Mountain 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 Mountain Lion, you will learn how to
balance power, intention, physical strength, and grace. This relates, in
human terms, to the balance of the 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. If you have Mountain
in your life, you may be asked to review the purpose behind
your personal beliefs. You may need to discover whether or not your
plans include a pride of cubs wanting to be like you or to share in your
dreams. If you are already a leader, the question may be whether or not
the time has come to push the cubs out of the cave. 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.
In assuming the place of power that Mountain Lion affords, you must
constantly be aware of keeping peace. However you can never make
everyone happy unless you lie to yourself or others. This is human
nature. Therefore the first responsibility of leadership is to tell the
truth. Know it and live it, and your example will filter down to the
tiniest cub in the pride. *Responsiblity* is not more than the *ability
to respond* to any situation. Panic is not a part of this sacred
medicine.
CONTRARY:
If your Mountain Lion is in the contrary position, you may be playing with fire. A
leader who tries to lead through tyranny or dictatorship has forgotten
the medicine of truth. Through the reversal of this medicine, you may be
tricked into believing that nothing else has validity except the ideas
created by yourself. Watch out! Rome crumbled for this very reason! If
this aspect of the contrary medicine does not apply to your situation,
look at other messages which Mountain Lion brings in the reversed
position.
If you are avoiding taking your place of leadership, it could be because
the whole idea scares you silly. This is a normal state of affairs for
ones who have never been a leader before. In this instance it is
necessary to call upon the courage of Lion and to begin by learning the
lessons of the "lion-hearted."
Another message of Mountain Lion reversed is to not let yourself be led
down the primrose path by a leader who is abusing power. If you want to
put yourself on the road to being a leader in your own right, ask
questions of anyone to whom you have given authority. See if they carry
the medicine of Mountain Lion, and whether you can grow into your own
leadership by observing how they handle the task of setting examples.
Become Mountain Lion by refusing to hide in the cave of your own shyness
or uncertainty. Roar with conviction, roar with power, and remember to
roar with laughter to balance the medicine!
