Archive for Spider

Daybreak: Return to the Light and the Foundation of the Stellar Temple

Posted in Stellar Gnosis, The Path of Flames with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 14, 2021 by Sypheara

So it has been all quiet on the blog front. In order to get through a very long winter, it has been necessary to turn inward to focus on mundane life and concerns. Whilst the occult work hasn’t stopped, it has also taken a turn to be far more introspective and personal than can necessarily be shared in public. That said, I thought a small post was in order.

I think that these circumstances probably reflects a lot of our collective experience at the moment. But here at least, there is finally signs of things picking up. The return of the light and warm weather here has been quite abrupt, and I feel that this year will open up to be a great one for the current and the work of the temple here. With the publication of the upcoming Qayin work by MAS, I can see many new faces being drawn into working with our gods. Exciting times, given the last year we have all had to suffer through.

Due to this, I thought it would be good to put down my (very) long term intentions for the work here, that runs parallel to my own theurgic work. It is to be noted that these plans are just that very long term and up in the air, but are important I think to get out there. Especially as I have had some people asking me personally to clarify.

A tarn in Norway, Photographer Unknown

I plan to do the next ritual in the dragon workings between May and August;  the initial anchor stones for the outside working were collected this weekend, and will be blessed tonight, in preparation for their marking and empowerment at the next full moon in preparation for their use in this evocation. Surgat will be worked with heavily to understand this formulae that is similar to the stellar anchors used in previous evocational work, but different in intention. To create a bridge for the dragon to ride down, is the most vital element to the entire working. This is something I’m deeply looking forward to – the most powerful work is always done in the wild, in connection with the elemental forces. The inner temple work, whilst very powerful, is unsuited to such works of grand evocation necessary for the next stages of soul evolution. I have a plan as to what and where – it is going to involve a bit of wild camping, at elevation, so it is going to need a proper plan and preparation to pull it off somewhat safely. I may document the trip as I go, as it is likely going to take a few days to get to the wilderness location where I’ll be carrying the rite out.

In other news I have gotten back into transcribing all the writing from the physical volumes into electronic format – into a more cohesive edited work. All of this task is mostly thankless and goes unnoticed, as it’s nature but it’s crucial as anyone who documents their own work knows. It is currently not my plan to ever publish this publicly – things could change, with a variety of internal, external factors coming into account (and protocol to be followed as is honourable) – but instead the current intention is to focus on creating a master copy temple book, as part of founding a real, physical working group here. This work can then be given to the initiates, in a format suitable to their level of development.

A lot has been worked on in this regard since I last tackled transcribing and editing (the work referred here to simply as The Book of the Ivory Spider), not least the Lucifer aspect which turned out to be far longer, and more involved, than I had anticipated. More direction has come through, but until I bust through this particular gate that has had me working years longer than expected, the full extent of the remaining Belial and Ivory Spider work is difficult to see. I doubt that before full outer and inner plane construction is finished, I’ll be able see the complete picture to put everything into perspective. This lull however does make for a perfect time to get caught up in anticipation of more gnosis that needs to be brought through, decoded, and recorded.

To give people an insight, below is a picture of the journals covering the last few years of work. There is a lot of material – most of it being quite specific to myself – but that still leaves a lot to be extracted, rewritten, detailed and placed into context which is not always obvious immediately after performing a rite and documenting the results.

A stack of Temple Books, self taken

It is not just text either. Within these works are the various sigillic diagrams, spirit seals, and other such details via which to create the necessary gates opened in blood. Many of these ways for now need to be solidly guarded until they can be possibly passed on. Below is one of the diagrammatic seals / sigils reflecting the poison that runs through the blood, upon accepting the blessing and curse of the guardian of the stellar webway upon ones own soul, body and mind. This is only the outer seal or mark of a very real occult transformation which happens within the blood, that puts a significant strain upon the body initially. If pushed through, it allows for great works of healing conducted through direct blood work – especially at removing, destroying, and cleansing works or after effects of a malefic or abusive nature.

