The Maori Koru Symbol

In my search for a logo that would represent The Lightsome Life, I came across a symbol while watching The Biggest Loser of all places.  It didn’t hit me until the next morning though that this could be a symbol that could represent my vision of The Lightsome Life.

Doing my homework of course, I came across some wonderful significant connections.  Just a little background for y’all.

The pre-European Maori people did not have any written language, but still keep records of their people and stories, just using the language of fine arts and crafts.  The stories were written in the baskets, weavings, and in the complex carvings of wood, bone, shell and jade.  These items became generational treasures connecting their past, present and future.  The carvings particularly came to represent the spiritual connection from one person and one generation to the next.  Each piece carried a special meaning and story to the family or tribe.  Though some meanings varied from region to region, they maintained a common theme.

The young unfolding fond of a Silver Fern, native to New Zealand, is what inspired the Maori design of the “Koru”.   Koru is the Maori word for “bright” or “loop”.  The spiral shape of the design refers to constant movement.  The inner coil suggest returning to the point of origin.  When the fond has grown out, the silver fern has a silver-white coloration on the underside that can be used to help guide your path when walking in the moonlight.

When considering this symbol for The Lightsome Life, I wanted it to be significant to myself and my vision.

I choose the closed Triple Koru.  The closed circle represents the circle of life and creation.  The Koru itself is often related to peace, spirituality and new beginnings.  The three spirals represent mother, father and child or the family unit.  It also speaks to the idea of past, present and future and the linking of our generations.  My personal interpretation would add that as the 3 spirals grow from smaller to larger, represent our personal journey and progress.  As we mature and develop, we can become like the fully grown silver fern as a lighted path to those walking in darkness.

The color of the The Lightsome Life’s logo is also symbolic.  Green is a color for good health, peace and harmony.  It is the regulator, the harmonizer and balancer.  It evokes feelings of brotherhood and unity.  It generates a calm environment of serenity, abundance and openness. Green is fresh and youthful, denoting vitality, new beginnings and new ways of doing things. Green is the color that sits between the Magnetic colors of red/orange/yellow and the Electrical colors sky blue/indigo/violet, keeping the fine balance between each group.  It is neutral, neither warm nor cool.  Green is also the dominant color of the 4th chakra, also known as the heart chakra, a connector between the lower and more physical 1st, 2nd and 3rd chakras with the higher and more spiritual 5th, 6th and 7th chakras.  It is in the heart that we hold unconditional love, compassion, forgiveness and understanding.