Jaguar Woman
She is the Justice XI card in Lane's Greenwitch Tarot:
Jaguar Woman kicks butt! She is KaliMa, Sekhmet, Red Tara and Ma’at all rolled into one. Kali Ma is the Hindu goddess that this deck is dedicated to who has two arms to cut the cords that bind us and two arms to comfort us in the midst of our traumas. Red Tara is a female Buddha who embodies Fierce Compassion. Sekhmet is the ancient Egyptian lioness goddess who tends to run amok with bloody rampages when us humans get out of bounds yet who also mothers us all. Ma’at is a winged Egyptian goddess who embodies the concept of living a life of Justice similar to the Tao or Buddhist concept of Right Living. When we die Ma’at weighs our heart against a feather on the original Scales of Justice. Jaguar Woman sprang forth through my paintbrush unbidden one day. She goads me to do my very best to fulfill my mission and stated intentions, as well as to continue to be in service to my family, community and the wider world. I keep this painting on my wall so that I never forget to return to the path when I begin to straggle and stray.
Look into her eyes. Is your heart light enough to balance against a feather? What repairs and course corrections will make it more so? Are you living the life of service your Soul is asking of you? Are you carrying out the mission(s) you signed up for even though your conscious self has probably forgotten what that is? These are heavy questions that require diligent work as well as joyous dance and play to fulfill. What steps can you take today – however small - to affirm your commitment, reassure your Soul and assuage Jaguar Woman’s challenging glare? You can start by practicing deep gratitude on a daily (hourly?!) basis. The World needs each of us on this journey to stick to our large-scale commitments and intentions in service to change.
Rainbow Lotus Show – May 2011
When I first starting doing ritual and calling the four directions, Jaguar often showed up in the fiery south. I later learned that Jaguar is an important part of South and Central American spirituality. At some point (was it before or after our trip to Peru?) I realized that she was a key power animal and totem for me, for like the Hindu goddess Kali, she embodies fierce compassion. I call on her often for strength and wisdom.