Weavers of Webs, Wisdom, and Worlds

​Trigger Warning: I understand that some of my readers may have a phobia of spiders. If this is the case, then this post may not be for you. That said, there are no pictures or graphic descriptions of spiders here, only myth and lore. The decision to read on is yours. If not, it’s all good, take care of you. I hope to see you next week. 
 
Spiritually speaking, when we think about messengers or guides in animal form, our first thoughts usually go to birds (owls, crows, and ravens come to mind for me) or perhaps something that we may feel we already connect with. We often don’t think about the tiny, nearly invisible creatures that are all around us, but we either don’t notice, or don’t want to notice. One such creature is the spider. Despite being quite unliked, and even feared, these days, they were not always so. Throughout history, spiders have often been respected as messengers, and, dare I say, good omens. Some believed it was taboo to kill one inside.
 
Across many cultures there are deities connected with spiders. They are associated with traits like wisdom, and cunning for deities like Anansi (West African), and creation and destiny for others like Spider Grandmother (Navajo), Uttu (Sumerian), and Neith (Egyptian).  These are just some of them.
 
Spiders featured in Slavic and Romanic cultures as keepers of time, fate, and hidden knowledge.
They also saw the intricate webs of these amazing little spinners as omens depending on where and how their webs were spun. The placement of the web was important. According to Earth Fairy Holistics on Facebook (You should really check her out, she has some fantastic content), across a door could mean a spirit or entity had passed through that area, and low to the ground could be a warning against travel, or speaking too much. On a sacred object it was a blessing and suggested that sacred space/energy was being held there, and was guarded. It was considered especially lucky to find one in your bed or on your hearth. The condition the web is weaved in also has meaning. A messy web is indicative of messy/chaotic energy.
 
According to Steven Farmer in his book Animal Spirit Guides, spiders bring messages about assimilating wisdom, exploring other dimensions/realities, being inspired by Nature, and being aware of possible traps. You can call on spider when things feel wrong or off and you need to regain your equilibrium on all levels.
 
I know that these tiny messengers are widely unliked or feared. Personally, I see them all the time. Though less so than I used to. I have never really been afraid of spiders. These days I tend to try and wrangle them to put them outside, though I have always had an unspoken agreement that if they stay out of my living space they are welcome to their own space. They are helpful in keeping down insect populations, especially mosquitos, cockroaches, and house flies.
 
If you have made it all the way through this post, I would love to know how you feel about spiders? Do you find them fascinating? Do you hate them, or do you feel rather neutral about them? Are you curious about the wisdom they may offer, or are you happy to just let them be?