This pattern is symbolized by a circle or wheel, with directional spokes. The spokes demonstrate the natural progression of the stages of life as it spins in a full cycle. The pattern of the wheel can be applied in all our life situations where cyclical movements exist. Each spoke of the wheel tells us exactly where we are, both psychologically and physiologically, from where we have just come, and to where we will go next.

The word "medicine" means "sacred wisdom that represents the totality of the universe, all of the patterns of creation.” The circle becomes a Medicine Wheel when it is used for a specific purpose or focus. As human beings, we have a specific purpose.

The wheel teaches us to be respectful of all life and emphasizes that each step we take on our beloved Earth Mother, must always be a prayer.

The wheel teaches us that all aspects of the wheel intricately interact with all other aspects of the wheel. We are not alone but are part of the whole.

The wheel teaches us to break the illusion of separateness and to see ourselves as necessary parts of the whole. No one cell is any less important than the next, for it takes all cells to create the whole. You cannot have a forest without the trees. This does not take away from the uniqueness of the individual; rather, it allows the individual access to the strength and resiliency found only in the whole.