Post by Spirit of the Lynx on Jul 4, 2007 18:49:08 GMT -5
From: ♫Mysti♫ (Original Message) Sent: 8/4/2003 8:09 AM
The Spider
The spider has shown up in myth and lore throughout the world. Usually its symbolism has been very similar where it is used. In India it was associated w/ Maya, the weaver of illusion. It has has connections to the Fates in greek mythology and the Norns in Scandinavian lore-- women who would weave, measure, and cut the threads of life. To the Native Americans, spider is grandmother, the link to the past and future.
Unlike insects, spiders have a two section body instead of three, often giving them a figure eight kind of appearance. This in conjunction w/ its eight legs(unlike an insect's six) links it to all the mysticism associated w/ the geometric form of the figure eight. On its side, this is the symbol of infinity. It is the wheel of life, flowing from one circle to the next. The difficuly is learning to walk those circles or even hold your position w/ in the middle between the two.
Spider teaches you to maintain a ballance--between the past and the future, physical and spiritual, male and female. Spider teaches you that everything you now do is weaving what you will encounter in the future. In the tarot deck is a card-- The Wheel of Fortune. This is a card that has to do w/ rhythms-- the rise and fall, the flow and flux. It is linked to the energies of honor and fame, and the sensitivities necessary to place oursselves w/ in the rhythm of Nature. Meditaion upon this card would be beneficial for anyone w/ the spider as a totem.
The spider awakens creative sensibilities. It weaves a web of intricate and subtle fabric, as it to remind us that the past always subtly influences the present and future. Often the webs will take a spiral shape, the traditional form of creativity and developement. the spider found w/ in the web reminds us that we are the center of our own world. The ancient mystery schools had one precept inscribed above their portals: "Know thyself and thou shalt know the Universe!" Spider reminds us that the world is woven around us. We are the keepers and the writers of our own destiny, weaving it like a web by our thoughts, feelings, and actions.
The spider, because of its characteristics, has come to be associated by the mystics and in mythology w/ three predominant expressions of magic. The first magic and energy of creation. It is a symbol of creative power, reflected in its a bility to spin a silken web. It is also associated w/ assertiveness of that creative force, of keeping the feminine energies of creation alive and strong. This has ties to the characteristics of some spider, i.e. the female black widow, which will kill and eat the male after mating has exausted it.
The third predominant magic of the spider is associated w/ its spiral energy the links w/ the past and the future. The spirial of the web, converging at a central point, is something to be meditated upon by those w/ this totem. Are you moving tward a central goal or are u scattered and going in multiple directions? Is everything staying focused? Are you becoming too involved and or self absorbed? Are you focusing on other' accomplishments and not on your own? Are you developing resentent because of it-- for yourself or them?
Spider is the guardian of the ancient languages and alphabets. Every society has had myths about how the different languages and alphabets were formed. The Chinese alphabet is attributed to Ts'ang Chien, the god w/ the dragon face and four eyes. He formed it from the patterns of the stars, the marks on the backs of the turtle and the footprints of birs in the sand. The Norse god Odin created the Runic alphabet after hanging upon the great tree of life for nine days and nights. After this time, the twigs fell off and spelled out certain formulas and words.
To many, there was an alphabet even more primordial. It was formed by the geometric patterns and angles found w/ in spider's web. To many this was the first true alphabet. This is why spider is considered the teacher of language and the magic of writing. Those who weave magic w/ the written word probably have a spider totem.
The spider has long been associated w/ death and rebirth. Part of this may have to do w/ the fact that some female spiders will kill and eat the male after mating. This is often found in the insect world, the praying mantis being another such example. Because it is constantly building and weaving new webs, it has also been a lunar symbol, w/ ties to the waxing and waining of the moon. For those w/ this totem, this pattern is a reminder to maintain balance and polarity in all aspects of life. Spider teaches that through polarity and balance creativity is stimulated.
Most spiders are actually very very delicate. If you were holding a tarantula and dropped it, it would break and die. Spiders are a combination of gentleness and strength, and they have learned to combine both for successful survival. This is an important lesson for those w/ this totem.
As delicate as they are, spiders are also very agile. They can maintain ballance and walk the tiny silken threads w/ ease. To walk the threads of lif and maintain balance has been one of the mysteries throughout the ages. Myth and lore often speak of individuals who have learned to walk the threads between life and death--waking and sleeping--between the physical and the spiritual. This is part of what spider medicine can teach, for spiders are the experts at walking threads.
Most people have little or no contact w/ the bigger spiders, but they will often see a wide variety around the house and home. Maany of these serve vital functions, killing more harmful insects. Most of their movement occurs in the dark, and they move into inaccessible areas. This relects much about how to express the creative energies. Don't be afraid to employ it in seemingly inaccessible corners. Weave your creative threads in the dark and then when the sun hits them, they will glisten w/ intricate beauty.
If spider has come into your life, ask yourself some important questions. Are you not weaving your dreams and imaginings into reality? Are you not using your creative opportunities? Are you feeling closed in or stuck as if in a web? Do you need to pay attention to your balance and where you are walking in life? Are others out of balance around you? Do you need to write? Are you inspired to write or draw and not following through? Remember that spider is the keeper of knowledge of the primordial alphabet. Spider can teach how to use the written language w/ power and creativity so that your words weave a web around those who would read them.
