Significance of the Maple Seed

Maple seeds are both ordinary and extraordinary. They come in plentiful numbers every year, letting go of their trees of origin and spiraling in the wind to a new home. These “helicopter seeds,” as they are often fondly called, can symbolize a sense of courage and hope: courage to let go of what is familiar and hope that the wind will carry them to new fertile ground on which to flourish.

Like the maple seed, we sometimes find ourselves clutching onto the old and familiar simply because it is all we know, because it is more predictable, or because we aren’t sure what the alternative is. We may feel stuck and be unable to visualize the freedom and growth we are deserving and capable of.

Maple seeds can also symbolize resilience and transformation. They are hardy and defiant, “autorotating” perfectly by design even with torn or misshapen blades. A maple seed will sprout in even the most unexpected places, and it inherently knows how to grow and transform into something strong and beautiful, whether it realizes it or not. But it must first let go.