"In Lakota tradition, the order of the directions is
West, North, East, South, Earth, Sky, and Self.
One's Self consists of four parts-the spiritual, the mental,
the emotional, and the physical.
These four parts are connected to each other
and when at least one part is neglected,
the other parts soon become diseased as well.
Taking care of our four parts establishes inner peace
(intimacy), and by natural law we then project (reflect)
this peace outside of our bodies to the universe around us.
This is called establishing our 7th Direction.

"Whatever is within us is what we project out to the world around us.
Likewise, how we perceive the world around us is a reflection of our
current state of being within ourselves. As we change within ourselves,
we are also changing the way we perceive the world around us. Whatever we
do, say, think, and feel affects the universe within us and it also affects
the universe around us. Thus, everything within us is connected as we are
connected to the universe around us."
- David Little Elk

These lessons will concentrate on the spiritual, mental, and emotional balance. It is our experience that the physical balance will follow as a result. In the same manner, mental & emotional balance are also improved by finding your spiritual balance. Therefore, our main emphasis will be on establishing your own personal spiritual balance.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."
- Proverbs 17:22

"A man’s spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?"
"The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out."
-Proverbs 18: 14-15

The most effective way of finding & achieving spiritual balance is to begin with prayer & meditation. You must find a method of shutting out the rest of the world, so you may concentrate on your Inner Being. The method of choice may be quite different for each of us, as we are all individuals and have various individual needs. In the following lessons, we will discuss and compare different methods to achieve the atmosphere required for your personal "prayer closet".

In all methods that we will compare, the basic requirement is a "space" set aside for the specific purpose of prayer & meditation. This "space" should not be used for any other purpose. It will take practice, but soon you will discover that it will become easier to achieve your quiet time withdrawal from outside influences when you enter this space.

The designated space may be a room, or a corner in a room, that is free of distractions. (No TV, no phone, etc.) You may wish to have something available to play soft music (tapes or CD’s) as a "white" background to hide the noises of traffic or people outside. You may wish to dim the lighting by turning down electric lights, or turning them off and burning candles instead. This will also help you to relax. Also you may wish to have a scented candle or light incense fragrance as an aid to relax. Some people find this quite helpful, while others find it distracting. The use of sound, lighting, and fragrance must be chosen to fit your individual preferences.

Once you have established your "space" or "prayer closet" you are ready to begin.