The Full Moon, The Wolf and The Lion…

Tonight is the first Full Moon of 2021. The January Full Moon is nicknamed the Wolf Moon.

At this time of year in northern America and Northern Europe, wolves used to come down to human settlements in search of food- with resulting conflict.

The dog is looking rather surprisingly nonchalant, just lounging about next to the man. Unless it has just been bitten, but it is looking rather too laid back and chilled for that. Folk stories suggest the last wolf in England was killed in 1390 by John, son of Sir Edgar Harrington of Wraysholme, after he chased it all the way from the Coniston Fells to Humphrey Head in Cumbria (coastal North West England). 

There had always been wolves in Britain, but efforts to exterminate them started from the time of King Edward I.  By the late middle ages, they were very rare in England, although they continued in Scotland until the 17th or 18th century. Officially the last Scottish wolf was killed (shot) by Sir Ewen Cameron in 1680 in Killiecrankie (Perthshire), but other reports suggests wolves survived in Scotland till much later, with one possible sighting as late as 1888.

Not only is a Wolf Moon tonight, but it is a fire sign moon in the sign of proud, passionate, playful Leo, the Lion King of the Zodiac.

The major arcana Tarot card associated with Leo is Strength. This signifies not only the raw power of physical strength, but fortitude; moral courage, although it is a lucky card, suggesting recovery if someone has been ill.

The minor arcana cards of Leo are the Five, Six and Seven of Wands, representing good-natured Competition, Victory, and Fortitude in Adversity respectively.

Here the figure – we may think of her as Una- The One-but she is you and me, has not tamed the lion as such. They walk side by side, facing futurity, focused on their purpose, or looking inward on their dreams.

The lion walks alongside as an equal, though actually it could deal with Una any time it likes. One bite, one blow of the giant paw. She holds the leash only very lightly, but the lion remains by choice. No-one may presume to think to tame another, but there is no true Strength without the power of self-command.

Any one who would be a leader must first learn to rule himself, or herself.

Leo says ‘fame’. Leo says shine your light, walk the stage, write your part and play it, but don’t overlook the audience. Not only is there no play without them but they too, have their part to play.

There may be an added element of tension in the air at the moment, thanks to Uranus, planet of innovation and rebellion, making things extra-unpredictable.

Some rebels have a true and just cause. Others are just a pain in the a*se, saying, me! me! me! while others still, are out to do damage for reasons of their own, wreaking havoc, making hay, fuelling the fire. It’s all out there today, playing out on the public stage. Lions, wolves, the hunters, the agents provacateurs….and those Iagos on the make. And the viewers.

Some applauding, others booing, some silently approving, dismayed or disgusted.

The Lion of the Zodiac is capable of many things, not always good. The Lion may be careless, arrogant, but he is incapable of pettiness or spite. Leo could make mincemeat of any Iago in this world….but so honourable is the Lion, alas, the malice and the cunning of an Iago may elude him, as too alien to his own nature to be recognized for what it is.

Dandy Lion’s

Golden Mane

Prideful, Greying

Casts Away

Alight on chance

To Lionise again

–Katie-Ellen

Here’s a book fit to make you roar like a lion or more likely, howl like a wolf any time. It may say here it’s for 2-6 year olds, but don’t you believe it.

Lion and Blue by Robert Vavra, illustrated by Fleur Cowles.

A lonely old lion loves a beautiful blue butterfly, but the butterfly must leave him to follow its own destiny. The old lion pines for his friend and goes in search…

His devotion will be rewarded.

Till next time 🙂