In shamanic and indigenous traditions around the world, the Four Directions serve as sacred markers that orient us not just geographically, but spiritually, emotionally, and energetically. When we call upon the Four Directions, we are honoring the powers that govern creation itself and inviting their wisdom and protection into our sacred space.
The Four Directions aren't just points on a compass—they are living energies, each carrying distinct medicine, teachings, and guardians. Understanding and working with the Four Directions is fundamental to shamanic practice, ceremony, and creating sacred space for healing work.
Why We Call on the Four Directions
Calling the Four Directions is one of the most ancient spiritual practices known to humanity. It appears in traditions across continents—from Native American medicine wheels to Celtic cross-quarter days, from Aboriginal Australian songlines to Tibetan Buddhist mandala practices. This universality points to a fundamental truth about how consciousness and creation are structured.
When we call the Four Directions, we:
- • Create sacred space: Marking the boundaries between ordinary and sacred reality
- • Invoke protection: Calling on spiritual guardians to watch over our ceremony or healing work
- • Align with natural law: Harmonizing ourselves with the fundamental patterns of creation
- • Achieve balance: Ensuring all aspects of existence are honored and present
- • Connect with allies: Inviting the animal spirits and elemental forces of each direction to lend their medicine
The Medicine of Each Direction
Note: These correspondences come from Plains Indian and Pan-Indigenous North American traditions. Different indigenous cultures may have varying associations. What matters most is the spirit of honoring the sacred circle and the powers that sustain life.
East - Place of New Beginnings
Direction of the Rising Sun
Element:
Air / Fire (varies by tradition)
Season:
Spring
Time of Day:
Dawn / Morning
Time of Life:
Infancy / Childhood / Youth
Spirit Animals:
Eagle, Hawk, Hummingbird, Butterfly
Medicine & Teachings:
- • Illumination, vision, clarity, and new perspective
- • Fresh starts, innocence, and childlike wonder
- • Inspiration, creativity, and original thought
- • Spiritual awakening and enlightenment
- • The power of prayer and communication with spirit realms
"Eagle of the East, messenger between earth and sky, bring us your far-seeing vision and carry our prayers to the Creator. Help us see with clarity and rise above our challenges."
South - Place of Trust and Growth
Direction of Summer Warmth
Element:
Fire / Water (varies by tradition)
Season:
Summer
Time of Day:
Midday / Noon
Time of Life:
Adolescence / Young Adulthood
Spirit Animals:
Coyote, Mouse, Rabbit, Snake
Medicine & Teachings:
- • Trust, innocence, and faith in the journey
- • Growth, passion, and vitality
- • Transformation and shedding old skins
- • Play, humor, and not taking life too seriously
- • Emotional expression and heart-centered living
- • Paying attention to details (Mouse medicine)
"Coyote of the South, trickster teacher who shows us truth through laughter, help us trust in the unfolding path. Snake, teach us to shed what no longer serves and be reborn in passion and purpose."
West - Place of Introspection
Direction of the Setting Sun
Element:
Water
Season:
Autumn / Fall
Time of Day:
Dusk / Evening
Time of Life:
Adulthood / Middle Age
Spirit Animals:
Bear, Raven, Crow, Buffalo
Medicine & Teachings:
- • Introspection, looking within, inner knowing
- • Healing, both physical and spiritual
- • Strength, courage, and facing our shadow
- • Dreams, visions, and the subconscious realm
- • Autumn wisdom: knowing when to let go and release
- • Magic, mystery, and transformation
"Bear of the West, keeper of the dream lodge and healer of deep wounds, teach us to go within and find the medicine that lives in the cave of our own soul. Raven, show us the magic in the darkness."
North - Place of Wisdom
Direction of Winter's Teaching
Element:
Earth / Air (varies by tradition)
Season:
Winter
Time of Day:
Night / Midnight
Time of Life:
Elderhood / Wisdom Years
Spirit Animals:
White Buffalo, Owl, Deer, Moose
Medicine & Teachings:
- • Wisdom earned through experience
- • Gratitude, completion, and honoring the harvest
- • Endurance, perseverance, and survival
- • Cleansing, purification, and renewal
- • Sacred abundance and sharing with the community
- • Rest, reflection, and honoring the ancestors
"White Buffalo of the North, most sacred of teachers who brings gifts of wisdom and abundance, help us walk in gratitude for all we've received. Owl, grant us the vision to see truth in darkness."
