| Bronze Reclining Lion Vessel Greek Applique |
|
| Greek, 525 B.C.E |
Bob Cat
Lynx Rufus
The bobcat shares the same family as the cat... the felidae
family. It is spotted on the upperpart of the backside and has tufts of hair that extend from it's eartips. Although
the bobcat is not a fast runner, they can jump 6 to 8 feet.
"The tail is very symbolic. Tails have
a long connection symbolically with the sexual energies and the kundalini. The tail or the tail end is the seat of the
life force. The tip of the bobcat's tail is black and its underneath side is white. This refelcts the ability
to turn on and off the creative forces as is needed. This is part of the medicine of the bobcat."
Ted Andrews, Animal Speak
Bobcat Symbology
If you have a dream where the bobcat plays a role, here
are some possible meaning..
Solitary:
Are you too solitary, are you a loner?
Do you need to become more social?
Secretive:
are you harboring secrets or do you feel
that others are talking about you? Are you being too secretive with your friends and loved-ones?
Acute hearing:
do you need to listen better or are you
a good listener?
Eyesight:
Do you need to open your eyes to the
unconscious; are you scared of the dark; to you need to "see" what's in front of you?
Fast Learner:
Have you been thrown into a situation
where you need to learn at a fast pace? Do you feel like you need to learn something, fast...new opportunities coming
your way?
Silence:
Do you need to become
more discerning? Are you more of a talker or a Thinker, rather than a feeler?
| Loop of a bobcat, Oil Pastel 2008 |
|
|
Bobcats are elusive animals, as I have experienced firsthand.
The first day we moved onto our property in the mountains, we were greeted by a bobcat. It was late at night and the
headlights caught him in his tracks; he looked over his shoulder at us and looped off into the woods. The stub of his
tail, sticking straight up; long, husky legs, in no hurry. We were mesmerized and excited....bobcat, wow! We've
been here now, on and off for 4 years and haven't seen another until just a few days ago, when my husband reported trailing
one on the road, just down from our house. He is studying mammals this semester and began a thorough search on
the tracks and characteristics.
To be sure, they are all around here...elusive, again the word that best describes
this beautiful cat. If I were to dream of this animal, I think personally, he would symbolize the elusiveness of the
powerful unconsious complex, waiting to break through. The instinctive, wild or unchartered, nocturnal nature
of this animal; secretive as Ted Andrews describes, would represent my Self's secretive nature and all the wonders that lay
just outside of my reach. His spotted nature, representing the merging of shadow and light...he carries the symbol
of the Self. The bobcat is not a fast runner, symbolizing my chances of catching up to the knowledge that lay just beyond
the frontiers of my consciousness.
He is always there, rooting around, ready to pounce....or flee.
Bob Cat: "The Wild Cat"
"The bobcat is
a solitary animal, and those with it as a totem often find themselves in the same situation. Coming to terms with that,
learning to be alone without being lonely, is part of what the bobcat teaches..."
Ted Andrews, Animal Speaks
Montain Lion
Cougar/Jaguar
Here is an excerpt from Animal Magick:
" Male lions were associated with solar gods, especially in Greece,
Rome and Persia, while lionesses were companions of Great Mother goddesses, often drawing their chariots. Representations
of these goddesses with their companion lionesses have been found in Crete, Mycenae, Phrygia, Thrace, Syria, Lycia, Sparta,
Sumeria, Indian, and Tibet. In connection with the Great Mother, the lioness symbolized both maternity and the capacity
for vengeance."
also:
"The cougar was a respected animal among Native Americans. To
them it represented leadership, physical grace, and strength. The Algonquins and Ojibways knew the cougar as a form
of the "underground panthers," evil beings who lived in an Underworld. To the Cherokees, the cougar along with the owl,
was sacred beacuse of its power to see in the dark."
(Llewellyn Publications: St. Paul, Minn. 2003. p.81, 76)
"The lion is a well-known symbol of the solstice of the sun,
when the sun is at its highest... it is also a symbol of resurrection... passionate devouring, the power drive...the desire
to posses. The outstreched paws and wide open jaw illustrate the lion, the powerful, passionate hot nature. It
stands for resurrection, but also can be weakened by the flesh."