The Seal of the Healing Venoms, self created and taken

To return to the topic of the group work to detail that further, if anything of the last few years has taught me, it is the value of physical covens. The one that I work with for an arguably related but separate current, has taught me the great value of shared history, gnosis, and of an implicitly trustworthy magickal fraternity. Devoid of drama, it has focused strongly on the rites and power and has reaped the fruits of such. This experience has also conversely taught me of the many shortfalls that come through online teaching and learning. Simply put, what I want to achieve with the Stellar Temple that is slowly forming, is not possible outside of a cohesive magical group working intimately and closely in the real physical world. This is where I want to focus my efforts, and thus produce a strong line of stellar initiates within a lived and deep tradition. This is how I see my own work developing, and the best of way of safeguarding and cherishing what was passed down to me from the Mother Temple, as well as other treasured lines of initiation.

2020 taught me the seriousness of such a charge and simply cemented my conviction to build this and disseminate it in the way that achieved the best results for individuals and the world soul. One can say my mind was focused. As to the exact form this will take, it is up to much debate, but both organization and makeup of the working group here is still be decided. Initial formulation of three working degrees, based around alchemical principles, will be the primary means of testing and preparation for initiate work. The actual passing on of any prince of fire empowerments will be reserved for those who excel and pass in physical dedication passed those three degrees. Whilst superficially similar to traditional wicca, and no doubt inspired by my work within that related current, the content of the rites are specifically Primal Current in both method and design. The first of these initiations at Black Degree have already been performed. There is however, a lot of remaining work to develop the personal cultus of the Temple and ensure it is both consistent and correctly understood to be properly revealed and transmitted. I’m looking forward to doing this work immensely.

Scene of Rising Energies from Amenta, self created and taken

Some may contrast this approach with that taken by the Mother Temple itself for disseminating work. There is reason why the works of the mother temple were made public, that have been discussed at length by its gatekeeper. Sometimes the time is right to make something more widely known, important to make something public. For the stellar work done here, that time is certainly not yet – and it may be simply that it is never for wide dissemination.

The blog is probably not going to have lots of updates this year – unless it is to update on the Dragon Rite and or the construction of the inner temple. I have seemingly lost my appetite right now for public discourse and the tide turns inwards to give birth to something new and deep. It would be easy to do updates on common affairs topics – like the current Hecatian communities general attitude, the attitude of witchcraft community to its teachers and its all take, no give solipsistic practice and approach. But I have so far decided to simply stay off these topics here and focus on the  work. I think that is what is most beneficial for the long run, as the rest is really just monkey noise getting in the way of progress on the theurgic path. Somethings should be self evident, and not need an essay.

I may in the near future finally get a review up for Jack Grayles Hekateon, as well as Liber Khthonia by Jeff Cullen at some point. We will see. The first is quite belated – the quick summation are both are worth reading, and enough is easily syncretised with the Primal Current to make them worth it for the Trident devotees as secondary sources. The last one in particular in its reclamation of the devotional aspect I feel is very important and very good to be seeing in new material as emphasis.

I hope this insight has given people something to look forward to re the writeup and a bit of reassurance that good work is still ongoing here.

Illuminated by the Black Sun,
We Carry Her Torches,
Now and Forever,
~S~

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Welcoming the Ivory Spider

Posted in Luciferianism, Occultism, Paganism, The Path of Flames, Traditional Witchcraft with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 24, 2015 by Sypheara

The Gateway given by the Gods now stands successfully opened on the physical and spiritual planes. Directed by Belial and Lucifer over three separate rituals across an entire lunar cycle, the formula was given fully and the Stele of the Elemental Guardian and Guide constructed, carved deep into wood, inked in love, and filled with rivulets of blood in devotion.

This would be my first work in the medium of wood. However, even as I prepared the first lines, etching them deep into the surface of a birch end grain block, it became evident that it had been the correct choice. Each chiselled shape seemed to radiate power, the lines dancing across the vision. The process was kept simple. Using a basicc set of chisels, and a hammer, the outline was created and then enlarged to suit the icon given. Once completed, the lines were brought to life with a thin line of artist’s ink, which ran slowly throughout the prepared image.

