Medicine Circle

"I know of a group of assorted ages and races who are using an old wagon wheel for meditation. It is placed on the ground, appropriately painted in the four significant colors, with ancient symbols painted on the circumference. The person seated at the segment representing serenity tries to live that quality, to be serene in all the varying tests of life . . . so that the group as a whole can depend upon the serenity of the circle being steadily maintained, safe in the keeping of that person. The one sitting in the seat of truth lives truth in all the facets of personal life, so that at the meeting of the group, and in between meetings, the truth of the circle stays steady and firm. The one representing courage shows courage in the events of daily life, so that the courage of the group is steadily maintained. All these qualities can be called upon by any member of the group in need of them."

This group meditation practice beautifully enacts the idea that one person's healing and well-being touches everybody, and when this truth is practiced consciously, a group synergy occurs that benefits all.

The following group exercise, which can be done with just a few friends or in a larger group, works with this idea that we are all part of the same whole and in helping one, we help ourselves; and in healing ourselves we assist everyone. I believe that every time a group comes together for the purpose of healing and extending love unconditionally, the power and synergy of this act has an impact far greater than we can even conceive. I invite you to practice this experiment as a healing gift to yourself, and also with an awareness that this healing work is the greatest gift you can give to the whole world organism that we are.

The meditation is written in a bold typeface. It can simply be read verbatim by one member of the group.

Materials needed:
1) Blank cards (3 x 5" cards cut in half work well for this), one per person with a few extras.
2) Pens

(Step One: Healing Gifts)

Hand out a pen and a blank card to each person. If you are doing this in a group of eight or more, break into smaller groupings of about four.

Focusing on one person at a time, decide what each person's special "healing gift" is. Each of us has a special healing gift: it is a quality that flows out of us effortlessly and spontaneously and is a gift to those around us. It is not a quality that we have to work at, it is something that comes very naturally to us. Because this healing gift comes so naturally, it is often an aspect of ourselves that we take for granted and may not appreciate or even acknowledge. Therefore, instead of deciding for yourself what your healing gift is, let your group decide for you. When it is your turn, your group members will discuss what they feel your greatest healing gift is and then will come to an agreement on one special quality. When they have come up with one quality, they will write it down on one of the cards. Write only one quality and describe it in as few words as possible. Write on only one side of the card and do not write the person's name. [If applicable, make more than one card for a person.]

(Step Two: Setting Up the Circle)

Collect all the cards. Make sure everyone followed the instructions and listed only a single quality on each card and did not include a name. The extra cards are in case mistakes were made. Don't get "mistake" cards or blank cards mixed in with the ones you are gathering for the Medicine Circle. Shuffle all the cards together.

Lay the cards face down in a circle on the floor. In a later instruction, participants will be asked to take seats around this circle -- so space the cards out far enough to allow for people to be seated in front of them.

If people have broken down into small groups, call everyone into one group.

Invite people to become comfortable for the following meditation.

(Step Three: Meditation)

Close your eyes, take some deep breaths, and spend a moment letting yourself relax fully . . .

In this relaxed state, reflect now on your special healing gift. Imagine it to be a healing energy that radiates from you easily and effortlessly. Picture this energy as a light that starts at your heart and radiates outward, lighting up your physical body and shining on those around you as well. Feel yourself to be like a shining sun that gives light -- not by effort, but simply because it is your nature to do so, and you lose nothing in the giving.

Picture this light of yours touching each person in the room, joining everyone in radiance. At the same time, feel yourself embraced by the lights of each other person here, and as you open to receive these lights you become even more radiant yourself.

See everyone now as a blending and merging of beautiful lights in a rainbow spectrum of colors . . .

Take this vision a step further now, and imagine each person as parts of a single organism. Imagine us all forming a single, whole organism with each of us being an integral part of this whole . . .

Imagine that in order to facilitate healing for the whole group, all you have to do is heal some aspect of yourself. Because you are joined to each person here, your healing will be felt by all.

