Friday 6 August 2010

The Leopard Totem

I am currently taking the Progressive Magick course with Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone via Sacred Mists College ( http://www.workingwitches.com/). Which incidently is an extremely good course, I have enjoyed it and have learnt an enormous amount from it. During one of the lessons I have had to find my underworld guide - the animal that came to me was the graceful and beautiful Leopard.

Leopard magickal attributes - swiftness, cunning, strength, perseverence, boldness, beauty. Gaining confidence for astral travel and Otherworld journeys.

The Leopard is highly regarded by many cultures and tribes. In ancient and modern Egypt the Leopard is seen as a sign of divinity. If a Leopard crossed ones path in ancient Egypt, that person was thought to possess the highest of spiritual and holy qualities and their advice was sought by spiritual and political leaders. The Chinese have long regarded the Leopard as a great and mighty warrior. In Africa the natives believe that they are animal guides for the spirits of the dead, and help them to find their final resting place.

Leopards have impressively strong bodies and necks. They often carry their prey, which are usually very heavy, up into trees so that their food is hidden from scavengers. They are solitary animals and have a defined territory that they fiercely defend from intruders. They hunt at dusk and dawn; they are silent, and stealthy stalkers, and are very fast and agile. Leopards will drink every day, if possible, but can go a month without water without suffering any ill effects. They have excellent homing instincts and can find their territory even if they are taken far away from it.

Another unique characteristic of this animal is their keen sense of sight and hearing. The Leopard possesses vision that is six times that of humans and their hearing is two times that of humans. Their eyesight is among the keenest of all animals on land and is what enables them to hunt at dusk and dawn when the light is not its brightest. This characteristic greatly contributes to the idea that they are indeed imbued with the ability to see what others cannot.

Leopards are beautiful and incredibly strong animals and there are several variations on their coat coloring, depending on the region they live in. The most popular coloring is a light golden shade with deep brown, spots. Leopards that live in the deep rain forests are darker and at times are black with dark rosettes; these Leopards were once thought to be a different species and they were called Black Panthers, however, they are truly Leopards and their spots, or rosettes, can be seen up close at the right angle. Leopards that live in the high mountains are white with black spots and are beautiful and unique to behold. A Leopards coloring helps it to camouflage itself from predators and prey. This characteristic lends itself to their virtue of shape shifting and the ability to fool those who seek to harm them.

The Leopard possesses many animal virtues that are powerful and valuable and which any person would be wise to emulate or divine. One who has the power of the Leopard will see enhanced personal power and self-confidence, gracefulness and stealth are also all part of this noble totem’s magic. Leopards are reserved and dignified animals and do not represent flashiness or flamboyance.

The impressive Leopard Totem possesses the following virtues:
Independence, sense of freedom, steadfastness, psychic-sight, fearlessness, bravery in the darkness, ability to solve problems, leadership without ego, cunning, survival skills, greater spiritual vision, acute senses, clairvoyance, intelligence, prophecy, shape shifting, integrity, and dignity, intuition and friendship.

Those with leopard totem must learn to pace their work, allowing time to rest and to play. They must not push too far or too hard on any one task. If they do, they are more susceptible to imbalances. In times of trouble those with leopard totems are often the first and the fastest to respond, and especially in the work environment they respond effectively to deadlines and to pressures.

Anyone who aligns with the panther will begin to develop greater depth of vision, of their life, of events, or other people. This is more than just psychic sight. It is an inner knowing.

The arrival of the leopard initiates a time of awakened sensuality and passion, two powerful tools of the feminine powers.

Tansy
x

1 comment:

  1. Thank you, that is exactly the beautiful animal I seen in meditation. What a gift for New Years Eve, I have studies spirtuality my whole life and I turn 50 in February, my studies are blossoming. Again good read, thank yoy.

    ReplyDelete