The first ritual saw the Gate Sigil granted at the Temple Initiation pre-merged with the incredibly powerful Stellar Glyph to form the complete Gate. This symbol was blooded in the name of the Gods, with attention being given to its particular patron, as the work was commenced under the influence of the darkened New Moon.

In sexual magickal communion the Trident were called forth into the Flesh. With the invocational possessive state achieved, Belial took charge, merging with the Self. At the height of Sexual Communion, an explosion of energy up and through the spine and from the Sigil occured, for a split second resulting in the loss of awareness. After recovering, the voice of Belial could be heard, confirming the validity of the formula and the priming of the Gate via blood and bone.With one final act prompted by him, subtle visions of the Gate on the other planes could be seen, its surface now glowing a powerful and radiant silver. Lines of blue and gold energy ran across its surface as it opened slowly to reveal a dark recess through which no light penetrated, confirming the success of this first stage of the work.

Gradually, from the darkness, a sigil danced forth of a moon being split in twain by numerous receding dancing rectangles. This vision, although clear and calm, grew frustrating and maddening as the shapes danced into inconceivably impossible shapes within the mind’s eye. Soon however, as I calmed myself down with Belial and Lucifers aid, a distinct shape came into focus. Of a large, moonlike eye surrounded by astrological symbols in a web like shape. This sigil burned brightly, and Lucifers energy became more intense.

As this experience settled, the initial rite was closed with the Gods thanked for their assistance. Gnosis was given, the Gods indicating that the new granted sigil was to be etched into the other side of the block, and opened in the similar manner to the first on the night of the next Full Moon.

blue-cheese-moon

Blue moon, unknown author

Again calling the Trident forth in ritual, this time Lucifer took a much greater role, elevating his energies to match that of Belials. As the new sigil was blooded, the Lord of Thaumiels energies could be felt, slowly enveloping the self in a strong and powerful energy. In the possessed state, Lucifer made it clear that the sigil was in fact the sigil of the Elemental Guardian. He hinted at its vast power, and mandated it be unlocked in the same manner as the gate of Belial itself, using Belials physically bestown gifts merged with his own current. This was carried out as directed, resulting in the seal brimming with energy, seemingly coming alive to the eyes.Continued sexual meditation saw the gate in bilocation glow with an intense energy, the gate now filled with a strange luminescent light. This energy came in waves, vibrating from low and subtle to high and overwhelming. Similar to the visions in the first ritual, the gate swung open.

From the darkness beyond, a great, white writhing mass thrust forth without delay, a startlingly chthonic emanation contrasting greatly with the stellar current that had been up to that point powerfully delivered through the gate itself. It rapidly grew in size and mass, spilling outwards into the cave area, assembling itself into various forms as it did so.First, it assumed the form of a gigantic, furred white serpent, with piercing amber eyes. This form was not ‘pure’ snake, being also possessed of many writhing centipede like tentacled legs. This form quickly shifted fully into a centipede, and before the senses could even adjust, it had transformed into a gigantic, arachnid like entity. This visage first merged through the guise of a spider, before proceeding to that of a gigantic, pincerless white furred scorpion. Its form settled there, as gigantic, white wings burst forth from its back, yellow eye upon yellow eye covering their surface. These looked not dissimilar from bat wings, but unlike a bat’s, were covered in large, beautiful white feathers. Upon its head the entity bore a large azure crystal inset into its flesh. Beyond this, further along its back, its primary sigil was evidently marked upon its flesh. Like the gate, its entire being let off a startlingly powerful stellar current despite its appearance.

