One of my most meaningful and consistent teachers is the Black Widow. I’ve written about spider medicine a few times, and I continue to explore its presence in my life as a natural unfolding of my inner connectedness to the world around me. One of my most revered Buddhist teachers, Thich Nhat Hanh, once said, “We are here to awaken from the illusion of our separatness.”
Now more than ever, the presence of the Widow protects my home and garden. Despite all the stigma around the Widow, and even though their venom is 15 times more potent than a rattlesnake, they are quite timid of humans, saving their venom for their food source more than defense, and their tiny bite is not as harmful to humans as we’ve been taught to believe. Of course, I do not wish to encounter one in any such manner and minimize my proximity to their environment. I respect their space and keep them contained (they aren’t allowed near points of entry into the home, places I reach into like water spigots and gardening tools, or where the pup plays).
I have observed Widows through the lens of science, but mostly through Shamanism and Zen Ecology; philosophies that believe in the value of all living creatures, rooted in perspectives that understand there is a far larger web of life to which we are all a part. Everything has a place and purpose, and everything can be a point of reference for self-reflection and oneness. As an Eco-therapist, I find nature to be the most potent mirror for discovering one’s inner nature. As discussed in a prior entry, Black Widow wisdom, their lessons are timeless, and through more years of study, I have much to share. For today, here are some current reflections that I have gathered from these ambitious, rather ambiguous, adaptable, and always admirable Arachnids.
Spidey Sense:
The Widow has one of the strongest webs, but it is more than just a home or a trap; it is an extension of its body and senses. The silk threads are literally engineered from their own body; therefore, they can adjust the properties of silk (tension, stiffness, pattern, and complexity) to meet the needs of their surroundings. The Widow uses its woven structure to sense vibrations and can adapt in a way that optimizes their safety, ingenuity, and longevity. Essentially, they know how to tune themselves into the world around them and rely on these vibrational indicators for survival and growth.
How do you tune in? Have you ever had a feeling? A sense about someone, something, or a deeper intuitive redirection? Do you discredit the energetic and vibrational cues that communicate to you? Can you learn to trust these instinctive gauges as equally accurate messages as those that arrive from intellect and common cognition? Are you willing to lean into, listen to, and honor your unique interpretation of the world around you through the channels of microscopic, yet mighty, subtle-body pulses that signal a deeper sense or knowing? What are the stories that have prevented you from trusting your Spidey senses? Are you willing to rebuild or enhance your inner resources and intuition?
Balance:
Spiders are experts at walking the threads of life, finding pathways along the in betweenness. Metaphorically speaking, they teach us to traverse the liminal spaces of life and death, darkness and light, sleeping and waking, physical and spiritual. They remind us of the importance of balance –all aspects of life must be integrated to achieve a sense of wholeness.
Are there parts of yourself that you neglect or refuse to see, the ominous teachers of shadow work, such as intense untouched emotions, toxic patterns, or your own impermanence? Do you nourish some aspects more than others, such as giving equal attention to your mind and body or intellect and creativity? Where do you need more attention? What are the threads you are forgetting to walk? Remember, through the web-of-life lens, everything has a purpose and place. Your human design cannot be completed without balance and reintegration.
Persistence & Patience:
In a world riddled with immediate gratification, expedited conveniences, and constant distractions, do you lack the discipline or persistence to build the life you desire? Are you willing to put in the work to achieve your goals and visions? I often hear people stop mid-progress in a project because they aren’t motivated (I have been that person, too). I bring the tough love nudge; sometimes you must keep going even when you aren’t motivated. This is discipline. I’ve seen the Widow construct glorious webs only to be annihilated by unforeseen circumstances; her persistence only grows stronger, and her web more adaptive in its reconstruction. Though one can argue her web is necessary for survival, I would say it is her purpose. Building a life that you desire, no matter how challenging, is essential for your own. Once the web is established, the spider patiently waits. Some designs take time to catch dreams.
Creativity:
From Australia to the Navajo Nation, the spider web has been the inspiration for loom weaving, basket weaving, textiles, indigenous crafting, and jewelry making. Intentional design is an art; intentional living is an art. Is there room in your daily practices to craft, curate, and imagine? How can you become more creative in your self-expression, resourcing, your communication, your personal and professional development, or your relationships? How can you spin your life emulating the beauty of the natural world?
Perhaps the culmination of all the lessons above coalesces into the powerful expression of art. By feeling into our unique instinct and inner senses, letting them guide us with balance, and remaining persistent and patient with our vision, we can create a web of life that captures exactly what we need and, unique to humans, what we want.