Swan in legends and myths
Since ancient times, the swan has served as a symbol of purity, wisdom, love, music and poetry, fidelity and chastity. A special attitude towards birds can be traced not only in Ancient Rus', but also in Greece, India, and China. The reason for this reverence is the beauty and grace of the bird, as well as the fact that the partners are faithful to each other throughout their lives.
Swans in Greek mythology
Snow-white birds in Greek mythology are the faithful companions of Apollo, Aphrodite, Orpheus and Eros. Even Zeus himself once turned into a white swan to appear in all his glory before Leda. And it was the swan that was present during the birth of Apollo - the gift of clairvoyance of the Olympian god is associated with this.
Swans in the myths of Ancient India
In the myths of Ancient India, it was from a swan egg that fell into the abyss of Chaos that our Universe was born. Birds in India were also a symbol of the duality of existence: breath and spirit. And snow-white, sparkling plumage is a symbol of the purity of the human soul. The supreme deity of the Hindus, Brahma, is often depicted riding a swan.
Myths of the Slavs and Celts
In the myths of the ancient Slavs, the swan is associated with the feminine principle and is a holy bird. In the legends and tales of the northern peoples of Rus', it is in the image of a snow-white swan that a wise and beautiful maiden appears, possessing various secrets, knowledge and miracles. There is exactly the same image in Celtic myths. This is how in “The Song of the Nibelungs” girls turn into snow-white birds. Also among the Celts, birds had magical powers and were associated with the sun, purity, and generosity. The Celts believed that the bird could not only heal all diseases, but also bring love, wealth, peace and quiet to the home. Apparently, this is why people born in the month of the Swan, according to the Celtic calendar, were considered the luckiest and happiest.
Swans in Chinese mythology
In China, birds are associated with the sun and masculinity. In some regions they are still revered as sacred.
Hallway
A suitable picture must be on the wall in the hallway. It promotes the entry of well-being energy into the house, distracting negative flows, preventing them from entering the home. It is better to hang such a picture opposite the front door. It is better to depict neutral scenes of nature.
Flowers
An excellent option would be an image of a bouquet, flower arrangement, field of flowers. In this case, the flowers can be anything: daisies, peonies, edelweiss, poppies, tulips, roses, lilacs, etc. The image of sunflowers will be especially successful: they attract the energy of prosperity and drive away evil spirits.
Landscapes
Landscapes are good. A peaceful forest landscape, a blooming garden, a boundless sea with a ship (but not a stormy one) - all this can be hung in the hallway. An excellent option would be to depict mountains over which the sun rises - this will provide the house with reliable protection and support. If the hallway is quite cramped, a painting depicting a road rushing into the distance will visually expand the space.
Other
You can hang a still life with fruit or luxury items in the hallway. A canvas depicting animals is perfect: puppies, dolphins, a bear family, a tiger, etc. Animals should not evoke a feeling of aggression, even if predators are depicted.
If the hallway is a long corridor, hang a picture on the wall with light-colored horses galloping towards the house: this will bring good luck and increased prosperity.
Swan as a symbol of the country
Not only in the past, but also in the present, the attitude towards birds is special. So in Finland the bird is a national symbol. The numerous lakes of this European country are home to one of the largest populations of whooper swans in the world. The swan in Finland also symbolizes the high quality of manufactured products. The quality mark is placed only on goods produced in Finland and from Finnish raw materials.
The attitude towards birds is so respectful that even a pair of these beautiful birds is engraved on the one euro coin.
In large cities of Finland, birds remain for the winter. Local residents consider it their duty to feed them, and bring all kinds of treats to the shores of the lakes. And in places where these beauties just nest, various holidays and celebrations are held during the spring migration.
For the Finnish peoples, since ancient times, the snow-white bird has been a symbol of purity and purity. And killing a swan was considered a sin. People believed that whoever killed the bird would face inevitable death.
Even today, some peoples of Finland believe that the world was created from a swan's egg: it fell and split into pieces. The sky and earth were formed from the shell, and the entire animal and plant world was formed from the white and yolk.
To the cardinal points
The cardinal directions are of great importance for the placement of paintings.
- In the east of the room - in the sector responsible for the health of all family members - you cannot hang portraits of deceased relatives, especially in a black frame. Images of nature are more appropriate here: green trees and bright flowers, as well as animals (for example, a heron or deer), which mean longevity.
- In the southeast there is a zone of wealth and prosperity - painted carps or goldfish, a three-toed frog or a money tree would be appropriate here.
- In the northeast - in the education sector - you can hang a picture with an elephant, snake or phoenix bird.
- In the west - in the children's area - it is recommended to place a canvas depicting a white lotus. In the southwest - in the love zone - you need to hang paired images (ducks, doves, cranes, dolphins, etc.).
- An excellent option for the north-west - the zone of patrons - would be a canvas depicting a guardian angel.
- In the north - in the quarry zone - you can hang a picture with a dragon or turtle.
- In the south - in the zone of desires and glory - it is recommended to hang pictures with peacocks, sunflowers, and the sun. In addition, the south is exactly the place where you should hang your own portrait.
- No matter where the toilet is located, its energy needs to be harmonized. To do this, you need to hang a picture depicting a sunrise in the toilet.
Why do swans dream?
Different dream books interpret differently what white swans mean in dreams. There are several most popular dream books:
- Tsvetkova,
- Female,
- Children's,
- Aesop,
- Freud,
- Miller,
- Numerological,
- Meneghetti.
To see white swans in a dream, according to the women’s dream book, means impending positive changes, pleasant excitement, and meetings. Several swans swimming on clean and smooth water - to goodness and success.
