The Symbolic Meaning of Our Logo

A Draft of the Symbolic Meaning of CEM’s Logo

When I asked a long time family friend to design our CEM logo, I asked her to use the painted turtle.  I liked the things that I read about its symbolism (more on that in a minute).  I asked her to design letters that looked like birch bark.  When we discovered that would be too labor intensive, we decided on the turtle on a birch bark background.  Then I asked her to put in a dragonfly.  I ‘d had so many dragonfly encounters during the summer, I felt certain there was a message for us in there as well.  Finally, I asked her to do the whole thing in sepia, because I like the rustic look of it.  If you visualize what I asked for, you’ll see that it isn’t much like our logo. 

 

 

I am not disappointed.  As the matter of fact, I feel like God’s hand guided her and her husband and co-designer.  While I chose the turtle and the dragonfly, the rest was all providential.  The circle, the colors.

 

As you read about what each of the parts represents symbolically (my research comes for a mix of various websites) you’ll see how perfect our logo fits what CEM is supposed to be.  May it ever remind us of why we began, and what we’re here to do.

 

Before I go into the specifics, I’d like to share one more thing.  In the early days of CEM I was introduced to the verses in Job 12:7-8 where we are instructed to learn from creation.  There are lessons for us in each part of God’s creation.  When I first read it, to me, it resonated ancient Native wisdom.  And in reality, that is exactly what it is.  So a year ago (June 2013) when I began nature journaling, I started researching the symbolism behind the different things I encountered in creation, to see what I might glean from them. 

 

 Turtle

The turtle is the symbol of ancient wisdom, earth, longevity, creation, fertility, patience, stability, endurance, staying grounded, determination, slowing down and even, coming out of your shell.  I read that the turtle can only move forward when it sticks it’s neck out.  For me, CEM was a leap of faith, sticking my neck out.

When I think about the turtle, I think about James 1:5; Job 12:7-8; 1 Corinthians 9:24 and Hebrews 21:1

 

 

Dragonfly

This summer just past (2014) has been my dragonfly summer, without a doubt.  I’ve had dragonflies land on me and just sit.  The dragonfly signifies ancient traditions.  They are symbolic of transformation.  You should see the empty shell from the larvae stage that they hatch out of.  It’s hard to believe they are the same creature – well, in actuality, they aren’t.   Dragonflies also symbolize, adaptability, lightness of being, maturity, power, prosperity, strength and peace.

 

When I see the dragonfly symbolism, I think of 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Philippians 4:7

 

Circle

Our logo animals are in the center of a circle.  Circles are symbolic of eternity, inclusion, wholeness, focus, unity, completion and protection. 

I think of Psalm 133:1, Ecclesiastes 3:17 and Philippians 1;6 when considering these things.

 

 

Green

Green is symbolic of nature, fertility, life, balance, growth, prosperity and abundance as well as resurrection and rebirth.  For those familiar with The Wordless Book the green page is the page where we grow in the grace of our salvation. 

 

Brown

Brown is symbolic of security, stability, foundations, peace, warmth, approachability.  All things that we need to be.

 

Brown and green together are prominent colors on the planet. 

 

All of our pieces are indicators of what I want CEM to be, a place of peace, that is welcoming, where growth and change can happen.

 

It will be rare that you hear me evangelize anyone.  I believe that our words fall on deaf ears in these times.  I believe that our actions are so loud that they drown out our words.  So, I invite people to come, to explore, to discover.  We work to be accepting and to show love and compassion.  I trust that God is capable of showing Himself in His creation as well as in the written Word.  Folks who’ve been turned off by religion, will unlikely be turned off by nature.  We plant seeds, subtly.  And we leave the rest to God.  You cannot look at the transformation of the dragonfly and doubt that God created or that Christ can change us.  And if someone’s heart is that hard, it is unlikely my words will have impact anyway. 

 

 

The more I think about the things each piece of our logo symbolize, the more I look at the logo as a symbol of what we do, the more I’m convinced that God guided the hands of its designers to make it represent what CEM is suppose to be.