'Celestial Lion Consciousness' - the 'Gate' to a greater awareness

Celestial Lion Consciousness

My latest edition to the Lion series is now finished. The painting is an embodiment of cosmic intelligence and ancient wisdom. I've tried to convey Its piercing, ethereal eyes radiating a calm awareness that seems to peer into dimensions beyond our own. The lion’s face, rendered in blues and violets, merges seamlessly with the surrounding celestial geometry — a tapestry of zodiac signs, constellations, and flowing magnetic waves. This isn’t just a visual representation of the Leo archetype, but rather a symbolic conduit for what can be described as “lion consciousness” — a state of being that merges primal strength with higher vision. This fusion reflects an awareness rooted not in aggression, but in clarity, illumination, and sovereignty.

“Lion consciousness” ties directly into our ancient past, when humanity was more attuned to the rhythms of Earth and cosmos. Over 26,000 years ago, our ancestors depicted spirals, solar symbols, and powerful animal spirits — including lions — as reflections of profound internal and environmental shifts. They didn’t just draw what they saw, but what they felt: waves of solar light and cosmic magnetic forces recalibrating their awareness. The lion became an archetype of awakened power, a guardian of ancient truths embedded in the cycles of the sun and the stars. It is no coincidence that one of the world’s oldest known sculptures — the Lion-Man of Hohlenstein — was carved during this pivotal time of transformation.

The lion's gate in Leo (1st August to 12th August)

The Lion's Gate

In this painting, the lion’s flowing mane is indistinguishable from the surrounding currents of space, suggesting a being that exists both as animal and star-being, physical and etheric. Its presence sits at the centre of the astrological wheel, a subtle reminder that lion consciousness is a central axis around which other cosmic energies revolve. This visual idea is a modern continuation of the ancient symbolic language that once adorned cave walls — except now, it carries a call to remember. To remember the power of light, the vibration of truth, and the legacy of star ancestry carried in our DNA. Lion consciousness becomes the awakened observer in all of us — steady, noble, fearless. We are now in a window of opportunity to focus our attention, like the lion, on what is just and right.

This symbolic lion is more than a creature of the savannah; it is a gatekeeper to an ancient memory, a spiritual archetype encoded into the psyche of those willing to feel beyond form. When we meditate on such imagery, we reconnect with a timeless force that stirs within — the courage to face the unknown, the wisdom to discern truth, and the quiet authority of the heart. The lion teaches us that we are not separate from the cosmos, but deeply embedded within its rhythmic design. Through art like this, the lion’s gaze returns — not to hunt, but to awaken.

Collectable limited signed prints in various sizes can be found here:

Neil