What’s in a name? Exploring the meaning of Cygnus.
A lot of thought went into choosing the name for my business, Cygnus Counselling. Some of may not know the meaning behind this name or the symbolism and imagery it evokes for me when I think of counselling, identity, personal growth, and spiritual evolution.
The word is derived from the Latin word for swan. It is pronounced sig-nəs (sig-nus).
I chose this name for my counselling practice for my personal connection with swans. This large bird sits gracefully on the water, it appears serene and peaceful, yet it also has firm boundaries. Approach too close to a swan or its young and it will defend its territory and family. The swan is also a grazer, it extends its long beak towards the riverbed and brings up a host of herbs and creatures in its beak. It can sift through the muck to gather nourishment – now that’s a great metaphor for personal growth!
I am also partial to the classic tale of “The Ugly Duckling” by Hans Christian Anderson. In this story a duckling is ostracized from his duck family based on surface attributes such as his appearance. He leaves and suffers adversity while searching for a place he might fit in. When he finds his kin, he has grown into a beautiful swan and is accepted for his authentic self. Another great metaphor for counselling, personal growth, and connection to your inner wisdom and authentic self.
In Celtic mythology, swans and waterfowl are masters of sky and water, although ungainly on land. Swans were associated with the otherworld and would accompany souls on their journey as they passed on. Swans symbolize transformation, rebirth, grace in relationships, boundaries, commitment, inner beauty. As a person-centered therapist, I believe people are more than the narrow scope of attributes society has privileged. Swan is an excellent friend to remind you of connection with your inner-wisdom and the multitude of possibilities available this lifetime.
Cygnus Constellation
The Cygnus constellation contains the asterism the Northern Cross. The body of the swan flies along with the Milky Way, it is an easily recognizable constellation used for navigation. This constellation is easily visible in the northern hemisphere during the summer and autumn months. Charting my course through this lifetime is a piece of my personal identity, a mantra of sorts for my counselling practice and is also tied to a significant portion of my life spent in the career or geomatics.
As you can see, I am heavily resourced in the symbolism of the swan, for its animal attributes, personified qualities, mythology and story, and as an anchor to how I perceive myself as a being on a planet, travelling through space, making my best attempt to create meaning during my short time here.
