Leo, the Lion, ruled by the Sun: Manly Hall

Leo, the Lion, ruled by the Sun is the next sign of the zodiac and contains the next gift bestowed upon man to learn to use and to overcome on his soul's journey.

This is the story of Hercules and Samson, for the Sun is the symbol of energy and man must learn to use energy without pressure, without pride, without force.  In the mythology, the lion must be slayed without a weapon; the hero must use his bare hands.  And he does this by breaking the lion's jaw.

In one representation, a Virgin binds the jaw with her handkerchief, telling us that power must be bound to consciousness.  That gentleness can hold the power of the lion in check.

Energy is a wonderful thing, and the more energy we have the more responsibility we have to use it wisely.  For energy is like gunpowder, it can be used to good or for ill.  On our journey through life, the soul that learns this lesson learns that nothing that is good can ever be attained by force.