Grandmother of Creation

At the dawn of summer, in the warmth of springtime, Spider peeks her head out and begins again to spin her tale. Her tale, like her web is spiral, each year bringing greater more elaborate worlds and possibilities into manifestation. Her story, her web is the spiral of life. Her ability and joy in creation is woven deep into the hearts and destiny of mankind. We can all learn from spider how and what to create in our sacred roles of Creators.

Spider is the grandmother of creation. She will tell you, and she loves to tell, that the center of each creation you weave must be strong and well anchored; the center must hold if a world is to rest upon it. The center of what is human is our ability to perceive beauty and the divine. Strengthen these things, and you will strengthen humanity; stifle them, and you remove one delicate strand on which we all rely. Destroy one child's capability for approaching the sublime, and you threaten us all.

Similarly, the center of each person must hold strong, if the soul is to be fed, if the person is to survive. The true center is the heart, and the heart is sweet and delicious. If we live from our hearts, our soft delicate centers, we will taste the sweetness in pleasure and pain, loses and gains. Like Spider, live your life only to find the delicious nectar of the heart and let it nourish you and fuel your creations. Let your creations only be born from heart, from sweetness. If you live your life ever striving for the honey of the heart, there you will find reward.

When you are fed by the beauty of a sunset, by justice, by soft touches and love, you nourish the heart of humanity and hold strong our center. When you create beauty from the heart, you create a new delicious center from which can spring a radiant world, the likes of which we have only glimpsed, in the eloquence of Shakespeare, in the light of Renoir, in the buildings of Frank Gehry glistening on Spanish shores. A strong delicate shimmering world of light, beauty, truth and justice is ours for the creating. Spider lives in this inter-dimensional shimmering center. Seek her and she will show you how to spin a cathedral from silk, light and dew, though she tells me some of you have already felt the sweetness of her kiss.

Spider honors each individual's essence. Honor and encourage each person's individual essence, recognizing and gathering only the sweetness. In our world, humans are often honored for their actions instead of their essence. We often look to be fed by what we do instead of who we are, by work and play instead of our divine essence. Spider assures us that a thousand hours of work will never be as valuable to her or Great Spirit as one drop of your essence.

Have you ever looked closely at a spider's web sparkling in the sun? Each place four directions intersect (much like the intersection of our world) is the home of countless rainbows, adding to the spectacle that is the kaleidoscope of her creation. Can you be dedicated enough to Beauty to encourage each of her creations to shine forth their own light so that the whole web can sparkle its infinitely complex pattern? When an individual's essence is not honored, a rainbow is stifled. Are you secure enough in your own shining that you can allow others to join and compliment your light?

Spider also encourages us to discard the heaviness in our lives. Delicate worlds of light must be inhabited by delicate beings of light. Take only what is yours, the nectar, and leave behind the old forms and baggage. Take with you only the sweetest relationships, possessions, ideas; the rest belongs to the heavy world of yesterday. Cut free from your life the carcasses of dead, the forms from your past heavy world, anything that does not smell of love and honey. There is only room for the necessary in this new world: love and light. Those who wish to travel, to see wonderful things, must travel light and often alone. Do not fear, though you must travel alone, you will not arrive alone; you will not live your new life of beauty and bliss alone. Eat light, think light, create light and make that subtle shift into the next dimension.

Ask Spider for help when other spirits cannot. Many spirits and guides prefer to exist in the formless, where they can be limitless. Time is patterned; in the formless there is no comparison. As Spider gives birth to patterned manifestation (she lives in the grid), she can help you create in a smooth effortless, even timely, manner. As her hourglass shape would imply, she is nothing if punctual. She can weave it all, everything at any time in existence. Though she would remind us that it takes even her at least a night to build wonders. And all things patterned, come in their patterned time.

Of course there is free will. Like her, the patterns you weave can be changed instantly. If you would choose to be limitless, she would be happy to immediately escort you beyond her realm, to a formless realm where you can begin to spin tales, worlds and patterns of your own. She tells us that humans live (more often than they realize), between form and formlessness; our potential is unlimited. Fortunately for her, she says, humans appreciate form. It keeps her busy.

She reminds us that within the web of life, ups and downs are natural, not evil. Her web lays the grid-work for contrast. That's why all of creation thanks and despises her. She doesn't take this personally. She understands that her constructs facilitate much growth. She is mindful of our contracts, both this and otherworldly, and helps us to fulfill them.

Like a patient grandmother teaches her grandchild to weave, she illustrates for us the sacred geometry at the center of our existence. She creates always in a circle; circles always in spirals, reflecting even within her tiniest creations the grandeur of infinity and the secrets of life. Within the patterns of her webs are the maps of creation, the cosmos, the laws of the universe and mathematics.

Looking to travel to other worlds, other dimensions? Spider is multi- inner and outer dimensional. She will help you to travel throughout creation, and in death, when asked, she will give your essence a respectful passage to your next destination. She can travel freely between worlds and dimensions because she laid the gridwork; it's only a matter of placing her awareness. She makes her web available for you to travel to any destination in any creation. Simply ask for directions, and she will show you the way to climb. She would like us to understand that being multi-dimensional is our natural state, that with clear intention and an open mind anything is possible.