With the being having presented itself, and no warnings or feelings of insidious intent detected by myself or indicated by Lucifer and Belial, it was invited into the physical flesh to take part in the communion. It obliged readily, coming into the form.Even as it did so any clear vision of the cave itself dissolved, instead replaced with images of this beings aura being superimposed over my own form. I began to feel the spine beginning to curve as the energy levels heightened further. Suddenly, without any prior warning, a very intense vision of this entity stabbing one of its appendages deep into my stomach, continuing on up into the ribcage, filled my entire being. My physical, mental and spiritual form contracted reflexively as it deposited something within the soul body, and I began to thrash violently. This lasted for several, tense seconds, resulting in a total loss of bodily control. The pain suddenly ceased, and the presence of the entity was replaced by that of Belial, stepping in to moderate the flow of energy from the contact.

hello_cthulhu__shoggoth_by_ensoul_invert

An inverted version of Ensouls Illustration (linked) depicts an entity similar to the Ivory Spider

At this point my awareness shifted back towards my physical form, and I could hear my own voice now, repeating an unknown mantra. A repeating pattern of four distinct words that seemed to resonate with the same pattern of the encountered entity. The entities presence could still be felt subtlety, and it began to communicate, first in images and then by voice. It confirmed the mantra was its words of power, and identified itself primarily with one of them, the final one, as its name. It referred to itself by a title, ‘The Ivory Spider’, and related its task as a Primary Guide, Protector and Pathfinder on the road to Middle Road Ascension, revealing stellar gnosis for assimilating both sides of the tree.

The second ritual was closed as the first. Over the proceeding two weeks further gnosis and communication was had with the entity outside of any active ritual workings. This consisted of contact not just with the entity but information released via the injected venoms themselves. Flashes and sigils depicting this process were released clearly to the conscious mind. The venoms could be seen congealing around the soul, wrapping around and infusing deep into its makeup.

A third ritual to settle the process was requested via the entity. To fully create the finished gate, the entity instructed that the four words of power, including the word of its primary name, were to be written around the edge of the block in a widdershins fashion in the Theban alphabet, each word being blooded individually and invoked from within the constructed circle. From this, as communion was taken at the level of the flesh, the Ivory Spider disclosed more.

Initially this was knowledge pertaining to the middle pillar, and the uniting of both life and death on a Stellar Path of Ascent. The entity made clear the extent of neglect of the Paths of the Stars by Man in the current age, detailing how now few travel or attempt to earth Stellar Currents, compared to ages in our past that could be considered relatively recent. The entity described itself as a pathfinder and guide along these pathways, describing how it also maintains and spins new connections.

Of most importance, the entity gave advice to finish existing, grounding works, before work with Belial and Lucifer himself should be undertaken, under Hecate and its own watchful eye, to initiate the beginnings of these powerful soul transmutative rites.

The entity was not only supportive, but confirmed planned work with granting the primary familiar a body was of importance; The entity heavily indicated that this will be of great importance in providing a physical grounding, assisting greatly in the forthcoming rites which channel these stellar currents. It is to be noted here the importance of a physical anchoring point. This fact is one that is often overlooked, even though it is of utmost importance to the work. Their successful construction is one that becomes mirrored through every realm when worked correctly. The entity in its own words was adamant that the ‘triad’ of the gateway stele, as well as both familiars was complete before any further work commenced on the path to ensure correct balance in the self. Whether integral to the work itself or simply a personal step needing completed before the new path is walked was not disclosed.

With discourse and communion finished, the entity withdrew, and the completed Stele of the Ascending Gateway of Belial and Lucifer was wrapped in black silk, tied with red cord, and placed into the guarding and waiting hands of the empowered doll familiar.

scorpionScorpion, unknown author

It is at this point an honest word must be said. These works will be powerful, and due to their innate nature, contain sensitive information and not everything can be disclosed immediately onto the blog. As such what can be shared will need to be limited until this part of the path is walked to its conclusion, the gnosis assimilated, and the Watchers give license for it to be disclosed in detail.

As always however, as much as can be shared openly will be made available via the blog, so the path can be illustrated as a guide to others.

