As we say farewell to Arachne, her anthology serves as a collective weaving of perception and intuitive knowledge about the work we have done within Dark Goddess Collective. It is a tapestry woven by many and I am filled with gratitude for the Sovereigns who often inspire me. While we move forward in the next Lunar cycle, rest assured that the weaving of magic with Arachne shall persist!
Correspondences
Lineage: Greek
Parents: Idmon (Father – Ovid)
Color: Purple
Stone: Spiderweb Obsidian
Animal/Insect: Spider
Number: 8
Zodiac: Leo, Scorpio
Conflations: Clotho, Athene
Season: Autumn
Herbs/Plants: Juniper, Agrimony, Pennyroyal
Spider and Weaving Magic
During this lunar cycle’s Creative Corner we learned how to weave with Tania Ciolek of Howling Baubo! It was wildly creative and expansive, each of us doing it in our own way. The journey to arriving at our own finished product was filled with meaning and deep medicine!
Obsidian is an igneous rock that is formed by lava cooling after a volcanic eruption. The lava cools and hardens so quickly there is no time for any other crystal growth. It is sometimes referred to a natural glass, volcanic glass or lava stone. In most cases when a stone has two colors, that means two different minerals are present. Spiderweb Obsidian is an exception to the rule.
Obsidian is found all over the world where there is volcanic activity. But Spiderweb Obsidian is found in Mexico and Southeastern United States. Obsidian is typically jet black; however, the inclusion of various minerals or water droplets can sometimes create colored varieties. In the case of Spiderweb Obsidian, the green patterning is because the lava cooled so quickly that the silica molecules didn’t have enough time to arrange themselves into a uniform structure and so the Obsidian has internal stresses, that crack and fracture as the Obsidian cools further. Mineral-rich fluids can then fill these cracks and create a colorful spiderweb pattern. The green coloring is from Iron and Magnesium.
Obsidian History
The very earliest Obsidian tools date to the Oldowan, at the very dawn of the Paleolithic/Stone Age (2.6 million -10,000 BCE). Obsidian may be found on the surface of the Earth and requires little to no mining to extract. I have seen and held a bird eye Obsidian Arrowhead before. The edges and points are so sharp they easily can slice the skin.
Healing Properties
Spiderweb obsidian is more than a stone. It is a spiritual guide, a bearer of deep wisdom and a talisman of the earths innate magic. It is a symbol of the intricate connections that bind the natural world and our place in it.
Spiderweb Obsidian is a grounded stone which also has magical spider properties. It is a good stone for connecting Grandparents to Grandchildren. This stone supports artist, writers and storytellers. It is a good stone to use when we want to dive into fate. To accept fate or question it. And fight fate to change it. Spiderweb Obsidian helps us weave our threads of life together. It reminds us that our thoughts, words and actions. Will link our past and future together.
Emotional Impact
The emotional effects of this stone are really helpful when we feel attached to someone we need to be separated from. It helps us to stand alone again once we have physically separated from a person. If trauma bonded to a person, Spiderweb Obsidian gives us the strength to gently break the energy cord.
This powerful stone teaches us that if we don’t want to keep experiencing heartache, we have to behave differently so that a new pattern can form.
Spiderweb Obsidian encourages us to consider it a spiral, that repeats and evolves. It can be a spiral moving from the outer ego into the inner soul, or a spiral that moves outward from us to link us to the larger world. In both directions it reminds us that we are powerful and creative beings, and that great magic lies within us.
Spiderweb Obsidian helps us to be ruthlessly practical, rather than getting mired down in feelings of helplessness. It encourages us to accept what has happened, prioritize what needs to happen next, and to get it done. It pushes us to set up a strong support system around us, both physical and emotional, so that we have the best chance to survive and thrive.
When Spiderweb energy is combined with stones like Crazy Lace Agate or Fire Agate it does not sit quietly. It engages in a deep harmonious conservation, enhancing its surroundings and sharing its unique vibrancy.
Correspondences
Chakra: Root and Heart. Grounding you firmly to the earth while opening your heart to love and compassion.
Element is Earth.
Zodiac: Gemini. Gemini is the sign of duality and communication; this reflects the stone ability to help us see and integrate multiple perspectives.
Spiderweb Obsidian is a stone that has special properties related to the zodiac. In addition to Gemini, it is particularly beneficial for those born under Scorpio, Capricorn, and Aquarius signs. These individuals can benefit from its properties in many ways including increased self-control, the balance of emotions, protection against negative vibes, and enhanced intuition.
Spiderweb Obsidian has so much power. The grounding power. This alone can reveal truths. Obsidian also has the fire energy of the earth. This is a powerful stone. The Ancient people knew of its powers. And treasured its powers. I do find myself cleansing my obsidian once a week if I wear daily. I cleanse mine by sage smoke or palo santo smoke.