When you attempt to create, listen to the questions Spider asks you: What lies at the center of your intention/creation? Are you taking only the nectar from the raw materials of your creation, or are you attempting to weave in outdated superfluous heaviness, baggage and worn-out ideas? Have you cut-free from your life anything that is not necessary, that is not pure love and light? Is your creation born of who you are not what you do? Are you ready to see only the wonder of beauty, encouraging diversity and individuality in every soul you meet? Do you create from the perspective of your limitlessness, keeping an open heart and mind?

Spider is always at the edge of your awareness, ready to whisper her stories of truth, beauty and justice to anyone who would listen. She is ready to provide the frame for the worlds you would weave; or when you are ready, teach you to lay the geometric patterns for your own foundations. All she asks in return for her secrets eloquently told is that you honor her brothers and sisters and that divine essence within us all. With spider's grace, may you forever create in sweetness.

Article by Ashley Costanzo and Janice VrMeer

Arachne

The famous story of Athena and Arachne in a wonderful contest pitting the divine skills of Athena against the foolish mind of the mortal Arachne. Athena is the goddess of arts and crafts along with her wide array of other attributes. The young Arachne with her magnificent skills in weaving was born of Idmon of Colophon, who was of low social status and wealth, and her deceased mother also of lower status. Arachne did not come from a wealthy family, the goddess Athena took pity upon this and taught her the great art of weaving and spinning. Athena's apprentice learned the art very quickly, and her handiwork became noticed by others. Arachne excelled in her skills very quickly, many people came to see her work. Soon the nymphs of Tmolus and the nymphs of Pactolus left their homes and waters to see the great work of Arachne.

People began to watch her work, hoping to learn from her mastery. Soon came comments about how Arachne must have learned the trade from the goddess Athena, for she is the only one that could have taught her such a trade. Everyone knew that Athena was the greatest of all, and that for Arachne to have such prowess, she must have learned from the master herself. Arachne became defensive of the accusations, denying the rumors of her being taught by Athena. Arachne wanted all the credit for herself, becoming jealous of Athena. Athena was quick to hear the words from Arachne, and decided to come to her in disguise. Athena liked Arachne and wanted to give her one last chance for retribution before teaching her a lesson she would not forget. The goddess arrived to the site at which Arachne was weaving, dressed as an elderly lady, in torn jagged clothes offering advice.

Athena's advice for Arachne was that she should strive to become the greatest in the art of weaving among mortals. Arachne would gain more knowledge when she became older, and that youth does not have the greatest benefits, knowledge is acquired through age. Athena told Arachne that she should pray to Athena for forgiveness, for the goddess is truly the greatest, and how divinities cannot be touched by mortals. Arachne was outraged by the comments of the old lady, she had to control herself from such an incredible outburst. She jumped out of her chair leaving her work unfinished and rebuttled to Athena. Arachne told the old lady to shut her mouth, and that she does not know what she is talking about, that she should be keeping her advice for her children and grandchildren, not for Arachne. Arachne challenged Athena to a contest, and mocked her for not coming to compete.

Bright-eyed Athena's fuse had been cut short, and her temper had then exploded. In all her might she threw off the clothes exposing herself in all her glory to Arachne, the nymphs, and other onlookers. Immediately they bowed in praise of the goddess, all except for Arachne who showed no fear, no apology, no wisdom either. All chances of apology and praise were then forgotten. Let the competition begin.

Each competitor worked feverishly at the loom, spinning and weaving their masterpieces. Nonstop work, fingers and feet flying, and incredible site for all watching. The two seemed to tune out the world and the universe, concentrating on their tapestry and the story that it may tell. Athena finished her work, and held up the incredible piece of work. The tapestry told the story of Athena and Poseidon, in their battle for control of Athens. The salt spring sprung forth from Poseidon and his mighty trident, and the sacred olive tree supplied by Athena, which won her the love of the city. Four accompanying scenes of mortals challenging the power of the gods, and their fate being transformed into different creatures and animals. The tapestry was truly a masterpiece that seemingly had no equal.

Arachne then held up her piece, the foolish mortal wove various stories of the gods less honorable victories. Some of the scenes including such things as gods deceiving women and other goddesses, making fools out of the gods. The tapestry was clearly an attempt of mockery and shame for the gods, if only the young girl had heeded warning. Athena quickly became angered, looking for fault in the girl's work. She searched the tapestry up and down, left and right, but could not find a fault anywhere. Athena called upon Envy to search Arachne's work, and yet even the great Envy could find not a single thread out of alignment. Athena's rage took hold of her, jumping towards Arachne with the wooden shuttle in her hand, repeatedly beating her face in with the tool. Arachne was alive, but could not bear the dishonor, and tied herself up in a noose, taking the life out of the body and nimble fingers the girl created with.

Athena had regained her self composure, immediately feeling remorse for the girl. In spite of the death, Athena decided to revive her, not letting her die completely. She used a magic potion made of various herb on Arachne, when used the ears, nose, and hair fell off of Arachne. Arachne shrank down to a much smaller size, spawning a total of 8 legs, and a smaller head than her body. Athena believed that her weaving should continue, this way she could weave her web, which we today call spider webs. The thread created inside of her body, resembled the fine thread silk. We get the name Arachnid from this story, the first arachnid created from Arachne.

Anansi Climbs The Wall
An Afro-Jamaican Folktale

Back there a long time ago, Nansi and Brer Death decided to plant a provision field together.

