Native American Healing and Medicine THE HISTORY Native

Native American Healing and Medicine

THE HISTORY • Native American medicine has been practiced for up to 40, 000 years, being passed down from generation to generation. It is very similar to Chinese healing and medicine, and is said that it originated from Asia.

The ten Native regions • The Southwest: Hopi, Navajo, Apache, Pueblo • California: Salinan, Tache, Wailaki, Wintun • The Northwest Coast: Chinook, Makah, Nooksack, Quileute • The Great Basin: Goshute, Paiute, Shoshone • The Plateau: Nez Perce, Yakima, Spokan • The Southeast: Cherokee, Tunica, Seminole • The Great Plains: Blackfeet, Cheyenne, Sioux • The Northeast Woodlands: Cayuga, Chippewa, Iroquois • The Subarctic: Koyukon, Ojibwa, Sekani • The Arctic: Inuit, Inupiat, Iglulik

What is its purpose? • The purpose of Native American Healing is to bring balance and union back into the body, mind, and spirit.

The Circle of Life • “The circle has healing power. In the circle, we are all equal. When in the circle, no one is in front of you. No one is behind you. No one is above you. No one is below you. The sacred circle is designed to create unity. The hoop of life is also a circle. On this hoop there is a place for every species, every race, every tree and every plant. It is this completeness of life that must be respected in order to bring about health on this planet. ” ~ Dave Chief

The Medicine Wheel • The Medicine Wheel represents Native American Spirituality. It symbolizes the journey one must take to find their own path.

Medicine Bag • A Medicine Bag is a leather pouch worn around the neck, and is used by an individual to hold and carry sacred objects.

The Medicine Man/Woman • The Medicine Man/Woman is a highly respected elder who has one on one connections with the spirits, and is blessed with the ability to heal. • Is the second most important person to the tribe.

Healing Rituals Ceremonies Remedies

Smudging Ceremony • To purify a person, space, or object. • The four elements are used: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire.

Remedies Sage: Helps with swelling Juniper: Used as a tea Tobacco: Helps bruises Cedar: Helps with colds