Creating Your Own Four Directions Practice

How to adapt cardinal directions spiritual meaning to where you live, without cultural appropriation.

When it comes to developing your own Four Directions practice, the first step is to attend as many Four Directions ceremonies as you can. Although I use the term Four Directions, I have been to ceremonies that work with five directions, Five Element theory, and even seven directions. In some tantric traditions, I have experienced the four cardinal directions, the directions between them, and the directions between those again.

When you attend big ceremonies over time, you start to notice the difference between someone holding a ceremony in a deeply ceremonial way and someone offering it as a performance. The difference is visceral. You can feel it in the body, and you can see it in the outcome. In a true spiritual ceremony, things shift. Life moves. The practice leaves an imprint that extends beyond the closing ritual. Without that, the ceremony can feel empty.

Once you have experienced other people’s ceremonies and felt the shifts they can create in your body and in your life, it is time to work with someone who can guide you in this way. Choose a guide who has made this a dedicated practice, daily, weekly, or monthly, for many years. It matters that they have changed things in their life for the benefit of themselves, the people around them, and even the greater collective consciousness. That shows that they have adopted these practices in useful and transformative ways.

Do not be distracted by outfits, titles, or accolades. I have met people recognised as enlightened masters who did not treat others with kindness. Authority alone does not make someone the right person to learn from.

After some time, once you know the style you want to lean into, especially if your guide suggests it is time, you can begin to work on your own Four Directions ceremony. There are two main paths here. You can stay within the system you have chosen. For example, if I want to deepen my connection with acupuncture, face reading, or Tui Na massage, I will work with the Five Element theory. This allows me to refine my relationship with a philosophy that blends medicine and spirituality.

There will also come a time when spiritual sovereignty becomes central. This is when you adapt the practice in a way that is most meaningful for you and supports the development of your own path. All paths lead up the same mountain, but the higher you go, the more personal the path becomes. At the base, everyone is working in similar ways. As you ascend, you find yourself carving your own route.

In my work with visionary biomechanics and anatomy, my physical body literally guides me into the movements and directions I need to free myself from pain and liberate my expression in this human form.

When you create your own ceremonial practice, anchor it in what is around you. Right now, I am in Indonesia. To the South is the revered Southern Ocean, known for its magnificence. To the North are ancient mountains stretching from the Himalayas to Japan. Calling on the power of the mountains from the North and the power of the ocean from the South makes sense here. The West holds my family and lifelong friendships, which feels like loyalty and devotion. The East is a place I have not yet explored, so it holds the energy of mystery that I can invite in.

Remember, the cardinal directions were originally mapped for practical purposes such as agriculture, seasonal changes, and stages of life. They were designed to meet the needs of the people living in that landscape. It is important to remain embodied as you engage with them.

By working in this way, you honour the traditions you have learned from, you bring integrity to your Four Directions practice, and you express your own authenticity. When respect, integrity, and personal truth meet, your ceremonies are far more likely to bring powerful and positive outcomes.