Arachne's flame
Delve into the mysteries of the Fire of Arachne. This page explores the symbolism and significance of Arachne within the Covenant of the Sacred Flame, offering insights into her unique energy and connection to the sacred flame.
The weaver's fire
The Fire of Arachne represents creativity, skill, and the weaving of one's own destiny. The threads of fate as we see them are unconcious threads woven by choices made in time. The threads are from our own currents of Arachne within. Her flames direction is below and is a neon green hue.
Threads of fate
Arachne was said to be the daughter of Idmon of Colophon, a renowned dyer. From a young age, she exhibited extraordinary talent in weaving, creating tapestries that were so exquisite, they rivaled the work of the gods. Her skill became the talk of the town, and she grew increasingly proud of her abilities. In her arrogance, she boasted that her talents surpassed even those of Athena. Hearing of Arachne's claims, Athena decided to confront her. Disguised as an old woman, Athena warned Arachne to be humble and to honor the gods. However, Arachne dismissed the warning, insisting that her skill was unmatched and challenged the goddess to a weaving contest.
The contest was fierce. Arachne wove a tapestry that depicted the gods' many misdeeds and injustices, showcasing her skill and creativity. In contrast, Athena's tapestry illustrated the glory of the gods and their benevolence towards humanity. While Arachne's work was technically flawless, Athena's depicted a deeper narrative that conveyed both beauty and morality. Upon viewing Arachne's tapestry, Athena was enraged not only by the young woman's skill but also by her audacity to mock the gods. In a fit of rage, Athena destroyed Arachne's masterpiece and struck her down. In some versions of the tale , Arachne, devastated by the loss, hanged herself. Out of pity, Athena transformed her into a spider, granting her a form of immortality. This transformation allowed Arachne to continue weaving, but now as a spider, spinning webs for eternity.
The story of Arachne encompasses several themes:
1. Hubris: Arachne's pride in her abilities ultimately leads to her downfall. The myth serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of excessive pride and the importance of humility.
2. Art and Creation: Arachne represents the struggle and beauty of artistic creation. Her weaving symbolizes the intricate relationship between the creator and their work, as well as the potential consequences of artistic expression.
3. Divine Retribution: The tale underscores the belief in divine justice, where the gods protect their honor and punish those who defy them. Athena's reaction to Arachne's challenge illustrates the power dynamics between mortals and deities.
4. Transformation: Arachne’s metamorphosis into a spider reflects themes of change and adaptation. While she loses her human form, she gains a different kind of existence, continuing her craft in a new capacity.
Legacy:
Arachne's story has transcended its mythological origins and has been referenced in various forms of art, literature, and psychology. The term “arachnid” is derived from her name, linking her to the spider family. Additionally, Arachne has become a symbol of the artist's struggle, representing both the brilliance and the perils of creativity.
In modern culture, Arachne is often invoked in discussions about the relationship between art and power, as well as the nature of ambition and its potential consequences. Her narrative continues to inspire and caution artists and creators, reminding them of the delicate balance between pride in their craft and respect for the forces that shape their world. In the draconic pathworking she is a Queen of Sitra Achra, and her webs are found in the tunnels and in all things connecting unconscious and consciousness together. The white spiders that frequent the halls of the Qlipoth are hers. Carrying her fire will bring a neutrality to them.
Igniting creativity
Her webs are seen in the relations we have with each other. In many workings with her, her poison that is drunk to dissolve the threads that do not serve us is a toxic bright green color like absinth. Her fire too is a bright green color that carries her gnosis of the webs as well as the ability to burn away what does not serve. It is important to recognize that her fire will impact your life. Her gnosis will bring awareness to all that you connect with both consciously and unconsciously. Caring for her fire, brings importance to her workings in this world and your perception to the spider kingdom.
