Spider Woman: Thinking Woman of the Pueblos

"The weaving way holds beauty"
"The weaving way holds power"

Archetypes are powerful images in the collective psyche. To understand the feminine source of power is to re-member the ancient goddesses. The original Native American Earth Goddess was Spider Woman, known as Sussistannako or Thinking Woman. She was the Earth Goddess, or Naestasan, the Woman Horizontal, who created the winds that control all life on earth and in the underworld.

In her primordial form, Spider Woman spun a line in four directions, creating the Sun and Moon and the Star People who were given clear crystal eyes so there would never be complete darkness again. Spider Woman was so crafty that she created a stairway from her web of wisdom to the Fourth World. She led the people through the sipapu, the opening for the spirits to enter the kiva, the sacred ceremonial space that is the womb of Mother Earth. By being connected to her web, they would always be able to draw on her wisdom in their travels.

By connecting to Spider Woman, we remember her magic and her wisdom. Spider Woman teaches soul protection and the love of beauty as well as the sensitivity to know what must die and what shall live, to what shall be carded out, to what shall be woven in. She connects us to our deepest source of wisdom and power.