But Nansi and Death had a lot of quarrels. Nansi was always around smiling, playing around, making lots of nonsense. He would sit under the bamboo tree and make like he was some overseer. Anything but working in that field of provisions. So, of course, his yams and beans didn't grow.

But Brer Death, he carried his hoe all day, and while he was hoeing he was smacking his lips thinking about all the yams and beans he was going to eat.

Nansi, he started thinking too about all the yams and beans growing in the field. So he told his wife, Tookooma, that he was going to sneak over the field with his basket to get a taste. He told her to stay at the gate with a basket, so that when he came back with a basket of yams, she could hand him one for the beans. Tookooma said, "Duppies [ghosts] are going to catch you, husband." Nansi sucked his teeth: "Chuck! Dupphies don't bother me. Tonight I'm a white man and the duppies won't go after me."

Now, Brer Death thought that his provisions were getting to look awfully nice, so he started to stand watch over the field at night, with his cutlass in his hand. Bye and bye, he heard a sound and snuck over and sure enough he saw Nansi with a basket, right there in the middle of his field. He said, "Howdy Brer Nansi. What's happening with you?"

And Nansi said, "Howdy Brer Death, I'm just feeling so-so."

"What brings you to my provision field so late at night?"

"I like to watch your yams grow, Brer Death."

"Your mouth is running away with you, Nansi, Why are you carrying a basket then?"

"I'm going to hunt for crayfish, Brer Death."

So he could see that Nansi was there to steal his yams, so he flew at him with his cutlass, and Nansi started running toward home. He called way down the road: "Open the back door, shut the front door, Tookooma; Death is coming after me."

And Tookooma didn't hear him too well and asked, "Well, did you fill the basket?"

Nansi, who was closer now, said, "You fool, you; open the back door, shut the front door.": She still couldn't hear him well. "What did you say husband? Did you bring the basket?"

"Oh, you fool you! Open the back door, shut the front door. Death is coming after me!"

Nansi ran in the front door, and Death almost caught him and hit him with his cutlass. Nansi ran out the back and into an old shed, and ran up the wall like a big black spider, and he hid himself in a cranny so that Brer Death couldn't find him. And that's why you always find Nansi and all his webs sitting up in the rafters of old sheds and places like that.

This anonymous oral tale is still told by itinerant talkers in rural Jamaica. It appeared in Volume III number 1 of New Mystery Magazine. Thanks to the translation and editing by Roger Abrahams, (Afro-American Tales, Pantheon 1985) and a primary source version by Miss Betty Lou, (Kingston People Books 1994.)

Anansi, the trickster
A Tale from Ghana

Everyone knows that Anansi the spider is the world's greatest trickster. Oh, the tricks he has played! Oh, the friends and enemies he has fooled! But once Anansi was too tricky for his own good. Anansi the trickster out tricked himself.

It started when the Sky God, Nyame (Nee-ah-mee), held a great feast. After dancing and eating, Nyame called everyone together. "I know that many of you want to marry my daughter," the Sky God said.

Tiger, Leopard, and all the others called out, "Yes, it is true."

"Listen to me," proclaimed Nyame. "I have decided that the first one smart enough to discover my daughter's secret name will be her husband."

Tiger, Leopard, and all the others listened carefully to Nyame's announcement. Then and there, they all decided to try and learn the secret name.

The next day, Leopard walked to the Sky God's home. He had a list of 100 names. "One of these must be right," he said. But Leopard was disappointed. He did not know the secret name.

The sun set, the sun rose, and then Tiger went to Nyame. He, too, had a list of 100 names. He read every one, but he never said the secret name. Next Hyena and Cheetah tried. Snake tried, too. They all failed.

Just like the others, Anansi wanted to discover the secret name. Unlike the others, he had a plan.

One afternoon Anansi climbed a mango tree in Nyame's garden. He waited there for Nyame's daughter and her servant to take their daily walk. When the two arrived, Anansi plucked a juicy mango from the tree and let it fall to the ground.

The servant saw the fruit drop. She lifted it up and said, "Oh, Beduasemanpensa (bed-wha-seh-mahn-pen-sah), look at this beautiful mango."

"Put it in your basket. Later we will take it to my father," said the Sky God's daughter.

As soon as the servant put the fruit in her basket, Anansi dropped another mango and then another and another. Each time the servant cried, "Oh, Beduasemanpensa, I found one more mango."

Finally the servant said,"Beduasemanpensa, the basket is full. Come, we must return to your father's house."

When the two left the garden, Anansi climbed down from the tree.

"Beduasemanpensa, I know your secret name," Anansi laughed as he ran home.

When Anansi entered his house, he reached for his talking drum. Why? He wanted to teach his talking drum to say Beduasemanpensa. "Anyone can speak the name," Anansi said to himself. "But tomorrow I will show everyone just how smart I am. I will not speak the name. Oh, no. I will play it on my drum."

That night, Anansi was too delighted to sleep. He made up his mind to visit his good friend Abosom (ah-bo-sahm) the Lizard.

As soon as he entered Abosom's house Anansi cried out, "I know it! I know the secret name. Tomorrow I will go to Nyame and play it on my talking drum."

"Ah, Anansi, it is true. You are the smartest of all," said Lizard.

"And you are a good friend, Abosom," he replied. "Because of that, I will tell you the name. I am too excited to keep it a secret anymore.

" For the rest of the night, Abosom sang the secret name while Anansi played it on his talking drum. When the sun rose, Anansi, with Abosom by his side, headed for the Sky God's home.