Animal Speak Ted Andrews
The Spider
The spider has shown up in myth and lore throughout the world. Usually its symbolism has been very similar where it is used. In India it was associated w/ Maya, the weaver of illusion. It has has connections to the Fates in greek mythology and the Norns in Scandinavian lore-- women who would weave, measure, and cut the threads of life. To the Native Americans, spider is grandmother, the link to the past and future.
Unlike insects, spiders have a two section body instead of three, often giving them a figure eight kind of appearance. This in conjunction w/ its eight legs(unlike an insect's six) links it to all the mysticism associated w/ the geometric form of the figure eight. On its side, this is the symbol of infinity. It is the wheel of life, flowing from one circle to the next. The difficuly is learning to walk those circles or even hold your position w/ in the middle between the two.
Spider teaches you to maintain a ballance--between the past and the future, physical and spiritual, male and female. Spider teaches you that everything you now do is weaving what you will encounter in the future. In the tarot deck is a card-- The Wheel of Fortune. This is a card that has to do w/ rhythms-- the rise and fall, the flow and flux. It is linked to the energies of honor and fame, and the sensitivities necessary to place oursselves w/ in the rhythm of Nature. Meditaion upon this card would be beneficial for anyone w/ the spider as a totem.
The spider awakens creative sensibilities. It weaves a web of intricate and subtle fabric, as it to remind us that the past always subtly influences the present and future. Often the webs will take a spiral shape, the traditional form of creativity and developement. the spider found w/ in the web reminds us that we are the center of our own world. The ancient mystery schools had one precept inscribed above their portals: "Know thyself and thou shalt know the Universe!" Spider reminds us that the world is woven around us. We are the keepers and the writers of our own destiny, weaving it like a web by our thoughts, feelings, and actions.
The spider, because of its characteristics, has come to be associated by the mystics and in mythology w/ three predominant expressions of magic. The first magic and energy of creation. It is a symbol of creative power, reflected in its a bility to spin a silken web. It is also associated w/ assertiveness of that creative force, of keeping the feminine energies of creation alive and strong. This has ties to the characteristics of some spider, i.e. the female black widow, which will kill and eat the male after mating has exausted it.
The third predominant magic of the spider is associated w/ its spiral energy the links w/ the past and the future. The spirial of the web, converging at a central point, is something to be meditated upon by those w/ this totem. Are you moving tward a central goal or are u scattered and going in multiple directions? Is everything staying focused? Are you becoming too involved and or self absorbed? Are you focusing on other' accomplishments and not on your own? Are you developing resentent because of it-- for yourself or them?
Spider is the guardian of the ancient languages and alphabets. Every society has had myths about how the different languages and alphabets were formed. The Chinese alphabet is attributed to Ts'ang Chien, the god w/ the dragon face and four eyes. He formed it from the patterns of the stars, the marks on the backs of the turtle and the footprints of birs in the sand. The Norse god Odin created the Runic alphabet after hanging upon the great tree of life for nine days and nights. After this time, the twigs fell off and spelled out certain formulas and words.
To many, there was an alphabet even more primordial. It was formed by the geometric patterns and angles found w/ in spider's web. To many this was the first true alphabet. This is why spider is considered the teacher of language and the magic of writing. Those who weave magic w/ the written word probably have a spider totem.
The spider has long been associated w/ death and rebirth. Part of this may have to do w/ the fact that some female spiders will kill and eat the male after mating. This is often found in the insect world, the praying mantis being another such example. Because it is constantly building and weaving new webs, it has also been a lunar symbol, w/ ties to the waxing and waining of the moon. For those w/ this totem, this pattern is a reminder to maintain balance and polarity in all aspects of life. Spider teaches that through polarity and balance creativity is stimulated.
Most spiders are actually very very delicate. If you were holding a tarantula and dropped it, it would break and die. Spiders are a combination of gentleness and strength, and they have learned to combine both for successful survival. This is an important lesson for those w/ this totem.
As delicate as they are, spiders are also very agile. They can maintain ballance and walk the tiny silken threads w/ ease. To walk the threads of lif and maintain balance has been one of the mysteries throughout the ages. Myth and lore often speak of individuals who have learned to walk the threads between life and death--waking and sleeping--between the physical and the spiritual. This is part of what spider medicine can teach, for spiders are the experts at walking threads.
Most people have little or no contact w/ the bigger spiders, but they will often see a wide variety around the house and home. Maany of these serve vital functions, killing more harmful insects. Most of their movement occurs in the dark, and they move into inaccessible areas. This relects much about how to express the creative energies. Don't be afraid to employ it in seemingly inaccessible corners. Weave your creative threads in the dark and then when the sun hits them, they will glisten w/ intricate beauty.
If spider has come into your life, ask yourself some important questions. Are you not weaving your dreams and imaginings into reality? Are you not using your creative opportunities? Are you feeling closed in or stuck as if in a web? Do you need to pay attention to your balance and where you are walking in life? Are others out of balance around you? Do you need to write? Are you inspired to write or draw and not following through? Remember that spider is the keeper of knowledge of the primordial alphabet. Spider can teach how to use the written language w/ power and creativity so that your words weave a web around those who would read them.
Animal Speak Ted Andrews