Sacred Circle - The Web

floracove

Let us look at this card shall we?

I think this card is very interesting.
I haven't had the opportunity to read what the book says about it.

As far as the person, I think she seems more comfortable than some of the other's.

The things that catch my eye first are the juniper berries, and the metalic looking spider.

I love shady places.

I'll be back to add more to the disscussion. (my connection keeps turning off.)
 

magpie9

Hey, floracora,
I'm glad you picked this one, I find it fascinating, too. I am digging around in the book for the basic stuff on the card, the Celtic-specific and symbolism. I'm pretty sure not everyone has the book, to be able to read these basics forthemselves. .Hopefully, fulgour will have a link with a scan of the card....hint, hint....
However, for starters—
We have here the JUSTICE card for this deck.
Every culture I know of has a spinner/weaver goddess who is in charge of death, fate, destiny, re-birth, initiation, etc. this is Arianrhod, the Welsh version.
The spider is sacred to her. This one looks a lot like a golden orb-weaver, but the wrong color...they weave amazingly large and symmetrical webs, and can get very large, like the palm of your hand. they don't bite, or anything.

The dog is a fairy animal. White animals were generally magical, especially if they had red ears, like this one. Dogs like this ran with Gwyn ap Nudd in the wild hunt, and so were connected the idea of justice being carried out. If the wild hunt ran you down, you were not innocent.

The hazel nuts are for wisdom, but the hazel tree was considered to be wisdom used to create or destroy. I hope somebody know more than I do on this one, because I don't really understand about the "dripping hazel" referred to here. It says, ”It was a leafless tree that was home to Ravens ad Vultures; the sap that it dripped was poisonous. When the hero Fionn used its wood for a battle shield, it gave off fumes that killed thousands.”

The Juniper was a tree of purification (still is) and associated in Europe with the goddesses of truth and Justice. Also, it’s Sacred to “the spirits of divine vengeance sent by the Gods to administer Justice.”

The season is autumn, traditional domain of the dark goddesses. Arianrhod was mistress of Caer Arianrhod, the spiral castle of death, rebirth, and initiation. Her castle is located at the North Star, where souls regenerated. “Her spinning wheel is the wheel of the stars, her threads the threads of life, death, and rebirth.” She carries the knife to cut or change the thread of a person’s life.

It’s hard to explain much more about her function without going into the Pagan view of life, death, fate, destiny, et al. I will say that while the Celts were strong believers in free will, they also believed as strongly in a personal destiny or fate, carried out usually within the context of the tribe. One made choices; one paid for them. Every action, for good or ill, will eventually return to you—times three. (kind of like in physics) (would this be Metaphysical Physics??)

Consequently, to a large extent, Justice came from within yourself, manifesting in your life as the results of your choices—as well as from the Gods or Tribal Justice.


* All Quotes from Book by Anna Franklin, with deck
 

magpie9

I really like that "web of Life" tapastry---thanks, Fungour. :)
do you suppose that all those interlinked animals and "webs" like this one are meant to be related to the "Web of Life"? Is this accidental, or is this concept and symbolism that important in the celtic world?

Waddaya think?
 

MeeWah

The Celtic tradition acknowledges & respects the wholistic. The interconnectedness of All Life as the integrity of each thread of life depends on that of another to maintain its viability & that of the whole Web. A delicate balance where a weak or broken thread undermines or threatens construction with destruction. Hence, the Law of Cause & Effect; of action & reaction; of consequences.

The Web speaks eloquently of that symbiotic relationship where the sum of its parts greater than any single part. Of an All for One & One for All.

The concept of a-tone-ment is actually that of at-one-ment. A higher attunement (vibration) that by the judicious adjustment, achieves balance & healing.
 

Fulgour

*

"The three-fold number is present in all things whatsoever;
nor did we ourselves discover this number, but rather
nature teaches it to us." ~ OVID : The Spiral Web


*
 

floracove

'Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity.' ~E.H

oooh! Love that 'Spiral Web', Fulgour!

I got to searching for spider web, and other magical properties, and found this.
Without thinking much about spider silk, we nevertheless are aware of some of its remarkable properties. It never dries out, doesn't decay from bacterial action, and won't become covered with mold. Under sheltered conditions, a web may last a lot longer than the spider itself. We know that some threads are sticky, others are not. They can be fine and delicate, or very strong and even quite thick. Each type is important to a spider 's needs.
and this...
Silk is not ejected under pressure, but must be drawn out by external means by a force such as wind or gravity. A drag line, for example, is first attached to a surface, then the spider walks or jumps away, or drops into the air where it dangles on its life-line.

From here.
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag...icroscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artnov98/baspid3.html

I think the spider web is what is so entrancing of this card.
That everything is connected, whether we physically touch it or not...

Hazel nut, is considered a Tree of Divination.

It is a Tree of Divination, tree of feminine inspired wisdom, wands of arbitration, hazel represents natural law, that of human rhythm in response to lunar rhythm.
http://www.blueroebuck.com/hazel.htm
(I hope links to this info is ok...)

Juniper is considered a protective herb.
Also also guards against theft, protects from accidents, & attacks, ghosts & sickness. When burned helps with psychic powers.

So I can see how this would be good for the web of life...

To me, the Godess figure in this card seems to be looking out at me, and asks, "What have you learned, where are you going, how will you contribute?

'Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity.' ~E.H.
 

Fulgour

thanks floracove

I found another quote, apropos to XI The Web:

Never does the human soul appear so strong as when
it forgoes revenge, and dares to forgive an injury.
Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls;
the most massive characters are seared with scars.


E.H.Chapin
1814-1880
 

floracove

oooh, Fulgour
I like that quote very much.

Volumes sensed in four short lines...

Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls;
the most massive characters are seared with scars.

*awed by the idea of reincarnated, life's weavings*

Seems the web, is an eternal circle of latticed lace...