orbit
around
the
centre
of
the
Galaxy
or
Milky
Way. |
Carl
Jung
says
that
one
of
the
most
powerful
religious
symbols
is
the
circle.
He
says
that
the
circle
is
one
of
the
great
primordial
images
of
mankind
and
that,
in
considering
the
symbol
of
the
circle,
we
are
analysing
the
self.
The
circle
represents
time
with
the
movement
of
the
day
and
the
three
hundred
and
sixty
degrees.
The
official
Sumerian
year
was
three
hundred
and
sixty
days
with
five
holy
days
that
don’t
count,
which
are
outside
time
and
in
which
they
had
ceremonies
relating
their
society
to
the
heavens.
And
Joseph
Campbell
says:
“The
circle
on
the
other
hand,
represents
totality.
Everything
within
a
circle
is
one
thing,
which
is
encircled,
enframed.
That
would
be
the
spatial
aspect.
But
the
temporal
aspect
of
the
circle
is
that
you
leave,
go
somewhere,
and
always
come
back.
[From
the
womb
of
mother
earth
to
the
tomb
of
mother
earth.
Ed.]
God
is
the
alpha
and
the
omega,
the
source
and
the
end.
The
circle
suggests
immediately
a
completed
totality,
whether
in
time
or
in
space.”
From:
‘The
Power
of
Myth’
[pp.
214-219]
"Mandala”
is
the
Sanskrit
word
for
“circle”.
But
it
is
a
circle
that
is
symbolically
designed
so
that
it
has
the
meaning
of
a
cosmic
order.
When
composing
a
personal
mandala,
you
are
trying
to
symbolically
coordinate
your
personal
circle
with
the
universal
circle.
The
making
of
a
personal
mandala
is
an
act
of
discipline
to
pull
all
the
scattered
aspects
of
your
life
together
to
find
the
centre
of
your
spiritual
being,
the
Axis
Mundi,
the
still
point
in
your
seemingly
chaotic
world.
Whenever
the
number
four
or
some
squared
form
appears
in
a
dream,
Jung
has
noted
that
some
aspect
of
the
dreamer’s
wholeness
is
scattered.
Furthermore,
he
noted
that
circles
seem
to
represent
wholeness
in
a
natural
level,
without
beginning
or
end.
The
squares
seem
to
indicate
wholeness
possibilities
on
a
more
conscious
level.
The
wedding
rings
that
people
wear
are
symbols
of
two
lives
coming
together
in
union
to
one
whole,
in
the
image
of
God.
Most
indigenous
cultures
use
some
form
of
the
circle
as
a
teaching
tool
to
help
them
to
understand
the
natural
forces,
not
only
around
them,
but
also
within
them.
The
Lakota,
for
example,
use
the
medicine
wheel,
however,
their
nature,
in
the
northern
hemisphere,
like
the
sun,
moves
clockwise
over
a
southerly
arc.
So
my
adaptation
for
the
southern
hemisphere
has
had
the
characteristics
of
the
north
and
south
swapped,
and
then,
like
the
sun
here,
we
move
around
the
wheel
in
an
anti-clockwise
direction
over
a
northerly
arc.
Hehaka
Sapa,
or
Black
Elk,
that’s
Nicholas
Black
Elk
who
is
not
biologically
related
to
Wallace
Black
Elk,
was
a
member
of
the
Oglala
Tribe
of
the
Lakota,
or
Sioux
nation.
In
1930-31
he
dictated
the
following
passage
to
Flaming
Rainbow
as
part
of
his
autobiography:
“You
have
noticed
that
everything
an
Indian
does
is
in
a
circle,
and
that
is
because
the
Power
of
the
World
always
works
in
circles,
and
everything
tries
to
be
round.
In
the
old
days
when
we
were
a
strong
and
happy
people,
all
our
power
came
to
us
from
the
sacred
hoop
of
the
nation
and
so
long
as
the
hoop
was
unbroken
the
people
flourished.