In Nomine Hecate,

~S~

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Shapeshifting: Assuming Animal Forms (In Dream)

Posted in Divination, Folk Belief, Luciferianism, Occultism, The Path of Flames, Traditional Witchcraft with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 31, 2015 by Sypheara

Writing has finally begun on the PDF detailing the Familiar Empowerment ritual, carried out to raise the spirit of an inanimate object. This will probably be a bit of a long writeup, so I have decided to tackle an interesting side topic in the mean time.

It is well known via folklore and wise common knowledge that witchcraft is  associated with shape changing, and tales of lycanthropy  in particular are quite common to encounter when witchcraft is discussed. Actual  Shapeshifting comes in many different forms, and can be done both in the physical flesh through possession and the use of sacred plants, as well as mentally and spiritually whilst astrally travelling and exploring dream realms. A huge area of discussion, and research,  it would be quite easy to write a small essay on such a topic. As such, to keep things manageable, this particular post will focus on my own personal experiences with it rather than be a compilation of information from various sources and narrower in scope.

From these encounters, and talking to friends about them. including those who are not interested in the Occult or Spirituality at all, it becomes obvious that one of the more accessible and most experienced types of shapeshifting is encountered in dreams. Here, the journeying soul is able to quite easily morph, and change its shape, into something else. People who are good at dream recall will know what I mean – that sensation of looking down at your hands, and seeing they have transformed into something ..else for lack of a better description. Animal transformation, in either a partial or complete state, is a very common occurrence. It is often described to me by friends who have seemingly no prior experience with journeying through dreams at all – despite these instances being rarer than my own, less consistent and with less apparent ‘purpose’, they nevertheless happen and with some regularity.

In order to discuss this, I will skip any further preamble  and go straight into describing two of my most vivid experiences with commentary.

One of my more often assumed forms, when journeying,  is that of the Spider. As mentioned in an earlier post, it has become obvious to me by both dream workings and in daily life that the spider has become a totem of sorts. During astral dream wanderings, there would be times where I found myself in environments where a human form is unsuitable for travel. At this time, a conscious or unconscious choice was made to assume a form capable of navigating its environment. In one notable example, when travelling through one of the Chthonic realms, I encountered an environment that took the appearance of flesh like strands, suspended over a never ending liquid sea of crimson in some areas, that branched off into vein like tunnels. Almost instinctually, in the process of feeling myself falling, slipping down to the abyss like ‘bottom’ of the infinite cavern, I assumed the form of the spider, the transformation happening  in what felt like both an eternity and an instant at the same time.

redspiderweb

Red Spider Web, Artist Unknown

 

The feeling of assuming the other form once it has begun is one that is both total and overwhelming. It affects both the body, as well as the mind, and this abrupt change i can only describe as a ‘hyper real’ sensation. The physical sensation is that of new limbs erupting from your body, the compressing, contracting or expanding of your skeletal and nervous structures and it can both feel highly pleasurable as well as highly painful. The mind  and senses themselves  also experience their own kind of transformation, assuming the mental lattice of the host form. As an example as above, my vision was soon changed from regular binocular vision to what can only be described as a many coloured lattice made up of what seemed like many composite images. It was almost as if I could see around the corners of objects, seeing all their sides at once, and in the spider form I became aware of the vibrations of individual entities, and able to feel with my frontal legs for the correct direction I needed to be headed towards. The feeling was one of a maddening feeling of freedom and ecstasy, as my rational mind was entirely subsumed within that of the new form – still distinctly my own, but filtered through the new mind I found myself inhabiting. The clarity and purity expressed in mind is something that needs to be experienced – in that moment I was no longer human, all surface thoughts eliminated, acting on a pure instinctual drive to progress forward.  I pressed on, aware of a second, duller sensation, the feeling of a gnawing hunger. In this state I wandered for what was seemed like hours, descending deeper and deeper. Upon near awakening, the transformation was slowly repeated in reverse until I felt myself sucked back into my own, complete and awoken body in bed.

