The power of the spiral: Uncovering depth, creativity, and healing in metaphor

In my coaching work, a client’s deep metaphoric patterns often emerge as a primary shape. The most common shapes I encounter are line, circle, square, triangle, and spiral. Occasionally, a client’s pattern will take on “no shape,” such as vastness or flow, or a shape that is entirely unique to their journey.

Squares, representing clarity and strong boundaries, and circles, symbolizing wholeness and individuation, appear frequently. Triangles, associated with groundedness and vision, and spirals, which signify direction and depth, are less common but deeply significant when they do arise.

Spirals, in particular, have a profound energy. They often appear when a client is being called into depth, especially for artists and writers who are pulled by Spirit into their creative work. When this happens, the spiral typically moves in a clockwise direction, guiding the person forward into creative exploration.

On the other hand, a counterclockwise spiral indicates a different kind of journey—one of deep healing and reclaiming lost parts of the self. This might involve reconnecting with the feminine, ancestral lineage, or recovering aspects of identity that have been left behind.

Spiral imagery can manifest as whirlpools, coiled snakes, growing roots, or conical shells, each carrying the dynamic energy of movement and transformation. To receive a spiral image is both unique and special—it signals a journey into profound depth, where growth, healing, and creative expansion await.

For more on the healing power of metaphor, check out my new book, Deep Knowing: Entering the Realm of Non-Ordinary Intelligence.