Praxis Part 1: Inner Temple Rite
(If already completed, you may skip)
The Inner Temple
The Chair, Mirror, and Table initiation is way to visualize, organize your energy, and construct an inner temple to house the sacred fired. Through a guided meditation and initiation, the practitioner awakens the inner temple and seat of power. It is from this room that the individual can consciously explore the rest of his or her spiritual body. The Chair symbolizes your seat of power, your throne. The Mirror’s shape, style, and quality are the inner un-conscious reflections of self-image. The Table is the foundation of present and future work. The layout of the table and quality signifies the spiritual personal foundation. If the table is solid, then a firm foundation is set in place. If the table is crumbling, then the individual has an unbalance in his or her life or elemental unbalance. The three objects are key elements inside the room, which symbolizes the inner temple. The windows, wall coverings and lighting all reflect the individual’s connection to the inner spiritual consciousness. The room will be an inner sanctuary as well as a place to connect to the Deities.
Guided Meditation and Initiation
Sit or lay down (recommended have someone read to you or pre-record). Have a journal to jot down your findings.
Meditation: Close your eyes. You see a door in front of you a black door with a silver handle. When you are ready open the door and step in. You are in a room lit up from windows and wall lighting. What does the room look like? What do the windows look like? What do the light fixtures on the wall look like? (Pause) Located on the wall to your left is a 7-foot-tall mirror. What does the mirror look like? (Pause) Turn to face the rest of the room. Towards the middle of the room, there is a large chair and a large table. What is the material of the chair and table? What do they look like? (Pause) Is the table solid or crumbling? If crumbling, see all the pieces slowly remolding before your eye. The table first turns silver, then gold and returns to the original form and color. (pause) Glance once more around this room. This is your inner temple or inner sanctuary connected to your spiritual nature. Turn towards the center of the room. A fire erupts in the center of your temple. This is your sacred fire, your spark of creation. The fire shimmers with a silvery glow guarding its light. It will not go out yet by maintaining it by offering wood you solidify your connection to the fire. It is this relationship that will aid in the practice.
Turn to your right, you see the door you entered through Open the door, a bright light shines through, and step through the door. You see yourself sitting, when ready sit back into your body and when ready, open your eyes. You have just established and awakened your inner temple.
Praxis Part 2: Sigil of Arachne
There are multiple sigils for Arachne, both to the right were created by Asenath Mason, creator of the Temple of Ascending Flame.
The sigil design represents the spider current and the connections in all directions, in all spaces, and in all times. Day and night, her poison consumes while her fire ignites and connects.
Praxis Part 3: Awakening Fire of Arachne Ritual
Tools:
A white pillar candle, glass white candle preferred. (often found at the doller store as prayer candles). You will leave it vigil and burn out. Tea lights work as well
The Sigil
Lancet, to annoint the sigil with a drop of your blood. (Your blood connects you to the divine current)
A dagger, sword, wand for circle casting
Sea Salt
Essential oil of choice
Lighter
Alchohol/Sanitation wipe
Journal and pen
Part 1: Take a ritual bath: Mix a small bowl of sea salt and the essential oil. While in the shower, after washing, scrub your body with the sea salt and essential oil. Its a spiritual cleanser, exfoliates the skin, and leaves a scent. (do not use rock salt sea salt, only use the finley ground powder sea salt.)
Part 2: Sacred space preperation: You can use a room with a table, or if you have an altar place the candle, lancet, sanitation wipe, and sigil on it. Have it to where you can see it. Prepare the room with additional candles and incense to set the mood. Dragons blood or Sandlewood recommended. (Incense not necessary if in a place you cannot.)
Part 3: Creating the Circle: There are many ways to cast a circle. For the Draconian current I use the one: "I cast a circle of serpents around, entwined and bound, above and below to protect the energies sow." Another from Coven Crystal Dragon: "I cast this circle, a place that is not a place, a space between here and the land of the mighty ones to be a sacred space."
Take your dagger/sword/want, and walking counter clockwise (as we are going within), draw pushing your energy through the ritual tool drawing the circle around the space while saying the words of choice. End with drawing a trident upright to seal the space.
