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Cycling to infinity
Helena Kosková
Learning from the Medicine Wheel and natural cycles, turning the wheel of life
We can understand the Medicine Wheel as a ceremonial space for prayer and meditation, a wise guide on our life journey, map of psycho- spiritual space for our world. It has been plainly symbolised by four directions, connected across a circle with a centre expressing oneness, wholeness, peace and harmony. Since the Medicine Wheel has been used all over the world, there are diverse conceptions and layers of the wheel, according to different cultures and traditions. A very inspiring element for me is its cyclical nature, for with every direction we can associate a season, phase of the moon or period of life, also specific characteristics along with their light and shadows. The wheel expresses interconnectedness, the oneness in all layers of nature including humankind, constant movement, and the infinite circle of life. It teaches us about meaning and the beauty of all phases. It can show us where we are in life and where we are heading towards. We can learn with and from the cycles by simply observing them; in us and around us. We can support the flow and synchronise our inner clock with the cosmic cycle by acknowledging and celebrating transitions between different phases - be it rites of passage while stepping to adulthood or elderhood, a greeting of the sun every morning, or thanksgiving to winter and welcoming the spring at the right moment.
From my diary.
November 2nd, 1979
I was born at noon on All Souls Day, the day when we connect and celebrate with our beloved ones who have already passed away. And from today, we will also celebrate birth and life.
Breath in – pause – breath out – pause – breath in…
May 5th, 1998
Today I’m working in the garden in my favourite corner, with compost. Magical place.
I’m bringing there weeds and leaves from the garden, leftovers of fruits and vegetables from the kitchen. I leave them for a year to decompose, shuffle it from time to time, and time and again, I’m astonished by the black soft fragrant soil into which the untidy pile turns. I distribute the soil back into the garden and onto new vegetable beds and to all the flowers, bushes and little trees.
It’s starting to rain.
July 29th, 2003
It’s new moon today, time of my menstruation. I can see clearly what is hidden most of the time, my consciousness is widened, I feel connected. I need to rest, to be alone, to nourish myself to gain strengths for the next month. I already know it. And if I do so, life will be easier for me and everybody around. I will be productive and brilliantly smart when my moon time passes, I will be enchanting and empathic with the full moon during my ovulation, and creative, intuitive and constructively critical just before another moon time will arrive. I already know it.
If I will not listen to my body and soul… I will be exhausted and withdrawn for the whole month. So I rather go to take a bath.
Thanks to the Earth, which supports me every day, with no expectations and demands.
To enjoy and appreciate my moon time, to observe the transformative power of compost or to accept my winter depression helps me also to welcome and value elderhood and death, to see meaning and gift in all phases of different cycles.
April 14th – 16th, 2017, Easter
On Friday I’m entering the night forest and blowing out the candle, meeting darkness, chaos, nothingness. On Saturday I continue the underworld journey, walking the labyrinth, meeting daemons, inner and outer shadows. On Sunday I have a morning bath in a cooling creek, light the candle again and celebrate. With friends, we rearrange the labyrinth into a medicine wheel, wheel of life, dharma wheel and dance through it again and again. I feel fresh, sparkling, light, fertile. Cosmic order is re-established, life makes sense again. Together with spring nature and the Christ in Easter’s mysterium, I’m resurrected, as every year. After winter hibernation, I‘m back with new sprouting energy, ready to start new things.
Fire, symbol of transformation, dances with us.
March 23rd, 2018
My grandma passed away. I feel sadness, nostalgia, peace, gratitude.
To enjoy and appreciate my moon time, to observe the transformative power of compost or to accept my winter depression helps me also to welcome and value elderhood and death, to see meaning and gift in all phases of different cycles. With every flower planted and look toward the moon, my body is remembering this natural wisdom, nature of all life.
Also my friend, my first love, died. Him, his wife and their little son. I feel sorrowful, desperate and angry. Peace is not coming. It was too early. It was their spring and summer time, not a winter! …There is still much to learn.
Breath in – pause – breath out – pause – breath in…
Which cycles do you observe in your life and in nature?
Which is your favourite season? Why?
When did you last look at the moon?
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