322A Elm Street Biddeford, Maine (207) 590-4433
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©What's up with the turtle?
The turtle is a healing arts symbol in the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe tradition. Each detail in this drawing contains some form of healing symbolism.
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THE TURTLE
In the Anishinabe (Ojibwe) story of creation the turtle used its back to grow a new earth (aki) after the great flood when all hope seemed lost. No matter how heavy the earth became the turtle continued to bear the weight on its back so the animals of the earth and the Anishinabe people could thrive; therefore, the turtle is a healing arts symbol and is highly respected in Ojibwe culture.
During the time of the first fire the Anishinabeg were told to leave and go to a turtle-shaped island as a stopping place. They found this turtle-shaped island in the Great Lakes region, yet another symbol of healing.
The turtle's shell is a circle to honor the circle of life and the Anishinabe belief that everything in the universe is done in a circle. You may also notice the four colors around the border of the circle. This border is in reference to the medicine wheel, or healing circle, which will be explained in the later paragraphs. AHA is based on the belief that complimentary therapies are good preventative medicine.
THE HEALING CIRCLELooking inside the circle/turtle's shell for just a moment you'll see that the bald eagle and the fish are looking toward the right side of the wheel which is yellow. Even the bear print is pointed that direction. The reason for this is the right side of the wheel represents the east where life begins, where the transition from the spirit world to the physical world takes place, and the location of the rising sun and spring time. Each day we are here is a gift! As the sun rises each day give thanks for what you have, appreciate your life's blessings, and live each day to its fullest! There is also a story about the bald eagle (migizi) flying toward the sun to save the Anishinabe people by communicating with the Creator so Migizi is important in that respect as well. The Anishinabe believe that Migizi is a communicator between the spirit world and the physical world.
The bottom of the medicine wheel, the red part, is the south where everything that has been created is being nurtured. It refers to youth, summer time, and our spirit.
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The fourth season is expressed in the north, or white part of the medicine wheel. It represents winter and the fourth hill of life which is the journey back to the spirit world. It represents wisdom, honor, and reminds us to nurture our spirit and the spirits of those around us, both past and present.
THE HEALING ARTInside the healing circle is an image with just as much meaning. At the very center is where water meets the sky. Water plays an important role in Anishinabe history due to their being guided toward the food that grows on water (wild rice), a sacred gift for the Anishinabe as they were forced to enter unknown territories so many years ago. The sky is where we look for guidance. When you believe in and seek spiritual guidance and are willing to receive it, it will come -- just like it did for the Anishinabe ancestors when they needed food and were guided to the food that grows on water. That is why, at the heart of the circle or medicine wheel, the water meets the sky. This is an example of manifesting our desires.
THE ANIMALS
The animals in the circle each have their own meaning as well. As mentioned earlier, the bald eagle provides communication between the spirit world and the physical world. Migizi communicated with the Creator to keep the Anishinabe people from being eliminated by pointing out to the Creator that many of the Anishinabe were good people and those who did wrong were few. The idea of having communication between the two worlds has always been the Anishinabe way and is growing in popularity today. It's not a trend, it's evidence that more and more people are finding the truth about the healing that comes from communicating with the other side.
The fish (gigoon) represents learning, or the mind, and is also placed here to honor the rights of the Anishinabe people who were still facing conflicts into the late 1980s and early 1990s during what is now known as the "Walleye War" -- a very difficult time for all Anishinabe.
The paw print is that of the black bear (makwa) and symbolizes protection and herbal medicine.
(More text below image)
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EARTH'S ELEMENTSWhen the Creator made the earth he breathed life into rock, fire, water, and air. Each of these is shown in this drawing as well. The fire and air may not be obvious at first but the fire is shown by the sun and the wind is seen by the eagle flying and the waves in the water. Without these elements we could not live and thrive.
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
The name Akina Healing Arts comes from "akina" being an Ojibwe word meaning "all" or "every". Healing needs to take place on all/every level (body, mind, spirit) so it is fitting in that respect. The Anishinabe knew that there was much more to healing that what is seen with the eyes.
The slogan for Akina Healing Arts is "Nurturing the Body, Mind, and Spirit®". The Ojibwe believe that if you heal the spirit the body and the mind will also heal. Massage does a lot to heal the spirit, the mind, and the body. The image above was designed with all these things in mind. The turtle represents nurturing, the bear represents the body, the fish the mind, and the eagle the spirit.
Ojibwe Prayer
Oh Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds
And whose breath gives life to everyone,
Hear me.
I come to you as one of your many children;
I am weak... I am small...I need your wisdom
and your strength.
Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever
behold the red and purple sunsets.
Make my hands respect the things you have made,
and make my ears sharp so I may hear your voice.
Make me wise, so that I may understand what you
have taught my people and
The lessons you have hidden in each leaf and each rock.
I ask for wisdom and strength,
Not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able
to fight my greatest enemy, myself.
Make me ever ready to come before you with
clean hands and a straight eye,
So as life fades away as a fading sunset,
My spirit may come to you without shame.
Akina Healing Arts 322A Elm Street Biddeford, Maine (207) 590-4433