The Story Behind the Logo (and name)

Logo for An Duir Glas Herbal Clinic and Apothecary, located in Newport, Co Mayo

Making a logo is an exciting part of starting your own business. What do you want it to represent? What do you want it to convey to your clients? How do you want it to look? These were some of the questions that I sat with while I was dreaming up my logo for An Duir Glas.

But maybe I should back up and first talk about the name of my clinic, An Duir Glas Herbal Clinic and Apothecary. An Duir Glas means The Green Oak in Irish. Duir (pronounced like door) is oak in ogham and signifies a threshold, stability, and strength and is often associated with protection and endurance. Glas (pronounced like gloss) means green.

Oak tress are my all time favourite tree. There is something so captivating to me about an oak tree. I think it's a combination of their size, energy, and how I feel in their presence combined with the fact that these massive beings grow from one tiny acorn. I have always felt a deep connection to oak trees, as I come from a part of the world where they are big and old and plentiful.

When I was thinking about what to name to my clinic and apothecary, I started thinking about the symbolism of the green oak. Green oak means several different things to me. First, I think of the green oak referring to a young oak, still growing and changing and adapting to it's environment, just like we are all doing on our journey through this life. Second, the green oak makes me think of the cycles and seasons of nature. Sometimes the oak is shedding and letting go, like in autumn. Sometime the oak is bare and hibernating, like in winter. Sometimes the oak is green and flourishing, like in spring and summer. Both the symbolism of the young "green" oak and the seasons of the oak, speak to me of potential. When you are working through any challenge or obstacle with your health or wellbeing, you are in a place where potential is a really powerful reminder of both where you have been and where you want to go.

In addition to the symbolism of oak tress, I also thought about how oak tress have always felt like a safe, sheltering place for me. When I am in the presence of an oak tree, I feel held and protected and supported. I also feel joy and awe and wonder and come away feeling more connected to both myself and the wider world around me.

And that is what I want my clinic space to feel like for you. Safe. I want you to come to the clinic and feel held and protected and supported. I want you to leave feeling more joyful and connected to yourself and the world around you, knowing that you are taking ownership of your journey and that you are being held and supported to do so by the plants and by us working together.

Oak Tree in a Field

Ok, now that you know a little about the name, let's get back to the logo. As you can imagine by my explanation of the name, I also put a lot of thought into the logo and what I wanted it to mean and represent.

The oak branches have both leaves and acorns. This symbolises both the growth you have already done and the potential you have to continue growing. Having both the leaves and the acorns present in the logo is a reminder of where you have been and where you are going, both existing in where you are in this present moment.

The oak branches have both three leaves and three acorns. The number three represents your body, mind, and spirit. All three of these aspects need to be in balance for you to feel your best.

The branches are mirror images of each other. I believe that everything in life can be a mirror into a greater understanding about yourself, if we allow ourselves to see it that way. Mirrors are very important tools for growth. When you start to see everything as an opportunity to mirror back to you, I believe you have greater access to using what you see in order to reflect about who you are and who you want to be.

And finally, the whole image is surrounded by circles that are spiraled together over and over again in the same place. Both the circle and the spiral have symbolism that I find significant. The circle represents eternity and the spiral represents the cyclical nature of everything. Together, this symbolises the phrase that I have at the top of my website, "Just as nature moves slowly and intentionally through its cycles and seasons, our healing takes time and intention as we move through our own cycles and seasons. Trust the timing. The journey is the healing." Every time you pass a point on the spiral, again and again, you see it from a slightly different perspective.

It is in the journey that we find healing and everything happens in its own time.

In gratitude,

Lindsay

Spiral in nature