Lock and Key Necklace

This lock and key necklace is handcrafted from brass and hangs from a delicate, oxidized 18 inch paperclip chain.  Edges of the lock are hammered for depth and contrast. Pendant measures 1 1/2 inches in length. 

A thought that surfaces regularly for me is what it means to be free. I know that I feel free when I am in nature, experiencing a connection to the earth. Last weekend it was warm enough to head over the border into New Mexico to ride some smooth, fast single track. I left that ride feeling physically tired yet emotionally recharged. I needed some time in the wind and sun to soak up the beauty of the surrounding high desert. I love the artistic nature of the rock formations, the resilience of the desert flora, the way the arroyos cut through the earth and how water finds the path of least resistance, making its way through sand and soil, creating subtle washes overhanging with majestic pinion and juniper trees. To me, nature is one of the keys to freedom. Without the ability to connect to nature, I would feel locked, confined and incomplete. 

I have also found freedom through my personal growth experience. Deepening my spiritual practice and working with universal energy has allowed me to become more aligned with what I desire.  Part of that is connecting to nature, shifting my mindset, self care, visualization, setting intention, embodying a feeling, letting go of the things that don’t have a place in my life and asking for the things that I do want in life. 
 
I created this lock and key necklace as a reminder of what it means to be free. A lock and key work together to guard and protect with the opportunity for access and unlocking. Keys are symbolic of opening, knowledge, trust, security, new opportunities/opening doors, the opportunity for freedom. Locks are meant for guarding, whether it is in a physical or energetic sense. What lies behind the lock is something that we want to protect- our belongings, our homes, our hearts, our energy, our time. The lock is a boundary. Those whom we hand the key over to are those whom we trust and value. Writing about this has been a good reminder for me about the “key holders” in my life and what a privilege it is to be a “key holder” in someone else’s life.  

Historically, gods and goddesses were sometimes known as key holders, opening portals to spirit worlds. In ancient Norse culture, keys were symbolic of female power, holding the key to the homestead which was a very high honor.  In looking a bit deeper into this subject, I learned that women in Viking Age Scandinavia had a degree of freedom that even women in America have only gained within the last 125 years-they could own property, request a divorce and reclaim their dowries if their marriages ended. They were seen as equals and had the power and independence to secure their own destinies. 
 
What does a lock and key mean to you? So many of our personal stories represent our own individual and unique meaning.  Perhaps it is the path to gaining more knowledge about oneself, learning about where there is freedom and confinement in our lives, closing one chapter and starting another, recognizing the things in life holding us back and having the power to change.