Keynote: Overcoming our dreams and haunts, renewal of vision and vitality.

Cycle of power: Dawn, early morning and dusk, early evening.

Leopards are related to the panther family. If you look closely at the black panther, you will see the classic leopard spots. The black fur camouflages it unless you are lucky to get close enough. Panther will be looked at here as well.

The leopard is the most silent and secretive hunter of all the big cat family. A leopard will stalk its prey hiding silently in the thickets and only come out when so close as to pounce. By the time the prey sees leopard, it is too late because leopard only shows itself when he has positioned himself close enough to the prey to quickly grab it by the throat and choke it with its teeth. This is the Darth Vader choke done in nature.

Because Leopard is so silent at hunting their prey those with leopard as a totem would do well to imitate the way a leopard walks to attune with this totem. Leopard walks with each paw turned inward. The outer edge of paw will touch the ground first so that before leopard puts down all it's weight leopard feels the object and determines weather to continue that step and avoids things like twigs that will snap and make noise when stepped on with full body weight. If leopard is too great a leap for you, here again your domestic cat can help bridge the gap. I was lucky enough to own this cat. Her name was Gebo. Gebo liked to stalk her prey copping leopard. She even turned her paws inward. She was very patient, slow and blended in as she tried to catch that mouse or squirrel. Because Gebo was a house cat she allowed me to see her hunt because she trusted me. This mini-opportunity allowed me the joy of contacting the big cats.Below my cat Gebo with Twas and Hishi.

Leopards have a strong hunting instinct and intuition. This ability shows up young in the cubs. The cubs learn quickly how best approach their prey, capture and kill it. People who have leopard should trust their instincts and sensibilities. Society is logic based and tells us to ignore this. If you have leopard as a life totem " Feel, don't think. Use your instincts." Qui-Gon. is the best way for you. If you get analytical you will shut off your greatest asset.

Leopards hunt best at night. Leopards will store the kill in a tree. Leopards have long graceful tails. This is a symbol of sexuality and innate potential.

The Snow leopard is found in high mountains in Asia. Its eyes are green. The snow leopard has a grayish white coat with rosettes. If snow leopard is the form of leopard you have as a totem, meditate on the green eyes, northern direction and mountainous rocky home will help you figure out the role it has in your life.

A snow leopard can take down prey much larger than themselves. Of all the leopard family, snow leopard is the least aggressive. The snow leopard leans the most Jedi of this family. The others are more Sithy and will even take down human prey. The snow leopard is very agile and excellent leapers. Those with this totem will get lessons from snow leopard on how to make great leaps over obstacles in their life.

In central Asia a legend arose about snow leopard due to the puncture marks left on the dead prey when it suffocates its prey. This legend claimed that snow leopard does not eat the prey but only lives off the blood of its prey. Because it was believed only the blood was taken, which symbolized the prey's life force, that snow leopard was given the powers of great discrimination and the powers of the prey's life force but not the weakness of the flesh since the carcass remained. Here the Chinese are very different from the west because they give this belief a positive twist as apposed to our negative Vampire image of the west. Of course this is only legend and proven not true in reality, since snow leopard does eat its prey. But due to the legend, it is still attributed to getting power of life force without absorbing the weakness of the flesh. The good news of getting this totem is it means it can reflect an opportunity to find lost life force and drink from it once more with out falling back into old patterns.

Another legend is about Milarepa Tibet's poet-saint. He spent six months in a cave conquering demons. When his followers came to look for him Milarepa had transformed into snow leopard. As a result of this legend, snow leopard stands for renewed energy, ability and opportunity to conquer ones own great demons. Since snow leopard lives in high mountains, this symbolizes them as being separate from humans. Mountains are considered living places of Gods and Goddesses. Even the Hebrew God was at one time conotated with mount Sinai. Animals of mountain Gods or Goddesses are sacred to the divine in some way. If snow leopard shows itself as a totem, it means divine protection, in a cloaked way, and a reawakening of your spirit and its connection to the Force. This cloaked protection deffinatly reminds you that it is probably Palpatine who is protecting you. The stalking and coming out of no where and choking your prey is the protection you get from Darth Vader. I always remember in Episode V, when Vader jumps out at Luke Skywalker on cloud city. Both Vader and Anakin are known for sudden leaps and coming out of no where. They were both unpredictable.