Part 4: Fire Meditation: (Site in a comfortable position) Begin by visualizing a triangle of fire in front of you getting larger. As the triangle approaches you it gets much larger. The Triangle then becomes so large it surrounds you forming a pyramid of light and fire. A large serpent surrounds the pyramid that is like the serpent that rests at your root of your spine below your root chakra. With each deep breath visualize each serpent rising circling the pyramid and circling your spine. As the inner serpent rises through each chakra, the chakra ignites with a fiery glow. After the serpent makes it to the crown chakra, it rests its head on your crown and its tail becomes a part of your spine, awakening your inner site. The serpent outside of the temple as it rests upon the pyramids top, it unfolds its wings and ignites the fire causing the fire built up around the pyramid to shoot downward into your crown, increasing your energy for future work.
Part 5: Sigil Visualization: Use the alchohol wipe and wipe your finger. Using the lancet place a drop on the sigil.
Mediation: Stare at the sigil for a time until you can memorize its shape. Stare at the candle flame, then close your eyes. You are in a field with trees in the distance. It is dusk and the sun is setting. The ground shakes and rising from the field in front of you is the sigil in gold and silver. You see it fully rise then morph and change shape and then return to its original shape and open. As it opens a gust of light and darkness flow into the field. Began chanting "Arachne", at least nine times.
Part 6: Arachne Invocation
Ho Ophis Ho Arachais
Ho Dracon Ho Megas
Great Spider Queen
Great weaver of the threads that bind
Arachnid queen and devour of unconscious thought
I beseech thee
Enter my temple of flesh and awaken your fire and gnosis within me
Inflame my spirit to your pathworking
Teach me the ways of connection
To honor your threads and your children
I invoke you
With your fire and gnosis within me
Light the path to see the threads of unconscious and conscious connections
Guide my spirit to understanding your weaving of the threads
In your name I invoke your flame
Light the candle
Take a moment to stare at its light. Then close your eyes and visualize its flame. Using your senses and visualization, breath in fire from the candle. See its green flame flow through your nostrils filling you with its light. Continue this for thirteen breaths. This will help revitalize and be a beacon for his fire awakening within.
After the invocation, sit down or lay down. Allow the experience to unfold with messages or visuals that are given if any. See what comes up. Remember to have your journal close by to write anything down. When done proceed to the meditation.
Part 7: Inner Temple Meditation
Meditation: See before you a black door with a silver handle. You have seen this door before, it is to your temple door. Open the door and step in. The torch light flickers on the wall as you see your table, chair and mirror. In the center of the room you see your source flame burning bright.. Walk toward it and take a log and place it on the flames. As you do this, the torches on the walls flare up and back down. Turn to the left corner of the room. You see stairs going down into the ground. Start walking down its steps. As you do torchs along the wall erupt giving light and you see at the bottom of the steps a room lit up with a blue hue. As you look within the room, the blue fire burns bright. Steps continue downward. Follow the steps down. Torches erupt on the walls giving you light. Reddish and Orange light is coming from the bottom of the stairs. The light shines from a room on the right. Stairs continue to go down into the darkness. Continue to walk down the steps, As you do the torches along the wall flare up and back down. At the bottom of the stairs is a room with golden light shining out of it. As you walk to the room, you look in and see Lucifers Flame burning bright. Stairs continue downward. Continue walking down the steps. Torches erupt along the wall as you walk down them. The steps end at a room to the right. You see before you tightly woven webs that make up a solid floor. At the other end of the room is a throne with a large chalis of neon green liquid. On the other side of the throne is a fire pit with green flames burning bright. There are no walls but what appears like empty space. Next to the fire pit are logs. Walk over to the fire and place a log on the fire. Take time to feel its warmth. Look around the room, take note what you see to write down in your journal. If you see Arachne there see what messages she has for you.
Part 8: Closing
- Give thanks to Arachne that resides without and within.
- Say: " I leave this candle burning vigil, in honor of its sacred flame and the flame I carry."
- Say: "It is done"
- Draw the upside down trident to open the space
*Fire Meditation was created by Asenath Mason and the Temple of Ascending Flame