Leo Moon

MYXT MEDIA
Jul 23, 2017 · 6 min read

07/22/17

I know we all fail to present our true selves sometimes. I’m sorry when I fail to. I hold myself to such high standards (and expect the same from others) to the extent that I sometimes ruin the moments on the way to where ever it is that those standards and expectations meet up with our realities to reveal the truths that are ultimately the destination most worth journeying toward. I’ve had a lot of great moments but I know I’ve missed a lot too, but maybe they were just ones that weren’t meant for me. More than anything, I look forward to better moments, a better you, a better me, and a better world every day. This is optimism, to me, and my shadow sometimes wins and projects it as discontentment or cynicism…

My shadow has always been a proud lion licking its wounds waiting for its day in the sun after it catches the bullheaded twins (caught up in a squabble over who really tamed the lion best) off guard — to reign over the territory they just couldn’t learn to share. Today, the lion roars not to pounce, but to play, realizing that forgiveness is the way to freedom and that its possessors left the gate open all along. Today, the bullheaded twins accept their journey, tamed by their fierce leader. And they are all humbled and fulfilled by allowing themselves to give and receive with gratitude.

You see, both twins wanted the key to remind themselves of what they did to their idol and to punish themselves, but neither could ever cage the lion. Ultimately, they just wanted the lion to roam free and feast. They wanted to show their lion friend to the world. But they were also hoping to get some credit for recognizing it first, for having the eyes to see the lion in all of its glory when they thought the rest of the jungle saw him as an enemy, a beast, and a malevolent ruler. The bullheaded twins, who disagreed over everything, including their own names, distracted the lion tossing the key to his cage back and forth between them. They played this foolish game instead of figuring out the best way to present him to the rest of the jungle so that everyone could appreciate him the way that they did — which was their true intention. They felt bad for not accomplishing their goal, so they blamed each other and fought over the key, saying things to each other like “I am the lion’s biggest fan and can be his best friend, I can tame him better. I should have the key”, when really thinking to themselves, “ I should have the key, because it is my fault that he wants to live in that cage. I should carry the burden”.

The lion, far enough not to hear his admirer’s squabble, and only seeing them toss the key to his cage back and forth, thought they were fighting over locking him up or setting him free. Because the twins looked so similar from a distance, he didn’t know which one was trying to rescue him or who wanted to keep him caged. He thought maybe they both hated him so much that they were fighting over who could punish him the worst. The lion knew his strength and his power over others and watching members of his kingdom quarrel over him tortured him immensely. What was even worse was that was that he didn’t know which outsiders were his friends or his enemies, because they all seemed to switch sides or look differently depending on what it was he thought they wanted from him.

But today, a gorilla, a gentle beast, came across the twins and mistook them for pair of monkeys who had wandered off. This mistake embarrassed the bullheaded twins and, ashamed they sat and sulked. “Do not wallow in self-doubt”, said the Gorilla, “everyone in the jungle has their purpose! My monkey followers are not ashamed of their role. Although others see them as careless, they serve my community well by not being so serious. They adapt to our difficult environment and allow us to persevere. You two, like my monkeys, are curious and devoted to your cause. But, you are stubborn, indecisive, and possessive. You must choose a path and compromise to achieve your goals. You must set yourselves free from what you wish to own. And what you wish to own will serve you instead of burden you.”

While the bullheaded twins were listening to the Gorilla, the lion noticed the commotion in the distance had stopped. This was his chance to be free and stop the feud between the twins, but to also call out the traitors for their betrayal! “Which will I do first?”, he thought, “I don’t want the ones I care for to fight, but they locked me in this cage, so why do I care? Maybe I should punish them both.” As he pulled himself up to call to the gorilla to bring him the key, his paw brushed against the door, which was actually slightly ajar and gently swung open. To the lion’s surprise, he was never locked in the cage at all, but he just believed that he was. Ashamed, the lion sat and sulked. As the lion was sulking outside of the cage, the gorilla passed him and asked why he was sulking. “I thought I had no friends. I felt locked in a cage, because I was so proud of myself that I thought my admirers hated my power and wanted to punish me. I only wanted to protect them and lead them in the right direction, “ he said. “Do not wallow in self-doubt”, said the Gorilla, “Now you see the truth. And so do they. Your admirers love you so much that they they quarrel for your attention. They act as fools attempting to stand next to you and receive a glimmer of the light that shines upon you.”

The lion only saw and heard what he believed because he knew he had not served his kingdom as greatly as he was capable in the past. His insecurities locked him in that cage. His guilt and pride and fear of failure allowed him to be a prisoner instead of the leader that he was born to be.

The twins thought that they destroyed their idol and that he no longer wanted to act as their king because they knew that they didn’t serve him as well as they had intended to. Their insecurities made them act foolish and selfish and hurt the one they loved most. Their shame and fear of letting down their beloved king turned them into slaves instead of the faithful servants that they wanted to be.

As the lion and the twins meet up in the middle, between the cage and the vastness of the jungle, they all look down to see the key resting on the ground below them.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been a better king”, says the lion, “I thought you were disappointed in me and wanted to punish me by locking me in that cage. Will you forgive me?”

“ Of course”, said the twins, “we thought you were disappointed in us for not serving you better. We thought you gave up on us and thought we weren’t worth leading anymore. Will you forgive us?”

“Of course”, said the lion. “Thank you for understanding. Will you let me lead you as your king once again?”

“Yes”, said the twins, “Thank you for understanding. Will you give us the honor of being your faithful servants once again?”

“Yes”, said the lion. And the fierce lion rode off into the jungle with the bullheaded twins, for the lion’s purpose all along was not only to lead the servants, but to also carry them forward wherever their passions lead them. And the purpose of the bullheaded twins was not only to serve their king, but to also let him tame their passions so they could better steer him toward the greater good for all.

Let your passions carry you like a lion in the jungle that just learned that he was free.

Let your leaders humble you like a monkey who cares not about its own image.

Let your fears disappear like a quarrel between two bullheaded twins who realized they are not monkeys or lions.

Let love speak like a gorilla who walks away with the key that is held by everyone and belongs to no one.

Here’s to the sun, new moon, Mercury and Mars in LEO this month!

https://www.nylon.com/articles/guide-to-new-moon-leo

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