Leopard, Tiger, and everyone else in the village saw Anansi walking. "I wonder," said Tiger, "does Anansi know the secret name?"

"Let's find out! Let's find out!" everyone called out as they trailed Anansi to the Sky God's home.

When this parade reached its destination, Anansi bowed to the Sky God and said, "Nyame, I am proud to say that I know your daughter's secret name."

"If that is true," replied Nyame, "let me hear it." Anansi started playing his drum. He played softly and then loudly. The Sky God listened.

"I do not understand your drumming, Anansi," said the Sky God. "You must listen more carefully," replied Anansi. Then he played the drum again.

"I still do not understand," said Nyame.

"Abosom, tell Nyame what the drum says," cried Anansi.

"Beduasemanpensa is the secret name," sang Abosom.

"You are right, Abosom. That is the secret name. You are the first one to speak it. You will marry my daughter," announced Nyame.

When Anansi heard these words, he grew very angry. "You are not being fair, Nyame! I discovered the name. I played it on my drum," Anansi complained.

"You banged your drum, but I did not hear my child's name. Abosom said the name. He said it loudly. He said it clearly. He will marry my daughter," said the Sky God.

Everyone agreed. Abosom, the Lizard, should marry the Sky God's daughter.

"I guess the talking drum was one trick too many," said Anansi as he left Nyame's house alone.

© 1998 Cuisenaire® • Dale Seymour Publications® All Rights Reserved.

Spider Woman / Thought Woman / Creation Thinker Woman
Southwestern Native American

In the beginning, there was the dark purple light at the dawn of being. Spider Woman spun a line to form the east, west, north, and south. Breath entered man at the time of the yellow light. At the time of the red light, man proudly faced his creator.

Spider Woman used the clay of the earth, red, yellow, white, and black, to create people. To each she attached a thread of her web which came from the doorway at the top of her head. This thread was the gift of creative wisdom. Three times she sent a great flood to destroy those who had forgotten the gift of her thread. Those who remembered floated to the new world and climbed to safety through the Sipapu Pole the womb of Mother Earth.

Spider Woman had two daughters, Ut Set, the mother of the Pueblo people. She formed the sun and gave her people the gift of the sun. Nau Ut Set formed the moon and was the mother of all others. She gave the gift of prayer sticks.

After the sun and moon were formed, it was still too dark. Spider Woman formed the Star People with clear crystal for eyes. She also gave the people Eagle feathers for their hair to remind them to keep the door open to her gift of creative wisdom.

Spider Woman is also Thought Woman or Creation Thinker Woman. As she thinks, so are we. The Spirit is all - it flows in and out of everything - it embraces the earth - it encompasses the universe. It is the earth. It is the universe. Spirit is universal.

The spider

Serenely on her tiny loom she weaves her web with careful art. And who am I, with meddling broom to send it's loveliness apart?

For I, who am a weaver, too, look on that intricate design, And know its deft embroideries are far more beautiful than mine.

I stay my hand, for when I see those fairy tapestries agleam, How can I wantonly destroy a fellow craftsman's dearest dream?

So I must lay aside my broom, and when my neighbors come to call I'll draw the blinds, and in the gloom they'll never see those webs at all!

Jamie Sexton Holm in Star Gatherer

Incy Wincy Spider

Incy Wincy spider
climbing up the spout

down came the rain
and washed poor Incy out

out came the sun
and dried up all the rain

Incy Wincy spider
climbed up the spout again!

Fate

The Moirai are personifications of the inescapable destiny of man. They assign to every person his or her fate or share in the scheme of things.

Their name means 'Parts', 'Shares' or 'Alotted Portions'.

Klotho - whose name means 'Spinner', spins the thread of life.

Lakhesis - whose name means 'Apportioner of Lots' (being derived from a word meaning to receive by lot) measures the thread of life.

Atropos - whose name means 'She who cannot be turned', cuts the thread of life.

At the birth of a man, the Moirai spin out the thread of his future life, follows his steps, and directs the consequences of his actions according to the counsel of the gods. It is not an inflexible fate; Zeus, if he chooses, has the power of saving even those who are already on the point of being seized by their fate. The Fates do not abruptly interfere in human affairs but avail themselves of intermediate causes, and determine the lot of mortals not absolutely, but only conditionally, even man himself, in his freedom is allowed to exercise a certain influence upon them. As man's fate terminates at his death, the goddesses of fate become the goddesses of death, Moirai Thanatoio.

The Moirai are independent, at the helm of necessity, direct fate, and watch that the fate assigned to every being by eternal laws may take its course without obstruction; and Zeus, as well as the other gods and man, must submit to them. They assign to the Erinnyes, who inflict the punishement for evil deeds, their proper functions; and with them they direct fate according to the laws of necessity.

As goddesses of birth, who spin the thread of life, and even prophesy the fate of the newly born, Eileithyia is their companion.

As goddesses of fate they must necessarily know the future, which at times they reveal, and are therefore prophetic deities. Their ministers are all the soothsayerrs and oracles. As goddesses of death, they appear together with the Keres and the infernal Erinnyes.

Zeus as the god of the fate of mortals is their leader. The Moirai generally remain personally remote from the affairs of gods and men.