Perspectives & Medicine
One of the unique things about being in community is the way we perceive and are guided to the medicine we each need. Our perceptions and perspectives, once shared, have a way of resonating with those who need it. Even if we disagree or perceive something completely different. There is no one right way to witch and our lived experiences often provide the backdrop of the medicine meant for each of us.
Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences with us!
Rayne’s Perspective
I absolutely love the deck Cissy Beauvais made for us to work with Arachne. I use it daily. I made my own deck and then Cissy had gifted one and both are proving to be very potent sources of divination! Thank you again! Pure magic!
Today I pulled Athena, it’s got me thinking and feeling into the medicine. For me, this card, begs the question: which role do I assume when stories in my life unfold and get sticky? Am I the oppressor or the oppressed? Sometimes my roles are a choice and sometimes they are not. What I notice about this medicine the most, with me and others, is an expression. Working with Arachne is a fine line, or a double edged sword type of feeling to the medicine of Arachne and Athena’s lessons.
Sometimes my brain says I am the oppressed. I am the victim of someone’s oppression, but is it really that? Is it my mind that is the oppressor?
Trauma from real oppressors and real life past experience can resurface when you invite the Divine in for shadow work.
How can you tell the difference between a trauma response and when you’re really being traumatized?
Sometimes being an over thinker can work for me and sometimes not. It helps me to get to the marrow of the situation and the energy, but can also add unwanted chaos and anxiety. I do find, however, if I think with my heart ( feeling ) that I can almost always see clearly and make choices about my position.
Right or Happy?
Do I want to be right or do I want to be happy? I don’t know how many times someone wise would ask me that question when I was all strung up in a web.
Truth is, for the longest time I wanted to be right. I had to be. Nothing else mattered. I had attached my whole self to a false ego of being right that I was willing to die or kill for it. Many times I did kill relationships and parts of myself to save face, but looking back now I see it was my mind oppressing me with stories that just made the situations worse. If I was up against Athena, she would be right to turn my ass into a spider. A lot of the time my responses to sticky situations were trauma responses and not growth responses.
It’s taken some time, therapy, ceremony, and relationship with the Divine to really be able to let go of being right or so driven to prove a point that I lose my peace over it. Believe me it’s still a work in progress. A life long journey.
Today I choose peace. I don’t have to prove it to you or to anyone. I’m living my truth and I find peace with that. I am creating an environment for my body, mind, and soul to thrive, grow, and heal. I am not constantly fighting to prove a point to anyone or even myself. It is a freedom I have never felt before. I am very grateful.
~ Rayne
Aikat’s Perspective
Arachne, the mortal weaver has brought many lessons this month. At first, when I read the story of what Athena did to her, I was offended. However, the more I leaned in, I found clarity. In the beginning I joked about being Arachne myself! If we are good at something, better than others, why not show the world?
During the Full Moon Ritual with Rayne and Cissy’s amazing Arachne Oracle Deck, the Arachne card was pulled for me. I laughed, of course she showed up like that!
Growing up I was good at everything I did, I still am, there is not much that I can’t do. I am like a jack of all trades. But being humble is very necessary. I grew up boasting about the things I did. It was a trauma response to wanting to be seen and heard. For me, the story of Arachne showed me that I can still be good at all things, but with a large does of humility and love.
I will still stand with Arachne’s depiction of the Gods, she had every right to depict the gods the way she did. The gifts we have are exactly that, gifts! We can shine our light bright;y, but humility must remain.
~Aikat
Kaycee’s Perspective
Having spent a year with Spider as a guide in 2022, Arachne and the archetypal energy portrayed in various mythos offered a deeper experience into what I have been feeling rise higher and higher.
Reweaving the Narrative
According to archetypal themes and energy, Ovid’s version of Arachne dealt with humility, fate, and resilience. Feeling into this I began unpacking a perspective that is a mirror to the world around me.
Athena weaving a tapestry depicting how amazing the Gods are (superior to mere mortals) while Arachne wove a tapestry depicting the Gods’ actions in less than that “superior” light. Not only did Arachne weave her perspective, truth as she perceived it to be, but her work was superior than that of a Goddess.
Arachne’s mortal life ends.
Athena transforms Arachne into a spider.
However, Athena steals her ability to use her voice in such a way again.
I see this happening around us in society, in governments, and in communities. The mirror is there for me, perhaps you will see it too. Using main stream media as weavers of a tapestry of greatness, those in power are threatening, silencing, and killing others weaving truths that remove their superiority. Athena censored Arachne much like those in power now work to censor others or those that would strip them of their right to claim superiority. What happens when they find out we are already weavers, that we weave together, and we are stronger than they will ever be?
They will call for war and division.
They will work to pit us all against each other.
This time though, may the defiance rising be our connective threads in humanity and may these threads become that which builds what they can never tear down again.
A Candle & A Key,
Kaycee
Featured Image Credit: JJ Jordan via Pexels
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