Myth & Archetype: The Potter Purification, service, and finding the sacred in the mundane. By Cherise Lily Nana of Muse Bespoke | Ceramics by Michele Quan
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young woman sits in a studio filled with indigo-glazed pots, hanging plants, and mahogany shelves stacked with books on the art of ceramics. The sun streaming through the window kisses the back of her chair in the same spot it does each day, enveloping her with a warm sense of knowing. Between her legs, she cradles the pottery wheel, delicately yet firmly working the clay in her hands. She loves this practice, this craft that allows her to connect with the earth with such immediacy and grace. She is endlessly inspired by the process of making, bringing her skill and care to the objects while also knowing that the details of the end product are ultimately out of her control. We can learn so much about life by peering into the world of a Potter. As an archetype, this craftswoman teaches us all about the Virgoan themes of refining our offerings and defining where we can be of service. We begin by bringing order to chaos. A potter first removes all the tiny pockets of air from the clay. If this isn’t done properly, she runs the risk of having the object explode in the kiln during the firing stage. This process requires us to examine any holes in our current lifestyle. What are the gaps that need to be filled in our day-to-day existence? The Potter encourages us to go over the details of our habits and routines to work out where we could bring more efficiency into our world. It may seem mundane, but without creating this order in our daily lives, we deny ourselves the energy needed to be of service to others; if we constantly exist in a chaotic sandstorm, we’re not able to see more than a few feet in front of us.
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Another piece of wisdom that we can gain from the Potter is the importance of purification. Ceramics are often utilized as water filters, and working with clay also involves purification in the firing stage. The flames in the kiln wash over the wares to set their form, evaporate moisture, and melt the glaze. Fire is known as a symbolic purifier across numerous cultures and mythologies; one of which is the Hindu fire god, Agni, whose triadic nature embodies fire, lightening, and the sun. Agni’s purpose is to transform the gross to the subtle, and in this way, fire can be used as a metaphor for burning off the parts of ourselves that could use a little refinement. Virgo is the midway point in the zodiac, and as such, bridges the gap between the personal and the transpersonal realms. In this way, you could say the task here is to burn through any dysfunctions in the ego, to embody a state that is more conducive to being of service to the greater good. A healthy ego is an important aspect of self, and balance is found somewhere between the underactive and overactive ends of the egoistic spectrum. So, much like ceramics require the right temperature in the kiln, we don’t want to destroy the inner resources of our ego altogether, but an element of purification enables us to refine its structure and connect with the world around us. After all, service is an essential part of our everyday lives. The Potter knows this. Her objects are made with love, and while they may not be as showy as other art forms, it is one of the most practical crafts that we all enjoy daily.