The riddle of the trickster
a cross-cultural overview by Thunderspud of Dragonfhain

Who is this trickster archetype, the one who inspires such mixed feelings and brouhaha? Trickster has been with us from the beginning. Trickster will be there at the ending. (If there is an ending, Trickster will probably trigger it). Trickster is a creator, a transformer, a joker, a truth teller, a destroyer.

Whoever has created a dance, a song, written a ritual, tailor-made a job, birthed a child or invented a game has partaken of a controlled Trickster energy. After all, in Northwest Native and Inuit tradition, Raven created the world; Loki is known to the Norse as a co-creator (and the bringer of Ragnarok); Anansi the spider-trickster among the Ashanti of Ghana and Nareau the spider in Micronesia; Coyote among the Southwest Natives -- these are the creator aspects of this wild and uncontrolled energy. Trickster often begins in the void, desiring to bring Order out of Chaos; once Order is imposed, however, Trickster represents the breaking free of negative power from the Universal Order of things.

As a shape-shifter, Trickster is all things to all people, at one time or another, and often simultaneously. Of course Trickster is a creator and a destroyer. Sure he's a family man and a vagabond. Naturally he gives fire to humans and then steals their food before they can cook it. This is his style; when he acts out of selfishness, everyone benefits -- Maui of the Thousand Tricks might snare the Sun to slow it down, making life easier for humans, but he did it so his mother would have more time to cook for him. When he acts out of altruism, there's most always a negative effect -- Marawa, a Lou Costello prototype from Banks Island, carved human figures from wood and put them in the ground so they would grow and be strong; however, they merely rotted and death came into the world of humans. This shape-shifter not only moves from shape to shape, but from world to world. Number Eleven suffered at the hands of death to free his brothers; his brothers then took his lifeless body away and revived him. In the Winnebago cycle, Trickster dies three times and returns to life three times. In just one collection of Coyote stories, Giving Birth to Thunder, Sleeping With His Daughter, Coyote dies of a snake bite, a gunshot, an arrow wound, a broken heart, a rock-fall and a drowning; this resembles nothing so much as a Roadrunner cartoon.

Trickster fuzzes the lines between Male and Female, between cunning and stupidity (in one story Coyote steals a horse, in another he almost drowns trying to eat some berries reflected in a stream), between wisdom and stupidity. Trickster tells us the truth about our selves, showing us with truth and wit the sides of our nature that we may be more comfortable not acknowledging; he's the one who points at the Emperor's nakedness, he's Lenny Bruce and Ashleigh Brilliant, Ken Kesey and Uncle Remus, Opus, Geech, Tom Robbins, Abbie Hoffman, Don Becker, Weird Al Yankovich and David Letterman, holding up a skewed mirror of reality for us to look into. Among the Aztecs, as serious a culture as this continent has ever seen, Ueuecoyotl, a funny and outrageously unacceptable clown figure; in the Southwest, at serious rituals, he's the Koshare speeding around the circle with tickling feathers and rattle, being ignored completely by the priest.

Trickster shines on as a culture bringer: Transformer steals fire for his poor stunted creations, and pays a terrible and eternal price for his philanthropy. Loki also steals fire for humans, as do Anansi, Raven, Coyote, Maui; so far I have found no less than seventeen stories from different cultures on this theme. Anansi tricked Nyankopon the Sky-God out of his stories and gave them to the humans. Clat, from Banks Island, taught humans how to sleep.

In the stories of the Ashanti, Anansi invented the tar-baby as a ruse to trap an elemental spirit, but in the Native American stories, Coyote is trapped by a tar-baby set up by a farmer. Actually the farmer had caught a rabbit with his tar-baby, but Coyote happened along and asked Rabbit what he was doing there. "The farmer who owns this field got mad at me because I wouldn't eat his melons, so he stuck me here and said he'd come back and make me eat chicken." Rabbit replies, "But I told him I wouldn't do it." Of course, greedy Coyote extricates Rabbit and wraps himself around the tar-baby where he still his when the farmer comes out and shoots him.

So this is the Trickster, the energy that allows us to break out of our stereotypes, whether they've been imposed by ourselves, our families, our culture. This is the energy that opens the world of limitless possibilities and it behooves us all to work with it before it destroys us, to touch the Trickster as he touches us.

from RMPJ, Oct.'86

This article is excerpted from the Rocky Mountain Pagan Journal. Each issue of the Rocky Mountain Pagan Journal is published by High Plains Arts and Sciences; P.O. Box 620604, Littleton Co., 80123, a Colorado Non-Profit Corporation, under a Public Domain Copyright, which entitles any person or group of persons to reproduce, in any form whatsoever, any material contained therein without restriction, so long as articles are not condensed or abbreviated in any fashion, and credit is given the original author.

Weaving the Web of Life
by Del Ashkewe and Paula Johnstone

In the beginning, in the darkness of the deep, the Creator God, perceived aloneness and understood the needing of one for an other. In His aloneness, the Creator God conceived all Oneness. You are never alone, for even the word alone (all one), reminds you, of the Oneness of the Universe, the Creator conceived. In searching for another, He understood Love and the needing of one for its other, the needing of one and other. He conceived the thought of male and female spirits and commanded them to come into existence. He caused the male spirits to provide for and protect the life the female spirits would bring forth, for like Him they would protect all, that was created. He caused the female spirits to bring forth life, by teaching the children they brought forth, love for all life.