You can, in fact, experiment with that right now by releasing, for just this instant, all thoughts about the past and the future, all thoughts that separate you from the people here, all your judgments, fears, distractions, and numbness. Let go of everything except love and acceptance for yourself and the people around you. For just an instant fill yourself with as much love as you can. Hold the feeling for a moment, letting it reach a peak of intensity . . . then take a deep breath and gently begin to breathe yourself back to the room . . . When you are ready, open your eyes and come back to the group, feeling alert and refreshed.

(Step Four: Medicine Circle)

Look around at the people here and, with your eyes open now, continue to feel us all connected parts of a whole. Imagine, also, that you can become a healer for this whole group simply by healing some aspect of yourself and, because we are all connected, your healing will take all of us with you.

In a moment, anyone who would like to become a healer for the entire group may do so by taking a seat around the inner circle. When you take a seat, you will turn over whatever card is at your seat. Look at this card with the assumption that it has an important message for you about what you most need right now for your own healing.

Then, for the next week, you will be in charge of healing the whole group through embodying whatever quality is represented on your card. In other words, you will devote yourself to your own healing through giving, receiving, and, in as many ways as possible, fully experiencing this quality.

Before getting up and taking a seat around the circle, ask yourself if you are willing to devote this week to your own healing. It may work out that everyone takes a seat around the healing circle, or it may be that only a few do. Either way is fine. What is important is that only those take a seat who are truly willing to surrender to whatever path of healing is shown.

In choosing your place around the circle, allow yourself to be drawn to whatever spot calls you. Don't think about it, just pick. Know whatever quality you most need for healing will find you, so don't worry that you might not pick the right place.

Now, everyone who wants to can take a seat around the circle. Spend the remainder of your time together talking about the "healing quality" you received, anything that comes to mind as to what this quality means to you personally and how you are willing to practice this quality in your life over the coming week. Think in terms of how this quality can be given, received, and experienced. The more personal and concrete you make this exercise the more powerful it becomes. Giving and receiving feedback to one another can also give added impact.

The first time I did this group process I hadn't really planned to sit in the Medicine Circle myself. As per the instructions, there were many cards in a circle, face down, waiting to be claimed. Two people had felt called to take seats and each had received helpful feedback from the group as to how they would undertake their healing commitment.

Throughout this process one particular face-down card kept drawing my attention. Finally, I gave in to this "call" and seated myself in front of the card. I turned it over and groaned as I read the message and was faced with my deepest need for personal healing. The card read, "Positive Fathering." It was even written in my own handwriting as it was a "healing gift" assigned earlier in the group session to a member of my small group, for which I had been the scribe.

Everyone in the group also recognized the appropriateness of this for me, being familiar with my history of growing up with an abusive, alcoholic father. After some discussion, it was suggested that I set up a date to meet with some of the men in the group for some "positive fathering." Many men offered to help with this and a Saturday afternoon walk in the woods was planned.

I was terrified. While I had thought I felt safe and trusting with the men in my community, the idea of being with them without the presence of other women, and trusting them to nurture me, was horrifying. It also felt "right," and I agreed.

I worried about it all week. My unconscious resistance came out, and I forgot it was the beginning of daylight savings time. I was an hour late (I am usually never late), and the men had to call me at home to find out if I was still coming. It was a beautiful, warm spring day. The sun was shining, the men were accepting and nurturing without being invasive. They just allowed me to be with them without pressure or expectations. It was a wonderful day.

And it was more than a wonderful day. It was the start of my opening to a new level of trust with the men in my group, and men in general. Increasingly I found myself looking at men as having the good qualities that I associated with "positive fathering," rather than as people who have the capacity to hurt me.

Did this healing in me have any impact on others? I believe so. As I saw these qualities in the men in my life, I found more and more reason to trust their goodness, their willingness to love and support me. By seeing the best, I called forth their best behavior and ultimately, by seeing the "positive father" in my friends, I believe I helped them to see their own goodness with more certainty. I have a sense that many ripples of love and healing were set in motion as they allowed their "positive father" to flow into all aspects of their lives.

Lynn Woodland offers workshops on many topics related to empowerment, transformation and healing. For information on these, call 1-800-666-0872.