Whilst I have never felt i have had any special affinity with the wolf, unlike many people claim of themselves, I have found myself on occasion unconsciously assuming this form in certain landscapes. This is a differing kind of transformation – whilst the first was assumed, these second form instances have always been an unconcious or some kind of instinctual choice For example, in a recent journey, I found myself, in a large dark forest, surrounded by black spirits. The scene was not night, but a misty day, very faint golden light emanating from a washed out but golden sky. They assumed the form of wolves, and instinctively I did the same, a similar transformation experience happening as described above. My eyesight sharpened, my senses changed into that of my body form, conferring me the ability to track the other spirits by ‘smell’, or an analogue to it within that realm.  I tracked after them for many hours, as they showed me the strange sights, other creatures of their forest, and showed me how they live, as a tight knit group working in unison to survive. Once they had shown me the forest, the whole pack led on to a stream that led away from it, over a border of an azure sky, and green rolling plains. This was shown from an insiders perspective – it is only when i reached a muddy pond, did I have a ‘disconnect’ – where the human mind pushes forth for a split second with its own powers of comprehension. Tasting the muddy pond caused me to spit silt, as the liquid went from  refreshing to disgusting ans my consciousness and sense of taste began to return to their original form. Again i felt the withdrawing back into human form, again slowly awakening.

forest01

 Forest, Artist Unknown

What is interesting is that just days later, wolves were an integral part to one of the local groups Sabbat rites, to honour a core member of the group who had passed away, and who heavily identified with wolves. It almost seemed identical in theme to my own dream. Such oracular like occurrences leave a very strange feeling indeed, regardless of how many times I seem to experience them.

In more advanced work of my own Path, when penetrating the deepest realms, it is said that the only way to survive the harsh landscape which presents itself is to take the form of a scorpion – the only creature that is able to successful navigate and survive there. Whilst this is a trial I have not personally undertaken nor come face to face with, it is remarkably similar to my own experiences of travelling the tunnels mentioned above in spider form. It is said this is absolutely necessary – otherwise the actual astral body / soul of the seeker will face grave and possibly permanent injury.

I am interested in what you my dear readers might have also experienced. Whether inside or outside of dream, it would be great to hear your stories. I must again say that transformation / assumption of these forms outside of dream, it is not something I have yet pursued actively, but there is certainly many precedents for it I can find it many magickal texts.

On that note, I leave you with a final peek at the new doll body which I hope to be a new home for the primary familiar – further images will be shown before the binding process is done, as I want to complete the physical preparations before I go ahead and do the working. This will be a separate, if related process to the other working. Where as the other was to uplift, almost in some ways creating of a spirit, this will be binding a current spirit to this matter – as well as to the weak, spirit matter which already makes up the object.

dsc_0282

New doll body, Self taken image

Thanks for reading as ever,

Ave Hecate,

Beloved Queen of Hell Heaven and Earth,

Ave Lucifer, 

Dark Solar Lord of the All Illuminating Flame,

Ave Belial,

Dark Horned Prince of the All Flesh of the Earth

Ave to the Witch Gods and Witch Kin this Night

~S~

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Arachnida as Totem and Overcoming Irrational Fear

Posted in Folk Belief, Luciferianism, Occultism, Paganism, The Path of Flames with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 10, 2014 by Sypheara

I wasn’t intending to write another post so soon, but with it being the anniversary of the blog the other day I felt motivated to write  another entry on a topic i’ve wanted to cover for awhile.

Spiders have always fascinated me. From a young age, I can remember being simultaneously fascinated and terrified by these eight legged creatures. As a self professed arachnophobe, I struggled like many others with my crippling  fear over the appearance of these creatures.

In one terrifying instance I can remember, clearly, was when one day I put on an item as a child, without checking it. I was rewarded with several, not one, but several of the creatures crawling all over my skin, in a desperate attempt to escape from what I can only assume was a life or death situation for them. The experience of their legs crawling across my skin had me literally petrified, unable to move or swat them off until they ran off and away from my body.

As I grew up I did not really confront this fear, even due to it being mostly irrational being from a part of the world where spider bites are almost always harmless due to the cold winter conditions limiting the types and sizes of arachnid that can survive. However, I did continue to find them,  and the power they held over me, very interesting but would be unable to watch, or read about them, for prolonged periods of time.

