Medicine Wheel

Medicine Wheel is a teaching tool used to stress the importance of balance for First Nation people.

In Anishinabek News

• August 2015: The term may have originated from 20th-century descriptions of stone circles located on Medicine Mountain. It represents the interconnectedness of all things, including the four directions, seasons, and aspects of the self. The symbol serves as a guide for individuals to return to a state of balance and peace.
• September 2016: The physical layout of the First Peoples' Centre at Canadore College was inspired by these teachings.
• July 2017: A garden in this shape was planted at St. Jude School using four traditional medicines. Grade 6 students participated in planting the garden during the grand opening of the Indigenous Learning Space.
• April 2019: The symbol was used as a template for the Project Vision to guide First Nations in developing heritage practices.
• October 2020: The 2020 imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival organized its short film programs into four segments named after the colors of the wheel.
• December 2020: Youth participants received teachings explaining that tobacco is one of the primary medicines located within the four directions of the wheel.
• January 2021: Rita Fenton used the life stages of this wheel to structure her life story during a virtual presentation.
• February 2021: The educational programming at Migizi Wazisin Elementary School is deeply rooted in the Medicine Wheel.
• June 2021: A digital version of this wheel was included in the Indigenous Language House to teach students about Indigenous culture and colors.
• July 2021: A representation of this symbol was included in the outer ring of the new flag plaza at the Sarnia waterfront. It was included to symbolize the balance between the spirit, mind, emotion, and body.
• September 2022: Teachings based on this framework are included in the expanded services offered at the Ngwaagan Gamig Recovery Centre Inc.
• January 2023: Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux focused her presentation on living these teachings to restore physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
• June 2023: Staff in Fort William First Nation constructed a garden in this shape using rocks and flowers in white, yellow, red, and black. The garden serves as a daily reminder for staff of where their roots lie and the work they are doing.
• November 2023: During her presentation, Andrea Sereda noted that the human is placed at the centre of this model.
• October 2024: The Walking with Humility journey at St. Joseph's Care Group is organized according to the four directions of this wheel.
• January 2025: The structure of the book is based on the Medicine Wheel, featuring a four-day journey.
• November 2025: Chett Monague used this framework alongside Western methods to develop a wellness strategy integrating emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual health. The teachings of this framework suggest that when one part of a person is out of balance, they can rely on the others to return to centre.
• February 2026: Teachings regarding the Medicine Wheel were shared by Sheila DeCorte during a presentation at Lakehead University.
• April 2026: Martina Osawamick used this framework to teach about the seven stages of life during a session in Zhiibaahaasing First Nation.
• June 2026: The wheel was used in a presentation by Cheyenne Nobis to illustrate that everything comes around in a circle. It is associated with the concept of Mino-bimaadiziwin, or living the good life.