Crane by Bre Geier

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Crane

Key Word: Longevity, Magick and Creation through Focus
Cycles of Power: Year-Round/During Daylight
Element: Water
Ruling Plantet: Sun, Moon

Cranes can be found in most parts of the world except for South America.
Considered a songbird, the Crane is a graceful, elegant bird of whom there
are about 15 species with the Whooping Crane as one of the most endangered.
There only about 300 members of the Whooping Crane species left. Alphabetic
secrets were once derived from flocks of cranes, it was believed to be a
weather prophet and a messenger of the gods.

The image of the Crane is greatly revered in the Oriental cultures, having
much mystical and symbolic meanings. Sacred birds, they were the Taosist
symbol of wisdom and immortality. It was also said to carry the souls to the
Western Paradise when a person died. The pure white Cranes in Chinese
folklore inhabited the Isles of the Blessed and represented immortality,
good fortune, vigilance and longevity, prosperity, and happiness. Even to
the Japanese, the Crane meant much the same thing and was associated to
Jorojin, a god of longevity and luck.

A pair of Cranes symbolize good fortune and elegant literary style. They
have come to be associated with willow trees, as they represent grace and
the ability to be flexible. They are sacred to Apollo, Artemis, Athena,
Badb, Cailleach, Mannanan Mac Lir, Esu, Hermes, Kali, the Morrigan,
Nan-ji-Hsian Weng, Palamedes, Shou Lao, Hsi Wang Hu and Theseus. As a bird
sacred to Apollo, the Crane was an symbol of Spring and Light. The sacred
Crane Dance is believed to have first been performed by Theus and his
bull-dancer to mark the beginning of the new year.

At one time, the Crane was common to the Bristish Isles ad Ireland. Manannan
Mac Lir made his magickal crane bag from the bird's skin. The colors of the
Crane, red, black and white connected it to the Triple Goddess as a lunar
animal. For the Celts, the Crane was not just connected to the Moon, but to
the Sun and Underworld. It was connected to the Solar gods like Lugh,
Healing deities and was the messenger of death for Pwyell, King of the
Underworld. The Druids regarded Cranes as portents of treachery, war, evil
deeds and evil women.

In the folktales of countries such as Russia, Sicily, India, the Crane is
the animal or spirit guide who leads the Hero on his adventures. An ancient
belief with Cranes is that they swallowed a stone before they left on their
yearly migrations. The stone was to act as a ballast, keeping the crane on
course, even in heavy winds. The stone when regurgitated was believed to be
a touchstone for gold. The word pedigree is derived from pied de grue,
French for "foot of the crane" and it is from that in which the English used
in their heraldry the image of a stone held in one claw for a symbol of
vigilance.

When the Crane appears in your life it means there is good fortune to come.
This can be in the form of physical health, emotional stability, mental
clarity or spiritual awakening. The Crane helps with connecting with our
more primal origins, teaching how to use the power of sound, particularly in
the case of Whooping Cranes who's call can be heard up to two miles away.
His is the totem and power of self expression, vocalizing truth and being
graceful even in a world that's harsh. Those with Crane for a totem may want
to look at careers that are vocal such as singing, speaking, chanting or
even speech therapy.

When fighting, the Crane has an aggressive when and complex system of
threatening behaviors including both postures and vocalizations. Ruffling
their wings and dropping down to crouch with their head bend back towards
the body waiting for the right time is right spring to action. This makes
the use of proper timing and physical flexibility a part of Crane's lessons.
Going along with this, there is the Crane style Kung Fu, one many eastern
style martials which can be seen or viewed as a form of Animal
Shape-shifting in which the moves of the animal are emulated in the various
fighting techniques. So a look at martial arts and learning them may be a
possible consideration.

When out foraging or catching it's food, the Crane will be seen sometimes
running it down or each other for territory. The Crane, when running, takes
one to three steps per second, using it's wings for balance as it picks up
speed. They will run into the wind to achieve the lift needed for flight but
if called for otherwise, they can jump directly into flight. For those with
this totem, the lesson here taught is to stay focused and on course rather
then fighting or giving into what life throws your way.

Cranes are also very secretive and protective of where they raise their
young. While two eggs are laid, only one is raised, showing the power of
being protective not just as a parent, but in anything new such as projects.
For parenting and family, this can also be the important for learning not to
divide your time between work and home to point that the home life is
completely neglected when it comes to rearing childern.

A guide to learning or exploring past lifes, the Crane was called "The
patriarch of the Feathered Tribe" and in Japan he was known as "Honorable
Lord Crane." As a soaring bird, the crane knows no limits, they fly with
neck and head out stretched aiming for their goal and heading for the
future. Their legs extending out behind them keep a connection to the past,
showing a balance where the past and future meet to create or show wisdom.
Like with the blackbird, the crane as a familiar will help you find secrets
and reveal mysteries.

Attributes: Grounded, independence, magick, shamanic travel, secrets and
reaching deep mysteries. Shape shifting quality - Dignity. Logical Mind,
Patience during healing. Solitude, justice, Symbol of spring and light,
Astral travel, New knowledge, Seeing all things associated with secrets,
Wisdom, Literary and Poetic Secrets, Seeks to help others on their paths,
Longevity, Elegance, Using voice uniquely, intelligence, vigilance,
Gracefulness, Feminine Energy