-53%

How to Weave a Navajo Rug and Other Lessons from Spider Woman — Occult Philosophy

How to Weave a Navajo Rug and Other Lessons from Spider Woman — photo 1

How to Weave a Navajo Rug and Other Lessons from Spider Woman — photo 2

How to Weave a Navajo Rug and Other Lessons from Spider Woman — photo 3

📖 Have you read this book?

Your review can inspire others to read it

🕯️ Occult Philosophy −53%

How to Weave a Navajo Rug and Other Lessons from Spider Woman

Name: How to Weave a Navajo Rug and Other Lessons from Spider Woman
Price: 29.95 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781734421705

✍️ Lynda Teller Pete, Barbara Teller Ornelas

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

$29.95 ~~$64.00~~ Save $34.05 (53%)

In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days

📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

This unparalleled volume offers an intimate journey into the heart of Navajo weaving, guided by fifth-generation master weavers Lynda Teller Pete and Barbara Teller Ornelas. Moving beyond mere technique, it unveils the profound cultural and spiritual narratives embedded in this ancient craft. Readers will learn the meticulous processes of rug creation alongside the cosmological significance of each element, from loom structure to the weaver's state of mind. It's a unique blend of practical instruction and deep cultural immersion, revealing the living tradition behind these iconic textiles.

🕯️

Occult Philosophy

🏛 Schiffer Craft 📅 2020 📖 152 pages 📔 Spiral ISBN: 9781734421705

Fun Fact

This is not merely a 'how-to' guide; it is an initiation into a living tradition. The Teller Ornelas sisters brilliantly bridge the practicalities of weaving with the rich tapestry of Navajo cosmology and spiritual wisdom. While meticulous in its instruction, those seeking only quick projects without cultural context might find its depth overwhelming. For enthusiasts of indigenous knowledge, textile arts, or the spiritual dimensions of creation, this book stands as an indispensable, authentic voice in the field, offering insights found nowhere else.

📝 Description: How to Weave a Navajo Rug and Other Lessons from Spider Woman

Navajo blankets, rugs, and tapestries are the best-known, most-admired, and most-collected textiles in North America. There are scores of books about Navajo weaving, but no other book like this one. For the first time, master Navajo weavers themselves share the deep, inside story of how these textiles are created, and how their creation resonates in Navajo culture. Want to weave a high-quality, Navajo-style rug? This book has detailed how-to instructions, meticulously illustrated by a Navajo artist, from warping the loom to important finishing touches. Want to understand the deeper meaning? You'll learn why the fixed parts of the loom are male, and the working parts are female. You'll learn how weaving relates to the earth, the sky, and the sacred directions. You'll learn how the Navajo people were given their weaving tradition (and it wasn't borrowed from the Pueblos!), and how important a weaver's attitude and spirit are to creating successful rugs. You'll learn what it means to live in hózhó, the Beauty Way. Family stories--told by Lynda Teller Pete and Barbara Teller Ornelas, fifth-generation Navajo weavers who have been weaving since they were young girls--from seven generations of weavers lend charm and special insights. Characteristic Native American humor is not in short supply. Their contribution to cultural understanding and the preservation of their craft is priceless.

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

This book offers an unparalleled volume for those willing to engage with deep cultural narratives embedded in ancient crafts. It is not for casual readers seeking quick tutorials or superficial aesthetics, as it demands respect for the profound spiritual context provided by master weavers. Those looking solely for technical patterns without understanding the cosmological significance may find the content dense or irrelevant. However, for dedicated students of esoteric traditions and indigenous wisdom, it provides a rare glimpse into the weaver's state of mind. It succeeds in merging practical instruction with deep cultural immersion, making it essential for serious practitioners of sacred geometry.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers seeking a profound connection between physical creation and spiritual meaning will find this book invaluable. It is ideal for those who appreciate the meticulous processes of rug creation alongside the deep cultural immersion required to understand them. By learning from fifth-generation master weavers, you gain access to the living tradition behind these iconic textiles. This unique blend of practical instruction and cosmological insight reveals how each element, from loom structure to the weaver's state of mind, holds significance. It is for anyone wanting to discover the sacred geometry woven into every Navajo rug, offering an intimate journey into the heart of a revered craft that transcends mere technique to become a spiritual practice.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you are drawn to the magic of textiles, the wisdom of indigenous cultures, or seek to understand how craft can be a spiritual path, this book is for you. It's for anyone desiring a true insider's perspective on a time-honored art form.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

This book offers an unparalleled volume for those willing to engage with deep cultural narratives embedded in ancient crafts. It is not for casual readers seeking quick tutorials or superficial aesthetics, as it demands respect for the profound spiritual context provided by master weavers. Those looking solely for technical patterns without understanding the cosmological significance may find the content dense or irrelevant. However, for dedicated students of esoteric traditions and indigenous wisdom, it provides a rare glimpse into the weaver's state of mind. It succeeds in merging practical instruction with deep cultural immersion, making it essential for serious practitioners of sacred geometry.

❓ Frequently asked questions

While it offers advanced insights, the meticulously illustrated instructions make it accessible for dedicated beginners. More importantly, its cultural depth appeals to anyone interested in indigenous traditions, regardless of weaving experience.

Unlike many academic or historical texts, this volume is written by master Navajo weavers themselves, sharing their own family stories and insider knowledge passed down through generations, offering an authentic, lived perspective.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Ancestral Craftsmanship

The book provides exhaustive, step-by-step guidance on constructing a traditional Navajo rug, from preparing the loom to the final finishing touches. Illustrated with precision, it demystifies complex techniques, allowing aspiring weavers to approach this revered art form with confidence, directly from the hands of its most skilled practitioners.

Spiritual Resonance of Weaving

Beyond the technical aspects, this work delves into the esoteric meaning behind the weaving process. It explores the symbolic duality of male and female elements within the loom, and how the act of weaving connects the creator to the earth, sky, and the sacred directions, transforming craft into a profound spiritual practice.

Living the Beauty Way (Hózhó)

A central tenet explored is the Navajo philosophy of Hózhó, or 'the Beauty Way.' The authors elucidate how a weaver's attitude, intention, and spiritual state are intrinsically linked to the success and beauty of the finished rug, emphasizing harmony and balance not just in the creation, but in one's very existence.

📜 Historical context

Navajo weaving stands as a pinnacle of North American textile art, with a rich lineage distinct from other indigenous traditions. This book offers a vital, corrective perspective, asserting the Navajo's unique origin story for their craft, dispelling common misconceptions, and reinforcing its deep roots within their own cultural narrative.

📚 Glossary

Hózhó
Spider Woman
Loom Duality

📔 Questions to reflect on

Consider a craft or skill you possess. How might you view its tools and processes through a symbolic or spiritual lens, as the Navajo weavers view their loom?
The book emphasizes the weaver's attitude. Reflect on a creative project you've undertaken. How did your internal state influence the outcome, and what might 'weaving in Hózhó' mean for your own work?
How does understanding the cultural and spiritual origins of an art form, like Navajo weaving, deepen your appreciation for it compared to simply viewing it as an aesthetic object?