Lions Gate from a Taoist perspective
Every year from July 28th to August 12th, the venerable astrological alignment, known as Lions Gate, takes place. The most intense energy from this transition is felt (and celebrated) on August 8th, as the star Sirius rises on the eastern horizon, until it aligns with the Sun, in the sign of Leo. For centuries, different cultures around the globe have paid reverence to this day in various ways. In ancient Egypt, Lions Gate occurred with the annual flooding of the Nile, allowing the soil to become nourished and replenished. It’s no wonder then that the lasting correspondent symbolism is that of abundance and creative potential.
However, to fully appreciate the power of this portal day, it is important not to isolate its energetic potency as solely a “day for manifesting.” In other words, how can we see Lions Gate as part of a greater celestial, seasonal, and transformational shift?
In this way, we arrive at the wisdom of Taoism or Daoism, and its emphasis on the idea that what manifests itself in the macrocosm can be examined in order to better understand the microcosm. In traditional Chinese medicine, practitioners explore how the cycles within nature are related to psychology and physiology. Qi, or vital energy, is crucial to this understanding of dynamic interconnectedness with the Universe.
Lions Gate is both a spiritual intermediary and a tangible reminder of how to realign our energy with that of nature. On August 8th, the Earth, the star Sirius, (often called the "spiritual sun"), and the constellation Orion align, creating a powerful energy gateway believed to enhance spiritual growth. Late Summer is considered a separate season in traditional Chinese medicine – a transitional time when we move between the expansive growth of summer (yang energy) and the more inward energy of fall (yin energy), a movement simultaneously reflected in our own inner environments.
Some say, time stops, like the moment when a pendulum hits the top, before it reverses its swing.
Late Summer is associated with the element of Earth and the organs of the Stomach, Pancreas and Spleen for digestion and maturation. Late Summer is the perfect time to “digest” your experiences so far this year, assimilate and take note of your lessons. Use this time for recentering yourself through simplicity through quiet reflection.
In order to manifest the things you desire, you must truly know yourself and deepen into the truth through your embodiment. It’s a perfect time to journal and process this half-way point of the year for greater alignment. However, to become truly free in this life, we ultimately need collective freedom. Let this be a gentle reminder, to focus on manifesting harmony in your life and throughout the world. Pray for an awakening, for humane and sustainable practices, and a more harmonious world, through each individual’s conscious embodiment.
In order to fully embrace the upcoming seasonal shift, here is a small compilation of Summer season, manifestation practices:
Try a (new) Pranayama routine. Become aware of the movement of your breath as it cycles in and out of your lungs. With each inhale, renew the lungs with pure qi, and with each exhale, visualize all the old, stale energy being expelled from your body. And, if you are feeling a little heated, try this cooling breath practice instead.
Experiment with Katonah yoga, our foundational practice at AwakenAwe. Katonah, a derivative of Hatha yoga, integrates principles of Taoist philosophy and its relation to sacred geometry and the repetition of patterns. Practice rooting, balance, and lower hip work along with some twists for digestion.
Make a date with a friend. Cook a delicious meal together. Practice vulnerability and playfulness.
Make a date with yourself. Take time to enjoy simplicity and nourishment. Morning coffee, silent walks in nature, afternoon swims, journaling, reflection, and rest. Enjoy your favorite book at sunset.
Here are some journal prompts for this time:
What have you learned about yourself this year?
What is truly working for you right now? What is frustrating you?
What feels aligned and is lighting you up? What is not?
What built-up experiences or emotions do you need to process? Who can you forgive?
Where are you leaking energy and giving your power away?
What would you create, in your highest excitement and wildest dreams?
What negative-fear based thoughts or habits can you let go of?
How can you love yourself more? What feels good to express, create or embody?
How can you practice more grace and love?
Imagine the highest and best version of yourself. Embody that.
The Lions Gate portal is an incredible reminder of the power that we hold within us, while also reflecting on our own sacred interconnectedness as part of a collective seasonal renewal. While the Earth begins to shift into a new rhythm, so do we. Manifestation is not an end in and of itself, but rather, an opportunity to reflect on how we show up and use our our energy. As my teacher says, Yoga makes you powerful. But you are most powerful, when you are kind. How can you step into the best version of yourself, while honoring the collective. As we become more attuned to our connection to the natural world and its cycles, we begin to cultivate an intuitive alignment with the subtle process of transformation.
