Lamassu
The keeper of the gates
Nature of the lamassu
The lamassu is a protective being from ancient Mesopotamia: a winged bull or lion with a human head and a crown of horns. Huge stone lamassu guarded the gates of the Assyrian palaces, for example in Nimrud and Khorsabad. Seen from the front they stand still, seen from the side they stride – that is why the figures have five legs. It stands for protection, dignity and watchfulness at the threshold.
Inner attitude
The lamassu stands firm and unshakeable. It keeps watch without tiring. In it the strength of the bull, the flight of the eagle and the wisdom of the human come together.
The essential qualities
- protective
- dignified
- steadfast
- watchful
- sublime
It lets through only what serves you.
Meaning
The lamassu appears when your space needs protection – your home, your time, your inner life. It invites you to guard your gates consciously and to decide what may come in.
Voice of the being
«I stand at your gate. You decide who enters.»
Encounter & working together
You meet the lamassu at thresholds: at doors, gates and transitions. The next time you walk through a door, pause briefly and ask yourself: what am I bringing in – and what am I leaving outside?
Pay attention to
- where your space needs protection
- where you let too much in
- where you stand at a threshold
The lamassu works when you are ready to guard your gates with dignity.
Essence
I guard my gates with calm and strength.
