The Medicine Wheel at the SVBG     The Medicine Wheel Herb Garden is the first phase of a larger project at the Southern Virginia Botanical Garden to celebrate the heritage of Native Americans. Medicine Wheels have become a major symbol of peaceful interaction among all living beings on Mother Earth... representing harmonious connections. It is symbolized by a cross within a circle and is a ceremonial tool used for teaching and spiritual healing. Traditional Native American cultures view life as a continuous cycle, life mirrors the cycling of the seasons, the daily rising of the sun, and the phases of the moon.     Interpretive panels throughout the garden will describe the spirtual meanings of the four cardinal directions along with their representative spirit animals and sacred plants. The ceremonial use of tobacco, sage, sweetgrass, and cedar will be included.     The outer circle, a dry-stacked rock, raised garden, will hold many herbs that have been used by various tribes for medicinal puposes as well as for food preparation.     Future segments of the overall project may include a typical Indian garden, tipi, sweat lodge, and possibly a totem pole. While the Medicine Wheel is from the culture of the northern plains tribes, other American native exhibits will represent cultures of other tribes from throughout the nation. See a map of these here. Harvest Girl, the last of the cedar carvings, was set in place December 23, 2012. Eagle Has Landed - Spirit animal of the East - and the White Buffalo - Spirit animal of the North Coyote - Spirit animal of the South & Bear - Spirit animal of the West in their new home.     Harvest Girl is the last of the cedar carvings. Project Planning: December goal - lay the crushed stone pathways and rock mulch. Target completion date is spring equinox, 7:02 A.M. (EDT) on March 20, 2013 Interpretive Panels Tribal Culture Areas Medicine Wheel Description Power of Four Why an Herb Garden? East Panel South Panel West Panel North Panel Photos Satellite view Outline Eagle Weather Vane Creator Pole Cairn Rocks Cree Medicine Wheel My Wheel @ Possum Hollow Eagle Spirit Carving - Wabun Buffalo Spirit Carving - Waboose Bear Spirit Carving - Mudjekeewis Coyote Spirit Carving - Shawnodese Resource Web sites: Black Elk - The Great Circle Black Elk - Understanding World Peace Dancing to Eagle Spirit Society Native American History & Culture THE MEDICINE WHEEL by Dee Finney Sweet Thunder Medicine Wheel Teachings in the 21st Century Introductory Note to The Song of Hiawatha The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow The Sacredness of Sage Lakota: The Four Directions Building a Dry-Stack Stone Retaining Wall Table Rock Quarries Far from forming a single ethnic group, Native Americans were divided into several hundred cultural and language groups. Click on map for larger image Last update - December 23, 2012. For more information contact Dan Shaw.