To Natives, who were keen observers of nature, no animal represented exploration and discovery better than the Mouse . Constantly scurrying under leaves and grasses to find new roots or berries or holes, the Mouse was the explorer, expanding a tiny world to far horizons. The west , were the sun disappears into the edge of the world and brings the black of night, was represented by the Bear . Bear is the model of introspection, of looking within. Because the bear spends its waking hours in the dark and its sleeping hours in the depth of a den, it has ample opportunity to look at itself carefully.
Winter is the time of dormancy and renewal.
The white snows come from the north , and are carried by the wolf in the woodland or the buffalo on the prairie. These animals represent knowledge and intelligence. The four directions come together in the center, or hub, of the wheel. This is the place of balance, where a person can know many things, like the wolf, but not forget how to explore and discover new things, like the mouse. In the center, our ability to see the world clearly, like the eagle, is balanced by our ability to look within, like the bear.