The moment a female spirit brings forth life, becoming a Mother, she becomes an Alpha being, for in giving birth she begins to fulfill her purpose. In giving birth to a child, she is not only the mother of a child, she is the Mother of a Nation, a Mother to all the Spirits that will descend from her Spirits. For this reason she is to be respected as a Mother of a Nation, by all of mankind. Whatever she teaches her children in childhood, will appear on Earth. If she teaches them love, light, understanding, and the respect for all life, Heaven will appear on Earth. If she teaches them darkness, fear, pain, self-pity and sorrow, what will appear on Earth, will resemble the world you live in.

The spider spirit is one of the major spirits of women and the teachings of the Spider are told throughout the World. Spider Woman has long been in charge of teaching the Children, the beauty of love and the way of protecting all life. The Spider/woman is an Alpha being. They are Alpha in the fact that they are the primary teachers of the Children of Earth. They teach the basics of life to their children and are their first teachers. They are the Mothers of Nations and their Children are the strands in the web of life. The Spiders web is an extension of the Spiders’ own senses, keeping the Spider up to date on the environment around it. The web also reminds all where their sols/souls are. When the dew kisses the web in the morning sun, the sparkles of light remind all of the stars in the night sky. The stars are your sols/souls, sparkling for all to see, reminding one and other to live as Children of Light. Our children are the extension of our love and our future. In teaching children love and the respect for every living thing, the Spider and Women strengthen the web of life, giving order to life. The children become an ordered society, for in teaching goodness and light to their children, they cause Heaven to appear on Earth. The Spiders/ Women are the weavers of destiny.

Children are spirits of love and gifts of life from the Creator God. They are the blessings of God sent to men and women to fulfill their desire to unify themselves in purpose and strengthen their resolve to become One, through the love and true pride of God. All children are the joy and laughter of His love and the flowering beauty of His Universal Reign on Earth. Children are Spirits of the Sun sent through you to become His Dome Minions of Earth and Spirits of the Sky, to help you carry out His will and to fulfill their purpose of protecting all life on Earth. Children belong to the world of the Creator God, not to the personal ambitions of mankind.

Spiders live almost anywhere. They can be found living all over the ground, under rocks, among grasses, on plants, in and on trees, in underground caves and on the water. Women like spiders are the builders of their homes and will adapt to their surroundings, making nearly any place home. A spider controls its web from the center, just as the Sol/Soul of our Father, the Sun, generates its rays, from His fiery center. It is often said "Home is where the heart is" and Woman are the hearts of their homes, for they teach and hold love. Like the Heart of Earth, women are the heart of their nation and the warmth of their home, extending the warmth of their love, to every being that dwells there-in. Women unify and co-ordinate life in their families, bonding the lives of their children together in Oneness with all life. Grooming their Children with love and care, molding the protectors and providers of future nations.

Female spirits are the doors and the passages to the world of the Creator. Doors because they bring forth life and passages because they are the primary teachers of the lives they bring forth. Like the trees of life and plants of Earth, women are given the gift to bring forth life in abundance. Bringing forth life they send their roots deep within the heart of their Mother the Earth, giving their children a firm foundation in her love for all life and giving order to life within their family. The potential to give birth, the sacred rite to bring forth life, make female spirits and female bodies sacred temples, which should be treated as such.

Men like the birds of the air, plant seeds from the trees of knowledge, teaching their love, grooming the wisdom of great future nations and the forested fortresses of Earth. Like the birds who take their direction from their Father the Sun above and fly through the sky, men are Messengers of God and the Spiritual heads of their families. Basing their lives on the Order of the Universe, Fathers set the foundations of true family pride, through their constant faith and love for the Creator God. Fathers teach the future to love and respect all life.

When a male spirit and female spirit join in body and spirit, they say to one and other, "Lets make love." They are actually saying let's, share in and bring forth life. The ‘love they make' are the children and life they bring forth. When they make ‘love’, a new spirit enters the world and they (male and female) get to watch their ‘love’ grow. Their love is their bond. Their bonding is their expression of their joy for life, the response of their need of one for its other. They join together to fulfill their purpose, for they need one and other. Their Children are the fulfillment of Life and their lives together.

Spiders were given eight legs and eight eyes because they need a lot of assistance to raise all of their children. Spiders are very capable beings, watching and caring for their hundreds of offspring, introducing order in their lives through the weaving of their web. Their Father, the Creator God, gives spiders all of the assets necessary to care for all of their children. Women have society to act as their eight arms and eight eyes. The society, in which she brings forth life, is responsible for the protection and provision of the lives she brings forth. For without her bringing forth life there would be no society. Without her placing order in the hearts and minds of her children, there would be no order in that society.

In Native society, on the day of your birth, you are born to a large extended family, immediately having the protection of the entire Native Nation. This family would do anything to protect you, even give their lives for you. On the day you were born, your Mother's sisters, were your Mother. Your Father's brothers were your Father. This is why all the Native Family celebrated your arrival through ceremony (Baby Showers, Naming Ceremonies) and offerings of Thanksgiving were made, to the Creator, for His gift of life, that you might love.

Should by some great catastrophe or necessity, all of these Fathers and Mothers are taken from you, you were also given a Godfather and a Godmother. These two people were to arrange your education. You were supplied with two medicine people or teachers, a man and a woman, that taught you the ways of the physical world. You were also supplied with two spiritual teachers (Shaman) to heal your heart, mind and soul, to teach you all aspects of the spiritual world. These guides helped you to recall all the knowledge given to you by the Creator throughout all of your lifetimes.

