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MEDICINE
WHEEL
GATHERINGS
PAGE CONTENT
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About Medicine Wheel Gatherings
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Medicine Wheel Gathering Croatia April 2025
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Suggestions on How to Prepare for the Gathering?
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Schedule
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Pricing and Registeration
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About Cres
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Accommodation Information
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Travel Information
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Other Activities (Local Herbalists, Boat Rides, Griffon Vulture Rescue Center, Dophins, Mediteranean Monk Seals, and Sea Turtle Rescue Center) ...
ABOUT MEDICINE WHEEL GATHERINGS
Circles of stone were built by many cultures around the world.
The circle represents the circular nature of the cycles of the Universe, of our Earth Mother, and the cycles in our own lives and our lifetimes.
The circle represents Oneness, the unity of everything.
Some stone circles have been built as homes, some as communal places, and some as Sacred ceremonial ground. In North America, circles of stone were built in a specific way, often with an inner and the outer circle connected by rows of stones. Seen from the sky, these circles looked like a wheel, and were referred to as Medicine Wheels, implying that they were created as Sacred ground for ceremony. Even though the word “Medicine” commonly refers to a treatment of illness for many cultures it comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge and wisdom that developed over generations within various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the era of modern medicine.
The “Medicine” of the Medicine Wheel is connection to the universe, Creation and to Earth Mother, and all her children, the stone people, plant people, and to animal and human families. Indigenous peoples see no difference between people and the world around. For them, everything on Earth is Sacred and has Spirit. They feel and live their lives in that inseparable interconnectedness with nature and therefore refer to all forms in nature as their relatives, stone people, plant people, animal people, and people people.
The Medicine of this interconnectedness is the foundation of the Medicine Wheel.
Each stone that is placed in a circle is connected to a representative stone, plant, and animal relative, and their qualities. The Medicine Wheel gives us an opportunity to honor our relatives and their wisdom and bring them into our lives. As build, honor, and work with the Medicine Wheel, we build relationships with our relatives, and through this process of learning about each other, we start understanding their wisdom and how it can support and guide us in our lives. For example, the Eagle flies so high in the sky that they can see as the Earth curves at the horizon, and at the same time they can see a little mouse on the ground. We can borrow the Eagle’s sight to lift our view from our limited view of our current situation. By removing ourselves from that situation, we can see it in a different way, the Eagle’s view, often helping us “see the bigger picture”, see what is limiting us. When we see what our obstacles are, we can free ourselves and see opportunities rather than walls.
The stones in a Medicine Wheel are placed to honor the Seven Sacred Directions, what is above us, below us, to the East, South, West, North, and inside of us. Just as every stone in a circle is connected to qualities of our relatives, the positioning of the Stones (often referred to as “Grandfathers”) also offers wisdom usually connected to the cycles of the Universe, our Earth Mother, and cycles of our own lives and our lifetimes.
Video: The Medicine Wheel
For example, the stones placed in the South direction teach us about the early years of our lives. We grow and learn about ourselves and the world as we journey through the South. In the West, we are in our adult years, and when we find our voice in the world, we find our path. In the North, we start understanding that there is more to this life, that we are on a journey of our Soul through many lifetimes, and as we grow our wisdom, we prepare to leave this physical body and rejoin our families in Spirit. This is how we enter the East! The stone people and their qualities places in each of the directions, help us on our journey of self-discovery, self-transformation, of recovering the wholeness of our Soul, and of coming into ayni, the right relationship with ourselves and the world.
Video: Working with the Wheel
There are many traditions that work with the wisdom of the Medicine Wheel.
We share the Medicine Wheel teachings from Grandmother Wind Daughter.
We are grateful to Grandmother for bringing this beautiful and life changing wisdom to us.
Medicine Wheel ceremonies are community events.
People of all ages and backgrounds are welcome to participate in building the Wheel and then honoring it with Tobacco, Corn meal, and songs for each of the Stones in the Wheel. As people and forces are gathering at the Wheel, each participant is able to connect to the archetypes of the Inner Circle, Creator, Mother Earth, Father Sun, Grandmother Moon, and the four clans, the Turtle Clan, Clan of the earth, the Frog Clan, Clan of the waters, the Thunderbird Clan, Clan of the fire, and the Butterfly Clan, Clan of the air. Then, the Outer Circle is honored, and participants connect to the medicine of the
Guardians and Keepers of the four directions.
