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Why then is it that no one seems drawn to the lioness (or lion) as a
totem beast and familiar?
Page after page of cat, dragon, eagle,
the wolf-named and the raven-named;
it seems almost un-pagan now not to have a
lupine theme or at least
a link to some wolf preservation group on your witchsite. All well
and fine of course and
I mean no disrespect to the moonsingers,
who deserve our love. But where is it writ that we must draw
our spirit-kin from
our own cultural homeland, from Europe
and the North, or even from the land where we dwell now?
Am I, by blood an Irishwoman, unentitled
to dream the lioness?
 
No one can say She has no mythological standing, no Goddess connection.
None among us can forget fierce Sekhmet, scorching sun-eye of Egypt,
powerful healer and patroness of medicine.
Lions too were attendant
upon mighty Durga of India, Great Cybele, and the Mountain-Mother
of Mycenean Crete.
Everywhere She has appeared She means overwhelming female power,
pure energy, a storm of fury and passion that nothing
can withstand.
The stories of Sekhmet glory in Her dynamic rage, the terrific
whirlwind energy of Her attack that only
subterfuge could quell;
terrible Durga, whose very name means Uncontrollable Energy, was akin
to Kali in Her wrath; the
lions of Cybele recall the ecstatic frenzy
of Her rites, in which male believers castrated themselves as homage to Her.
The Lion means Power, everywhere, and The Lioness means Female Power.
The fury of the lioness defending her young is known everywhere,
an icon of fearless and ferocious devotion.
Like Her sister the Morrigan, she means war and havoc;
but also courage,
passion, protection, love and indomitable Will.
She is Mother and Queen.
The Tarot Major Arcana card "Strength" shows a woman,
the Sign of Eternity over her head, calmly closing a lion's
mouth.
She says that only purity of soul and clarity of purpose are
stronger than primal nature.
The Woman conjoined with the Lion combines these strengths.
Our Lady Babalon rides the Third Beast.
All Hail the Unstoppable One!
created these beautiful things.
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