Virgo, Lions and Guardians - oh my!

Some recent Virgo birthdays were inspiration for collages that became cards.  While looking for a Virgo theme for my dear friend Helen, I came across an image with a lion.  I've never associated lions with Virgo, but I really liked the image, but not the Virgo within it.  So out she went.  I then created a more, to my mind, kick-ass Virgo goddess who matched the lion energy, which I felt was a 'Guardian' energy.  

Virgo Lion Guardian collage

Lion Guardian inspired me to create just that for Helen - a lion guardian box.  I then went on a lion quest.  I found some plaster lion heads in my studio, which had been cast from a push mold I made years ago.  More interestingly, these were in supplies Helen had passed along to me.  Aha, her energy was coming into the piece.  The gold frame in the lid, gold leaf and other elements all came from supplies she had given me. Stalwart guardian crystals came from my big crystal bowl and our Virgo Lion Guardian came together nicely.  Mz. Helen was pleased as well.

Lion Guardian Box  mixed-media assemblage  5x5x9

The Virgo collage for my friend Michael evolved into one I call The Virgo Mystic and includes symbols of transformation, like the snakes and swords.

The Virgo Mystic collage

I then had another Lion experience.  There is lot of change going on in my life right now as we are downsizing from our house to an apartment nearby and will soon put our house on the market.  This move also will open the door to more travel.  Recently we were driving in town and I looked out the window and saw a black Panther sitting by the road with its paws extended in front.  I turned to my husband and said, 'Well, that can't really be a panther.' and of course, it morphed into the piece of concrete that it was.

A few days later, I was in the dining room at lunch with the Art Girls.  I felt someone come and stand in the doorway behind me.  I thought it was my husband coming up from his office and turned to see what he wanted.  Instead, I saw the black Panther lying in the doorway.  This time I laughed out loud and said, 'Message received.'  

I googled Panther as a totem and saw, like Lion, it is associated with Guardianship, Transformation and Strength.  Last year when I began some physical changes, Mountain Lion came to me in a dream as a totem for those changes.  Mountain Lions and Panthers are in the same family.  

Recently my sister reminded me that I was born on High Noon on a Full Moon.  She said I will always have two elements active in my life and although they may seem opposite, they are always working in tandem.  I decided that Mountain Lion and Panther are my Sun and Moon Lion Totems.  I am walking through this time with two Lions.  Naturally, I had to capture this energy in a collage.  The Henna tattooed hands represent me in transformation, and as they are henna, the design can change and become something else in time.

Sun and Moon Lions collage