The Complete Circle: Above, Below, and Within
Many traditions also honor three additional directions to complete the sacred sphere:
☁️ Father Sky / Above
The masculine principle, Spirit, consciousness, celestial powers, and connection to the divine masculine. Home of Star Nations and the realm where prayers ascend.
🌍 Mother Earth / Below
The feminine principle, grounding, physical manifestation, and connection to the divine feminine. She who sustains all life, provides for all our needs, and teaches us about cycles.
💫 The Center / Within
The sacred heart space where all directions meet. The still point. Our own divine center. The place where we stand as a bridge between earth and sky, holding all directions in balance.
How to Call the Four Directions
There are many ways to call the Four Directions, and each tradition has its own specific prayers and protocols. What follows is a basic framework that can be adapted to your own practice:
Basic Structure:
- Center yourself: Stand or sit in the center of your space, take several deep breaths, and connect with your heart
- Face each direction: Physically turn your body to face East, then South, West, and North in order
- Acknowledge each direction: Call upon the spirit animals, elements, and medicine of that direction
- Express gratitude: Thank each direction for their presence and medicine
- Honor Earth and Sky: Acknowledge Mother Earth below and Father Sky above
- Return to center: Bring all the energies into your heart, feeling yourself as the meeting place of all directions
Example Invocation:
East: "I call to the East, place of the rising sun and new beginnings. Eagle, carry my prayers and bring me your vision and clarity. Element of Air, breathe inspiration into this sacred space."
South: "I call to the South, place of growth and trust. Coyote, teach me through laughter. Snake, show me transformation. Element of Fire, ignite passion and purpose in my heart."
West: "I call to the West, place of introspection and healing. Bear, give me the courage to look within. Raven, show me the magic in the mystery. Element of Water, cleanse and renew my spirit."
North: "I call to the North, place of wisdom and gratitude. White Buffalo, most sacred teacher, I thank you for all abundance. Element of Earth, ground me in wisdom and completion."
Above: "I honor Father Sky and all the Star Nations. Great Spirit above, I stand open to your guidance."
Below: "I honor Mother Earth, who sustains all life. Pachamama, I walk gently upon you with gratitude."
Center: "I stand in the center, where all directions meet. May I walk in balance, honoring all relations. Aho."
When to Call the Directions
- • Before any ceremony or healing work
- • When creating sacred space for meditation or journeying
- • At the beginning of gatherings, workshops, or rituals
- • When you need protection or guidance
- • To mark significant life transitions or events
- • As a daily practice to align with natural rhythms
Living the Medicine Wheel
The Four Directions aren't just something we call upon in ceremony—they're a map for how to live in balance. Each direction offers medicine we need throughout our lives:
- • When you need clarity or a fresh start: Call on the East
- • When you need to trust the process: Call on the South
- • When you need to go within for answers: Call on the West
- • When you need wisdom and gratitude: Call on the North
The medicine wheel teaches us that we need all directions—all seasons, all times of day, all stages of life. When we honor the Four Directions, we honor the completeness of creation and our place within it.
Cultural Respect and Variations
It's important to understand that different indigenous traditions have different correspondences for the Four Directions. What I've shared here draws primarily from Plains Indian and Pan-Indigenous North American teachings, but:
- • Some traditions place Fire in the East rather than the South
- • Colors associated with directions vary by tradition
- • Different cultures have different primary spirit animals for each direction
- • Some traditions begin in the East, others in the South or North
What matters most is approaching the practice with respect, sincerity, and an open heart. If you work with a specific indigenous tradition, learn and honor their specific teachings.
The Power of Sacred Orientation
In a world where we often feel lost, disconnected, and disoriented, the Four Directions offer us a way to find ourselves again. They remind us:
- ✦ We are never alone—we walk with spiritual allies in all directions
- ✦ We are part of natural cycles and rhythms larger than ourselves
- ✦ Balance comes from honoring all aspects of existence
- ✦ We are the sacred center where heaven and earth meet
- ✦ Each direction brings medicine we need for our journey
When you call the Four Directions, you are participating in one of humanity's oldest spiritual practices—orienting yourself within the sacred, calling on your allies, and remembering your place in the great circle of life.
May you walk in balance, honoring all directions. Aho, Mitakuye Oyasin—All My Relations.
Interested in learning more about working with the Four Directions in ceremony?