This is for the "My Favorite Pictures In A Collage" challenge that Kareen King is hosting. Her theme is "web." This is a rope web I created at least 20 years ago and have used occasionally in group ritual. The closeups are of small tokens/ornaments sewn to some of the rag knots that tie it together. The ornament in the small center photo is the center of the web.
Making your own web, what a cool idea and it has lasted well! The interesting little tokens and knots, it's all rather intriguing. I will go forth and ponder....
@sioux@eileenw@dollycreek@kareenking@snaphappi Apologies for the long delay before replying. Thanks so much for your comments (and thanks for the FAV, Kareen.) A bit of explanation, then. I am Roman Catholic, born and raised. I returned to the parish I grew up in, when we moved back here from Minnesota. During the years we were in Minneapolis, another dimension was added to my spiritual orientation. Not abandoning our Christian traditions (Frank is Methodis) we also became involved with, and made many friends in, the Twin Cities NeoPagan community. Taking inspiration from ancient cultures, people may call themselves Pagan or NeoPagan -- NeoPagan because it's a new take on the old; very few people are slavishly following ancient practices. A simple explanation: honoring the cycles of the earth and recognizing the divine in all, including all of us.
A couple of things I've loved from my Catholic faith are rosaries (prayer beads, of course, are used in other religious traditions as well), and litanies. And I am also very drawn to the Roman Catholic concepts of the Communion of Saints, and of all of us as participants in the "Body of Christ." It resonates with the NeoPagan part of my spirituality. But now to explain the web:
The small NeoPagan group we were meeting with was very eclectic -- people shared ideas and ritual inspired by a wide variety of religious traditions. I decided to make a giant web (an image frequently used by the NeoPagan) that would effectively serve as a group rosary, The rag knots that joined the ropes together passed from hand to hand around the circle as I led a form of a litany starting with familiar Catholic saints: "Saint Francis, pray for me." (pass the knot to the left) "Saint Anthony, pray for me." (pass to the left) etc. As the litany continued, I included names of those honored in other traditions and the secular sphere. And I deliberately included a couple of names that I knew would challenge the group to include those who were not so well loved by them -- for example, at a different end of the political spectrum etc than that of most of our members.
When the litany for the outer circle was completed, everyone moved in to the next smaller circle in the web for a different litany. Then moved inward again, until we were all very close together. I don't remember the various litany forms I used, but my remembrance of the sense of the ritual was to 1) recognize the immanent divinity in all persons 2) acknowledge the ways we sometimes fail to honor that immanent divinity 3) and draw closer in renewed attempt to honor it in our hearts, words, actions.
The tokens I attached to some of the knots included ones to symbolize the elements (earth, air, fire, water), the sun, moon, stars, etc
I have used the web on other occasions, but it has been in my closet, unused, for a good while. I may take it to Wisconsin next week for a gathering that will include some of those same NeoPagan friends -- one of which I've known since the mid-seventies.
Interestingly enough, another person I know from the NeoPagan sphere, independently created her own web -- neither of us knowing of the other; though some different from mine, it also was intended for group ritual.
I hope this helps to explain my admittedly odd giant web.
@mcsiegle Wow, Mary, that was a fascinating read. Thanks for taking the time to explain your web as well as introducing me to the term, NeoPagan." I appreciate you sharing your spiritual journey with us. It feels very much in the realm of The Memory Bridge Retreat I just came from (which introduced Buddhist concepts to me, mostly in the realm of being attuned to others by being fully present). I also am evolving in my spiritual journey which began in the Lutheran tradition and has branched into a variety of various protestant denominations (now also serving as accompanist for the weekly Catholic Mass).
But I like the idea of not only acknowledging the divine in each person, but the humanity in each person - something not easily done in this hierarchical society we live in. Again, thanks! :)
June 27th, 2014
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A couple of things I've loved from my Catholic faith are rosaries (prayer beads, of course, are used in other religious traditions as well), and litanies. And I am also very drawn to the Roman Catholic concepts of the Communion of Saints, and of all of us as participants in the "Body of Christ." It resonates with the NeoPagan part of my spirituality. But now to explain the web:
The small NeoPagan group we were meeting with was very eclectic -- people shared ideas and ritual inspired by a wide variety of religious traditions. I decided to make a giant web (an image frequently used by the NeoPagan) that would effectively serve as a group rosary, The rag knots that joined the ropes together passed from hand to hand around the circle as I led a form of a litany starting with familiar Catholic saints: "Saint Francis, pray for me." (pass the knot to the left) "Saint Anthony, pray for me." (pass to the left) etc. As the litany continued, I included names of those honored in other traditions and the secular sphere. And I deliberately included a couple of names that I knew would challenge the group to include those who were not so well loved by them -- for example, at a different end of the political spectrum etc than that of most of our members.
When the litany for the outer circle was completed, everyone moved in to the next smaller circle in the web for a different litany. Then moved inward again, until we were all very close together. I don't remember the various litany forms I used, but my remembrance of the sense of the ritual was to 1) recognize the immanent divinity in all persons 2) acknowledge the ways we sometimes fail to honor that immanent divinity 3) and draw closer in renewed attempt to honor it in our hearts, words, actions.
The tokens I attached to some of the knots included ones to symbolize the elements (earth, air, fire, water), the sun, moon, stars, etc
I have used the web on other occasions, but it has been in my closet, unused, for a good while. I may take it to Wisconsin next week for a gathering that will include some of those same NeoPagan friends -- one of which I've known since the mid-seventies.
Interestingly enough, another person I know from the NeoPagan sphere, independently created her own web -- neither of us knowing of the other; though some different from mine, it also was intended for group ritual.
I hope this helps to explain my admittedly odd giant web.
But I like the idea of not only acknowledging the divine in each person, but the humanity in each person - something not easily done in this hierarchical society we live in. Again, thanks! :)