Cougar Spirit Dance
Freedom of the Spirit
is achieved from the courage
to overcome the pain of inner and outer wounds
the strength to climb
the mountains of adversity
and the heart to ride
the wings of destiny
~ Kim McElroy
THE STORY BEHIND THE ART
This painting of Cougar depicts his life story. Cougar’s story is fascinating. As a quarter horse bred for racing, he was born in a domestic herd that fended for themselves in a Wyoming ranch. When he was four months old a cougar injured him and killed his mother. Somehow the young colt escaped. When the ranchers came to bring the herd in for the winter, they discovered the tragic death of his mother, and found the remains of the cougar who she had killed in her fight to protect her colt. But there was no sign of the colt and they presumed he was dead. But the colt named Cougar survived against all odds alone through a harsh mountain winter, from a combination of instinct, intelligence, and ingenuity. He was found the following Spring with a herd of deer that had adopted him.
His owner respected and loved his unique and wild nature and asked me to create a Soul Essence painting of him. In my meditation I envisioned Cougar running, joined by the spirits of eagle and a mountain lion, as a reminder of the gift of how he overcame adversity.