Meditation on the swan

Swan swam into my life this past week. I encountered her at a yoga circle dedicated to the goddess Saraswati. I was not familiar with Saraswati until this gathering, in the basement studio of a beautiful healer named Yulia. Here, among a circle of seven other women, I learned she is the goddess of creativity, knowledge, and wisdom. No wonder I was drawn to this workshop. My 4-month creativity coaching training class had just come to completion.

Two birds sit at the feet of Saraswati: a white swan and a peacock. The swan has a sensitive beak and is able to discriminate pure milk from a diluted mixture. The peacock is unpredictable. Saraswati uses the swan as her vehicle.

Would I rather ride a swan or a peacock? The swan glides gracefully over still waters. And peacocks? I’ve only seen them strutting around barnyards. Can they swim? The swan has pure white feathers. The peacock is multicolored and showy. The swan offers a smooth, confident ride. The peacock, a roller coaster.

I’ve ridden the peacock many times, allowing myself to get thrown off center by circumstances and perceived desires of others. I’ve been entranced by showy colors and fanned-out glory. These have been interesting rides. Interesting, but exhausting. I’ve experimented less with riding the swan. I’ve seen her as untouchable, in the center of the lake. Do I dare approach her and ask for a ride?

The swan isn’t better than the peacock, just different. Knowing the difference gives me space to choose my mode of transportation for today.

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