Society owes all members of their extended family, love and caring. You are brothers and sisters, in one family, under the Creator God. Provide a place of love and caring for each living being and we will eliminate the world of darkness that surrounds us. The Great Spirit of the Spider teaches us how to bring order, love and harmony back to our world so we may strengthen the webs of life. We are Spirits that need one and other and that can share in the world of Love and Oneness, which the Creator intended us to live in.

All spiritual belief is based on the order of the Universe and can be applied to the natural world. The Spider teaching is a universal teaching, in the fact that there are spiders in every land around the world, living on every level. What the Spider teaches in one land, the Spider teaches in every land, for the Spider is a Great Spirit. If your spiritual teachings cannot be seen in the natural world or through the natural order of the Universe they are not spiritual teachings but are the wrongs which humans choose to do and choose to teach others.

When you choose to correct others you are showing them that you love and care for them, for if it were not so, you wouldn’t be bothered to correct them. Our greatest purpose is to love one and other.

from: SELF IMPROVEMENT ONLINE

Del Ashkewe, Born 1947, Cape Crocker I.R., Ontario, Canada. Potawattomi Holy Man/Artist, Bear Clan.
Paula Johnstone, Born 1957, Blind River, Ontario, Canada. Plains Cree, French, Irish, Traditional Healer and Spiritual Teacher, Eagle Clan. Mother and Grandmother.

Kumo

Various Japanese myths tell of huge spiders (kumo), bigger than a man, with eyes as big a saucers, sharp teeth, and long legs. These spiders hide in old castles, looking like innocent heaps of clothes. Unwary travelers, seeking shelter and laying down to sleep, will wake up to find themselves imprisoned by huge sticky spider webs. Those webs are too tough to be undone except by magic. One particular myth tells of a miser whose blood was sucked by a gigantic spider until he repented. The hero Reiko had various encounters with these monsters.

Spider Medicine

One tribe has associated the white man with spider medicine.

Their prophecy says that when the white man (Spider) has connected all of his power (electrical) lines and forms a great web over the earth, then his world will burn and he will be destroyed.

Spider Woman

Another tribe speaks of the Spider Woman who weaves existence together like great strands of a web. Learning the stories of the Spider Woman can help one understand that we are all connected. By dishonoring one, we dishonor ourselves.

A spider tradition in Islam

There is a famous story in Islam that when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) first fled from Mecca pursued by its angry residents he hid in a cave. That night a spider spun its webs across the Cave's entrance so when his pursuers got to the cave they were convinced not to search for him inside. Spider are still given special respect by Muslims.

from a newsletter, 'The Talking Leaf' from Powersource

How Grandmother Spider Brought Fire to the People

In the beginning there was no fire, and the world was cold, until the Thunders, who lived up in Galun lati (Gah-lun-lah-tee), sent their lightening and put fire into the bottom of a hollow sycamore tree which grew on an island. The animals knew it was there, because they could see the smoke coming out at the top, but they could not get to it on account of the water, so they held a council to decide what to do. This was in the long ago time, when the animals could talk one to the other.

Every animal that could fly or swim was anxious to go after the fire. The Raven offered, and because he was so large and strong they thought he could surely do the work, so he was sent first. He flew high and far across the water and alighted on the sycamore tree, but while he was wondering what to do next, the heat had scorched all his feathers black, and he was frightened and came back without the fire. The little Screech Owl (wa'huhu [wah-hoo-hoo]) volunteered to go, and reached the place safely, but while he was looking down into the hollow tree a blast of hot air came up and nearly burned out his eyes. He managed to fly home as best he could, but it was a long time before he could see well, and his eyes are red to this day. The the Hooting Owl (Uguku [OO-goo-koo]) and the Horned Owl (Tskili [Skee-lee]) went, but by the time they got to the hollow tree, the fire was burning so fiercely the the smoke nearly blinded them, and the ashes carried up by the wind made white rings about their eyes. They had come home again without the fire, but with all the rubbing they were never able to get rid of the white rings.

Now no more of the birds would venture, and so the little Uksuhi (Ook- soo-hee)snake, the black racer, said he would go through the water and bring back some fire. He swam across to the island and crawled through the grass to the tree, and went in by a small hole at the bottom. The smoke and heat were too much for him, too, and after dodging about blindly over the hot ashes until he was almost on fire himself he managed by good luck get out again at the same hole, but his body had been scorched black, and he has ever since had the habit of darting and doubling back on his track as if trying to escape from close quarters. He came back, and the great black snake, Gule'gi (Goo-lay-kee), "The Climber," offered to go for fire. He swam over to the island and climbed up the tree on the outside, as the blacksnake always does, but when he put his head down into the hole the smoke choked him so that he fell into the burning stump, and before he could climb out again he was as black as the Uksu'hi.

Now they held another council, for still there was no fire, and the world was cold, but birds, snakes, and four footed animals, all had some excuse for not going, because they were all afraid to venture near the burning sycamore, until at last Kanane'ski Amai'yehi (Kah-nah-nay Ah-eye-yay-hee [the Water Spider]) said she would go. This is not the water spider that looks like a mosquito, but other one, with black downy hair and red stripes on her body. She can run on top of the water or dive to the bottom, so there would be no trouble to get over to the island, but the question was, How could she bring back the fire? "I'll manage that," said the Water Spider; so she spun a thread from her body and wove it into a tusti (toos-tee) bowl, which she fastened on her back. Then she crossed over to the island and through the grass to where the fire was still burning. She put one little coal of fire into her bowl, and came back with it, and ever since we have had fire, and the Water Spider still keeps her tusti bowl.

