When I first heard of the Lion’s Gate Portal I thought “ooooh” that sounds cool.
During the Lion’s Gate Portal, the Earth, Sirius, the constellation Orion, and our Sun (in the sign of Leo, the lion), all come into alignment.
In new thought spiritual communities, this cosmic event is said to activate a celestial portal that allows our manifestations to take form more quickly. It’s a time of collective evolution and an invitation to focus your intentions, connect with spirit, and bring your desires to life.
Though the energy of the Lion’s Gate lasts for around two weeks, it’s said to peak on August 8th (8/8, and this year will be quite potent at 8/8/8 – 2+0+2+4), bringing in a numerological aspect. Eight is a potent number associated with power, sex, and money, as well as death and rebirth. (source)
Of course the Gregorian calendar is a fairly modern idea and so, it seems, is the Lion’s Gate Portal. I often feel a sense of disappointment when I discover something is modern and not ancient, and I have started to question this disappointment. It seems that there is a common belief that the “ancient ways” are somehow more legitimate than anything that came later. That if a esoteric ritual or paradigm or belief or such is born in the modern era that is is less than, fake, not authentic. I’m starting to feel like this is not a helpful trope.
Our ancient ancestors also had a modern time – in their time. And most certainly new ideas or beliefs or rituals that were born of that time were likely to also have been met with some scepticism or challenge. Perhaps in a time where we consider people were less “educated” we assume their new ideas were more readily received. Certainly one could argue that without the clutter of modern knowledge that our brains have become dumps for, perhaps there was a clearer line to the magic of what lays beyond knowledge.
Further investigation into any of these ideas often finds crossover into other belief systems, other eras, and other stories – and the Lion’s Gate Portal is no exception. Whilst it may be a modern idea of itself, it has many familiarities with themes found throughout ancient Egypt, specifically their “New Year”. (source) (source)
So how did I want to mark this point in the Lion’s Gate Portal? I felt a draw to do something. I saw loads of suggested affirmations and rituals online, mostly based around manifesting abundance and wealth – and none of them sat right with me. Firstly because I don’t really resonate with asking for something – whom am I asking? Personally I don’t subscribe to deity and am more animist than anything so who would I be asking? Mother Earth? The trees? The Rocks and the river? Seems a bit off for me. Secondly – why are we often asking for stuff? How about we give it instead?
Now don’t get me wrong – I am not wealthy – I could always do with a little extra cash here and there, we often live beyond our means. But I do have a strong belief in my own abilities to manifest the things that I need and the things that I want. I do have a new project I am working on and thought maybe then I could amplify abundance into that project…..
I decided to meditate.
I took my small cauldron down to the meditation circle in the Alder Grove and some herbs and flowers that spoke of abundance to me. Bright colours – the flowers of Broom (we are incidentally in the days of Broom in the Ogham so there was that too), forsythia flowers, marigold, firethorn berries. Also some Bay and some lavender. And an opium Poppy seed head for strengthening yet more the connections to the other worlds. Hey, in for a penny, in for a pound. (abundance joke there).
I settled to meditate and burned the herbs and flowers. their smoke lifted up up into the air and to the sky. Carrying with them an intention – but still as yet an intention not fully clear. I felt in my body “others first and then any left over for me”.
And as I sat with nature the words came. I was not asking for these things – I was giving these things.
“For those who need it, may abundance reach them.
For those who hoard it, may they yearn to give it.
For those in pain, may they heal.
For those who hate, may they feel an abundance of love.”
With every breath in I drew in the love of nature. With every breath out I gave of these things to the world.
Then I thought of my project and looked for some words to use to bring abundance to it……but realised in that moment…..I already have abundance. I already have it. I do not need more. Here I sit in this peaceful place, with the trees, and the river, with the earth beneath me and the sky above me. I am safe. I am blessed.
I can manifest the new project perfectly well as long as I can sustain my strength, my creativity and have enthusiasm. Though I do feel less confident about manifesting my own good health. And so came the words.
“May I sustain and keep enthusiasm.
May I have abundance in health.”
With every breath in I drew in the love of nature. With every breath out I gave of these things to the world.
It felt truly powerful – perhaps that was the power of the Lion’s Gate Portal.