As a self-proclaimed "woo woo" girl who's been invested in spirituality for about ten years, I feel I have to tell you that one of the most important spiritual events of the year is coming up: the Lion's Gate portal. So what exactly is it?
Personally, I first connect it to the angel numbers you've probably seen everywhere, like 11:11 (your sign to make a wish). The Lion's Gate portal falls on August 8th, the eighth month of the year, in the sign of Leo, and it also marks the rising of the star Sirius, which signalled the start of the new year in ancient Egypt. In numerology, the number eight represents infinity, abundance, alignment, prosperity and the completion of a cycle.
This year has been a journey for many of us, and as we come out of the recent Mercury retrograde, it serves as a great time for reflection. The portal calls for a new transition. It's a line in the sand where we align ourselves with the vision of who we aspire to be and take another step towards our highest selves. Think of it this way: the old is falling away, and your energy is shifting to a higher frequency. The portal is the time for manifesting.
This portal asks you to be honest about courage, creativity and vulnerability. Here are a few things to reflect on as you move through it.
Let your gifts come out
What skills have served you most this year, and how can you use them to align with your highest self? Could they help you launch a business idea, take that trip you've been longing to go on, or step into a new opportunity?
Growth doesn't have to be unstable
Growth isn't a race. I think of it more as a slow marathon. There will be milestones where growth becomes evident, and in those moments, praise yourself and your support group or community, and reconnect with the values that keep you on course.
Connect with yourself
The first half of the year has come and gone, and the opening of this portal is a good time to reconnect with yourself. What routines could you improve to bring more peace into your life? Maybe it's journaling every morning, or simply adding an extra ten minutes to the practice you already have. The universe is asking you to notice how you already support yourself, and to amplify that light even further.
What to do on 8/8
Create a manifestation ritual. No ritual is right or wrong; I always suggest doing what feels good. I've picked up some wonderful ideas from TikTokers, spiritual experts and authors like Claire Calfo, Gabby Bernstein and Alexis Gigi, which I use myself:
- Write down your manifestation eight times, for eight days.
- Meditate with a focus on your heart chakra and solar plexus. Leo governs the heart chakra, and the solar plexus is tied to passion.
- Ask yourself what life would look like with no failures. What achievements have you made, and what does your community look like?
- Write down eight things you're grateful for.
- Forgive yourself for things that felt like they ended wrong, or didn't go the way you hoped.
- Reflect on what intention you're carrying into this portal, and into the rest of the year.