By honoring these forces, participants receive wisdom from the archetypes for their personal healing and for their service in the world and beyond. The wisdom of the archetypes becomes part of our lives and they guide and support us in finding balance and health on all levels, physical, mental, emotional, and energetic!
"Medicine Wheels of stone, constructed by the original Native inhabitants, once spread across the Americas. They were the ceremonial centers of Earth people; powerful vortexes for both giving and receiving the Earth energy. Earth Peoples used the Medicine Wheel to understand and celebrate change in their lives and in the cycles of the Earth. What these ancient ones knew and practiced is the wisdom needed by people today." - Sun Bear
Video: Silence Between the Waves
MEDICINE WHEEL GATHERING
ISLAND CRES, CROATIA
April 12, 2025
In April 2025, we will gather on island Cres in Croatia, to work with the energies of the Medicine Wheels of stone that we have built.
We will get together to make an offering to Mother Ocean, to sit together around the Fire, get to know each other, share a Sacred Pipe, and learn from the Wheel.
Video: Honoring Mother Ocean
Medicine Wheel by the Beach
Medicine Wheel at the Sacred Wombland
Please see below information on island Cres, accommodation, travel, other activities, and REGISTRATION!
Suggestions on How to
Prepare for the Gathering?
Consider the following:
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Accommodation options are listed on this page HERE.
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Travel options on how to arrive to Cres are given on this page HERE.
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If you would like to know more about Island Cres please visit THIS section.
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If you would like to know more about Earthkeepers Spirit Team please visit the TEAM page.
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For ways to contact us, please visit CONTACT page.
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Personal care and wellbeing:
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Weather on Cres at this time of year might be unpredictable, so having a range of clothes is advisable.
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Our vision is to create space in which everyone will be comfortable, where you can come as you are, right in that moment, sad, happy, angry, overwhelmed, stressed, joyful, anxious ... we come as we are, and we support each other and show compassion, empathy, and love to ourselves and the community. If you would like to share your concerns or your needs, please email Korana at earthkeeperspirit@gmail.com, so that we can find ways to create space for you.
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Same goes for food needs, please email us on the above email if you have any food considerations, and
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if you are uncomfortable with animals. There will be at least 4 dogs taking part in the gathering, Dolce, or Iddy Biddy, who is a 16-year-old Beagle, Serenity, a 13-year-old large dog mix, Carter, 6-year-old large mix dog, and Rea, 3-year-old mischievous mostly dog🤣🤣!
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And remember, "NO STRESS ON CRES" - come and take a breath of the fresh, salty air, take in the sights, and all our relatives in the beautiful nature of the island!
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Ideas on what to bring:
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General Items
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Bring any personal ceremonial items that are important to you.
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Your Mesa, Sacred Pipe, rattle, drum, Spirit water, sarong, or a cloth to wrap around your waste for ceremony, ceremonial shawl etc.
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We will provide smudge tools, tobacco, and corn meal for all group ceremonies.
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Candle(s) and matches.
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Wooden sticks or Toothpicks.
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Depending on how much you would like to participate, we suggest that you bring a notebook, journal, and or paper and pen, coloring pens or other art tools.
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Range of clothes for the unpredictable weather; from warmer weather clothes, to colder, and maybe rainy weather clothes if needed. A HAT, RAIN COAT, CHANGE OF CLOTHES, AND SOCKS, AND GOOD, WATERPROOF SHOES OR A SPARE PAIR.
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Other supplies:
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METAL (refillable) water bottle
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Camping chair or a mat (carimat) or a blanket to sit on. If you are sitting on the ground, make sure that whatever you bring is waterproof.
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- Dish to pass
- If you are comfortable with this, we will share lunch, so please plan for that and bring food that you can share with others.
- There is at least one restaurant open in Miholascica that serves nice range of food, and
- there is a general store in Martinscica that is open on Saturdays.
