you made a home in my dreams

medicine shield

Power or Medicine shields were made by warriors as symbols of protection and strength in battle or the hunt. Mostly associated with the Plains it was used as a protective spirit and was usually adorned with the Warrior’s spirit guide(s) and other items of personal meaning, i.e., eagle feathers, animal fur.

A young warrior sent out on his first visionquest to ‘cry for a vision’ would eventually return to his people and create his own shield depicting the animal spirit that had come to him in four significant ways while he was on his quest. It was believed that the shield would give the warrior great power by allowing him to know in his visions where the enemy was located.

Nowadays, a shield can be made by anyone who needs to feel protected and uplifted.  It is a wonderfully healing activity to sit  quietly and make one.