Heron – Soul Carrier

Description

Heron-Rebirth

Heron the solitary  wader, resting between land and water under the first blush of the new moon, this is the first in a series of three images exploring the cycle of life, death and rebirth. Herons are symbolic of balance and stability, self-reliance, tact, wisdom, and knowledge. In Japan, the herons symbolize peace and longevity. These birds are symbolic of the journey the human soul takes after death: purgatory, followed by rebirth from the water

In some Celtic traditions these birds are seen to be the reincarnation of Rhiannon, the Welsh goddess. In some tales, Rhiannon was declared to be the Goddess of water and lakes and due to their close association with Rhiannon, herons are also addressed as “the Lady of Lakes” in some parts of Wales and Scotland. In Greek traditions it was also believed that after a person died, herons were the ones that carried their souls to Heaven, in other cultures they brought new or reborn souls to earth. In  Egyptian culture the Heron represented renewal and regeneration, guiding souls to the path to rebirth.

To Heron I ask, guide me through murky waters to be born a new.