SPECIAL NOTE FOR THE WEEKEND:
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GIFT TABLE
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Please bring a gift for the GIFT TABLE if you can. Gift table is an exchange of gifts that we offer to each other with love!!! After Closing circle on Sunday, everyone has an opportunity to select a gift from the table! THANK YOU!
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LANGUAGE OF THE GATHERING
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Gathering will be guided in English laguage with the possibility for Croatian and German translationa. Please email us at earthkeeperspirit@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns, we would like to create safe and comfortable space for all!
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Medicine Wheel Gathering
April 12, 2025 Schedule
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Saturday, April 12
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10:00 am Opening Circle and Offering to Mother Ocean
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11:30 am Honoring and Working with the Medicine Wheel by the Beach
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1:00 pm Sharing a Meal at the Sacred Wombland
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2:30 pm Honoring and Working with the Wheel at the Sacred Wombland
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4:00 pm Closing Circle with the Fire Ceremony and Sacred Pipe
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When done:
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Visit to Oil House and Teaching on Essential Oils
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Registration the for Medicine Wheel Gathering April 2025
Pricing:
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There is no charge for the ceremonies!!
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Price for the materials and locations: $55
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Scholarships available, please reach out at earthkeeperspirit@gmail.com
ACCOMMODATION INFORMATION
Email us at earthkeeperspirit@gmail.com for Q's
Villa Goga
View from Villa Goga
Restaurant on the beach
View from the restaurant on the beach
Club Goga - Community Gathering Place
Contact
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Goga and Emil at info@villa-goga.hr
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When the beds fill up in Villa Goga, Goga will direct you to accommodation possibilities in village Miholascica.
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Email us at earthkeeperspirit@gmail.com for additional accommodation resources.
OTHER ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS
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Tourist agency Martinšćica
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Martinšćica 37
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51556 Martinšćica, Croatia
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Phone: 00385 51 574 107
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Fax: 00385 51 574 107
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E-mail: info@app-cres.com
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Tourist agency Zaglav
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Zaglav d.o.o.
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Punta 1, Martinšćica, Otok Cres
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Phone: 24/7 customer support: 051 574 169
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Email: office@zaglav.hr
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TRAVEL INFORMATION
Email us at earthkeeperspirit@gmail.com for Q's
FLIGHTS
You can fly into several airports in Croatia.
If you fly to Zagreb you will need to rent a car, or take a bus to Cres, or a train to Rijeka and then boat or a bus to Cres. If you fly into Rijeka, or Mali Losinj, you will need to take a bus to Cres.
Please see below the info about buses, trains, and boats.
DRIVING
If you are driving, you will need to take one of the 2 ferry routes, depending where you are arriving from. Brestova - Porozina ferry is on the Northern side of the Island, and Valbiska - Merag on the Eastern side of the island. Both car rides from the ferry to Miholascica are BREATHTAKING!
BUS
If you are taking a bus from either Zagreb or Rijeka, please take the bus for Mali Losinj because Miholascica is a small village ab hour ride from town of Cres on the way to Mali Losinj. You will exit the bus at a crossroads of village called HRASTA, and we will pick you up!
TRAIN AND BOAT (CATAMARAN)
If you are coming from Zagreb and want to explore the beautiful train ride from Zagreb to Rijeka, here are some links to help you. When you arrive to Rijeka, you will take a short walk to the main harbor where you will catch the boat (catamaran) for Mali Losinj. You will get of the boat in the Village Martinscica, and we will pick you up!
OTHER ACTIVITIES
VISIT TO LOCAL HERBALISTS - "OIL HOUSE"
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We will have an opportunity to visit the local herbalists, Irena and Guerino.
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They grow, harvest, and work with local, some of which are endemic herbs to produce essential oils and hydrolates, soaps, and other items for personal wellbeing.
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Irena and Guerino have offered us a workshop to share their wisdom and experience.
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We will organize this workshop for all interested.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
BOAT RIDES
We will have opportunities to organize boat rides to the local Blue Cave, beautiful beaches, including one just under the cliff village of Lubenice, and to smaller islands Visoki and Zeca. These events will be organized based on the participants' interest after the training.
