In Praise of the Four Directions

In Praise of the Four Directions is a compilation of poetry and information about the value and importance different cultures give to East, West, South and North.  Enjoy.

O Great Spirit of the East

Radiance of the rising Sun,

Spirit of new beginnings

O Grandfather Fire,

Great nuclear fire--of the sun

Power of life-energy, vital spark

Power to see far, and to

Imagine with boldness

Power to purify our senses,

Our hearts and our minds.

We pray that we may be aligned with You

So that your powers may flow through us

And be expressed by us,

For the good of this planet Earth,

And all living beings upon it.

O Great Spirit of the West,

spirit of the Great Waters,

Of rain, rivers, lakes and springs.

O Grandmother Ocean,

Deep matrix, womb of all life.

Power to dissolve boundaries,

To release holdings,

Power to taste and to feel,

To cleanse and to heal,

Great blissful darkness of peace.

We pray that we may be aligned with You,

So that your powers may flow through us,

And be expressed by us,

For the good of this planet Earth,

And all living beings on it.

O Great Spirit of the North

Invisible Spirit of the Air,

And of the fresh, cool winds,

O vast and boundless Grandfather Sky,

Your living breath animates all life.

Yours is the power of clarity and strength,

Power to hear the inner sounds, 

To sweep out the old patterns,

And to bring change and challenge,

The ecstasy of movement and the dance.

We pray that we may be aligned with You,

So that your powers may flow through us,

And be expressed by us,

For the good of this planet Earth,

And all living beings on it.

O Great Spirit of the South,

Protector of the fruitful land,

And of all green and growing things, 

The noble trees and grasses, 

Grandmother Earth, Soul of Nature.

Great power of the receptive,

Of nurturance and endurance,

Power to grow and bring forth

Flowers of the field,

Fruits of the garden.

We pray that we may be aligned with You,

So that your powers may flow through us,

For the good of this planet Earth,

And all living beings upon it.

By Ralph Metzner

 

Symbolism of the Compass - Meaning of the Four Directions

Written by avenefica on January 2nd, 2008

Symbolism of the Compass. Meaning of Cardinal Direction

One of my readers asked me about the deeper meaning of the four directions (north, south, east, west).  Specifically, she was given a powerful mandala, and wanted to know in which direction would be most auspicious to hang the mandala.  My response follows:

Dear Coordinated Coordinates: 

This is an excellent observation you’ve made.

We can honor and enhance the attributes of something (such as your mandala gift) by placing it in an area that is aligned with appropriate energy.

Different cultures have assigned different meanings of cardinal directions.  Here are a few brief samples of directional energies and what they represent to various cultures:

In Chinese Feng Shui, each direction correlates to the Chinese zodiac animals:

• North =  Rat, enchances areas of: Adaptability, charm, creativity, sociability, wit.
• East = Rabbit, enchances areas of: Trust, sincerity, love, compassion.
• South = Horse, enchances areas of: Physical strength, health, adventure, loyalty.
• West = Rooster, enhances areas of: Confidence, business, energy, persistence.

In ancient Celtic symbolism and tradition, the cardinal directions were acknowledged in several ceremonies and festivals.  Handfasting ceremonies and other earth-based belief systems (pagan) still honor the directions today.  Here is a brief outline of these directional representations:

• East = air, communication, new beginnings, new growth
• South = fire, energy, passion, creativity
• West = water, emotion, psyche, movement
• North = earth, home, security, fertility

In certain divinatory practices the directions represent time phases:

• North = Infinite Possibility (no-time)
• South = Present - Now
• West = Past
• East = Future

Native Americans have their own meanings of cardinal directions.  The Lakota, for example hold to the following guideline:

• North = wisdom/thought
• East = salvation/spirit
• South = beginnings/purity
• West = conclusions/fullness

I’ve written a feature post on Navajo and their meaning of the four directions here:

ative-american-symbol/http://avenefica.wordpress.com/2007/10/02/navajo-medicine-wheel-a-powerful-n

The astrological zodiac provides yet another aspect of the four directions and their symbolism:

• East = Earth corresponding with Taurus
• South = Fire corresponding with Leo
• West = Water corresponding with Scorpio
• North = Air corresponding with Aquarius

In conclusion, I would encourage you to meditate upon your purpose with the placement of your special gift.  Ask yourself “what are my intentions?”  Invest the time to determine what you truly wish to accomplish.

I’ve only given you a brief background on multiple resources.  Ultimately only you can decide what is meaningful you in the symbolism of the compass and only you can determine your own personal meaning of the four directions.  Trust in your own knowledge & you will know where to put your mandala in order to achieve the results you are wanting.

I trust this information helps you on your path.

My highest regards & blessings to you,

A.Venefica

http://www.symbolic-meanings.com

Comments

[Juliana Abram]

Our immediate environment plays an important part in providing us with a sense of place and Feng Shui, properly applied, can support us to improve all areas of our life in outstanding ways.

However, there are many different styles of Feng Shui and it can be rather confusing as to what's real. Consequently, I wrote a book titled The Feng Shui Way. I draw this to your attention because it is unique in that it explains the basic premise (without the nonsense) behind each method and demystifies Feng Shui. More information is available at http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TheFengShuiWay.html

If you have any questions I am most willing to offer my views on this topic.

[Malaysia Travel Guide]

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