​Rooted & Rising is structured around the teachings of the Medicine Wheel, as shared by Elder Shelley Belhumeur at the First Nations University of Canada. The Medicine Wheel is one of the oldest Indigenous teachings and serves as a guide for balance, healing, and personal growth.The term Medicine reflects our inner spiritual energy and enlightened experience, helping us strengthen body, mind, heart, and spirit.

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Elder Shelley Belhumeur explains, there is no beginning or end to the wheel, no right or wrong, no up or down, and all aspects are equal and interconnected. The number four is central to Indigenous culture, reflected in directions, elements, seasons, sacred animals, colours, stages of life, and sacred plants. Following Elder Shelley’s guidance, we have created our own medicine wheel based on her teachings, we start in the East, where the sun rises, and move through all directions to honor balance in life.

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Our website organizes resources around this framework, allowing Indigenous girls, young women, and Two-Spirit individuals to explore supports wholistically:

• East: (Yellow) New beginnings and Mentorship

• South: (Red) Relationships and Community

• West: (Blue) Healing and Reflection

• North: (White) Wisdom and Leadership

Just as the Medicine Wheel is always turning, our hub encourages engagement with all areas continuously. This balance ensures that users can explore and access resources in a culturally grounded way, reflecting Indigenous knowledge and teachings rather than a Western linear hierarchy. By structuring Rooted & Rising this way, we aim to strengthen connection, representation, and wholistic growth for the Indigenous community.