Lynx (mythology)

The Lynx is an elusive, ghost-like animal that sees without being seen. Often called "the keeper of secrets of the forest", its magical appearance stems from the mystery that such a creature's secrecy can also be its strength. The Lynx teaches us that even the smallest can succeed in life, and that the world can unfold itself to those who stop and listen.

Roles of the Lynx

The lynx is not a guardian of secrets so much as the one who knows them, especially when it comes to those secrets that are either obscured by time and space or are completely lost to the world. The lynx is therefore associated with divination and clairvoyance. Those who seek the lynx may find difficulty in getting it to cooperate. Just because the lynx knows secrets does not mean it wishes to share them. Only by respecting the lynx's behavior and listening carefully may one begin to receive an answer.

This power and ability to remain unseen attracted ancient warriors to adopt the lynx and, thus, they believed, its nature. Cunning, solitary hunters, lynx have large eyes and a keen sense of hearing which enables them to hunt at night.

Those who have been touched by the lynx's presence may be given a boon and bane. A lynx may guide the listener to a secret, whether it be a lost object or a hidden truth that is somehow relevant at the present time. On the other hand, the lynx may be an omen to warn those who have somehow betrayed the confidentiality of oneself or others.

The lynx was chosen as the emblem of the Accademia dei Lincei ("Academy of the Lynxes"), one of the world's oldest scientific societies. Its piercing vision was invoked symbolically as characteristic of those dedicated to science.

Associations and attributes

The lynx is associated with Dionysus and Lugh. Though lynx are undoubtedly of keen eyesight, this quality of the lynx may have been conflated with the attributes of the near homophonic Lynceus.

In Medieval Mythology

In medieval times, the lynx was said to produce a gem. According to many bestiaries, the Lynx would urinate in a hole that it had dug in ground, and then cover it with dirt. The urine would form a gem after so many days. Forcing the Lynx to produce the gem was believed to be a devilish act. Many Medieval naturalists identified the gem as a carbuncle, which is an archaic term for the garnet. The typical feline behavior was interpreted as being somewhat "miserly" according to Medieval observers.

See also

• Spirit Guide/Totem

References

• Houwen, L. A. J. R. (1994-07). "Animal parallelism in medieval literature and the bestiaries: A preliminary investigation". Neophilologus. 78 (3): 483–96. ISSN 0028-2677. doi:10.1007/BF01000364. Retrieved 2011-02-21. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)