The
flowering
tree
was
the
living
centre
of
the
hoop,
and
the
circle
of
the
four
quarters
nourished
it.
The
east
gave
peace
and
light,
the
south
gave
warmth,
the
west
gave
rain,
and
the
north
with
its
cold
and
mighty
wind
gave
strength
and
endurance.
This
knowledge
came
to
us
from
the
outer
world
with
our
religion.
Everything
the
Power
of
the
World
does
is
done
in
a
circle.
The
Sky
is
round
and
I
have
heard
that
the
earth
is
round
like
a
ball
and
so
are
all
the
stars.
The
wind,
in
its
greatest
power,
whirls.
Birds
make
their
nests
in
circles,
for
theirs
is
the
same
religion
as
ours.
The
sun
comes
forth
and
goes
down
again
in
a
circle.
The
moon
does
the
same,
and
both
are
round.
“Even
the
seasons
form
a
great
circle
in
their
changing,
and
always
come
back
again
to
where
they
were.
The
life
of
man
is
a
circle
from
childhood
to
childhood
and
so
it
is
in
everything
where
power
moves.
Our
tipis
were
round
like
the
nests
of
birds
and
these
were
always
set
in
a
circle,
the
nation’s
hoop,
a
nest
of
many
nests
where
the
Great
Spirit
meant
for
us
to
hatch
our
children.”
And
when
John
G.
Neihardt
interviewed
Black
Elk
for
his
book
‘Black
Elk
Speaks’,
he
spoke
of
his
first
vision
as
a
young
boy
thus:
“Then
I
was
standing
on
the
highest
mountain
of
them
all,
and
around
about
beneath
me
was
the
whole
hoop
of
the
world.
And
while
I
stood
there
I
saw
more
than
I
can
tell
and
I
understood
more
than
I
saw;
for
I
was
seeing
in
a
sacred
manner
the
shapes
of
all
things
in
the
spirit,
and
the
shape
of
all
shapes
as
they
must
live
together
like
one
being.
And
I
saw
the
sacred
hoop
of
my
people
was
one
of
many
hoops
that
made
one
circle…”
Then
he
goes
on
to
say
that
the
sacred
central
mountain
was
Harney
Peak
in
South
Dakota.
And
then
he
says:
“But
anywhere
is
the
centre
of
the
world.”
Joseph
Campbell
explains
that
this
statement
distinguishes
the
actual
mountain
in
the
vision
and
its
connotation
as
the
Axis
Mundi,
which
is
the
central
point
where
the
movement
of
time
and
the
stillness
of
eternity
come
together
at
the
soul
of
each
individual.
So
for
every
individual
being,
it
is
as
if
the
whole
world
revolves
around
them,
but
the
trick
in
life
is
to
realize
the
responsibility
of
taking
care
of
your
sacred
hoop
of
the
world
as
well
as
your
Axis
Mundi,
because
all
hoops
are
connected.
Looking
at
my
medicine
wheel
that
has
been
adjusted
for
the
southern
hemisphere,
you
can
see
that
the
east
is
where
all
things
are
born
into
the
manifest
world;
the
sun
gives
birth
to
the
morning,
so
this
is
the
direction
that
we
start
all
things.
In
the
ages
of
man
from
birth
to
old
age
we
find
that
the
north
represents
adolescence;
the
west,
middle
age;
and
the
south,
the
elderly.
The
Axis
Mundi
is
where
you
connect
the
manifest
world
of
Earth
Below
to
the
spirit
world
of
God
Above.
So
I
would
like
to
finish
with
an
example
of
my
morning
and
evening
prayer
that
is
suited
for
the
southern
hemisphere.
My
Morning
Prayer
Tunkashila
(pronounced
Toon-kash-she-la),
Grandfather,
Creator
of
all
things,
Great
Spirit,
I
give
thanks
for
giving
me
life
to
walk
another
day
on
this
earth.
