I am often asked about my sword. The whole thing began more than 10 years ago when traveling and teaching conferences with my colleagues Randy and Barry. After an event, while we were sitting at a bar, Randy commented that my new nickname is Zena. When I asked him why he said “you do not let people play victim. When they come to you and wine and complain about the things that are wrong in their lives, you whip out this invisible sword and tell them to cut the crap.”
Zena stuck. The sword came as the true symbol of my brand years later.
I was at a conference where MaryAnn Halpin and was taking pictures for her Fearless Women book. At that conference there was a video with all these women getting pictures with her sword, a Scottish Claymore (I am holding it in the blue dress). I thought it would be great to have my picture taken and then it dawned on me why I should take my picture with that sword.
The sword is the symbol of my life, and it has represented so much for what I have done in my career. But to honor and respect the sword I chose to study the many powerful things that the sword symbolizes:
1- the manifestation of purity in the physical form. Coming from a violent abusive place, this manifestation has been a powerful journey. My husband has been the biggest part of it, giving me my Katana as a result.
My Katana
2-being grounded and having clarity of thought. Honestly, when I do not meditate, I loose this. I see my sword as a tool for deep thought and contemplation.
3-a way of protecting with strength to conquer those things holding you back. Therefore the iron of the sword is the true warrior within you. It represents so much of finding your true voice.
4-in many cultures it’s meaning is to cut through confusion and ignorance surrounding you.
5-honor and to possess one and is considered a symbol of transition, which life is in constant transition. It is the extension of true warrior spirit in many cultures.
6-The sword and it sheath are actually seen as the balance between the masculine and feminine. Masculine represents an active driving force for life and the feminine protective supportive element of life.
It’s amazing how much it has represented for myself and what I do with my clients over the years for the inner warrior and discovering your real edge. Each picture I have taken demonstrates one of these meanings when you look at them.
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
I loved reading this, Ann, and learning more about what the sword symbolizes. My first impression of a sword is one of violence, probably because my son adores martial arts movies and fights with swords are some of his favorites! But I love the idea of seeing it (and using it) as a symbol of both purity and cutting through all the nonsense in our lives. We need to cut through and cut out all the incoming stressors as well as cut out the noise in our heads. This is great advice for the parents and students I interact with everyday. Thanks, Ann!
You should get him in a class Cory- you’d be amazed what the will teach him about honoring and respecting, (not that he doesn’t but in a new light form those moves!) fighting is actually the last resort of a warrior
Oh, he is, Ann! He’s been taking tae kwon do for almost five years and is due to receive his blackbelt in June. The lessons learned are priceless!
oh sweet! love that! My husband coaches Ju-Jitsu
oh sweet! love that! My husband coaches Ju-Jitsu
Thank you for this beautiful description of how many ways you see the sword symbolizing STRENGTH. Each way provides great food for thought. My first thought: Taking a step back, I find it interesting to observe how easily we can attribute powerful symbolic meanings to mundane objects and events. Throughout history, we do it all the time. I think it says little about the objects but everything about us, our limitations, and our aspirations.
sword suggest strength, ambition and natural decisiveness!!!! I like the meaning of your sword; the position of power that it refers in your life and all the determination and success that you have got it
I enjoyed learning how you came to identify with the sword and the evolution of your brand, Ann. I learned something new about what swords have represented to different people in different times, and now making that connection with who you are is very enlightening. I see too how the sword is a way to stave off all that is harmful, not only to yourself but to others you care about. And that is the part of you that I love — that truly caring and protective and sometimes vulnerable you that desires to make a difference in the lives of others who do not yet have their own swords to wield.
I love the meanings of what the sword represents for you. Makes a lot of sense from what I have learned about and from you the last few months. For some reason I especially like the last symbol – of sword and sheath representing the masculine and feminine – another way to say that might be balance!
I love that. It’s powerful. The first thing I noticed about you when I first met you online at Womenco was your strength. It scared me at first, but I realized that I saw myself in you or where I wanted to be..I needed the courage to continue to believe in dreams but wanted so desperately the strength to get through the illness I was going thru.
I feel so grateful to have met you online and to go through your program. You truly are an inspiration to me.
I was there when you took your first picture with Mary Ann but didn’t realize it’s genesis or where Zena came from. It’s always nice to get “a picture” of these things one can just take for granted.
Susan Berland
A Picture’s Worth
http://Susan-Berland.com
Hmm… love that you shared all this, Ann. Next time we get together, I’ll offer a few more references to the meaning of the sword for you to consider. (Including: its association with the initiation of the throat chakra… seems fitting for you and your work!)
After I read this I went back to look at your logo.
I am now seeing the blue loops of the ‘P’ as being like an electric blue trail left behind by the sword tip as it is worked around in a fast symbolic formation.
Interesting to read what a sword represents. I was seeing it in only one dimension – as the protector to slash at injustices. I have to find my link to your monthly call as I missed being on the call last month!
Julieanne Case
Always from the heart!
Reconnecting you to your Original Blueprint, Your Essence, Your Joy| Healing you from the Inside Out |Reconnective Healing | The Reconnection| AgeLoc Skin Care | Pharmanex Supplements
http://thereconnectivehighway.com
Having watched from afar, it is fun to find out your actual thinking about the the sword and how it has taken on deeper meaning for you. A sword can hurt but it can also protect and it certainly attracts attention! Just another form of branding, but this one with meaning. Nice.
Candace Davenport
http://www.ourlittlebooks.com ~ Little Books with a Big Message
I’ve often thought about the symbols of the sword when seeing your gorgeous publicity photos. As someone who has done martial arts for over 40 years now (GASP) I love what the sword can mean, especially as a way to get to essence, the bottom-line of meaning, which you do so often and in so many ways. Not to mention, you often talk about Sexy. And I gotta say, you and the sword, well, hot-hot-hot!
Thanks for sharing the history. I had a hunch that the sword meant much more to you than just something to “get out” when people pissed you off. I especially like the idea of the sword and sheath representing masculine and feminine balance.
My comment seems to have disappeared! Maybe it’s in spam, but I thought I saw it go up, so just to be on the safe side I’ll add another. Just loved hearing the many meanings of the sword for you and to learn about its emergence. Very “organic” – a true story that came from your life, not just something you “thought up” and decided was effective. I find symbols that arise naturally from our life so powerful, as this one is. In my first comment I mentioned something about another layer of meaning around “words,” which have been powerful for you too.
Judy Stone-Goldman
The Reflective Writer
http://www.thereflectivewriter,com
Personal-Professional Balance Through Writing
I love 2 and 3 although they are all great. It’s nice to know the evolution of the “sword” in your life and your business and how you chose to honor it by researching it’s further meaning around the world. I’m now curious to take a look at the different sword photos you’ve posted and correlate their message/meaning.
A true sword can discern ‘thoughts and intentions of the heart’ rendering it very powerful when used in self-reflection. I like how you relate the sword to helping us find our true business edge.
My dear, friend: Thank you for sharing this blog with me and sending personalized messages to redirecting my attention here. It makes greater impression to hear you talking about the sword and the insight from your personal experience, now to be used with others for finding our ways to excelence.
Was hoping for a picture of a Scottish Claymore, however, the Katana is a fine second choice.
Thank you for linking me with this post Ann. So lovely to hear your story and the significance the sword has for you. I love the aspect of cutting deeply to the truth and weeding out what we no longer need. Friction, burning away, cleansing. x
Thank you for the insight about the sword, I can relate to it clearly, I just felt all my life that I can lead because I know the right and wrong, I can be a sheath and i can be a sword, but most of the time I want to be the sword.