Mountain Lion: Leading by Example

Several years ago I went to a wildlife farm, where I met a mountain lion, who was pacing back and forth in a small cage. I stood before the cage, feeling sorry for the beautiful and powerful creature inside until it occurred to me that this wasn't helpful energy for the mountain lion. Instead, I visualized the Reiki distant healing symbol and sent healing.

The big cat seemed indifferent to my efforts, but a half-hour later, when I passed his cage again, he greeted me with the unique mountain lion screech. I paused, and he screeched again. I walked closer to his cage, and he rolled over on his back and began to purr.

For a moment there was no cage, and not even a mountain lion and a human, just two beings joined in spirit.

Since that time I have felt deeply connected to Mountain Lion medicine. It is an energy which is important for humans who are determined to fully experience their personal power, and to move forward on their chosen paths, regardless of the opinions of others.

Power

The mountain lion (also called cougar, puma, and sometimes panther [as in the Florida panther]) is a being of great physical power, able to leap as high as forty feet in the air, and capable of great speed in closing for the kill. Cougar cubs learn how to hunt primarily from watching their mothers and by trial and error.

The lesson for us as humans is an important one. For many of us the word "leader" is somewhat tainted with suggestions of dictatorship. We have seen too many "leaders" who have abused their power and who did their best (or worst) to prevent their followers from having any initiative or from challenging them. We may thus be tempted to believe that there is something inherently corrupting about being a leader.

Mountain Lion medicine presents a different style of leadership which might be described as "First among equals." As the mountain lion teaches its cubs by example, so true leaders follow the wisdom of their hearts and don't look back to see whether anyone else is behind them, either as followers or detractors.

The key to this kind of personal power is confidence in the direction one has chosen. Those who choose to practice Mountain Lion medicine aren't threatened if any of their followers veer off to paths of their own, for they nurture the desire and ability of all individuals to, through connecting to their own deepest intuitions, express their personal power.

As for detractors, anyone who has ever been owned by a cat knows knows how effective their opinions are in changing feline behavior. Mountain Lion medicine is the ability to be so true to oneself in terms of honesty, responsibility, and trust in one's inner knowing and sense of personal responsibility so deeply that the sound of those who disagree is no louder than that of a distant wind.

Mountain Lion is one of the Wild Earth Animal Essences. Mountain Lion images are available in power stones, jewelry, and sculpture.