I
thank
you
for
all
your
creation,
all
spirit
and
all
my
spirit
guides
and
helpers.
Maka
(pronounced
Muck-kah),
Grandmother,
the
Earth,
giver
of
all
matter,
I
give
thanks
for
giving
of
yourself
so
that
I
may
live
in
this
physical
body
and
walk
upon
your
surface
another
day.
To
the
East
Power,
I
give
you
thanks
for
giving
us
spirit,
the
enlightenment
and
far-sighted-ness
of
the
Eagle,
and
for
the
birth
of
the
Sun,
Morning
and
Spring.
And
I
give
thanks
for
the
element
Fire.
To
the
North
Power,
I
give
thanks
for
the
trust
and
innocence
of
the
Mouse,
for
the
warmth
of
Midday
and
Summer,
and
for
the
moon
and
the
element
Water.
To
the
West
Power,
I
give
thanks
for
the
introspection
and
intuition
of
the
Grizzly
Bear
or
Koala,
for
the
change
of
Evening
and
Autumn,
and
for
the
Earth
and
Minerals.
To
the
South
Power,
I
give
thanks
for
the
knowledge
and
wisdom
of
the
Buffalo
or
Kangaroo,
for
the
stars
and
the
element
Air.
May
all
spirit
work
within
me
for
the
greater
good
of
all.
MITAKUYE
OYASIN
(pronounced
Mit-uk-we-arsin),
which
means
‘For
all
our
relations’,
from
the
mineral
people
through
all
the
plants,
animals,
all
human
beings
and
to
the
star
people.
Circles,
Cycles, Spirals
and
Spheres
Inspired
by:
Frank
Cullen
of
‘Thoughtful
Themes’
(From:
‘Earth
People’
Volume
1
Number
4)
Frank's
Letter:
Hello
Sitting
Owl,
Received
with
great
thanks
your
two
magazines
and
found
inspiration
in
them.
It
is
amazing
how
there
is
the
common
thread
running
through
all
seekers,
the
search
for
true
identity
and
the
relationship
that
it
has
with
the
whole
of
creation.
The
circle
is
certainly,
as
you
pointed
out,
the
oldest
of
symbols,
but
does
it
remain
true
for
us.
There
has
been
a
great
development
in
understanding
and
appreciation
combined
with
the
technical
advances
of
the
limited
physical
human
mind,
and
I
wonder
if
the
circle
is
a
true
image.
A
circle
can
only
be
seen
if
you
are
standing
directly
in
front
of
it.
If
the
circle
remains
stationary
and
we
move
around
it
that
circle
becomes
a
thinner
and
thinner
ellipse
until
it
disappears
into
a
straight
line.
But
consider
the
sphere.
We
know
now
that
atoms
neutrons,
molecules
and
even
DNA
chains
all
have
the
shape
of
a
sphere.
If
we
consider
the
sphere
to
represent
us,
the
sphere
will
always
seem
to
be
a
circle
no
matter
what
direction
you
view
it
from.
The
sphere
also
has
a
centre,
which
remains
constant
no
matter
where
you
view
it.
The
sphere
could
represent
the
unlimited
potential
that
we
have
within
us
which
comes
into
force
in
our
lives
when
we
are
united
with
the
centre
or
the
deep
internal
core
of
our
being.
Please
do
not
think
this
is
a
refutation
of
your
excellent
article,
because
it
is
not
and
is
not
meant
to
be.
It
is
possible
for
man
to
get
stuck
in
tram
lines
of
thought,
e.g.
the
concept
of
the
soul
first
came
into
being
over
2500
years
ago
and
aesthetic
practices
and
images
of
duality
has
been
in
human
thought
ever
since.
Even
to
Malcolm
Frazer
oft
quoted
line
"life
wasn't
meant
to
be
easy"
is
a
throw
back
to
the
soul
concept.
Life
wasn't
meant
to
be
easy,
it
was
meant
to
be
ecstatic.
