According to the medicine wheel, learning takes place by moving through stages of awareness, understanding, knowledge and wisdom from east to north in a clockwise direction.

1. East: The first stage of the learning process is vision, or awareness. We enter this stage of the learning process through our senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, and scent. Examples of this stage include the first time we encounter a new skill we want to learn or a novel problem to solve.
2. South: The second stage is time, which is linked to understanding. It encourages us to allow time to just be with our new skill or problem without trying to have it all figured out. Doing so allows understanding to arise naturally. This stage encourages us to stay more in the heart-space of Heart-Mind well-being, before moving on to employ the cognitive abilities of our minds.
3. West: The third stage moves us into our mind-space to welcome in reason and knowledge to "figure it out." This is where we want to be alert, engaged, and thinking through the problem, or strategizing how we will acquire the new skill.
4. North: The fourth stage represents movement and action. It encourages us to just "do it" - try out our new skill or a solution to the problem, based on the awareness, understanding, and knowledge gained as we moved through the medicine wheel. From taking action - and learning what works and what doesn't - wisdom is achived.

It doesn't end there! Just like the medicine wheel, learning is a cycle, and often involves much trial and error. As the youth in our lives try - and fail - and try again, we must remember to be compassionate and kind towards them and ourselves by viewing their trials and triumphs as a natural part of the learning process, rather than an extension of their or our own shortcomings. Modelling this, and coming back to the medicine wheel as a reminder, lays the foundation for the young people we care about to be compassionate and kind life-long learners. 

As you read this resource, keep in mind that it is always best to learn about Indigenous teachings directly from members of the Indigenous community. It is with appreciation and respect that the author. who is non-Indigenous, relays her own interpretation of medicine wheel teachings for the purpose this resource. Whenever possible, the author has directly referenced the Indigenous voices upon which this resource is based, and encourages the reader to seek out these and other Indigenous voices. 

Introduce the young people in your life to the framework of the medicine wheel:

• Encourage them to reflect on what they are currently doing in their lives to nurture each of the four dimensions of self.
• If they are unsure what each dimension means to them, talk with them about it, and explore different models of the medicine wheel together (you can find many variations of medicine wheel using a quick google search)
• Invite them to write down examples of what they are currently doing to nurture each of the four dimensions of self in the corresponding part of the medicine wheel 
• Partner turn-and-listen, share with the class, or talk together about what areas they are taking good care of themselves in and what areas need extra nurturing
• In a different colour pen, invite them to write one or more goal for the dimensions of self that need extra nurturing
• Note: You can also invite the young people you are working with to colour the medicine wheel (each part needs a different colour), draw rather than write their examples, or decorate around the border of the wheel to make it their own 

Extension activity: Invite the youth you work with to make connections between the four dimensions of self and the Five Heart-Mind Well-Being Qualities. For example, when we are compassionate and kind we strengthen our hearts, and practicing things that help us stay alert and engaged strengthens our minds. Etc. 

This conceptualization uses concentric circles to demonstrate the interconnected nature of different dimensions of health from a First Nations point of view. 

In this perspective, the quadrants of the traditional medicine wheel are not emphasized; rather the four directions, four dimensions of self, and other key components of the medicine wheel are represented holistically throughout the model. 

According to the BC Ministry of Education website, the Personal and Social Core Competency encompasses a "set of abilities that relate to students' identity in the world, both as individuals and as members of their community and society." It includes the abilities students need to:

• thrive as individuals
• understand and care about themselves and others
• find and achieve their purposes in the world

According to the BC Ministry of Education website, Personal Awareness and Responsibilty involves:

• the skills, strategies, and dispositions that help students to stay healthy and active, set goals, monitor progress, regulate emotions, respect their own rights and the rights of others, manage stress, and persevere in difficult situations
• students who demonstrate personal awareness and responsibility demonstrate self-respect and express a sense of personal well-being

Through the lens of Heart-Mind well-being, these competencies are closely linked to to Secure & Calm and Alert & Engaged Heart-Mind Qualities. 

According to the First Nations Health Authority:

"The First Nations Perspective on Health and ​Wellness aims to visually depict and describe the First Nations Health Authority Vision: Healthy, Self-Determining and Vibrant BC First Nations Children, Families and Communities.

This visual depiction of the Perspective on Health and ​Wellness is a tool for the​​​ FNHA and First Nations Communities. It aims to create shared understanding of an holistic vision of wellness. This image is just a snapshot of a fluid concept of wellness: it can be adapted and customized freely and is not confined to remain the same."