I love animal wisdom and believe that the animals have a lot to teach us. One of the things I teach is if You see an animal three or more time or in unusual situation doing something it would not normally do.. then it may very well be message for you from the animals. we all have power and totem animals as well. You can discover your totem/ power animals and they can become trusted companions and teachers. I through shamanic journeys have for myself discovered mine and it is alway an on going journey of discovery and learning with my teachers/ companions the animals. I have also helped others to discover their own .
today I though I would post info on lion as it is the new moon in leo and leo is the lion. so please enjoy and I hope that perhaps have a different perspective of what the animals can teach us.
unfathomable love we
Ted Andrews from Animal-Speak:
Key note: Assertion of the Feminine and the Power of the Female Sun
The lion is the second largest member of the cat family. The traits of cats should be studied in general, for the lion embodies many of them. It makes its home on the savannas of Africa, and those with this totem would do well to study the significance of the savannas. The lion’s main prey is the antelope and this should be studied as well.
The lion has been symbolic of a variety of energies throughout the years. It is a symbol of the sun and of gold. It was a symbol for the sun-god Mithra. The Egyptians believed that the lion presided over the annual floods of the Nile. Early Christians believed it to be the earthly opponent of the eagle. The medieval alchemists associated it with the fixed element of sulphur, and a young lion was often the symbol of the rising sun and all that is implied by it.
The lion is unusual among members of the cat family in that it will live in groups called prides. If a lion has shown up as a totem, you can expect lessons and issues dealing with community and groups to surface. There may be a need to examine your own role in the group.
Within the pride, the females are the best hunters. although most lions are clumsy hunters by themselves, they have developed an excellent cooperative hunting technique. The females, though, do most of the hunting and the rearing of the cubs. The lion cubs lead a relatively care-free existence. Their parents are patient and affectionate with the cubs, and most individuals with lions as totems will find those same qualities developing within themselves.
The males are most noticeable with their large manes. They do very little work. They can be passionate and excessively jealous of the lionesses. They protect the pride against predators. When hunting they use their roar to scare prey toward the waiting lioness. If a male lion has shown up as your totem, you may need to examine your usefulness within some group or community in your life. do you need to do more than you are? Do you need to be more protective? Do you need to cooperate more?
The lion does not fight for the sake of fighting. It avoids confrontations, and will leave the scen of danger if possible. This is a tactic to keep in ind if the lion is your totem. Lions also hunt primarily by stealth, and the most common method of killing is by strangulation. This technique is something for those with this totem to practice developing when pursuing new endeavors and objectives in any area of life. Be stealthy for the greatest success.
The idea of the young lion being associated with the rising sun is most significant. Since females of the pride do most of the work, it actually reflects the idea of the rising of the feminine energies. The sun has not always been a masculine symbol. It does give birth to new days, and it nurtures and warms life. Thus it is not stretching the correlation to see the lion as the assertion of feminine energies to bring forth birth and new power.
When a lion has shown up, there will be opportunity to awaken to a new sun. Trust your feminine energies–creativity, intuition and imagination. These will add new sunshine to your life. Don’t be afraid to roar if you feel threatened or intruded upon.
