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We Are All Indigenous—The Four Cardinal Directions: South
As indicated in earlier posts, I am reviewing Doug Good Feather’s book, Think Indigenous: Native American Spirituality for a Modern World. Good Feather’s states that some teachings have been shared by many cultures over thousands of years, like “The Sacred Hoop of Life. “At the center of the hoop is each of us—unique individuals--and the four cardinal directions—North, South, East and West flow from us. In the Hoop, we are also connected to the Earth (the direction below us) and the Sky (the direction above us) and to the center. This makes up the Seven Sacred Directions.
The concept of the Four Directions is often associated with colors, animals, earth elements and other aspects of life. Although different tribal cultures may vary in their interpretations, there is a shared understanding of its basic principles.
South (White)(Summer) and its Element is Air
South represents youth, innocence, and emotion. It is associated with warmth, growth, and the nurturing aspects of life, as well as relationships with others and the natural world. Summer is the growing season. Good Feather states,” “South and its corresponding spirit world, is represented by the color white. White is the light that is in all of us and is a reminder that we first must learn to see light in our self before we can truly see the light in others.” Good Feather continues about our relationship with our spirit, “Millions of people are waiting too long to celebrate life. They are spending their lives detached from Spirit and suffering from a sense of quite dissatisfaction that’s always lingering in the background.”
The earth element is Air. Air is essential to life and Good Feather states, “should never be taken for granted. Unlike Fire, it cannot be controlled, captured or contained. Without air, we cannot make fire. Without wind, the water in the oceans cannot transmute into the rains to water the earth. “
Relevance Today
The teachings of the South emphasize the importance of nurturing relationships, embracing our emotions and fostering growth within ourselves and in our interactions with others. Good Feather states, “Both the wind and the South represent the invisible forces of our heart, mind and spirit. The elements of air and the power of the wind have valuable lessons and wisdom to offer us. All it takes is to simply sit still and follow our breath or listen to what the wind has to tell us.”
In the next blog, I will review the meaning of the Sacred West Direction.
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