It was only as I started on my path that I decided to confront these fears in some manner. I forced myself to research them, to observe their pattern of behaviour, to turn them from a object of repulsion into one of reverence. In my own path, their are many spirits which are spider like, or linked to spiders, and it was through this association and encountering them that overtime I was able to accomplish this goal and realise just how potent and important these creatures are both physically and spiritually.

800px-Mouse_spider_invert

Inverted colour version of a picture of a Mouse Spider taken by Fir0002 (link in image)

The spider features in many myths and legends throughout the world, usually present in one form or another. Their fearsome appearance and behaviour, coupled with their amazing web weaving skills, has inspired a myriad of stories about spider spirits and gods in all shapes and sizes. They appear in a malefic form, as well as benefic, and these often cross over in many varied ways.

For example in Japanese folk belief spiders make an appearance as Yōkai – spirits known as Tsuchigumo and Jorōgumo – that would lure their victims in to be devoured, concentrating on the predatory aspect. Interestingly, the Jorōgumo, a spirit that is said to reside at Jōren Falls as guardian, is also said to save people from drowning using it’s webs.

In other instances, the web weaving and instinctual intelligence of the spider gave voice to other emanations in the form of trickster gods linked with creation. These include such revered spirits and Gods as Anansi, god of all knowledge of stories from Western African belief and and Iktomi from Lakota Native American belief, a similar spirit who was also responsible for originally inventing language and stories, names and games before being made a spider for his trouble making ways. Another example would be Nareau or Lord Spider, who is found in the creation stories of the Kiribati people. In their stories, it is this timeless spider that lived in the eternal ‘Darkness of the Embrace’, before it gave birth to the world from a mussel shell.

Iktomi

A Modern Interpretation of Iktomi by Naomichanart

Not surprisingly these spider spirits also seem to have some degree of oracular ability, able to give advice on the future or as omens as appearing as physical creatures. In the case of Iktomi, it was said he provided a prophecy that told that ‘would spread his web over the land’, which some who believe in him believe has come true in the form of the modern internet. In addition, when hiding from the English after a case of another military defeat, the future king of Scotland Robert the Bruce was apparently inspired by the spider which seemed to indicate to him his goal was attainable, due to its resilience and persistence. He would later to go on to win Independence of Scotland from England.

It’s also of note to see that that in the majority of these beliefs, the spider is not seen as a purely ‘evil’ force – but also not one that can be trusted nor necessarily understood in a transparent way by the humans with which it interacts.

The spiders web has also often been used to describe the concept of the make up of the spiritual universe or multiverse.  One example of this would be the teaching of Indras net in the Avatamsaka Sutra, which is a concept which could be comparable to a spiders web.

‘Far away in the heavenly abode of the great god Indra, there is a wonderful net that has been hung by some cunning artificer in such a manner that it stretches out infinitely in all directions. In accordance with the extravagant tastes of deities, the artificer has hung a single glittering jewel in each “eye” of the net, and since the net itself is infinite in all dimensions, the jewels are infinite in number. There hang the jewels, glittering like stars of the first magnitude, a wonderful sight to behold. If we now arbitrarily select one of these jewels for inspection and look closely at it, we will discover that in its polished surface there are reflected all the other jewels in the net, infinite in number. Not only that, but each of the jewels reflected in this one jewel is also reflecting all the other jewels, so that there is an infinite reflecting process occurring. ‘

asmoday

Seal of Asmoday

In my own practice, many of these beliefs are definitely present in some form or another. They are emanated in different manners, and there are many Spirits, Gods and Goddesses that can take on the form of Spiders. Examples of these would include the daemons Asmoday and Lilith, to name but a  few. Lilith is a prime example – as the ruling Goddess of Gamaliel. Gamaliel is a realm associated closely with intense physical pleasures, which can border on the extreme. As a realm known for its vampiric qualities and spirits, and described as a network of bloodied tunnels, it is unsurprising that the Goddess takes on such a form which matches her realm closely.

