There is a constellation named Cygnus for a reason; the swan was recognized as an ancient, powerful shapeshifter. They embody wisdom, grace and beauty, love and loyalty (mating for life and raising cygnets together). Having mastered water, earth and air they can travel between realms - representing divine light and the purity of the soul. Cygnus contains the Northern Cross and some of the brightest and largest stars known. Swans are a spirit animal, a harbinger of transformation and rebirth.
The swan has been revered across ancient cultures, including the Norse, Celtic, Japanese and Greek. Evolved from a bird-dinosaur (theropods) they have been around a LONG time! Since swans and other creatures have been on earth much longer than humans, they have unique knowledge to share with us.
Our ancestors worked with swan energy, especially at the Winter Solstice. Shamans dressed up as animals, wearing masks and robes, dancing their movements and singing their significance. Swan cloaks made of feathers evoked the power of flight. A 420,000-year swan bone was excavated that had marks on it indicating the feathers were cut off – seemingly for ceremonial use. (Swans have 25,000 feathers).
In this darkest time of the year we are the most sensitive to light while other sensory gates are muted. Our melatonin levels, produced by our pineal master gland, are peaking. The pineal senses and regulates our metabolism in response to the light/dark dance. Every living thing, every cell, has a biological clock! Chronobiology is a main driver of our physiology.
The pineal is also the root of the 6th and 7th chakras. In the darkness of winter we can tap into our visionary dreamtime. Our body is literally a portal to this time-out-of-time moment. Swans represented the soul to the Druids and were considered messengers from the gods. They can cross between realms and help souls make that journey, literally and figuratively. In Christianity the swan became the dove, symbolizing the holy spirit.
The solstice energy waxes, then wanes, a week on either side of December 21st. Since I still haven’t quite put myself back together after the dismemberment journey – and while I’m still feeling into that space, I’ll be taking another journey. Riding the Swan Mother to the Upper World, I’ll seek visions and guidance for the coming times. I’ll give gratitude for the beauty of all the realms we have the privilege to inhabit; earthly, celestial, magical!
A more recent swan testimonial from Emily Dickinson -
“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm…
On this second day of Christmas, I give you - two-swans-a-swimming! (and sweet dreams…)
Peace, love and healing -
Bear
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