And so, the spiral turns

I have written about the spiral previously but wanted to expand upon what I wrote before as it provides an interesting and powerful way of understanding the movement of our psychological processes.

The spiral is a ubiquitous symbol which is as old as time and can be found in cultures all over the world from the Maori in the South Pacific, to the Celts in Northern Europe. Its structure is inherently woven into the fabric of the universe. The vortex of whirlpools, the tightly bound coil of young ferns, and the swirling formation of galaxies are just a few of the innumerable ways in which the spiral reveals itself to us in nature. The centripetal and concentric movement of the spiral is synonymous with the breath, our DNA is contained in the form of helices, and our fascia, connective tissue, runs in helical patterns throughout the body. We breathe in spirals, move in spirals, and we exist because of spirals. It is fair to say that they are the building blocks of life itself.

Spiral symbolism is prolific in religion, art, and mythology. It is ecstatically expressed in the circular movement of the Whirling Dervishes as part of the mystical practice of Sufism,[1] and is one of the universal patterns that form the creation of mandalas, a sacred ritual object or meditation tool associated in Tantric Buddhism. In the Tantrik and yogic traditions, the Kundalini Shakti[2] lies coiled at the base of the spine, waiting to spiral upwards through the central energy channel, to unite with Shiva[3] at the crown of the head. We also possess energy vortexes in the way of chakras[4] that are strategically positioned throughout our subtle body layer[5]. In mythology, the spiral is universally considered to be a metaphor for personal growth and transformation. The triskelion, the triple (sometimes double) spiral in Celtic folklore symbolises our evolutionary life cycles, and in ancient Egypt the spiral was symbolised by a snake; its cyclical shedding of skin representing rebirth.

In the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone we see a journey of feminine consciousness illustrated in a classic birth – death – rebirth cycle, as with the Sumerian myth of Inanna and her descent to the underworld. Both myths are richly laden with symbolism and archetype. These are mapped out along a spiral pathway, which creatively demonstrates the dynamic movement of a woman’s journey towards individuation: achieving a state of wholeness through the unification of our conscious and unconscious selves. Carl Jung believed this to be the ultimate personal development goal. He taught that individuation is essential for us to stand in our power and authenticity, separate from the masses, as an autonomous and unique individual. In psychology, the symbolism of the spiral has long been used as a multi-staged model to demonstrate how effective and long-lasting change occurs in human behaviour.[6] In his 1929 Dream Seminars,[7] Jung lectured that we develop in spirals on a psychological level. He believed, as do many, that no matter what route we take, we always end up returning to the same point. Each trip around the spiral is differentiated by something new that we process and integrate, and it is this continuous rotational experience that takes us closer towards the pinnacle of individuation.

From its soft curves to its transient nature, the spiral personifies the sacred geometry of the feminine. Our biological and psychological processes manifest in spiral forms that dance in a continuous pulse flowing in and out, up and down, mirroring the tides of the ocean. The most obvious examples are found in our Blood Mysteries[8]. We begin our menstrual cycle in the darkness of the void, spiralling out into the ripeness of ovulation before circling back to the centre once again. A similar pattern lies within in the cycle of menarche, motherhood, perimenopause, and menopause - which marks our final spiral journey as far as mapping the Blood Mysteries are concerned. In the post-menopause phase, our shakti[9] and wisdom cease to move outwards and are retained within the void, which is symbolised by the womb/womb space in Tantrik and Womb Awakening traditions. However, it’s important to note that a post-menopausal woman doesn’t cease to spiral. Her cyclical processes become psychological and symbolic, rather than biological – aside, of course, from the natural phenomenon of ageing. In the same way that a fractal contains infinite patterns of various dimensions within itself, there are also many spirals within a spiral. The inherent cyclical nature of a woman’s evolution calls for a fluid and adaptable map, as opposed to one that is rigid or linear which serves neither the landscape of our bodies, or the language of our soul. The spiral offers us a pathway to accessing and understanding our feminine consciousness in a way that is intuitive and instinctual and, therefore, is profoundly healing.

“The spiral tendency in all of us is the longing for growth and wholeness.” ~ Jill Purce

[1] Sufism is the mystical and esoteric branch of Islam

[2] Sanskrit: Kundalini – serpent, Shakti – power, the Divine Feminine (capitalised because we’re referring here to Shakti as the Goddess in addition to shakti as in energy or power)

[3] Sanskrit: Shiva – the Divine Masculine, Shakti’s counterpart

[4] Sanskrit: chakra - wheel

[5] In Tantra the subtle body layer is known as the suksma sarira and is the home of our nadis (energy channels), bindus (essence points), chakras (wheels), and vayus (winds)

[6] Spiral Dynamics – Clare Graves, The Therapeutic Spiral Method – Dr. Kate Hudgins

[7] Jung, C. G. Dream Analysis: Notes of the Seminar given in 1928–1930, 1984

[8] A woman’s Blood Mysteries including menarche and menstruation, birth and motherhood, and menopause. The term is attributed to Elizabeth Davis

[9] Sanskrit: shakti - power, energy