The snow leopard is secretive and can camouflage in its rocky environment. Its main prey is Bharal (Blue Sheep). For balancing medicine one should study the Bharal (Blue Sheep).

Snow leopard is so secretive it is rarely seen to get one as a totem even in a dream is a rare and precious experience. If snow leopard appears in your life expect a 22-24 month period in your life where old demons are chased away making way for a fresh new life and new vistas open up. At age 22-24 months the young leopards are able to be on their own. The snow leopard holds the promise of new life, new perception and a renewed perspective on life. Snow leopard looks stalky due to it's thick coat. It is actually smaller than most leopards. Though smaller than other leopards, they are just as good of a predator as any other leopard.

The Panther is another kind of leopard. The markings are similar and the style of hunting is similar. The panther, like the snow leopard, kills its prey by choking it to death with it's jaws. The Jaguar is a little removed because it crushes the skulls of its prey. Leopard in the form of panther, stands for reclaiming ones own true power. The cycle of power is the dark of the moon- new moon- winter. Panther, like all big cats is a symbol of ferocity and power. Panther is more Sith than snow leopard because if this totem comes in panther form it symbolizes aggressiveness and power. Here is where panther is similar to tiger and lion but panther has lunar symbolism where as tiger and lion have solar symbolism. The lunar significance is especially true in the case of black panther. The panther is smaller and more fierce than lions and tigers. It is always good to know which form your leopard takes because that will help you awaken and learn the most from your totem.

Panthers of the leopard family are found in Africa, Asia minor, China and India. Panthers of the Jaguar family are found in the America's. Though in the U.S., they are rare now. Since we are covering leopard, the panthers discussed here will be of the leopard family, not the jaguar family. For the most part panthers are solitary but they will sometimes group up with others.

Panthers are sprinters. They do not do well in long distance running. If panther/ leopard is your totem, you may have to learn to pace yourself at work allowing time for rest and play. The animal kingdom usually practices balance by instincts. People get caught up in all work and forget rest and play are important to growth as well. In western society you are encouraged to do nothing other than work and responsibility. The animals remind us that, that style of life is out of balance and therefore unhealthy.

In times of trouble it is leopard/ panther people who are first and fastest to respond. They leap at the task. The rearing of the young cubs is done by the female. The female brings up the cubs by herself. All cats eyes have binocular vision. each eye works singly. This provides a greater dept of vision, magnifies images and helps in judgment of distances. Due to this ability people who have this totem, as with all cat totems, will gain greater dept of vision in their own lives. They will also see in this way other peoples lives and events around them. This is an inner knowing. It is instinctual.

Leopard and panther people are born with full vision on the psychic plane. These people should trust what they somehow just know or just see. The panther person is born awakened on a certain level. They never get that lights have just turned on experience as others talk about. This is because, if you already "see" from the start it is taken for granted and the ability is often over looked. Remember to trust in your feelings, visions and instincts. The panther has very good hearing and can move the ears to locate sound direction. People with this totem will develop clairaudience. This is the ability to hear beings on the other planes of existence. These people, like Qui-Gon can hear the Force speak to them. Many Bible prophets heard the Force ( God) speak to them. The these prophets had leopard/ panther as a totem.

Panthers have extremely sensitive hairs on their bodies especially around the face. People with this totem will also have very sensitive skin. If you have this totem you should pay attention to how you feel when you touch someone or if someone touches you. The arrival of panther as a totem initiates a time of sensitivity and passion.

The panther's power is in the dark of night. Doubly so of black panther, since like all cats they hunt at night. Black panther in addition has black fur. The season of greatest power is winter. The dark of the new moon is also considered a height time of power especially of black panther due to its color.

Panthers of the leopard variety stalk their prey, coming from behind. They bite from the back of the neck and choke. People with leopard as a totem, if angered, will not confront you face to face but will patiently stalk and catch you off guard. When hunting or retaliating, they go for the throat. Here there is a little Palpatine in this Vader.

Of all panthers, black panther has the greatest mysticism about it. The black panther hunts in the dark of night and is black in color. People have traditionally feared the night. Black panther is the symbol of the life and power of the night. Black panther is a symbol of the dark side of the Force, vast and mysterious as the night itself. This is where the glittering darkness is with that sudden flash of lightening, The side of the Force that is indescribable and very different from man. This is He who sits on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant.

