Swan * Schwan * Cygne * Cisne * Labed

Here is the latest spread in my Garden/Nature themed altered book.

I think I could almost do an entire book on just swans. I find them fascinating!
An arch I made for a Gothic Arch challenge back in February was my inspiration. I used a Lovely Paper Whimsy girl and gave her African butterfly wings.

Every culture from ancient times seems to have some Swan lore.

In Navajo tradition, the Great White Swan can call up the Four Winds. The Great Spirit will use swans to work its will.

In India, it was the swan that lay the Cosmic Egg on the waters, from which Brahma sprang. The Swan was the vehicle of Brahma’s wife, Saraswati, the Goddess of Wisdom, Education, and Music. In Hindu tradition, swans represent the perfect union, and the spirit of Brahma.

Swans appear throughout Irish folklore. An Otherworldly bird, they are often the disguise of Fairy Women. At certain times of year when the veils between the worlds are thin, such as Summer Solstice, Beltaine or Samhain, a swan maiden can transform herself back into a human.

The swan is a totem of beauty and grace. As in the story of the Ugly Duckling, it connotes inner beauty as well.

Many healers use a swan feather in smudging and healing ceremonies. The swan is master of the elements Earth, Air and Water, and is an excellent guide to the therapeutic powers of these elements. A swan feather tied to an instrument such as a harp would be a powerful adjunct to music therapy.

To the long list of interesting facts, swans usually mate for life. Also, they are not ‘mean’ but will attack when provoked or protecting a nest.

Thank you Jean, I got to use that Lovely page you sent me again from your bird book 🙂

“For his heart was in his work, and the heart giveth grace unto every Art.” ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow