Author Unknown

(If you are aware of the author, please email me.)

I wrote these stories of the Grandmothers because they have helped me many times in my own life. Perhaps they will help you as well. They are the Grandmothers of the Wheel and they teach us balance.

North Grandmother – wisdom

Northwest Grandmother – receptivity

Northeast Grandmother – birth

West Grandmother – release

East Grandmother – vision

Southwest Grandmother – balance

Southeast Grandmother – identity

South Grandmother – growth

Each of these Grandmothers offer you a gift of her wisdom. You can either begin your visit with the Northeast and go around the circle clockwise or simply visit the grandmother of your choice. Many return again and again, whenever they need the gentle support that these Grandmothers offer.

North Grandmother

The field is deep in snow and the bare branches of the tree have a fluffy layer of white piled upon them. Inside a cozy fire lit cabin we find an aged crone. It is late but she no longer sleeps well anyway. Soon the deepest sleep before the next awakening will come for her. But this evening gratitude wells up within her as she remembers the blessings that have come her way.

She and her granddaughter are drinking raspberry tea as they talk into the night sharing what is in their hearts. A bond of love across generations is re-affirmed. North Grandmother knows when to listen and when to share her quiet wisdom. As this young woman talks of her mistakes and her regrets, her grandmother’ s love and humor helps her to see how unimportant these are in the greater picture.

North Grandmother reminds us to pay attention to such precious moments, the little things that make up our lives. We will find much beauty there. As we attend to this we see our life’s possibilities with a clarity that we have never know before.

Northwest Grandmother

Northwest Grandmother is bundled warmly as she walks beneath the evening sky. The heavens are crisp and clear and the night is long.

The endless stars are her gateway to vision. Tonight she sees far beyond them, into eternity. Because she has learned to release all expectations she is receptive to the wisdom of the universe.

In the past she would touch this deep wisdom for a fleeting moment. But each time it would quickly slip away with the busyness of her days. As she has grown older she has been able to hold on to this understanding longer and longer.

This gentle Grandmother helps us know that beyond hate and suffering lies the capacity for unconditional love. She shows us that our ability to dream and create is unlimited.

Northeast Grandmother

It is very early in the morning, just a hint of light is in the sky. An old woman is walking across a field. Seeds are just beginning to sprout beneath the ground. New growth is everywhere.

As she walks she seems to become younger and younger and for a moment she looks like a little girl who is seeing this early spring world for the first time. Her eyes look young and filled with awe as she looks at the beauty around her.

She is Northeast Grandmother and her gift is in showing us life as brand new. This is not her first time around the wheel. She has traveled it many times. She offers us the wisdom of viewing life as ever fresh and full of renewed hope. She guides us when we anticipate new experiences as she reminds us of the unlimited possibilities that lie before us.

West Grandmother

The sun is setting leaving beautiful reflections of pink and peach on the clouds above. An old woman sits beneath the tree on a blanket of russet and amber leaves. As she retreats into darkness she holds her shawl tightly around her against the chill in the air and wraps herself in solitude.

Many times she has railed against the injustices and pain to be found in her life. She has clung desperately to the old until circumstances have forced her through illness or crisis to at last let go. These lessons have not been easy ones. But they have built a great deal of endurance, strength, and courage within her.

She helps us learn to accept our losses and reminds us that life is ever changing. She nurtures us with her understanding that we must honor our need to grieve so that our tears may cleanse and renew us.

We learn that beyond these losses lies a deep connection to the universe.

East Grandmother

A lively old women is coming our way. She seems to dance across the field. Spring is in full bloom with a profusion of colors. The fragrance is wonderful. It is mid-morning and a gentle breeze gives us a sense of being alive and ready to engage in the day.

This grandmother is the sort of woman who is unafraid to travel about seeing the world and meeting new people. Today she sees a world of life and beauty in this meadow. She is playful and always seems to totally enjoy herself no matter what she is doing.

But don’t assume the playfulness indicates a lack of depth. Remember that she has been around the wheel many times before. East Grandmother brings us fresh new perspectives and helps us with letting go of the shoulds that limit our creativity. She reminds us to be flexible and to pay attention to the miracle of beginnings.

Southwest Grandmother

It is afternoon and we find yet another grandmother out in the late summer field. She is unhurriedly picking berries while quietly chatting with a young mother. This woman is worried and unsure about where to go with her life just now. The love and understanding she is receiving from this old one is much needed nourishment.

The grandmother’ s young companion wonders how someone so old could be so ever present in the moment, enjoying every little sound and fragrance as well as the beauty of the day. She does not yet realize that Grandmothers know how to live in the now.

Southwest Grandmother reminds us that our set backs are opportunities to develop wisdom and discernment. She teaches us that when we pay attention we will find a way to walk toward balance.

Southeast Grandmother

It is late morning and we see that an elderly woman has paused for a moment. She stands beneath a tree enjoying the beauty around her. She has a quiet assurance about her that tells us she knows who she is and what she believes. Don’t let her quietude fool you though. She will fight without fear for what she thinks is good and right.

She has traveled the wheel many times and has not always met the Southeast in this guise. At times she has been helpless, angry, arrogant or manipulating. But now she glows with the beauty of her true self.

Like her, each time we meet this place on the wheel we present different aspects of our ego. Southeast Grandmother reminds us to stop and notice what we are reflecting to the world. As we begin to follow our heart, instead of living our life according to the expectations of others, we too begin to radiate our beauty.

Move on to South Grandmother

South Grandmother

We find ourselves in the fullness of summer. Out in the field a group of children are sitting beneath the tree eating lunch and talking happily to a grandmotherly woman. She glows with warmth and love for each one of them.

As she enjoys a picnic with these little ones she encourages a child who is drawing a picture of a flower, hugs another one who has just come up to her with open arms, and then comforts another who has fallen and scraped his knee.

She understands that children must know they are loved and must learn to trust in their own abilities. Her sparkling laughter frees them from fear of taking risks as they learn from their experiences.

South Grandmother nurtures us as well. Through her gentle humor she helps us realize that our mistakes are never as important as we think.

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