In black panther embodies darkness, death and rebirth from death. Here black panther is Shiva the Destroyer. But when you die and merge with the Force, you are not dead but Truly Alive. "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter." Yoda. Black panther will help you understand the dark, death and the inherent powers of them. By acknowledging them will help you not to fear and then learn how to use this power. Here is where Vader in the form of black panther is willing to train you to use the dark side of the Force. When black panther enters your life as a totem, it will awaken your inner passions. This could awaken unbridled baser powers and instincts. This totem can also awaken the Kundalini. The main thing is you will reclaim one's own true power. Black panther, because of it's color, is unpredictable. The emotions churned could be explosive and violent. Prepare for this ride. Here again is black panther as Anakin/ Vader.

Panther/ leopard always brings guardian energy to whom it comes. Black panther is a very good guardian. "Panther has also been attributed to Jesus. Again here is where dark side and light side are in unison, not against each other. According to the Abodazara (early Jewish commentaries on the scriptures) panther is listed as the surname of the family of Joseph. In it, it says how a man was healed " In the name of Jesus Ben Panther" because of this, the panther signals a time of rebirth after a period of suffering and death on some level. This implies that an old issue may finally begin to be resolved or even that old long standing wounds will finally begin to heal, and with the healing will come a reclaiming of power that was lost at the time of the wounding." Ted Andrews, Animal Speak.

Another story of Dionysus with panther is about unleashing desires and awakening the Kundalini. Here again is another form of Shiva. This represents moving from mere poles of existence to new life without poles or barriers. So here Dionysus, like Shiva is a god(archangel) of freedom. This symbols a reawakening of things that were closed down and now reopened.

Panther is reawakening of the heroic quest. In some tales a hero is created by the union of god ( angel, archangel) with a mortal female and the hero is born, having both flesh and a spark of the divine. No matter how low he falls the promise of new arising is there in panther. Love and light is promised at the end of this tunnel. In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker plays this role in Episode VI, when Vader goes back to the light in rescuing Luke. For those with panther as a totem the promise of a master is coming or has already arrived is it's message to you.

Panther is a god of life, rebirth, passion and resurrection. Here panther is the one who is twice born. Here panther plays role of Holy Spirit in the awakening of the spirit to the Father and the Son. The panther will purify you by helping you look squarely at your faults, maladies and other stuff that most people bury and pretend does not exist. In Christian this is known as the repentance process. Note this is old style Christianity in the days of Jesus. Here is where you learn the difference between the egotism of man and the dark side of the Force (God). If you do this criticism self criticism process with panther you may feel the pain of loss of what you thought was so valuable only to come out stronger and closer to the Force. To be born a new. Because of the passionate nature of this path, it is getting to the Force(God) with the help of the Archangel/ god shiva(Anakin/Vader). This is a Tantric journey. Panther (Shiva, Anakin/ Vader) will provide extra protection when needed. Panther promises that what ever was lost will be replaced by that which is more powerful, stronger and more beneficial. This I know to be true from my own life. When I was young I had a ghost (disembodied human) as a spirit guide. I thought he was everything until black panther entered my life. Then i met Shiva creator, sustainer and destroyer (Anakin/ Vader, arch angel of God). Obviously an archangel would be a better spirit guide than a ghost. Anakin/ Vader is also far more loving.

Through black panther you can learn how to camouflage into your environment and to do illusion delusion magic. This is where black panther will teach you the art of Palpatine. But this is very hard to achieve and you will have to earn it through discipline. This is real Sithy and is not given. Here I do not even come close. Panther will also help you in the art of shape shifting.

"The panther marks a new turn in the heroic path of those whom it comes. It truly reflects more than just coming into ones own power. rather it reflects a reclaiming of that which was lost and an innate connection with the great archetypical force behind it." Who is Shiva (Anakin/ Vader, archangel). So you get a romantic Love relationship with this arch angel. If you are male, you will get the famine equivalent, which is Kali. " It gives an ability to go beyond what has been imagined, with opportunity to do so with discipline and control. it is the spirit of immanent rebirth." Animal Speak by Ted Andrews. Here is the Darth Vader side of Anakin because as Vader he is more disciplined and in control and certainly more powerful. Here Vader helps you to mix with Palpatine.