It is from this realm where the lesser spider spirits from my own experience seem to descend when the phase of the moon is just before or after the new moon, when only the barest of threads of light illuminate the sky. These spirits are great hunters, and make no mistake, predators, which help clean the Earth of parasites of all kinds – human and non human. I believe have only ever encountered one fleetingly, in a dream state,  and it appeared to be more of the hunting spider type than one that relied on webs to catch its prey. It radiated a strength of purpose and presence, and spoke in a silkish, deep voice. Whilst not detecting any malignance, it certainly had a certain aggressive to its disposition.  It was interested in how or why I had stumbled across it, and it considered me intently for awhile, questioning me. After several minutes conversing with the thing,  it climbed away back into invisibility, seemingly satisfied with my answers and identity. I believe that these spirits could be excellently guardians if correctly approached, cared for, and used for temporary periods only and it is something that I am excited to explore in the future.

An excellent first hand account was given English writer and graphic novelist Alan Moore in an interview with Jay Babcock for Arthur magazine, in which recounted his own encounters with  Asmoday. This being appeared as a spider that was able to distort space and time within the vision which he received. He went on to detail this  :-

‘I also had an experience with a demonic creature that told me that its name was Asmoday. Which is Asmodeus. And when I actually was allowed to see what the creature looked like, or what it was prepared to show me, it was this latticework…if you imagine a spider, and then imagine multiple images of that spider, that are kind of linked together–multiple images at different scales, that are all linked together–it’s as if this thing is moving through a different sort of time. You know Marcel Duchamp’s “Nude Descending a Staircase”? Where you can see all the different stages of the movement at once. So if you imagine that you’ve got this spider, that it was moving around, but it was coming from background to foreground, what you’d get is sort of several spiders, if you like, showing the different stages of its movement.

Now if you imagine all of those arranged into a kind of shimmering lattice that was turning itself inside out as I spoke to it, and I was talking to my partner at the time and sort of saying, This thing’s showing us it’s got an extra dimension I haven’t got, and it’s trying to tell me that it’s good at mathematics. [laughter] It’s vain. There’s something fourth-dimensional about this. This is all stuff I was actually saying at the time, while I was having the experience, which was pretty extreme.

Anyway. Over the next couple of weeks I started researching Asmodeus and found out that actually, yeah, he’s the demon of mathematics.’

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Asmodeus by Alan Moore (1994)

As a form which has held so much power over me, with the ability to both inspire and terrify me in equal measure, has recently seen me begin to take on the Spider as a source of power, as a worthy totem. I do not mean this in the modern interpretation as a spirit guide – whilst it is certainly possible for a familiar to take this form I cannot claim to be working with one that does.

Instead I mean it as an icon that i have identified with, a body form I have also once or twice attempted to take the form of in dreams to become, to gain power through association with these incredible creatures and spirits. This has seemed to be a natural process, something I have been drawn to which is an inherent part of my own psychology and soul make up.

So that to that end I continue to research this avenue of experience and go in search for the humble spider, and encourage others to do so as well. They have much to offer, and much to teach, and an important role to play in both the physical and spiritual world. I wish more people would treat them with respect, rather than simple reactionary abhorrence. Whilst they still have the power to startle me, it is great that I can finally accept these creatures and spirits into my life.

To this end i encourage others to also turn their own fears into strengths where possible through internalisation, whether that fear is is arachnophobia or some other  phobia.  Through encountering these and making them a source of power rather than allowing them power over us, our growth is rapidly expanded. Through such a process the journey empowers us, and may allow us to reconnect to an area of experience and encounters denied to us by our inability to overcome ourselves.

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Another stowaway hidden in my martial arts clothes

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Further reading on Spiders and Moths

I hope this has been an enjoyable entry, as as iterated it’s an important one to me i’ve wanted to highlight for awhile. Anyway, back to writing the essay for so it can be submitted in good time so wish me luck!

Best regards,

~S~

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