Vitality and Strength - The Fool's Journey through Leo season
The Fool's Journey through the Wheel of the Year continues! We began in Aquarius Season and The Fool has journeyed half way around the wheel when they reach Leo season. It is the height of summer, and The Fool has learned so much since mid-winter. The last we saw The Fool, it was Cancer Season and they had received an Initiation from The High Priestess; and been blessed with the gift of a Chariot pulled by two Sphynxes that represent the Fool's emotions. They must control their emotions and find inner balance in order to drive this chariot - but the lessons of their previous journey and initiations are helping them with that.
It is summer - the days are long and bright, and travel is going well for The Fool. As usual, they do not know exactly where they are going - they have just set out with their New Chariot and are looking for whatever it is that comes next. One day, The Fool comes upon a caravan of circus performers. These warm and jovial people are traveling from town to town performing all kinds of amazing feats. There are singers and dancers, acrobats and contortionists, stage actors and poets. They are all travelling together as a family, and they eagerly invite The Fool to join them.
With the traveling performers, The Fool has a month of carefree joy and pleasure. There seems to be fun and jovial laughter each and every day. They work hard, but they play hard too, and The Fool learns about a level of vibrancy that is usually only seen in children. That's it - these adults have not forgotten how to PLAY - and they celebrate each day as if it is their birthday or a very special holiday. The Fool plays with the children, learning from them how to find a sense of wonder in everything once again, and feeling a vitality and vibrancy returning to life.
The Fool is confident - sometimes even overly confident and ego-filled. After all, look at this amazing Chariot they have, and listen to the stories of their adventures! The children gather round and ask to hear the stories again and again. The adults listen too, laughing and sharing in the awe - though some shake their heads knowingly, remembering their own youth and hubris. Still, the days pass filled with Joy and The Fool feels more and more invincible, as if this happy time will never end.
... And it could have been so, for some people can embrace that life and make it their reality. But The Fool has another purpose for their journey - and their distraction will not last forever. One day while riding horses with the other young people - The Fool decides to try a stunt - what if they can stand up on the back of the horse and balance there while the horse runs? Alas, the Fool falls off, and in their shock and pain they notice people are laughing at them. The laughter seems cruel, and the Fool's ego is probably more bruised than their body. They limp to the medic's tent to have help dressing their wounds, and encounter there a small woman with a scarred face. But she does not hide her scarred face behind cloth or by looking down - she walks upright and boldly makes direct eye contact - and laughs at the Fool when she hears the story of how they fell from the horse. The Fool feels a hot rush of anger - 'who is this woman and how dare she laugh at my pain!' The woman must have noticed the anger on The Fool's face, because her demeanor changes and she turns her head to the side, examining the Fool more intently.
"I only laugh because I know what you have been through. I myself have had my fair share of falling off horses, among other things . . ." she says as she lightly touches the scars on her own face.
"May I ask what happened?" The Fool inquires as politely as they can.
"Yes, you may ask, but it is better if I show you" says the woman, who then leads The Fool out of the medic tent and to the place where the animals are kept.
The woman leads The Fool to a large enclosure where a large adult Lion is resting peacefully in the shade.
"This is The King. He looks gentle enough, and he is pretty gentle most of the time. But if you forget that he is powerful, and presume yourself to be in charge of him . . . well he will remind you that he is The King. That is how I got my scars." The woman explains her story to The Fool - about how as a young woman she had worked as a Lion Trainer.
"I was really good at what I did, but my confidence turned to hubris, and my ego grew too large. Just like you today out there with those horses. You're a decently talented rider - but did you ask the horse permission to stand on it's back like that? Did you even pause to think about what the horse wanted - or did you only think about the attention and applause you would receive for pulling such a stunt?"
The Fool nodded. In their confidence, they had forgotten that the Horse was part of the equation. They had seen themselves as a master and the horse as an object they controlled, rather than seeing the horse as a partner.
The woman continued. "Confidence is fine, and it is okay to be proud of your talents and skills. Showing off is just a show of strength - but there is healthy strength or corrupted strength. Strength is not just about overpowering something else, or exerting control over another. The best lion tamer doesn't abuse the lion to force it into submission. They develop a partnership, a trust. They learn to read the lion's mood so they know when they can ask the lion to perform with them, and when they need to leave the lion alone. We all face our own lions out there in the world. If we apply the wrong kind of strength; force and control - the Lion will eventually bite us. If we apply patience and empathy, intuition, and a healthy self confidence - then the Lion can be our friend and companion. "
The Fool spent some more time with the traveling performers, now sitting back to listen and learn from them - to hear their stories and watch their talents. The Fool even spent some time volunteering with the Lion tamers, learning to respectfully approach the powerful beast.
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The Sun is the tarot card related to the sun - it symbolizes vitality and vibrancy - the happiness of children and the confidence of youth. It is the card of playfulness, fun, warmth, laughter, and the Inner Child. The sun is the ruler of the sign Leo.
The sign of Leo is represented by the Strength card. This is the strength of willpower, not the strength of muscle or brute force. This is the strength of endurance, patience, empathy, and intuition that helps us control our own animalistic instincts. The Lion represents a person's Ego and Instinct - which can easily grow wild and out of control. The Person touching the Lion's head represents an individual taking control of their own ego - deciding not to let their animal instincts take charge. A person who is in control of their own impulses and ego- that is the "strength" of this card.
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Lilliana Blackstar is a First Degree Priestx of The Ever Green Hearth, ATC. A Graduate of Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary, and a professional astrologer at Hestia's Muse. You can contact Lilliana for a personal Astrology reading on our Community Connections page.