[toreesi]

I had a fascinating meditation experience today. I became a spider - felt so smug and just sat there enjoying her. I was big and black and hairy and felt my legs up around my ears. Then I became a trapdoor spider and rolled the door across the hole in the earth so that I was alone in darkness. It felt safe and warm.
My family name is Webb - so I guess it is surprising that I havent connected with Spider before I know she is the Creator in American Indian mythology. I would be interested in what anyone has to say about this vision. I also heard a name called - Noktomi I thought but it could be different and since I was unable to find that I wondered if it was Nakomis.

Nakomis - Mother Earth.
It all started when she was a young and very beautiful Love Goddess. Full of high spirits, she liked to swing from heavenly heights on a vine until one day jealous rivals cut through it. She made a big splash when she plummeted into the primordial ocean. There was no way back.
So she floated with the wind and waves, which went out of their way to waft her into pregnancy. This caused her to give birth to just about everything and it all became a little crowded.
As she floated she became more bloated, supporting lots of life, and she grew larger and larger until one day she was as big and round as the Earth. Because that is exactly what she had become. The grandmother of all Earth Mothers.

[9rCR9hWL]

Cailin, I'd love you to see a thread on here from about two years ago: Easter Island's road system was primarily ceremonial.

During this discussion, one of our members, Ashashane, had a vision and she told us,

Weird thing...
I am a complete novice here, completely out of my league, but I had this vision, and I wonder if it means anything to all of you in the know.

In the vision, the tracks were laid out in a spider web arrangement with Spider situated above the volcano.

Hundreds of people were wandering the paths, going in circles, turrning left then right etc. Some went off the cliffs and when they did, they floated back up and went straight to Spider who turned them into statues and placed them along the paths.

Those that reached the center on their own were turned into light and placed inside the statues which came alive.

When I checked out the latest posts this afternoon with all the talk about direction and energy, I felt like I'd seen something significant, but I'm in the dark. Can anyone shed some light?

Ashashane

As I'm sure know, the Navajos have a Spider Woman (Na'ashje'ii Asdzaa) who weaves the fate of humans, animals, plants and rocks. In this map of Easter Island, we can see how the contours around the volcano go outwards in concentric circles, a little like a spider's web.


Click here to view the original image of 800x569px.


I wonder if anyone else on the Gate has had an experience in vision with Spiderwoman? If you have, it would be good to hear about it.

[annouhMus]

Thanks Ishtar. The post from Ashashane does sound significant. I wonder if she has had any realizations about it since. Easter Island has always interested me and I one day hope to visit.
I felt my own vision was really a personal one. It could be just reaffirming that I am to remain alone in my cave and create what I need for personal sustenance instead of trying to get someone to share with me. The place is not big enough to use for healing and share. Spider Woman/Creator has reminded me I have the power to change events and circumstances.

[Navzrrqt]

I have had a wonderful experience with Spider myself. I was taken up to the Star Web by Eagle and then Raven. There a Spider came to me singing with a high pitched sound "Pluck and weave. Pluck and Weave". I changed into the same hairy spider and she told me to reach out with one of my front legs and pluck at the Web in the same manner. I was not at all confident but followed her instructions. I plucked at a fibre and it rippled out into the web. What seemed to come back was a "smile" from other stars and beings and I smile now in reccollection. It was about holding the sound and vibrations of the web in balance and harmony. Apparently I have always been there and have always returned. It is fascinating to see our hairy spider legs isnt it? It interests me that you rolled into the Earth and I into the Starweb...I sense that the darkness of the Great Void are connected in these two places so that they are not as separate as one would imagine...but then nothing ever is is it love? I also hold an unbroken thread from my Grandmother in the Earth Realms where she taught me to spin among many other teachings. Connections obviously. My Sacred name (or one of them) is incidentally StarWeaver and this makes sense. Not that I in any way seek aggrandisement in my small human self. I just trust that whatever is and whatever magical properties I carry will be given into my conciousness as and when I need them or it needs me. In the meantime I simply hold such things in Sacred Trust for All My Relations and for the Highest Good of All. I cannot give you anything of great lore or wisdom though beyond what I have shared..Hopefully we have helped each other and the Great Whole in this sharing . Blessed Be

[miel]

Hi Kat.
Thanks so much for sharing what sounds a very beautiful experience. I always think of Spider as Dream Weaver, I found another text about the Lakota God, Iktomi - the Trickster so will post that as well. I felt very strongly the Female gender of Spider but a friend pointed out Spider can be any gender and such things are possibly unimportant. Lakota are matriarchal as you probably know so I am interested that Iktomi is male.
Arohanui(Much Love)

