Writing my way through the A-to-Z blogging challenge, I’ll be using manicules (those pointing finger symbols) to direct your attention to something I’m pondering that delights or interests me. Each entry is somehow related to an unusual, obscure, or simply charming to me word.
P is for…
pavonated – colored like a peacock; peacock blue
I believe life speaks to us in all kinds of languages. Signs and symbols and dreams are like lovely little clues set around for us in a secret language, and we’re charged with not only keeping our eyes peeled for them but then when we find them, to translate them. I find this thrilling – it’s like the most fabulous detective game played with an always winking cosmos. Since I like paying attention to signs and symbols I could easily write a book just about this year’s messages for me. But I’ll just mention one.
Peacock has been showing up big time for me, and while frankly I’m not sure we’re done dancing together yet, I certainly have been given lots to think about. Some of the messages include: showing up unapologetically and being seen in all our built-in carry-with-us-always finery; third eye activation; beauty and integrity. Peacocks are associated with a number of deities including Greek goddess Hera and the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.
Something I had forgotten, but remembered when peacock started showing up was the “peacock eye” formation in fingerprints. Some time ago I had my hands read and I learned a number of fascinating things, including some unexpected delights. For example, I have a fingerprint on my palm (that’s rather unusual); and that I have a few peacock markings on my fingers, and that one of them was “hidden.”
The peacock eye print is somewhat uncommon and looks like a typical looped fingerprint with a whirl in the center, thus giving it the appearance of a peacock eye on a feather. It is said to be the sign of someone with artistic talents, especially if seen on the ring finger which is said to connect with our creativity and inner self. It also signifies someone who is happy marching to the beat of their own drum and who may seem a little odd. It would not be unusual for the possessor of this fingerprint to have an unusual personal style and work in a creative field. I’m happy to claim those things, whether they’re reflected in my hands or not.
One of the peacock eyes was “hidden” in the sense that my fingers didn’t easily want to reveal themselves. Isn’t hidden peacock a fascinating concept to think about? Peacock is all out “look at me, look at me” and hidden is all about “don’t look at me.” Yes, I can see those two energies at work in my world. Sigh. So I couldn’t resist attaching a peacock tail to a plain-jane songbird. I suspect peacock will be an honored guest in my thoughts for a while as I consider this some more.
Pondering peacock blue, I couldn’t help but think about a lovely piece of lab-grown bismuth I have sitting on my desk. Aren’t the colors amazing? And it never fails to remind me of a fabulous Escher staircase.
While I love the peacock blue color, I find this interesting as well. Canadian artist Jessica Fortner did a series of paintings of birds and flowers associated with the various astrological signs. She depicts Cancer (which is my astrological sun sign) as a white peacock with roses. You can see her series here.
So what do you think? What’s your favorite color? Do you love peacock blue? Like peacocks? Ever had your hands read? Fascinated by fingerprints? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
When I was in high school I LOVED peacock blue. I had cartridge ink pens + markers with the color, I wore the color, I even had a pin that was a real peacock feather. I guess I wanted to be noticed.
How fun! I remember fondly a shop that sold lovely handmade jewelry made with antique findings and vintage Swarovski, and I bought a number of pairs of earrings from her over the years. With every purchase she handed out a long peacock feather, because she insisted we all needed reminders we were beautiful. Always makes me smile to think about her.
That is a beautiful piece of bismuth–wow! I love blue, although I prefer the vibrant hues of it to powder blue. It sounds like there is a lot in a hand and fingerprint; I’ve never been read nor do I even know how to go about doing so.
The bismuth is definitely cool. I became interested in fingerprints years ago through a friend who is a forensic fingerprint expert. Another interesting fact – lip prints are as unique as fingerprints. Good thing to remember if you’re leaving evidence at a crime scene.
Gorgeous colors! I haven’t heard the fingerprint thing before. I’ll have to take a closer look at mine.
I definitely needed a strong dose of color(s) today. We had snow again yesterday, and poor Spring is having a hard time showing off her palette.
I love peacock blue. I never had my hands read…though had tarot cards read once…mY b i shud try getting palms read…whatever u explained and linked with peacocks prints and hues is interesting
Wishing u well
Dropping by from a to z “The Pensive”
Thanks for your kind words and wishes Afshan. I think it’s always interesting to see ourselves through different lenses. I’m a curious person, but I also feel no obligation to believe everything I hear.
