| In the spring of 2003, I spent three weeks in the | | | | cycles, such as the day and the season. Native |
| city of Chennai, formerly known as Madras, located in | | | | cultures throughout the world hold ceremonies in |
| Southern India. Each morning, walking before the heat | | | | protective circles. A knot work pattern with circles or |
| of the day, I was amazed to see intricate knot work | | | | variations of circles certainly has some important |
| patterns drawn out free hand with flour in front of | | | | keys to relationships and community. |
| the driveways and gates of homes. These artistic | | | | A square knot motif concerns structure and stability, |
| scrolls, I was told by an Indian friend, were offerings | | | | which is why buildings use the shape of a square |
| to local gods, and were part of a tradition that | | | | foundation. Numerology has always played a part in |
| stretched back into the ancient past. | | | | ancient cultures and there are many books on the |
| I have seen knot patterns in my travels throughout | | | | subject. The number five, for example, represents |
| many parts of the world. In Islamic countries where | | | | the four directions and the center point, or the five |
| iconography is prohibited, the mosques are heavily | | | | senses. |
| decorated with knot-like patterns. Stone-carved knot | | | | We also often see knot work shaped like an oval, |
| work motifs can be found on ruins from the | | | | which is the shape of an egg. The oval has |
| Americas to the Hindu iconography of Bali, Indonesia. | | | | something to do with generative creativity and birth. |
| In Tibet, the "eternal knot" is a common symbol | | | | Planets circle the sun in an oval. And if you squeeze |
| representing the endless cycles of existence. | | | | an oval together you get the lemniscates, the symbol |
| The knot work most familiar in the West is from | | | | for infinity which is very prevalent in knot work |
| Celtic iconography. Though the Celts, before the | | | | motifs. |
| Roman Empire, were spread throughout much of | | | | Many knot work motifs also deal with vectors that |
| Western Europe, we're most familiar with their | | | | travel in a certain direction. If you look at the shape |
| designs remaining today in England, Scotland, Ireland | | | | of an arrow, it's easy to understand why a triangle |
| and Wales. On the moors, surrounded by winding | | | | might connote movement. |
| rock walls and ancient neolithic bridges, this knot | | | | Another common motif is the knot work depicting a |
| work carved in stone transcends time. We know | | | | trinity. In the Celtic tradition, many deities had three |
| from the writings of the Romans that the Celts | | | | forms. The Mother Goddess was understood to the |
| believed strongly in the sacredness of place. Similar to | | | | maiden, mother and crone. The universe was viewed |
| the beliefs of many in South India today, the land | | | | as heaven, earth and otherworld. We are born, we |
| anchored a particular god or goddess that was meant | | | | live and we die. Certainly the trinity knot also |
| to be honored, though we do not know whether the | | | | illustrates the One being dividing off into the |
| knot work designs were made as offerings. | | | | masculine and feminine, or the mother and son- a |
| The broad spectrum of knot work designs found in | | | | mystical truth contemplated in many sacred traditions. |
| many cultures suggests that the motif is both | | | | The cross is also a symbol rich in meaning. From a |
| universal and rooted in ancient mystery. From the | | | | simple point of view, two lines crossing symbolizing a |
| most general perspective, knot work iconography | | | | connection or meeting which can be a point of |
| can be viewed as a metaphor for our own unique | | | | creativity. Some mystics speak of the horizontal axis |
| tapestry of experience. On a macrocosmic level, the | | | | representing the earthly plain, while the vertical axis |
| knots express metaphorically that life on earth is | | | | points toward the heavens. |
| deeply interconnected, as illustrated in the Spider | | | | While the above guide for understanding knot work |
| Women's web or the Great Hoop of Life in Native | | | | is not necessarily based on any scholarly or |
| American stories. As one Native woman told me, if | | | | anthropological text on the meaning of knots, it does |
| you move a pebble on top of a mountain, you can | | | | provide a starting point that is based on a universal |
| change the course of a mighty river. This is also | | | | perspective. Most knot work designs are going to |
| expressed slightly differently in the Biblical aphorism, | | | | have some variation of these shapes. Spending time |
| "We reap what we sow," which is similar to the | | | | contemplating the motif may yield some insight. |
| Eastern understanding of karma. Even physics today | | | | Lastly, there's an essential reason why the knot |
| speaks of a "unified field." | | | | work is so prevalent, and that is beauty. I will never |
| Yet it is also true that individual elements of knots | | | | forget Jaisalmer, an ancient town in the desert of |
| hold specific meaning from the perspective of sacred | | | | Rajasthan. This ancient city, where caravans used to |
| geometry. Look around you at different geometric | | | | stop and trade, is made from sandstone. Many of |
| forms. Why is the earth, our eyes, the trunks of | | | | the buildings are carved with intricate knot work |
| trees circular instead of square? How does the circle | | | | patterns. Strangers walked up to me and said, "How |
| function in the world verses the triangle and what | | | | do you like our beautiful city?" I could see clearly how |
| does that mean in terms of knot work that uses | | | | art is life-giving and the need for beauty is something |
| circular patterns? Here are a few hints to help you | | | | fundamental. In the middle of the desert, the |
| with these blueprints. | | | | beautiful knot work in golden stone brings joy to the |
| We speak of a circle of friends and live in circular | | | | heart. |