That is how fire came to the People.

Hope you all enjoyed the story. Aho! We are All Related!
Standing Bear, Glenn Welker nativelit@earthlink.net

A Noiseless Patient Spider
Whitman, Walt. 1900. Leaves of Grass.

A NOISELESS, patient spider,
I mark'd, where, on a little promontory, it stood, isolated;
Mark'd how, to explore the vacant, vast surrounding,
It launch'd forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself;
Ever unreeling them - ever tirelessly speeding them.

And you, O my Soul, where you stand,
Surrounded, surrounded, in measureless oceans of space,
Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, - seeking the spheres, to connect them;

Till the bridge you will need, be form'd - till the ductile anchor hold;
Till the gossamer thread you fling, catch somewhere, O my Soul.

Superstitions

In England, a spider descending on a thread towards you is warning of an approaching visitor.

In China, a spider at the end of a long thread means the arrival of a friend from far.

In Puerto Rico, it is unlucky to see a spider dropping down a thread, but lucky to see one climbing up.

In Kentucky, a bride who finds a spider on her wedding dress is considered to be lucky. A spider on her neck, though, denotes a secret lover.

In India, Hindus collect spiders and scatter them as confetti at weddings as they are symbols of prosperity.

Areop-Enap
The creator of the Nauru Islands in Micronesian mythology, The Ancient Spider.

In the beginning only Areop-Enap and the sea existed. Then one day he discovered a mussel shell. After much trouble he managed to open it and crept inside. It was so dark inside the shell that he could see nothing so he passed some of his power on to the small snail and made it the moon. By the faint light of the moon he spied a worm, which he set to work separating the upper and lower parts of the shell. These became the sky and the earth. When the worm was finished it died of exhaustion, and became the sun. The sweat of the worm, running into the lower shell, became the sea.

From stones Areop-Enap made man to support the sky, and then traveled to the newly created world. There he discovered other beings and learned their names by creating a winged creature from the dirt under his nails. This flying "bird" annoyed to people and they called to each other to kill it. Thus the Spider knew what they were called.

Design

I found a dimpled spider, fat and white
On a white heal-all, holding up a moth
Like a white piece of rigid satin cloth
Assorted characters of death and blight
Mixed ready to begin the morning right
Like the ingredients of a witches' broth
A snow-drop spider, a flower like a froth
And dead wings carried like a paper kite

What had that flower to do with being white
The wayside blue and innocent heal-all?
What brought the kindred spider to that height
Then steered the white moth thither in the night?
What but design of darkness to appall?
If design govern in a thing so small.

Robert Frost (1874-1963)

The legend of the Christmas spider
A folk legend from Germany and the Ukraine

Once upon a time, long ago, a gentle mother was busily cleaning the house for the most wonderful day of the year.... The day on which the Christ child came to bless the house. Not a speck of dust was left. Even the spiders had been banished from their cozy corner in the ceiling to avoid the housewife's busy cleaning. They finally fled to the farthest corner of the attic.

T'was the Christmas eve at last! The tree was decorated and waiting for the children to see it. But the poor spiders were frantic, for they could not see the tree, nor be present for the Christ child's visit. But the oldest and wisest spider suggested that perhaps they could peep through the crack in the door to see him. Silently they crept out of their attic, down the stairs, and across the floor to wait in the crack in the threshold. Suddenly, the door opened a wee bit and quickly the spiders scurried into the room. They must see the tree closely, since their eyes weren't accustomed to the brightness of the room... so the crept all over the tree, up and down, over every branch and twig and saw every one of the pretty things. At last they satisfied themselves completely of the Christmas tree beauty.

But alas!! Everywhere they went they had left their webs, and when the little Christ child came to bless the house he was dismayed. He loved the little spiders, for they were God's creatures too, but he knew the mother, who had trimmed the tree for the little children, wouldn't feel the same, so He touched the webs and they all turned to sparkling, shimmering, silver and gold! Ever since that time, we have hung tinsel on our christmas trees, and according to the legend, it has been a custom to include a spider among the decorations on the tree.

Inari

The Japanese god of food or goddess of rice. Inari is one of the most mysterious deities of Japan. He is both male and female. Each year he/she descends from a mountain to the rice fields. The fox is Inari's messenger and it is believed that he/she can assume a fox's shape. The deity may also assume the shape of a spider in order to teach wicked men a lesson. Inari is portrayed with a beard and carrying two bundles of rice.

An Inari-shrine can be found in many Japanese towns and in many households he/she is venerated as a symbol of prosperity and friendship. These shrines are guarded by statues of foxes, divine messengers. Inari's central temple is Fushimi-Inara in south-east Kyoto city, built around 700 AD.

Inara the rice-goddess is celebrated in a festival held during the first days of spring when cultivation begins. She may be identified with the Indian Lakshmi and the Javanese Dewi Sri. Inari is also sometimes identified with Uga-no-Mitama, the goddess of agriculture.

Aburage, fried bean-curd, is an offering relished by Inari. Rice wrapped in aburage is called Inari-sushi or o-Inari-san.