Leo 4: A man formally dressed and a deer with its horns folded

Twisting together...

If you look at the sequence of symbols from Cancer 30 "A daughter of the American Revolution" to Leo 4, an historical dynamic begins to play out.

Think of early choices by American settlers... the fore-fathers of America. They had to take positions, make choices, regarding how to relate to the indigenous peoples of the new land. The daughter of the American Revolution inherits those choices. 

As the new land is settled, the migration is westward. one major theme is to bring so-called 'civilization' to the Indians. Religion, for example, conceived as a higher spiritual understanding to which the natives must be converted. Now "A case of apoplexy" can be imagined as a pale white man traveling to arid regions to bring the good word. Under the hot sun, faces must burn red.

Next, an issue of suffering from disease in a new land. The white settlers bring their diseases to the Indians. Indians ailments...think of water quality... can explosively affect the general well-being of any new-comer.

"A woman having her hair bobbed" suggests an adaptation to the new circumstance. Out in the wild one must roll up the sleeves, pull back the styled hair fashion and get down to pragmatic matters... if only to survive.

Eventually, the missionary spirit of the settlers begins to merge in unexpected ways with the native culture. Hence "A man formally dressed and a deer with its horns folded". This symbol expresses the bringing together of two very different streams of energy and understanding. The appearance of European formalized civilization is twisted together with native ways. 

Imagine having a health issue and finding that local native ways of treatment, rather than conventional medical practice brought to the new land, is far more effective. The twisting begins. Take some western medicine, but also drink a tea made from native plants that are harvested, dried and infused in a certain way... one only known to the Indians.

If you follow that narrative, you can feel the central thrust of Leo 4.

Blain Bovee

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