What does the spiral symbol mean?

The spiral is one of the oldest symbols in the world. It appears in most ancient cultures across the globe and has many meanings, including progress, direction and expansion.  The Greeks related spirals to infinity, balance and awareness. The Celts linked them with birth, development and growth. Spirals are also seen in plants, animals, water and sky. Examples are vines, seashells, rams horns, whirlpools and hurricanes.

The spiral motif is one of my favorite jewelry designs. To me it represents a heart beat and the irrepressible human spirit. I learned to make spirals during a class at Wild Acres Retreat in the North Carolina Mountains. This was my first class in wire wrapping, taught by Lisa Roberts, a wonderful teacher and jewelry maker from Tennessee. The class learned to make little spiral cages and enclosed tiny beads inside. It was such a simple idea, and I started enclosing all sorts of things in the spiral wire. It’s a great way to make jewelry out of keepsakes and special treasures.

A host of new designs was born from the idea of the simple wire spiral:

My latest spiral design is the "Hurricane” Earring. I have been experimenting with different colors and sizes of stones and beads. My favorite is the pearl, which is paired with Sterling Silver.

I just added the Pearl Hurricane Earrings to my website, along with the Half Guitar Pendant, and Spiral Zig Zag Earrings. See them all at www.earthbeatdesigns.com