Calling in the Directions Honoring the Sacred Wheel

It  becomes  an  aspect of daily  prayer  to call  to  the directions morning and night. For me, I have always felt the most honest way to start has been in the East, honoring the rising sun, new beginnings calling the light into my being. You can imagine how difficult, after years of doing the directions in this way around the Sacred Wheel, I started an advanced course on the Pachakuti Mesa Tradition based in Peruvian wisdom with don Oscar Miro Q'uesada. Let me just say, don Oscar insisted that we follow his directions to the letter but also gave us room for our authenticity. As was familiar to me, the Peruvian way was to start in the South and so as I sat at my newly consecrated Mesa (earth alter) for the first time, I looked at the stone I had consecrated for the South which represents the physical body and all things of the earth. I have carried this particular stone from a young age from my first journey experiences in the woods behind my family's home. It felt so appropriate for this to be the first stone I placed on this new Mesa which was/is for my own healing, rather than for others. This is the direction we call pacha mama in this Pachakuti Mesa Tradition. I studied this stone that just a few years ago, I had retrieved from my favorite journey place in the woods. I had travelled to upstate NY with my son to see family and show him my sacred places. We had found the spot with some difficulty, since it was on someone else's land and the land had changed so much that it felt like a dream that I had even been there. At last, under a basket of roots, we found her. We picked her up and left behind a worry doll and an apache tear in her place and trekked to all of my favorite spots on the land. My son couldn't understand why this was where I played when there was such a steep grade here and plenty of flat land down below. (I giggled inside at his comments, at the same time a little sad that he didn't share my enthusiasm.) In my childhood imagination, this stone had been a beautiful crystal, much like the crystals that now grid my home. Now, as my son commented, it looks like a "clump of mud". How perfect to represent the physical and the direction of the South. 
I called the South and accidentally used the name for the West almost three days in a row before realizing I had done it "wrong"! Back to consecrating and now I am on track with my Pachakuti Mesa. Each day begins with sacred remembrance  aka re-member-ance and so why not start in that place of earth and the physical since here is where our first experience in this plane of existence lies. That place is the South... the physical... connecting to the below through the earth herself, and to the sacred serpent who travels the deep dark spaces where we love to hide. This calling it in, has brought me many lessons in humility bringing up all of the flaws I love to hide and providing an aspect of good humor to those around me. I have learned to laugh at myself, rather than be ashamed or embarrassed. And so it is with much love that I move to the West where I place a shell and connect with the sacred element of water and the moon and watch how the flow of my life changes with the honoring, bringing in the energies of whale and dolphin and their playful sounds into our sound healing. Also honoring the mothers and grandmothers of all time in a sacred way asking for their wisdom to be with me throughout my day. Moving then to the North where I place a feather, connecting with the sacred element of air/wind and feel myself lifted and expanded, bringing in the energies of Eagle and Condor and their lofty flight and powerful wings that use the air for inspiration and to carry our prayers to the heavens. Also honoring the ancestors and all who have come before us asking that their knowledge and support be with me through my day. Turning then to the East where I place a candle, the place of the sacred element of fire, the rising sun, that burns away all that does not serve us and fuels our passion to urge us on our path, connecting with the energies of the jaguar and cougar that bring a certain stealth and grace to our sacred walk. Also honoring the light beings that light my path asking them to help me see myself and all around me with greater clarity during my day. Finally I come to the within where I place a beautiful crystal, honoring the light and anchoring myself as a column of light connecting earth and the heavenly realms, asking that I remain a willing vessel to this light and carry and shine it out throughout my day. In this way, I am remembering who I am and who I am becoming, keeping it with me throughout my day. Much love to you all on this wonderful hot late Summer day! Many blessings for your own remembering.
The above was written nearly a year ago and I am unsure why it did not get published... As I look back over the time since I wrote this blog, much has happened in regard to the animals related to the directions. When I was working intensely with the South, we had little baby snakes show up in our house... yes IN our house! I would be in the kitchen or living room and sliding across the floor would be a little snake that we would have to carry outside. I had to get clear with the spirits that I was calling in the energies of the sacred earth serpent not actual snakes! In the West work I went on a whale watch and had a beautiful experience with my mom, dad and sister watching those beautiful beings appearing again and again near our boat. In the North work I had a very magical experience with eagle. In the East work I had the opportunity to track a huge mountain lion near a friends property and while I never actually saw her, I felt her and left some tobacco in her paw print as a gift to her sharing her energy without harm. Recently, I had a very magical experience with a black bear. He or she came within about 5-6 feet of myself and my dog. Looking directly at me as if to say, "yes, I'm here for you," I felt completely calm inside, thinking , 'wow, I wonder what happens next'. With that thought, my dog barked and off the bear went into the woods. I happened to be eating my breakfast on my back deck at the time... maybe he/she thought I might share?
Blessings to all and I hope you have a magic filled day. Remember... the magic is within you..