The Great Lion is a magical image described in the Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage, serving as the visual form for the spirit of the 16th path on the Tree of Life. The name is self-explanatory: a lion of exceptional size and majesty, its presence evoking raw power, kingship, and solar ferocity. No further etymology is needed; the image is a direct icon of leonine might.

Position on the Tree of Life

Path 16 is the second path of the second triangle, connecting Chokmah (Wisdom, 2) to Chesed (Mercy, 4). It is attributed to the Hebrew letter Heh (ה), meaning “window” or “breath.” The Great Lion stands as the gatekeeper or emblem of this channel, through which the expansive force of Chokmah descends into the structured mercy of Chesed.

Astrological and planetary correspondence

Although Path 16 corresponds astrologically to Aries (the Ram), the Abramelin tradition assigns the image of a great lion to the spirit of Aries. This apparent contradiction is a known feature of the grimoire: the zodiacal images there often diverge from standard symbols. The lion’s fiery mane and aggressive posture align with Aries’ martial, cardinal-fire nature, while the ram’s horns are replaced by the lion’s claws and roar. The planet Mars (ruler of Aries) reinforces the combative, energetic quality of the image.

Historical context

The Great Lion appears in the fourth book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage, a 15th-century German grimoire translated by S. L. MacGregor Mathers. In the operation to invoke the twelve zodiacal spirits, each spirit is given a specific visual form to be painted on a square of parchment. For the spirit of Aries, the instruction reads: “The first spirit of the zodiac, whose name is … his figure is that of a great lion.” This image was later adopted by Aleister Crowley in Liber 777 (1909) as the magical image for Path 16 in column CLVII. Crowley’s system of correspondences integrated Abramelin’s images into the Qabalistic paths, linking the lion to the Heh path and its associated forces. The lion also resonates with alchemical symbolism—the green lion devouring the sun—but here it is a direct ritual icon, not an allegory.

In Liber 777, the Great Lion appears at step 16 (Path 16) in column CLVII (Magical Images), standing alone as the visual focus for operations on that path. It is not a composite figure; it is simply a lion, great in size, representing the raw, untamed energy of the spirit it embodies.