Man
with
his
negative
ideas
over
the
centuries;
have
manipulated
us
into
living
lives
full
of
death,
without
connection
to
the
internal
core
of
our
being.
Best
regards
Frank.
Namaste’
Frank
Thank
you
for
your
important
comments
on
the
article
‘Circles
and
Cycles’
in
the
March
–
April
2000
issue
of
‘Earth
People’.
However
the
human
mind
is
only
limited
by
its
belief
systems,
a
subject
I
hope
to
be
discussing
in
the
future.
Firstly,
the
DNA
chain
is
actually
a
spiral,
which
points
out
that:
although
the
Medicine
Wheel
represents
time
as
a
movement
from
birth
in
the
East
around
to
old
age
and
death
in
the
South
(for
the
Southern
Hemisphere),
it
also
represents
time
in
one
year
(the
four
seasons),
one
day,
and
down
to
one
split
second
of
thought,
where
all
aspects
of
the
wheel
are
considered
and
thus
balanced
so
as
to
bring
a
balanced
judgment
to
that
thought.
We
must
balance
emotion
in
the
North
with
conscious
knowledge
and
wisdom
(the
Mind)
in
the
South
and
balance
Spirit
or
ideas
in
the
East
with
matter
or
manifestation
in
the
West.
With
this
balance,
it
brings
us
to
the
centre
of
the
situation
(life,
or
self),
which
is
the
Axis
Mundi,
or
the
source.
However,
the
next
moment
of
thought,
day,
year
etc.
is
again
affected
by
the
different
aspects
of
The
Wheel,
however
it
is
never
the
same
moment,
day,
year
or
lifetime,
so
we
have,
by
the
previous
judgment,
made
a
step
up,
due
to
a
revelation
or
down,
due
to
a
lesson
to
be
learnt.
This
step
is
what
creates
what
is
referred
to
as
the
“Sacred
Spiral”,
which
is
still
represented
by
the
Medicine
Wheel
circle.
And
secondly,
as
you
have
pointed
out
the
image
of
a
sphere
is
much
worth
considering,
however
the
fact
is
that
the
sphere
is
still
represented
in
the
Medicine
Wheel,
in
that
as
you
hold
your
centre
(Axis
Mundi)
in
balance,
you
must
also
connect
Father
Sky,
Heaven,
God
etc
ABOVE,
with
Mother
earth,
the
material
world,
BELOW.
As
the
Hopi
people
say:
“Beauty
before
me,
beauty
behind
me,
beauty
to
my
left,
beauty
to
my
right,
beauty
above
me
and
beauty
below
me.
I’m
on
the
pollen
path.”
Meaning
the
path
of
life
and
Bliss.
According
to
Frank
Fools
Crow
(Wanbli
Mato
–
Eagle
Bear)
1890
–
1989,
the
Ceremonial
Chief
of
the
Teton
Sioux:
The
Stone-people
Lodge
(Inipi,
Purification
or
Sweat
Lodge)
not
only
represents
the
womb
of
Mother
Earth
for
rebirth
and
the
universe
but
also,
once
the
above-ground
part
is
covered
and
all
items
and
tools
to
be
used
are
inside,
it
becomes
the
dwelling
place
of
Wakan
-Tanka
(Great
Spirit,
Creator,
God
the
FATHER
etc.)
and
Tunkashila
(the
SON)
above;
Grandmother
Earth
below
and
the
Persons
of
the
Four
Directions
(the
HOLY
SPIRIT).
See
Below
and
article
on
'Circles
and
Cycles'
above
and
in
Vol.
1
No.
2,
which
includes
the
Medicine
Wheel
there.
Diagram
of
Sweat
Lodge
(flattened)
and
the
16
Great
Mysteries
This
one
begins
in
the
West
as
some
of
the
Native
Americans
do
(don't
ask
me
why).
Basic
form
taken
from:
'Gift
of
Power -
The
Life
and
Teachings
of
a
Lakota
Medicine
Man'
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