Sand paintings are used in healing ceremonies by the Navajo people. The paintings are usually made on the floor of the Medicine Man's hogan and average eight by ten feet. The Medicine Man sprinkles colorful ground rock to make a special design. The designs are usually a form of nature that surrounds the life of the Navajo, such as birds, trees, roots, rainbows, and deities. When the ceremony is over, the painting is completely destroyed, thus destroying the patient's illness.

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