Hope u got my comment?
I did. 🙂
I think peacocks are beautiful, and have never understood the point of white peacocks – yes, they may be rarer, but there are plenty of other beautiful white birds, while there are no other birds like peacocks! (Maybe the peahens are the “hidden peacocks.” No one ever pays any attention to them.) It must be lovely to have the world speaking to you in peacock color and peacock eyes.
For many years there was a poultry farm just about a block away from our house. They kept a few peacocks, and when my children were toddlers some of the first words they learned were animals noises: cats go “meow,” cows go “moo,” chickens go “cluck”… and peacocks go “AOWWWW! AOWWW!” It’s not at all a pretty sound! lol
P is for Pygmyism
I think you’re right about peahens – the hidden peacocks indeed. That hilarious about the peacock sounds – I can imagine your kids delighting in “practicing” it. And I’m also glad I can just imagine it without damage to my own ears. 🙂
I do love peacock blue and I love learning the word pavonated — thanks! That piece of bismuth is gorgeous.
Pavonated has a lovely ring doesn’t it?
We used to have peacocks in our local park when I was a kid. They were pretty but made such a loud racket!
I will admit that I do like blue a lot.
—
Tim Brannan
The Other Side | The A to Z of Conspiracy Theories
I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a peacock, but now that I’m thinking about it I’m wondering if all big birds are loud. Swans and geese certainly can be. Thanks for stopping by Tim.
They are a curious bird. Ive always been fascinated by the very flutter of those gorgeous feathers. I do love that particular blue as it almost has a metallic sheen to it.
The bismuth is remarkable in the color spectrum
Happy P Day
Portal
It really is magical to see a peacock open its tail. And you’re right about the metallic sheen – I love that as well.
Your bismuth is beautiful!
I am a fan of peacocks. I have a large stained glass peacock hanging in my living room window and two bronze peacocks on a shelf below it. I am attracted to the bird because of its un-arrogant flamboyance; I always feel like they are just a bit “I’m awesome and I know it” but more because it’s that they truly ARE awesome rather than because they’re posing. If that makes sense. 🙂
I also very much like the peacock blue/green/turquoise coloration, and those shades feature strongly in my decor.
How cool about your window! And I love your take on peacock attitude – ownership not arrogance. That’s perfect!
There is so much to enjoy in this post Deborah.
All the colours of peacock feathers are my favourites. Plus Yellow:)
I may or may not have those tell-tale peacock eye fingerprints but I think I have the associated traits.
Krishna, the Hindu God always wears a peacock feather and that endears me to him even more:)
Oh, I didn’t know about Krishna’s feather – how perfect! And it makes me smile to think that there may in fact be a tribe of peacock eye fingerprint people. It reminds me of an amusing made-up game of The Secret Society of Red Shoes.
In South Indian(Tamilnadu) silk industry, traditional silk sarees have unique names for the colours . We have sarees that take the purplish hue of young mango leaves ( maan-thulir we call it) . Then there is peacock blue . And its called mayil-kazhuthu meaning peacock neck. I love peacocks in my rangolis, and earrings too
Oh that’s so lovely Jayashree! And it delights me you use peacocks in your rangolis. I’ve become quite fascinated with the beauty and blessings of rangolis.
OK, you have me examining my hands, looking for peacock markings 😉
It happened twice to me that a peacock fanned out their feathers when we met. Do you think I’d be a suitable mate for them?
Question to you: what does it mean if I dream that someone died? In my dream I got a notice in my mail informing me a friend’s 20yo daughter passed away after suffering an accident with her car. My first impulse was to text my friend asking if everything was OK with them. Do I tell her I had the dream?
Your peacock story makes me smile.
Regarding dreams – personally I’m not a big fan of interpreting other people’s dreams or depending on a dream “dictionary” to interpret symbols – nothing is ever a one-size-fits-all, and we dream in our own soul language not anothers. As for your dream, only you can decide what to do Tamara. At the very best I can tell you what I might do if it were my dream. Since my dreams are almost never literal, I might think instead of taking the message literally, it might mean my friend could be in need of some emotional support. One of things I try hard to uphold in life is to do no harm, so that’s certainly something I would consider before telling another person a dream that might upset or stress them. But if I did decide to share it, I’d be very mindful of being clear to remind them it was a dream, and not let my personal response push them into fear. But again, Tamara, that’s how I do me – you need to do you.