When yuh han inna lion mout, tek time draw it out

In other words: move carefully when you’re in a dangerous or delicate situation. Don’t panic. Don’t rush. Move with wisdom.

This Jamaican proverb isn’t just for personal survival—it’s a life philosophy.

Understanding Lion Situations

Lion situations are times of high risk:

• Negotiating a business deal
• Handling relationship conflicts
• Managing health issues
• Surviving periods of financial strain

In these moments, rash decisions can make things worse. Wisdom demands patience, observation, and timing.

The Danger of Rash Moves

Panic is natural when we feel threatened. But reacting impulsively often deepens the danger. It’s like pulling your hand too fast from the lion’s mouth—you provoke instead of escape.

“We do not always have to push against the world; sometimes we must step lightly, finding the spaces where we can slip through“.

• Kei Miller, from “The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion”

How to Draw Your Hand Out Carefully

• Stay Calm: Deep breaths quiet fear and restore logic.
• Observe Carefully: Assess before you act.
• Take Strategic Action: Small, calculated moves often free you faster than grand gestures.
• Seek Counsel: A wise friend, elder, or mentor can see what you can’t.

Closing Reflection

Patience is power. Especially when you’re surrounded by uncertainty, tek time draw it out. Wisdom, not speed, wins the day.

Additional Resources

Check out these books from Jamaican authors that highlight themes of clarity and resilience in the face of lion’s mouth situations:

[This section contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our work at no extra cost to you.]

📚 No Telephone to Heaven by Michelle Cliff
➡️ Find it on Amazon

📚 A Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion by Kei Miller
➡️ Find it on Amazon

Other books on prioritizing wisdom over impulsive action:

📚 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey

This classic best seller provides a powerful framework for clarifying our values and personal mission as the basis for thoughtful and strategic action in those lion’s mouth moments.
➡️ Find it on Amazon

📚 Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Kahneman distinguishes rash “System 1” impulses from the measured “System 2” thinking we need when our hand is in the lion’s mouth.
➡️ Find it on Amazon