The History and Meaning Behind the Peach & Crane

When I started my healing arts practice in 2014, I had no idea how deep of a meaning (and life direction!) would ultimately emerge from the business name I had chosen in Peach & Crane. 

The name first occurred to me in graduate school when I learned that the motif of the crane and peach can often be found together in Chinese art, such as in tapestries and on ceramics. The combination of the two symbols represent longevity, prosperity and good health as well as a specific focus on spiritual growth to achieving a fulfilling life. 

The health/wellness, spiritual, and artistic messages really resonated for me, especially as I was starting out as an acupuncturist — I felt it held distinction to the worldview and approach of Chinese Medicine as a healing art that would set me apart from allopathic medicine as well as other alternative practitioners. I also liked that there was an inherent Yin and Yang quality to the peach and crane, which is foundational to Chinese medical theory and represents balance as the ideal in achieving and maintaining health. The peach, soft and fertile in nature represents Yin, and the crane, majestic and expansive in nature, represents Yang.

I was further drawn to the symbols for a personal reason. I am a descendant of the Crane family and bear it as my middle name. The Cranes are a well documented line of English immigrants to America in which a centuries old newspaper stated, “No family in the country has more honorable record than the Cranes… Love of country has ever been a distinguishing trait of the family, as well as upright business principles.” A distant relative is Stephen Crane, author of the American Civil War classic, Red Badge of Courage. Tickled by the idea of naming a practice similar in tune to the classical apothecaries of old, ala “Johnson & Johnson”, it made me proud to include Crane as a personal namesake that also contained meanings for both the East and West, and held historical importance, love of country, and business integrity to boot.

It wasn’t until later, however, that I learned the peach held a deeper and personal meaning for me, too. At first, it felt connected simply to the idea that I had recently relocated with my husband to Nashville from the Northeast. I felt the peach honored our move to the South and my embracing a new city and culture that I was already so fond of. Like so many before and after us, we were both drawn to Tennessee specifically for its fertile ground and open-armed support of new businesses and startups. Nashville also called to us as it meant being closer to family who had been established here for decades.

For a couple of years I ran Peach & Crane with these initial meanings in my heart. However, not long after opening my office, I experienced psychic sight in a new way than I had up to that point. During a daily meditation sitting on my cushion on the floor, I started to see images in the carpet in front of me. Animals upon animals were forming and revealing themselves to me. The dance of them seemed endless. Having formally trained in Tibetan Buddhist meditation, I was taught to ignore anything other than the breath while sitting, and tried, hopelessly, to make the images stop so I could meditate. After this happened over and over again, I surrendered to what I was seeing and began to interact with the images themselves through my thoughts. When it occurred to me to ask questions, I started to notice a pattern that if I would ask, I would receive an answer. And so my clairvoyant gift of seeing spirit animals was confirmed. I began to apply it for family and friends and soon I no longer needed the carpet! 

In 2017, I opened up readings to the public and began working with clients in combination with acupuncture in my practice. Those early sessions I had with clients were wondrous teaching experiences for me as I further learned the ropes of my gift and how I could help others. A pattern that began to emerge in my practice around this time, was a synchronistic draw my work seemed to have for other empathic souls. Soon, I began to call out empaths specifically as a segment of the population I felt called to assist. It was then that the Peach in Peach & Crane became clearer that it also held a special meaning. I started to see the Peach itself show up in readings for others, and even myself at times. I finally connected that the Peach was my symbol for the empath.

In kindergarten I was recognized as an empath by a graduate student focusing on early childhood development and psychology at San Jose State University. She and others initially thought I was a genius — which was quickly proven otherwise after repeated testing that felt more mathematical and medical in nature vs. the emotional intelligence that empathy really is. No matter, failing as a genius at age 5 didn’t bother me one bit! I was just so relieved and happy not to be studied and analyzed anymore and back on the playground with my friends instead!

An empath my entire life, the Peach came into focus as a clear symbol representing the soft and vulnerable nature many empaths feel they possess. The sweetness comes from the loving, accepting and non-judgmental way empaths approach all people, sometimes to their detriment… peaches can be viewed as a meal to others! Life holds many lessons for empaths which involve balancing their kind and generous nature with healthy boundaries and honoring where they prioritize their energy.

When this all clicked, I realized I had landed on my first Couplet of signs! Not only was it my practice name, but I fully embodied both the Peach and Crane in my own life. I used this understanding as a template to begin to learn and translate other people’s Yin and Yang energies. Soon I had a consistent and reliable method to read for others, for which the applications for additional readings just became second nature and quickly multiplied. Initially expressed as Soul Animal Wisdom, around 2022 I realized especially from the insight of the Peach, I was seeing a lot more than animals. Following a reading I had with a dear friend and fellow psychic, Jessica Johnson, a new name began to emerge and Soul Signs was born.

In retrospect, Peach & Crane was never just a business name to me, but a profound spiritual blueprint—a living, breathing manifestation of my journey to self-discovery. From its roots in Chinese symbolism to its deeply personal resonance with my family history and empathic nature, the name has been a constant companion, guiding me through transformation for both myself and my clients, and revealing layers of meaning I could never have anticipated when I first wrote the name into a graduate school notebook. What began as a simple practice name has become a testament to the intricate balance of vulnerability and strength, of intuition and hard work—a reminder that our most meaningful paths often emerge not through careful planning, but through surrender, curiosity, and a willingness to see the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary.

Welcome to Peach & Crane!

Kirem Marnett, MAOM is the founder of Peach & Crane and originator of Soul Signs. Find out your Soul Sign Couplet by booking your first session here.