Even before I wrote ‘Longing for Home’ I was fascinated by my Irish heritage. In 2019 my husband Charlie and I had the pleasure of visiting Ireland. I loved everything about it.
While we were there I purchased a small pendant with the Celtic triple knot. It was a souvenir piece, and I didn’t particularly pay attention to the quality of the metal thinking that I would wear it occasionally. When we got home I found that it really resonated with me and that I wore it every day. Of course it soon started to show signs of wear. I asked Charlie, who is a skilled woodworker, to make me one for our 35th wedding anniversary. I specifically asked for it in Red Oak. He made it for me and now I wear it every day.
So what is it about the triple knot that appeals to me so deeply? I love that it has multiple meanings. The most obvious is that it resembles the shamrock and reminds me of Ireland. The shamrock and the triple knot can be understood as a Christian symbol of the holy trinity: Father, Son and Holy Ghost. I was raised Catholic, but I’m no longer Christian and the patriarchy of the symbol does not resonate with me. Yet, I’m still very drawn to it, so I looked for older, pre-Christian meanings for the symbol I now wear every day.
The Celtic triple knot can also symbolize other fundamental triple forces. One site describes the knot as standing for eternal life since it circles back on itself, and that it can also stand for the ancient elements of water, fire and earth. The Celtic triple knot is often on wedding rings because it is eternal and stands for eternal love. That is pretty nice since mine was a 35th wedding anniversary gift. We did a private vow renewal as well as a gift exchange, so I think of Charlie and our long love when I put the pendant on.
The other triad the knot can represent is the triple Goddess. I have lectured and written on how the classic archetype of Maiden – Mother – Crone informs my life. Read my chapter in Creativity and Madness: Psychological Studies of Art and Artists Vol 2 for a more detailed discussion. The chapter is entitled ‘Walking With Persephone: A Journey Toward Healing’. It describes the death of my son as a decent into hell and coming back out as informed by Persephone-Demeter-Hecate. There are many other triple goddesses in varying traditions who also provide insight into the feminine experience.
Wearing the triple knot reminds me that I am not the only one who has done that particular journey. I not only survived hell, I was transformed by the experience. The chapter also includes my art work.
Finally, for me the triple knot is a symbol of Maiden-Mother-Crone, the primal archetype of femininity. I have been both the maiden and the mother and now I am heading into crone. I want to honor the way each type flows into the other and creates a whole life. I am not sure what being a crone is going to mean to me, but I am looking forward to discovering this next part of my life.
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