[actifadepette]

From Wikipedia. - In Lakota mythology, Iktomi is a spider-trickster spirit, and a culture hero for the Lakota people. Alternate names for Iktomi include Ikto, Ictinike, Inktomi, Unktome, and Unktomi. These names are due to the differences in tribal languages, as this spider deity was known throughout many of North America's tribes.
According to the Lakota, Iktomi is the son of Inyan, the Rock, a creator god similar in form to other male creator gods. Iktomi has a younger brother, Iya, who is a destructive and powerful spirit. One story of Iktomi goes that in the ancient days, Iktomi was Ksa, or wisdom, but he was stripped of this title and became Iktomi because of his troublemaking ways. The Oglala Indians of south Dakota presents Iktomi as the second manifestation, or degeneration, of Ksa, which hatched from the Cosmic Egg being laid by Wak-Inyan, the primordial thunderstorm. Ksa invented language and stories, names and games. In this version Iya is the son of Unk (defined as passion), who detested Ksa. Iya and Unk had an incestious relationship out of which Gnaski, the demon, was the result. Because of this, and for not taking the advice of Ksa, Unk was expelled from the circle of divine entities. Unk wanted to outwit Ksa with the help of the cunning of Gnaski. Gnaski succedes in this, mainly because he has no fear of Skan (the Judge, Activity), by sowing confusion. Gnaski enabled this by mimic Ksa to perfection. Therefor Gnaski is called Ksapela (little wisdom). The first people were not able to distinguish between the two. Through his folly Gnaski entangles Ksa completely, and through the activity of Skan Ksa consequently becomes a spider, the meaning of the name Iktomi. Iktomi still had the feature of making games. It seems that Iktomi, in stories attributed to him, in his very essence is representing the confusion between wisdom and folly. He began playing malicious tricks because people would jeer at his strange or funny looks. Most of his schemes end with him falling into ruin when his intricate plans backfire. These tales are usually told as a way to teach lessons to Lakota youth. Because it is Iktomi, a respected (or perhaps feared) deity playing the part of the idiot or fool, and the story is told as entertainment, the listener is allowed to reflect on misdeeds without feeling like they are being confronted. In other tales, Iktomi is depicted with dignity and seriousness, such as in the popularized myth of the dreamcatcher
His appearance is that of a spider, but he can take any shape, including that of a human. When he is a human he is said to wear red, yellow and white paint, with black rings around his eyes.
A modern depiction of Iktomi.
The tales of Iktomi's propensity for mischief leads many without a full understanding of Native American mythology to believe that he is an evil figure, however, it is not quite that simple. Iktomi can be seen as both good and bad, and has been portrayed in both ways. Many other Native American tricksters, like Mica (Coyote) are often victims of the same misconception. Despite Lakota not expressing hysteria or extreme fear towards Iktomi, generally he is viewed as a being whose gaze is to be avoided, lest trouble find you; as depicted in the modern film Skins, directed by Cheyenne-Arapaho director Chris Eyre.
Iktomi is a shapeshifter. He can use strings to control humans like puppets. He has also the power to make potions that change gods, gain control over people and trick gods and mortals. Mica [disambiguation needed] or Coyote is his great accomplice in all of this, though there are times when he behaves seriously and comes to the aid of the Lakota people, there are instances where he gives the people ways to protect from evil, live a better life with technology, or warn them of danger.
Lakota mythology is a living belief system, still subscribed to by both the Lakota and some outsiders, including Caucasians. There is a prophecy that stated Iktomi would spread his web over the land. Today, this has been interpreted by some contemporary Native Americans to mean the telephone network, and then the internet and World Wide Web. Iktomi has been considered by the Lakota from time immemorial to be the patron of new technology, from his invention of language he gave to the people to today's modern inventions, such as the computer or robots.
Because the Lakota mythology is word of mouth, and traditionally there were no written records, most of the information about Iktomi in Lakota mythology has not been written down or recorded. He has lived on in the retelling of tales and the religious traditions which are passed on from generation to generation, into the modern day.
Comparable figures in other cultures
Iktomi can be compared to the African trickster figure Anansi, and to some extent, the transculturated Yoruba Ellegua, also depicted as a trickster disguised in red.
Due to his nature as a Trickster as well as patronage of communication, Iktomi is also comparable to the Greco-Roman Hermes/Mercurius