Soul Guidance · Rachael Duffy
The Great
Reweaving
On unravelling, myth, and the making of a new world
The times we are in
The World is Unravelling
Politically, ecologically, and socially, we are watching as the structures and systems that once provided stability begin to fall apart. In the late 20th century, Joanna Macy coined the term 'the Great Unravelling.' Now, in 2026, it feels like this is the defining story of our times — and current world events feel truly devastating.
As we stand witness to the Great Unravelling, another story comes to mind: an ancient myth that speaks to the need for reweaving. This is the story of the Old Woman who Weaves the World.
The myth teaches us that just as threads can fray and unravel, they can also be brought together again — carefully and intentionally — to create something new, something whole.
The ancient story
The Old Woman Who Weaves the World
The Old Woman sits in a cave, stitching together an intricate tapestry. In some versions of this story, the threads are porcupine quills. In others, they're dry grasses or delicate sheep's wool. Her work is diligent; she is weaving together the very fabric of existence. The only time she pauses is to tend to a large cauldron in the back of her cave, warmed by a fire that has burned since the beginning of time.
While the Old Woman stirs the cauldron, Trickster Crow flies in and begins to pull at the threads. He unravels what the Weaver has painstakingly woven, leaving gaps in the fabric. Sometimes this force of destruction is represented by the Black Dog — often a symbol of deep fear or the "shadow" that must be faced. He gnaws at the edges of the tapestry, pulling it apart.
At first, the unravelling seems cruel. It feels like an attack, a force of destruction without purpose. But in the deeper wisdom of the myth, we see that Trickster Crow and the Black Dog are not merely agents of chaos. They are forces that challenge the old order, shaking things loose to create space for something new to emerge.
The turning point
As the Old Woman returns to her seat and sees the pile of threads, mixed with a few black feathers, she is not surprised. She picks up the unravelled threads and decides to weave a new pattern. What emerges is the most beautiful cloak ever seen. And thus, carefully and with intention, the New World is created.
To me, this myth speaks more than ever to the times we are living in. In the Great Unravelling, much like the Old Woman, we are bearing witness as the old structures and systems that once held the world together begin to disintegrate. The rise of far-right ideologies, the ecological crisis, war, and political and social fragmentation all seem like forces of destruction. And it's terrifying. We must be fully present to the weight of suffering here.
The sacred paradox
Destruction as Threshold
This is the sacred paradox of the Great Unravelling: the unravelling itself is horrific and fraught with suffering, but it is also the very thing that creates the possibility for something more life-affirming to emerge. Our role is not to stand by and watch it all happen. But neither is it to cling to the comfort and safety of the old structures.
Many of the systems that have been in place are dysfunctional, no longer fit for purpose. Irreparable damage has been done to our planet, and inequality among the human population continues to rise, rather than decrease. The wise Old Woman in the myth was not surprised that the weaving had been undone, and she knew her task was to begin again, in a different way.
Our role at the crucible of the Great Unravelling is to recognise that we find ourselves at a transitional moment — both in the evolution of consciousness and in the material world: The Great Turning.
This is a call for each of us to stand up and play our part in the imagining and emergence of a new, more just, ecologically balanced, and harmonious world.
The inner work
What Must Unravel Within Us?
The key is in the reweaving, but before we can do this, we need to ask ourselves: what needs to unravel within us to make space for the new? Which ways of seeing the world, ways of being, roles, identities, and attachments need to be released in our own unravelling?
Any remnants of dualism or beliefs that we are separate from nature must be excavated and laid to rest. These are the beliefs upon which 'modernity' and 'post-modernity' were built — beliefs that have fuelled harmful behaviours and choices, wreaking havoc on ecosystems and beings, human and more-than-human, with whom we share this Earth.
The reweaving of something more beautiful will be made easier when we act from a place of alignment with our deepest truth, where love, not fear, guides our decisions.
As we face the Great Unravelling, we are being asked to step into the archetype of the Old Woman Weaver ourselves — to embrace the chaos, the disruption, and the uncertainty, understanding that in this very destruction, there is an opportunity for new life, renewal, and the creative reweaving of our world. The hardest part? Opening the door to the unravelling and accepting the unknowing of what the New World will look like. There are no quick fixes and our logical minds don't have all the answers. But there is the opportunity to move forward in a different way, with intention and heart. Our soul gifts are needed now more than ever.
An invitation to practice
A Soul Walk Inquiry
Each one of us has something unique to offer: a purpose beyond Self, an essential thread in the tapestry we are reweaving together. Sit with this question — or carry it on a walk in nature:
Soul walk inquiry
“What is your unique way
of loving the world?”
This invites us into the remembrance that each one of us carries an essential thread — and that we are not alone in this work of reweaving.
Islands of coherence
Gathering, Together
In these times let us consciously strengthen our connections with each other. Now is the time to gather, to collaborate, and to support one another. These are not islands where everybody looks and acts the same — diversity will foster creativity and resilience. Now is the time to finally leave behind the old stories of separation and work together to create something beautiful.
“When a complex system is far from equilibrium, small islands of coherence in a sea of chaos have the capacity to shift the entire system to a higher order.”
Ilya Prigogine · Nobel Prize, Chemistry · Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics
The Great Turning has already begun;
let us weave it into being.
Three threads to carry
Your Part in the Reweaving
Witness the Unravelling
Be fully present to what is happening — in the world and in yourself. Do not look away. The Old Woman did not pretend the threads were still woven.
Tend Your Inner Fire
Like the cauldron that has burned since the beginning of time, tend the inner source — your values, your grief, your love — that makes reweaving possible at all.
Offer Your Thread
Your unique way of loving the world is not optional — it is needed. Gather with others. Weave with intention. The new pattern is made from exactly what you carry.