Alchemy, Mary Louise Von Franz. Inner
City Books: Toronto, Canada. 1980. P.170-1.
| Lady of the Beasts |
|
| Bronze Hydria, Greek, 600 B.C.E |
"Frequently depressed people dream of voracious lions
or other devouring animlas such as dragons, but particularly lions, which means they are depressed... they are frustrated
in the fullfillment of their wild desires. They want everything... They have the childish, wild desires which would
like to eat everything up, but at the same time they are intelligent enough to know that life is not like that, that they
cannot have what they want, so the desire curls up into sulky depressiveness.
Alchemy, Mary Louise Von
Franz. Inner City Books: Toronto, Canada. 1980. P.104.
Here is an excerpt from Sams and Carsons' Medicine
Cards:
"Mountian Lion can be a very difficult power totem for you to have,
because it places you in a position to be a target for the problems of others. You could be blamed for things going
wrong, or for always taking charge when others cannot. You could become the perfect justification for the insecurities
of others.
"Mountain Lion Medicine involves lessons on
the use of power in leadership. It is the ability to lead without insisting that others follow. It is the understanding
that all beings are potential leaders in their own ways. The use and abuse of power in a position of influence are part
of this great cat's medicine.
"By observing the graceful pounce of Mountian
Lion, you will learn how to balance power, intention, physical stength, and grace. This relates, in human terms, to
the balance of body, mind, and spirit. The giant feline never wastes anything. It only kills what it needs for
survival. The female lion is the hunter who graces her table in a style akin to mother energy."
"If Mountain Lion has come to you in dreams,
it is a time to stand on your convictions and lead yourself where your heart takes you. Others may choose to follow,
and the lessons will multiply... You may be asked to review the purpose behind your personal beliefs...
If you are aligned with cat medicine, you are considered to be "king of the mountain," and never allowed to be human or vulnerable.
The pitfalls are many, but the rewards are great."
Here is a list of some symbols, metaphors, and historical
facts about the Mountain lion/cougar/panther/jaguar:
Cunning
Hunting
Freedom
Power in Leadership
Balancing Power
Self-confidence when facing crowds
Walking without Fear
Bast and Pasht (cat family) Egyptian gods
Freyja the Norse goddess's chariot pullers
Sickness or misfortune in Chinese lore
Peace and transformation in Japanese
Warriors in Aztec mythology: Tezcatlipoca
was often seen as a Jaguar.
Toltecs: Rain and Thunder; the Sun god
Independance
Feminine energy
Releasing fear
If we look to ancient times for representations of Lions
or great cats we encounter the different aspects of the Hebrew Lillith or Babylonian Lamashtu (daughter of Anu, the god of
Heaven). In her dark aspect she is invoked and banished to protect newborn babies ....
"Dreadful is she, headstrong is she, she is s goddess, terrible
is she. She is like a leopard (?), the daughter of Anu. Her feet are those of (the
bird) Zu, her hands are dirty, her face is that of a powerful lion. She rises out of ther
reedbed. Her hair is loose, her breasts are bare. Her hands are caked with flesh and blood. She forces an
entry through the window, she slides in like a snake. She enters the house, she leaves the house again."
Excerpt taken from Siegmund Hurwitz's
Lilith: The First Eve. Historical and Psychological Aspects of
the Dark Feminine. Daimon Verlang: Einsiedeln, Switzerland. 1992. P. 43. Qutoed from F. Thureau-Dangin: "Rituel
et amulettes contre labartu.
In light of the animal of the month, I would
like to delve into nightmares of lions, panthers, or any of the great cat family:
Of course there could be many reasons for having nightmares
of any one of these great animals but in collective terms, this animal has been associated with the dark feminine, or the
dark aspects of the Great Mother Goddess in ancient times, throughout Eastern Europe.
This symbol would have different meaning depending on the sex of the dreamer
For instance if a man dreamt of this dark feminine aspect:
"The aspect of the divine whore or psychologically speaking, that of the seductive
anima comes more to the fore. To a woman, however she will present above all the aspect of the terrible mother.
As the anima figure, Lilith attempts to seduce not only the first man, Adam, but also all men, even today - because according
to one of Jewish mysticism's ancient traditions, she is immortal. She will meet her death only on the day of Judgement."
Hurwitz Lilith, The First Eve. Daimon Verland: Switzerland. 1992.
P 31.
If you have had a nightmare of this animal and suspect there is a deeper, ancient feel, send me an email or join the dream circle for possible interpretations.
