1. The Four Sacred Medicines
A Brief Guide to the Spiritual, Physical, Emotional and Mental Healing Practices of Canada’s Aboriginal People

2. CLEANSE AND PURIFICATION:
What’s in a Word?
MEDICINE AND HEALING:
Not only physical
For the soul, spirit & mind
ABORIGINAL:
First Nations
Métis
Inuit
CLEANSE AND PURIFICATION:
Make clean
Start new
Goodness & positivity

3. The Medicine Wheel NORTH CAUCASIAN AIR WINTER WEST EAST ELDER AFRICAN
MENTAL
CEDAR
EARTH
FIRE
The Medicine Wheel
FALL
SPRING
ADULT
INFANT/CHILD
SOUTH
PHYSICAL
ABORIGINAL
SPIRITUAL
SAGE
WATER
TOBACCO
SUMMER
TEEN
EMOTIONAL
SWEETGRASS

4. CEDAR
TOBACCO
SAGE
SWEETGRASS

5. CEDAR
Purification
Attracts positive energy, feelings, balance and emotions
Vitamin C
Used in smudging ceremony or in a tea

6. Tobacco Connects us to the spirit world
Absorbs prayers and carries them to the spirit world
Honors a promise or agreement
Offer your thanks to the Creator and Mother Earth for their gifts
Usually not smoked, unless for very special ceremonial occasions

7. Sweetgrass
Cleansing
Represents elements of virtue (bends but wont break)
Virtue- wrong doing can be returned with kindness
Braided before harvest to honor and respect Mother Earth

8. Sage Brings strength, wisdom and clarity of purpose Purifying
Drives away negative energies

9. Smudging Ceremony A “smudge” is smoke used in ceremonial cleansing
Stand in a circle (connection to all things)
Traditional practice for some Aboriginal cultures
Purifies and cleanses negative energy, feelings or thoughts from a person or a place
Sacred medicines are burned in a shell (water)
Sage, sweetgrass and cedar (earth)
Burning (fire)
Smoke (air)
Person uses their hands to smudge areas of the body that need cleansing and purification (mind, heart, back, feet, eyes, mouth)
Smell of smudge may stimulate brain to produce beta-endorphins which triggers a healing process
Positive thoughts and prayers are carried to the creator in the smoke
NOT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL
NO PICTURES
NO METAL (Jewelry, watches, lighters)
RIGHT TO PASS

10. Sources http://www.med.uottawa.ca/sim/data/Aboriginal_Medicine_e.htm
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