According to Aesop's dream book, seeing swans in a dream is a symbol of greatness, grace and innocence. The dream book says that the person who saw the dream met a person with all the listed qualities, and he will play an important role in fate. Flying swans indicate a change in weather. In winter - cold weather and snowfall, and in summer - rain and cool weather. Seeing one white swan floating on the water in a dream means a long-awaited meeting. For single people - to a meeting promising marriage. Feeding birds from your hands or seeing them eat is a great success.
A children's dream book says that a dream about a swan promises an interesting meeting, new prospects and opportunities. According to Tsvetkov’s dream book, a swan seen in a dream foreshadows separation, moving, parting, or loss of a friend.
Seeing swans in a dream, according to Freud’s dream book, means harmonious development, balance, pleasure and harmony in your personal life.
And according to Miller’s dream book, dreaming about white swans means pleasant experiences, new prospects and opportunities, interesting and useful meetings. If the bird has black plumage, this means doubts and unpleasant news. And seeing dead birds in a dream is a sign of disappointment.
According to the numerological dream book:
- Seeing a swan couple in a dream means goodness, happiness, happy changes,
- Flying birds seen in a dream - to a truce (if you are in a quarrel with someone), to new meetings, promotion,
- If you dreamed of one swan - to betrayal,
- And if you dream about a bird for several nights in a row, you should be more attentive to what is happening in life.
But according to Meneghetti’s dream book, seeing these snow-white birds in a dream means a quick result from the efforts spent, getting what you want, fulfilling a dream. For a man, the meaning is slightly different: a dream about a swan indicates that a powerful woman has a strong influence on life.
Children's
The child takes part in arranging the room
The decor of this room must be approached in tandem with its little owners - be sure to coordinate all the paintings or drawings that you want to hang. Consider the child’s character: brighter colors and dynamic scenes are suitable for calm children, calmer ones are suitable for hyperactive children. In a children's room, images of cute animals, bright butterflies, the sun, water, and trees would be appropriate.
A talisman for good study will be a drawing depicting an elephant or the sea with a sailboat. If a child wants a picture with a cartoon character or a funny dinosaur, do not refuse him. Just make sure that the drawing does not cause aggression or overexcitation. To attract good luck, hang a picture of a Maneki-Neko bird or cats on the wall.
Swans in art
The image of a bird is beautiful, which is why it is so widely reflected in art. Images of these noble and graceful creatures can be found on the canvases of Leonardo da Vinci, Moro, and Salvador Dali. There are references to birds in Russian folk tales, as well as in many poems by Yesenin, stories by Mamin-Sibiryak, Bazhov. The Strugatsky brothers created the story “Ugly Swans”, and David Mitchell wrote the novel “Meadow of the Black Swan”.
The image of this bird was no less used in music. The whole world knows Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ballet “Swan Lake”. Saint-Saens' musical fantasy of the same name is also dedicated to the bird.
Kitchen
For this room, canvases made in green and red colors are suitable. A classic option is a still life of ripe fruits or vegetables. An excellent option is a basket filled with fruits. Among other things, she will attract monetary well-being into the house. Since the elements of Wood and Fire reign in the kitchen, you can hang a canvas here depicting a cozy hearth, as well as a tree (green, blooming or with fruits).
An excellent option for the kitchen would be drawings of aesthetically designed dishes and drinks. You can hang a canvas depicting a cozy cafe or an elegant table in a blooming garden. Paintings with beautiful tableware (tea sets, antique goblets, gilded glasses, etc.) are also suitable. However, the painted dishes should not be broken, dirty or damaged.
Description of the species
Black swans became known to Europeans only after the discovery of Australia and Tasmania. This is where this beautiful and exotic bird comes from. After the discovery of New Zealand, black swans came to these islands, where they became incredibly popular in private backyards and parks.
The black plumage of birds has a peculiar moire pattern created by the grayish edging of the outer feather.
Some birds have interspersed white or even black and white feathers. It is very common to find representatives of this species with curled flight feathers and shoulder feathers. The beak is bright scarlet. The feet are most often black or blue-black. The young are distinguished by their grayish-brown feather color and light, often pink, beak.
The black swan is a rather large bird. The weight of individual representatives can reach ten kilograms or more, and the wingspan is about two meters. The body length of females does not exceed 110 cm, males - 150 cm.
Representatives of this species have the longest neck among all their relatives, a neat small head and a short, dense tail. The length and structure of the neck allows it to reach food even from great depths.
Lifestyle
Despite the fact that birds are excellent flyers, they rarely fly. The warm climate allows black swans to lead a sedentary lifestyle, flying to new feeding grounds only as a last resort.
To take off, they need a large open water space - at least 70 meters. The long takeoff run is explained by the heavy weight and structure of the wings.
Black swans live in large colonies and this makes them different from any other species. Often a colony numbers up to 50 pairs. They are very tolerant of their neighbors and rarely show aggression. Different individuals constantly communicate with each other using loud guttural sounds.
In nature, birds have almost no enemies among animals: they are so strong that they can even drive away a dingo. However, young animals are often hunted by reptiles and birds of prey.
The swans' diet consists of small algae, aquatic vegetation, grass and young shoots of bushes growing near the reservoir. They can also feast on fish fry, small amphibians, crustaceans and invertebrates. A colony of birds prefers to settle near open and non-swampy bodies of water, on the banks of slow-flowing rivers or on the sea coast.
If there are agricultural fields with wheat, corn or barley crops near the nesting site, the birds will raid and eat part of the seedlings and ripened crops.
