As we sit in this midpoint of the darkest months of the year, I’m feeling like the world is standing still. Like an eternal groundhog day when lots of stuff is happening but not much is being visibly achieved.
After an invitation to look to nature to hear the messages I needed, I remembered the spiderwebs that have been appearing every morning on the outside of my bedroom window. Most mornings there are three there; beautifully symmetrical and aligned, the frost on each intricate thread glistening in the rising sun.
Spiderwebs are mostly built under the blanket of darkness. The spider constructs the web one thread at a time, building the structure segment by segment before layering on concentric circles and a final spiral of sticky silk. Each thread on its own doesn’t look like much but combined, they form a truly functional and beautiful structure. Spider silk has unique properties that make it stronger than steel but with incredible flexibility, something we’ve been unable to recreate outside of the natural world.
Once the web is built, the spider simply waits and rests whilst the web does the work for it. The spider monitors the vibrations on the threads, relying on its intuition to know the difference between vibrations from insect prey, dangerous insects or leaves. The spider knows what to do in each scenario, and does this time and time again relying on its innate skills and abilities.
Spider webs never last long. Either the spider destroys them to recycle the silk for new webs, or they are broken by the wind, animals or humans. However the spider never gives up, instead simply makes the necessary adjustments to the structure or location, and does the work to build a new structure, stronger than before.
Lessons from a spider:
- Doing the work doesn’t need to be visible to be worth something.
- Start with the most do-able action, and then the next, and keep going.
- Life is beautiful and fragile, but a lot stronger than you think.
- Create a system that works for you, which builds in rest and replenishment.
- Patience and perseverance matter.
- Learning to listen to your intuition is vital for your success.
- When things don’t go to plan, learn the lessons and start again. Each failure comes with the gift of wisdom.
Today as we celebrate Imbolc, it is now the time to gently move away from the period of hibernation and reflection, and start making space to bring our hopes and dreams into the here and now. It is the time to lean into the promise of renewal, hidden potential and hope.
Maybe step outside today and notice what your attention is drawn to in the natural world. How does it make you feel? What messages can you take from this to help you prepare for the emerging potential and new growth?