Griffon vulture (lat. Gyps fulvus) is one of the largest bird species in the world and the largest one in Croatia. They have a wingspan of 240 to 280 cm, a height of up to 110 cm, and a weight of 7 to 12 kg in adult birds. They are long-lived birds. They can live up to 40 years in captivity (less in the wild). Griffon vultures feed exclusively on carcasses of large and mid-sized mammals, and never eat live prey. They clean the ecosystem, preventing possible spread of certain diseases.
Griffon vulture is one of the symbols of island of Cres, an island of exceptional and well preserved biodiversity. Beli Visitor and Rescue Centre for Griffon Vultures is the place where you can find out more about the millennia-long coexistence of local people and griffon vultures.
Even though griffon vultures live in other parts of the world, the Kvarner population is unique in the world because these birds nest right above the sea, while in other regions they nest mostly in mountain areas.
Watching griffon vultures in flight is always a special experience. Flying mostly in groups and barely moving their wings, griffon vultures spend hours searching the terrain for food. They fly great distances with ease, and their appearance in the air or on one of the island’s cliffs can truly be breathtaking.
There are several marine mammal species that live or visit the Addriatic Sea, dolphins, whales, and Mediterranean Monk Seals. All marine mammals which live in the Adriatic Sea or only visit it at times are protected by Croatian laws and international agreements. They are endangered due to human influence on their habitats, pollution, over fishing and tourism. Any deliberate disturbing, catching, keeping, injuring or killing of marine mammals in the Adriatic Sea is a criminal offence punishable by Croatian laws with very high penalties and indemnities.
Current knowledge of the status of Cetacean species in the Adriatic Sea indicate that only the common bottlenose dolphin is regularly present in the entire Adriatic Sea. The striped dolphin, the Risso’s dolphin and the Cuvier’s beaked whale are present in different densities only in the southern Adriatic, while sperm whales occasionally visit the area. Fin whales are present seasonally in the central and southern Adriatic. The long-finned pilot whale, false killer whale and humpback whale present rare visitors to the Adriatic Sea. Finally, the short-beaked common dolphin, once present in the entire Adriatic Sea should be considered regionally extinct, as it is present only through either remnant or stray animals.
The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is on the Red List of Threatened Species of the Adriatic. The monk seal is the only seal species in the Mediterranean Sea and the fishermen in the Adriatic Sea used to call it morski covik (seaman). It was persecuted for centuries and almost exterminated because it destroyed fishermen’s nets. It was thought to became extinct in the Adriatic. In recent years, there have been sightings around Istria and Cres-Losinj archipelago. This gives hope that it will once again become a permanent resident of the Adriatic Sea.
Sea turtles are an ancient group of animals, inhabiting Earth for millions of years. Today they face many threats that cause their numbers to decline. Sea turtles cannot retract their flippers and head into their shells. Their anatomy makes them agile when under the sea but highly vulnerable when nesting and hatching. The sex of sea turtles, like other reptiles, depends on the temperature in the nest. Warmer nests lead to more females and cooler ones lead to more males. They can hold their breath for five hours underwater. To accomplish this mighty feat they slow their heart rate to up to nine minutes in between heart beats in order to conserve oxygen. Although turtles are cold-blooded, they regulate their body temperature by controlling the blood flow in the skin and fins.
There are a couple of turtle species in Croatia but loggerhead sea turtle (glavata želva), green turtle (zelena želva) and the leatherback turtle (sedmopruga usminjača) are the three main sea turtle species in the Adriatic Sea. The most common species in the Mediterranean and in the Adriatic Sea is the loggerhead sea turtle. They have been living in the Adriatic for a long time. This is where they feed and spend their winters. Scientists have learned that precisely the North Adriatic is the most important region for the loggerhead turtle in the entire Mediterranean. The greatest number of this species lives, matures, feeds and winters in the North Adriatic. After nesting and laying their eggs, they return to the Adriatic. So, it’s no surprise that their population in the Adriatic is quite large. Scientists estimate there are more than 20.000 sea turtles in the Adriatic. Surveys led by the Blue World Institute show that the main habitat in the Adriatic is the loggerhead, whereas the green turtle and the leatherback are quite rare.
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