The sacred circle offers a perspective for interpreting and theorizing about human development valuable in shaping the education of First Nations and non-First Nations students. For those of us in a western materialist culture who are interested in coming to understand what the sacred circle might offer, it is necessary to address assumptions in our own culture. This paper proceeds in four parts to facilitate such an understanding. Part One formulates the importance of a culturally self-critical approach to understanding education based in the sacred circle. Part Two presents the sacred circle as a pattern used to interpret meaning in First Nations education. Part Three examines interconnectedness through (a) Whitehead's criticism of western scientific epistemology and his idea of education for balanced development, and (b) through the creator, mother earth and the Four Directions reflected in the sacred circle. Part Four interprets a holistic apprehension approach to education based in (a) Whitehead's notion's of intuition and imagination for balanced development from the sacred circle perspective, and (b) through the sacred circle in the vision quest ceremony.