Gossamer threads of life hold me,
Perched between Earth and Sky,
Weaving the web, dreaming the dream,
Through the two worlds I will fly.
With you as my muse, Mother,
I create the substance of dreams,
Allowing the artist within me
To fashion my life with esteem.
I mold the clay of experiences
Into a sacred Medicine Bowl,
Capturing the essence of living
As it sings deep in my soul.
Your secrets of creation, Mother,
Have taught me when to destroy
The chains that have bound me,
Limiting the expression of my joy.
You have taught me how to labor,
Giving birth to the visions within,
Setting them free like silver arrows,
Kindling the fire of Creation again.
Perched between Earth and Sky,
Weaving the web, dreaming the dream,
Through the two worlds I will fly.
With you as my muse, Mother,
I create the substance of dreams,
Allowing the artist within me
To fashion my life with esteem.
I mold the clay of experiences
Into a sacred Medicine Bowl,
Capturing the essence of living
As it sings deep in my soul.
Your secrets of creation, Mother,
Have taught me when to destroy
The chains that have bound me,
Limiting the expression of my joy.
You have taught me how to labor,
Giving birth to the visions within,
Setting them free like silver arrows,
Kindling the fire of Creation again.
~ Jamie Sams
On Saturday I traveled up into the mountains to meet with my Vision Quest spirit guide and to gather with some clan sisters. As we talked and shared about the experiences so far this month I realized how fitting it was that an extra burst of creativity had been very much a part of my life. As part of the Vision Quest spiritual journey we are reading the book The 13 Original Clan Mothers by Jamie Sams. It just so happens that the month of October is represented by the Clan Mother of the Tenth Moon Cycle, Weaves the Web. "Weaves the Web represents the creative principle within all things. Her moon cycle falls in the month of October and is connected to the color pink. Working with the truth is her Cycle of Truth. She teaches us how to use our hands to create beauty and truth in tangible forms. Pink is the color of creativity. Weaves the Web shows us how to use crafts and art to create our ideas and dreams in the physical world. Through using our hands, we show our willingness to be of service to All Our Relations."
In addition to the writing I do for blogs and Cosmic Cowgirls Magazine, and the creative process included in my Vision Quest, I have also been participating in the amazing course by Jenafer Owen called Storywalking: Retrieve. (You can find out more about Jenafer's on-line courses at Inspired Inquiries.) We have been creating collages the past few weeks and then this week during a guided meditation the most amazing traveling companion revealed itself to join me on my journey ~ a whale. Below is an artistic rendition of my friend as I envisioned. The message my whale had for me ~ "We are going to plumb the depths...and swim among the stars."
I also could not resist participating in the course being offered by Brene Brown (and sponsored by Oprah) called The Gifts of Imperfection. During the first week of class I wrote permission slips for myself, took the pledge and created a courage heart, which included a short list of my most trusted confidants, or as Brene Brown puts it, the list of those who love me because of my imperfections.
- Permission Slips, The Pledge, Heart of Courage
It was rather interesting that even through I had read the chapter She Who Weaves right at the beginning of the month, I had not fully connected all that had been blossoming creatively in my corner of the world. Of course October is also the month that includes Halloween, a favored holiday in our home, and there have also been creative opportunities in the creation of costumes. My twin daughters chose to be a fox and and owl this year and we put together playful , comfortable and simple costumes for them to wear.
There is more from the introductory chapter about Weaves the Web that also bears sharing. "Weaves the Web is the Guardian of the Creative Forms in all things. She helps us express our creativity in a positive manner and use the energy available to us. The Clan Mother is also the Keeper of Life Force and instructs us to create health, to manifest our dreams, to develop and use our talents, and to access our spiritual potentials.
The Clan Mother of the Tenth Moon Cycle is the Mother of the Creative and Destructive principles; she shows us when to destroy limitations and create anew. She also teaches us when to nurture our creations, because she is the Keeper of Survival Instinct. When our physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual survival is at risk, Weaves the Web shows us how to tap into the life force to grow beyond this stagnation. She is an artist, a creatress, and the muse who beckons and inspires us to create the beauty found in our heart's desire. Through making something tangible and filling that creation with beauty, we are shown that the stuff of dreams can be expressed, giving form to our visions. She is the Clan Mother we turn to when we are afraid of failure or lack self-expression."
The last sentence above "She is the Clan Mother we turn to when we are afraid of failure or lack self-expression" is one that I had somewhat suppressed this month, but has been ever so present in a deeper and more subconscious way. On Saturday I also experienced a heart tuning by a beautiful young woman from Costa Rica who practices Reiki and is also a yoga instructor. After the heart tuning she shared with me that there was one message she was receiving for me which was that "It was okay for me to release the fear. That the fear was not necessary." I nearly teared up at hearing those words for I knew I had been suppressing deep seated fear for a couple of months. I had been pushing and stuffing it down, in an attempt to make it go away, and here I was being told by a messenger that I could just release the fear.
- Grandmother Spider art by Amethyst Moon Song
Let us return to the final paragraphs about Weaves the Web from The Thirteen Original Clan Mothers.
"When we follow the steps necessary to bring our dreams to life, Weaves the Web shows us how to use the life force found in the four elements of air, earth, water, and fire. We learn how to mix these elements with the creative essence that is our gift from the Great Mystery. This creative spark is called the Eternal Flame of Love and live inside our spiritual Essences. When the desire to create is in place, we are then able to make the decision TO BE. We then give form our our Spiritual Essences or Orendas through self-expression.
Weaves the Web, life Grandmother Spider who wove the web of the universe, teaches us how to weave the web of our experiences. She shows us how every circle we create grows to touch the circles created by all other life forms. The webs we create can trap us, if we do not create them in truth. We are asked by the Clan Mother to work with and for the truth in order to manifest a world dream that all living things can share. A web that is created in greed with eventually trap and devour the one who wove it because it was woven too tightly to allow giving, receiving, and sharing. A web woven too loosely, without care, lacks the craftsmanship that is necessary to make it strong and durable. A web woven from fear will attract the lessons needed to overcome that fear. A web woven from the love of creating and desire to share the abundance caught in the web's silvery fibers is a web that will endure until the dream is fulfilled.
Weaves the Web is the Clan Mother we turn to when we need the skills to make our dreams real. She shows us how to take the actions necessary to tap our creativity and go with the flow. Giving birth to our dreams is always accomplished by having the desire to create, deciding to create, and taking the actions necessary by using the flow of life force to give birth to the dream in the tangible world."
- Image by Sandy Stewart
Has creativity been flowing in your corner of the world this month?
Are there dreams that you have been longing to birth?
Are there fears (fear of failure) holding you back?
What would it take to release your fear?
What do you desire to create?
Are you taking actions on your desires?
Consider this quote from the chapter Weaves the Web:
"Weaves the Web taught the children that every painted symbol had meaning to an artist and that every color had a significance when an artist created an object of beauty."
What symbols resonate with you?
Do certain symbols show up in your dreams, thoughts, art or objects that draw your attention?
What colors are you currently drawn to at this time?
