Crystal Tapestry

JoAnne Dodgson

excerpt from Walking the Spiral Path: Awakening Power and Passion

As the orange glowing sun rose up over the horizon, a hint of magic filled the

air. A chattering flock of ravens surfed wildly on the winds, landing high in the trees

and soaring to the ground to hold council among the frozen cornstalks in the field

beside our house. I wondered what they were up to, besides calling me out to play.

Iventured into the woods, delighted by the beauty of the vibrant green forest dusted

with sparkling white snow, all embraced by the brilliant blue sky. Our spirited dog,

Jasmine, romped through the underbrush, sticking her nose deep into animal tracks

imprinted in the snow to determine just who had been by and how long ago and if

there still was a chance of catching up.

When I stopped beside a creek to breath in the deep woody silence, I noticed

the thread of a spider’s web swaying slightly in the breeze. Hanging in a graceful arc

between the branches of a cedar tree, the delicate fiber was lined with snowflakes.

Each individual snowflake was clearly visible, such intricate starry crystals of all

different sizes and shapes gathered along a shimmering thread.

Enchanted by thisdiscovery, I looked around with heightened awareness and more discerning eyes tofind the woods filled with snowy spider webs. There were sparkling threads strungfrom broad cedar branches to the tips of the neighboring pines. There were glittering

fibers dangling around the spindly bushes beside the icy creek. There were ornate

strings of tiny snowflakes stretching all the way across the path

I walked along,crystalline fibers reaching out and connecting tree to tree to tree to tree.

The glittering tapestry of snowflakes woven in the woods was a vivid reminder

of the extraordinary web of life, that vast array of diverse life on the planet, the

countless unique and intricate beings all connected yet distinct. Balance and harmony

thrive in the connectedness of the web, in the honoring and understanding of the

relationship among all beings, in the fertile knowing that we all are joined in the circle

of life.

Boundless potentials come alive when we explore with awakened awareness

the worlds within us and all around, leaving behind the well-ingrained habits that

cloud our vision, bury our passions, disguise our gifts, and shape us into something

other than who and what we really are.

There’s such beauty in sharing our unique distinctive songs as we dance with the

grand web of life, each of us embodying particular forms, energies, and rhythms,

bringing into the world our unique purposes, passions and gifts. The tapestry of our

lives is colored with freedom when we are guided by our own creativity and knowing.

There’s magic in weaving the webs of our lives with shimmering fibers like those

among the trees, reaching out with curiosity, unconditional love and compassion,

connecting heart to heart to heart to heart.

Dr. JoAnne Dodgson is a healer, teacher and writer whose life and work are centered in

the ancient tradition, Ka Ta See, “living in balance from the heart.” Her unique healing

work with individuals and groups offers dynamic invitations to awaken joy,

empowerment, connectedness and compassion. She has been involved in counseling,

teaching and community outreach for over twenty years. She has a doctorate in

counseling psychology and has been on the faculty in holistic health, women’s studies

and psychology programs. In addition to Walking the Spiral Path, JoAnne is the

author of two illustrated books, Gifts of the Grandmother and Cocooning.