symbols for transition

[Nikolai_S]

This morning, before going to get my first shot of testosterone, my mom gave me a pendant of a Maori koru - a spiral that symbolises new life and new beginnings. She said it was to represent my transformation and starting anew as a man. Besides being really touched by the gesture, it started me thinking about my personal symbols for masculinity and transition. I've had a few for years. One of them is a Celtic dragon that I also got as a pendant - strength, transformations, and insight. One of the few jewellery items I've worn often, and I wore it next to the koru today. Then miscellaneous items - interlocked male symbols for pride in both my gender and sexuality, the jaguar that was attributed shapeshifting powers by the Maya, quartz and dreamcatchers that are both supposed to cleanse themselves of negativity over time, jade with its "dream" associations - when I was 12, I had a piece of jade that I would put under my pillow at night and plead with it to bring me dreams of my own transformation. I half think I still believed in magic at that age...

My question is, have others here had symbols that represent their transitions to them? Anything close to your heart that echoes particularly strongly for you? I'm sure I can't be the only one.

[Michael Joseph]

Thats really awesome of your mom I dont have any symbols of my transition that I can think of. I do have a tattoo on my chest that says let love in, and for me its a symbol that i need to love myself, which can be hard to do. I took a philosophy of love class 2 semesters ago, an i learned you need to be able to love yourself before you can love others and reach mature love. Sometimes you forget that your important and you need to love and respect yourself, thats especially how i feel sometimes hating my body and all. I guess thats the only "symbol" i really have.

[jmaxley]

What a good idea (and dude, that's awesome about your mom being so supportive.)  I'm going to try to come up with a symbol now.

[Alex509]

Hopefully this doesn't sound too sappy, but whatever.  When I traveled to Phoenix for chest surgery a couple of years ago, my mom came with me.  We made a huge vacation out of it.  Neither of us had ever been to Arizona before.  Between the pre-op doctor visit and surgery, we traveled down to Tucson and went to the Saguaro National Park.  Those huge cacti are pretty cool.  After surgery and the drain tubes removed, we ventured north to the Grand Canyon.  At one of the gift shops, Mom bought for me a sterling silver ring with a geometric design.
After we got back home, I got it engraved with "Grand Canyon 2008."   

[Sandy]

My question is, have others here had symbols that represent their transitions to them? Anything close to your heart that echoes particularly strongly for you? I'm sure I can't be the only one.

For me it is the butterfly.

A creature that goes throughout it's life as a caterpillar, knowing nothing else,
but when the time of transition comes, can do nothing else,
and when it emerges from chrysalis as butterfly, can be nothing else.

-Sandy

[Rock_chick]

For me it is the butterfly.

A creature that goes throughout it's life as a caterpillar, knowing nothing else,
but when the time of transition comes, can do nothing else,
and when it emerges from chrysalis as butterfly, can be nothing else.

-Sandy

he he

Just read my signiture

[lilacwoman]

lovely to hear you have a supportive mother.
good luck with your future.

[Aegir]

That was really touching, Nikolai.

[Colleen Ireland]

For me it is the butterfly.

A creature that goes throughout it's life as a caterpillar, knowing nothing else,
but when the time of transition comes, can do nothing else,
and when it emerges from chrysalis as butterfly, can be nothing else.

-Sandy

he he

Just read my signiture

Me, too!  One of the very first pieces of jewelry I bought (way last August when I first started dressing) was a butterfly necklace.  It's even color-coordinated with the watch I bought at the same time (pink).

[Aikotribs]

awesome to see your mom being supportive, and much of strength and good luck in your journey

Yes actually, I'm planing to make a digital painting featuring a unicorn and a phoenix.And  I had a plan for making a personal jewel in that new material (baked silver) I might do that and engrave my REAL name in it, not the name of a girl that never existed.

[Espenoah]

My symbol is a peacock. Represents change and pride in oneself. It's pretty fitting, since I've always loved peacocks. So when I finally get my first tattoo, it's going to be of a peacock feather. When I look at it I can remember where I've been and look forward where I'm going with confidence.

[K8]

How wonderful that your mother would support you so thoroughly and would think to show her support that way, Nikolai.

Before I came out, I bought a pendant made by a local artist.  It is the Kanji symbol for courage.  She had other symbols, too: serenity and joy and some others.  I remember thinking that if I had courage the other things would come with it.  I didn't buy the pendant as a symbol of transition; I bought it because I liked it and thought I could use some courage.

Well, it worked.  Two years later I am a post-op woman.  (yay!)

- Kate

[Sharky]

Congrats on starting T and having an awesome mom!
No symbols for me.

[tekla]

jade with its "dream" associations

In Asia jade is associated with fertility.  Billions and billions of people can't be wrong.

[Nikolai_S]

Very interesting responses, everyone. And thanks for the well wishes and congratulations. I'm so grateful to have my mother's support. I wish I could share her with others whose parents aren't such allies.

I did expect butterflies to be important to many people, but personally I find it's difficult for me to compare myself to one.    Espenoah, a peacock would never have occurred to me, but that's a great one. Pride is underrated - it's so important to have confidence in yourself, and it can take a while to achieve that when you have a body/mind disconnect.

Oh, and tekla, I think I discovered the dream symbolism from Latin America rather than Asia. It probably came on a card with the stone, or maybe my father first told me about it. He's part Mayan, I'm going to trust him with that.

[xAndrewx]

Hey man that's awesome of your mom and congrats on 1 day on T

My symbol for transition is a runestone necklace that my mom bought me about 6 months after I told her. On it, it has the runestone for transition.

[Sean]

Does making a bunch of "pity the fool" Mr. T jokes count as a symbol of transition? If so, then I had one too.