Keynote: Coming into your own power.

Cycle of power: Year-round

The cougar has many names each coming from different legends and languages. Puma, mountain lion, mountain screamer, catamount, sneak cat and panther are other names given to the cougar. Cougar is the south American name. Puma comes from Quechua language spoken by the Incas. The Florida panther is part of the same family and there fore is really a cougar just smaller than their western counter parts. The panther, leopard and jaguar are of another family of big cats.

The cougar is the second largest cat in the western hemisphere. The cougar is fast but tires quickly. It can leap over 40 feet. The cougar is one of the most powerful animal and can easily kill with its bite or claws. The cougar is a silent invisible hunter and has many qualities in common with the panther. If cougar shows up as a totem it is time to learn about power and test your own power. You will learn about your power by trial and error as do young cougars. By the time cougar shows up as a totem much of this trial and error process has been worked through in your life. Now it is time to assert that power.

If cougar shows up as a totem, you are at a major crossroad in your life and it is time to choose. This choice should be made quickly and strongly since cougar leaps at its opportunities. If you try to assert your self people will not like your asserting. " They may try to keep you in the category they have always kept you. You can choose to remain so ( in that category ) or you can stretch your muscles and show your capabilities. Those with cougar medicine fall easily under attack, especially by those who have grown comfortable with the status quo and do not wish to truly see you grow. Remember that there will always be some who will not wish to see you com into your own power or will ever acknowledge that you have. " Quote from Animal Speak by Ted Andrews.

Deer is one of cougars favorite prey. If cougar shows up, the deer should be studied as well. The deer is a gentle animal so cougar people should learn to balance their power with gentleness. Your power can be asserted gently at times and fiercely depending on the situation at hand.

The cougar as with most totems teaches balancing medicine. As long as you are in the lower 7 of the seperoth, you will always be dealing with duality and the need to balance. Only at the top ( 8- 10 ) or Father, Son and Holy Spirit level is there unity. As much as modern Christians try to denounce this fact and claim that the light side and the dark side of the Force are at war and as much as there are religious wars on earth ( The material plane, The bottom of the Seperoth ) the Force ( God ) is not at war with Himself/ Herself. This is common knowledge among Hindus, Buddhists, Cabalists, Taoists, Shamans, Odinists, Shintuists and others. For some reason the Christians and some sects of Judaism has forgotten this even though it is in the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 3. Another point the concept of impermanence is also in the book of Ecclesiastes. So the Hindu religion and the Buddhist religion is not really in opposition to true Judaism or true Christianity. The information is there for those who seek it. When you read many religions you see they have more in common with one another than you would think at first. Pastors, priest, rabbis, ect. do not want you to see the commonality between religions because if you do you will see you do not need these people to tell you about the Force you can learn by your own reading. By teaching your self you empower your self.

The cougar also eats porcupine. 1/3 of its diet consists of porcupine. If cougar is your totem porcupine should be studied as well. The cougar can kill a porcupine without harming it self. Few animals can do this. The cougar has figured out how to flip the porcupine to expose its vulnerable spots. Due to this ability to find the most vulnerable spots, cougar people as with cougar when threatened will find the most vulnerable spots of the enemy. This is done naturally. The cougar senses how to do this. When cougar attacks it does not hesitate. If cougar comes into your life it will teach you how to come into your power and use it well to take charge of your life. You will find that cougar will teach you to use this power for defense or attack with equal effectiveness.

To the American Indians cougar teaches leadership and the lessons that come with being a leader. Here the cougar is seen as a leader much like the wolf is seen to the ancient Norseman of old Europe.

Cougars are nocturnal like all cats. They are elusive and rarely seen by average people. So if you see a real living cougar, not in a zoo, and cougar comes up to you it is a rare gift to see. Usually cougar totems comes to us in dreams due to there elusiveness. If you get that extra lucky experience, thank cougar for coming and pay extra attention to this totem. Here is a Cougar.