The Four Winds are different than the Seven Directions (North, East South, West, Above, Below, and Center or Within), and there are many attributions for each, depending on the tradition in which you are working.  Here are the attributions of the Four Winds taken from the CD "Journey to the Four Winds," by Navajo recording artist Tony Redhouse:

O    East Wind:  Traditionally, the East wind represents a time of birth and new life emerging in nature.  Imagine the childlike innocence and joy of observing the beauty around you.

O    South Wind:  The sound of rain reminds us of prosperity, abundance and growth.  In the South, imagine the energy for healing and vitality.

O    West Wind:  Where we go deeper inside ourselves, relying on our hearts, not our eyes, to perceive the light that reveals our true self.

O    North Wind:  Wisdom.  We have allowed ourselves to be like children, to develop our gifts, to trust our intuition and gain wisdom.

Who controls the voice of the flute?  Remember, you are just one of the many beings inhabiting this world, including an unseen world, richly populated.  There is the Spirit of the Flute; the Wood; the Spirit of the Flutemaker; the Seven Directions; the Animal Spirit residing in the Fetish (which you may experience differently, depending on whether the fetish is facing you or facing outward); the Spirits of Place (which exist in every place, not just the "cool" places); the Devas, or Nature Spirits (plants, trees, etc.); the Four Winds, Ancestors; and a host of others.

While in some traditions, the Direction you are facing is the Direction you are in, in the case of the Winds, it is the direction in which your back is facing that determines what wind is blowing through you.  For example, if you are sitting with your back facing the West, then the West Wind is blowing through you.

What Wind and/or Direction to choose?  Where are you right now in your life?  What energy would you like to manifest in your life?  Experiment with feeling into each direction and discovering the nuances in how you feel, what you play, think, see, etc., in each Direction.  Close your eyes, let each Direction speak to you and each Wind blow through you, and listen to what each has to say to you.  Be receptive to the gifts each has to give to you, and remember to say Thank You.

                                      c 2004 Stephanie Baldridge