Horse
Horse symbol meanings date back to prehistory, and the first civilised, written acknowledgment of the horse comes in the third millennium BC where historians uncovered slate tablets in Elam (present-day Iraq and Iran) which reference this noble, wild beast.
As a Celtic symbol, the horse was associated with war. The Celts hailed the horse as the beast belonging to the sun god, and assigned it a place with the goddess Epona (Mother horse goddess of Earth). The Greco-Romans also associated the horse with the spoils of war and attributed it to symbolism such as power, victory, honour, domination and virility. In Greco-Roman myth the horse is said to be created by Poseidon (Neptune) and is devoted to Hades (Pluto) and Ares (Mars).
As one of the symbols in the Chinese zodiac, the horse in Chinese culture is equated with Gemini, and represents practicality, love, endurance, devotion and stability.
As a Native American symbol, the horse symbol meanings combine the grounded power of the earth with the whispers of wisdom found in the spirit winds.
Hummingbird
The hummingbirds are full of optimism, speed and lightness. They’re known as a sign of connection, playfulness and adaptability. It is not commonly known that the fluttering wings of the hummingbird move in the pattern of an infinity symbol – further solidifying their symbolism of eternity, continuity, and infinity.
Lion
Commonly referred to as the king of the beasts, the lion symbolises power, leadership, and authority around the world. The lion is considered by many ancient cultures to be both a solar animal as well as lunar symbol. Specifically, the male lion represents the sun in various cultures, and the female lioness is associated with the moon. In essence, the symbolic meaning of lions revolves around bringing balance into our lives.
In Egypt, the lion represented the ferocious heat of the sun and was seen in the likeness of Sekhmet who is the Egyptian goddess known as the Eye of Ra. She is the power that protects the good and annihilates the wicked.
In ancient Greece, it was identified with many gods and goddesses, such as Dionysus, Phoebus, Cybele, and Artemis.
In Buddhism the Buddha sits upon the lion as a throne of consistency, strength and wisdom.
In alchemy, the symbolic meaning of lions is associated with the highly idealistic and prized attributes of gold.
According to Hindu texts, Narsimha (Narasimha, sometimes rendered Narasingha, is the fourth avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu) is regarded to have incarnated in the form of a part-lion, part-man being to slay Hiranyakashipu, to end religious persecution and calamity on earth, thereby restoring dharma.
Spoken word
Hugh Laurie performing The Lion and Albert
Music
City Of Prague Philharmonic: The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe
Thomas Newman: Horse
Ennio Morricone: Death Rides a Horse
Miles Davis Quintet: Freedom Jazz Dance
Agnes Obel: Trojan Horses
Four Tet: Lion (Jamie xx Remix)
The Oscar Peterson Trio: Hymn to Freedom
The Souljazz Orchestra: The Creator Has a Master Plan
Bernard Hermann: Violence
Leonard Cohen: Listen to the Hummingbird
Community radio midnight show Through the Bohemian Looking Glass is aired every night at midnight (GMT). A new episode is aired every Friday midnight on Wirral Wave radio or AirTime. Later on SoundCloud for some time.
Through the Bohemian Looking Glass 