When a lion roars, it sounds like thunder coming down the plain, grasping the attention of all, signaling that the King is awake and on the move. The spiritual meaning of a lion – recognized as a power animal in the spiritual world – is one of majestic power and leadership, to name but a few.
The spiritual meaning of a lion has many interpretations. Here are a few that comes up constantly:
- Courage
- Wisdom
- Power
- Protection
- Provider
- Pride
- Master of Emotions
- Leadership
- Love and Affection
- Confident
- Patient
- Strong
- Self-Esteem
Connecting spiritually with a lion will put you on a journey of tremendous growth.
To say someone has the heart of a lion is one of the biggest compliments that you can bestow on another. This simple compliment carries so much weight due to the ingrained trademarks of a lion and the spiritual meaning behind such a phrase. Let us explore the spiritual significance of a lion and connect to the lion spirit!
The Spiritual Meaning Of A Lion
Most wild animals yield to the lion, or “Simba,” referred to in Swahili, which translates to “King.” Lions once roamed across Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe – making them the subject in various mythologies and part of many cultures worldwide.
You can find the spiritual meaning of a lion in the following represented traits that all lions display and abide by, these include:
- Courage
- Wisdom
- Power
- Provider, Protector, and Pride
- Love and Affection
- Leadership
- Master Of Emotions
- Confidence
- Patient
- Strong
- Self-Esteem
- Hope
These traits listed above are what a lion symbolizes, and more attributes can be added. You will find that lions present them in mythology, cultural references, lion symbols, as a spiritual power animal, and when chosen as a spiritual guide.
All animals on this earth carry a unique and powerful spiritual meaning, so what is the spiritual meaning when a lion keeps on appearing in someone’s life?
What Is The Spiritual Meaning Of A Lion?
When a lion starts manifesting in your life, or when you choose the lion as a spirit animal, they can carry the following messages to your spirit. The spiritual meaning of a lion symbolizes the following traits for those who seek them in their lives:
A Lion Symbolizes Courage
Lions are well-known for being courageous beasts. When a pack of hyenas is foolish enough to attack a lion, it musters the courage to attack and defend itself against these creatures. Without courage, many a lion would not survive.
The lion teaches us that when we are attacked spiritually, physically, or emotionally, we need to show the courage of a lion and defend ourselves. Only by showing courage will we realize our power, growing from each problematic experience, into a stronger person in all areas of life.
Showing courage when adversity hits you will lead to more victories than meekly wishing them away. Courage builds character, and your spirit needs a lot of it.
The lion spirit encourages you to be courageous and speak your truth – even when your voice is shaking – as this habit will guide you to be fearlessly confident. Courage gives you hope for the future, that you can and will handle what comes your way.
A Lion Symbolizes Wisdom
Lion symbolism brings us a message of wisdom. The lion reminds us not to overdo things in specific areas of our lives, to focus on what is important, rather than spending our energy on things that don’t enlighten us. The lion represents an overall balance in living life on life’s terms.
Following the ways of the lion will show and teach us when its time:
- To relax the mind
- De-stress the body and spirit
- To attack life
A Lion Symbolizes Power
When a lion roars, the world listens! When a lion attacks, a creature becomes a meal. The power of a lion is well-known throughout the world. Tapping into the overwhelming power of these magnificent beasts makes you a force to be reconned with in any chosen area of your life.
The lion symbolizes the balance of great power – male and female work together in keeping the pride together and strong – and a figure of authority. The lion is a positive figure to meditate on when in unenlightened situations.
Many unenlightened souls crave power. We see it all over in modern-day life (people in charge in governments and corporations.) The lion is a symbol to the enlightened people to take back the power and forge a better world for everyone.
Throughout the ancient world – the vibrant lion’s mane – made it a natural solar-, specifically a symbol of the sun. When connecting to the lion spirit – The King of the Animals – will come into your spiritual journey with raw power and a certain aggressiveness, which is a good thing.
“Leo, the lion rules all the other animals. Leo, the person, rules you and everybody else.”
A Lion Symbolizes Provision, Protection, and Pride
Lion symbolism firmly points to being protective of one’s family, friends, and home. Home is where the heart lives, and a lion’s heart is very much focused on their pride, making their home a place of safety and love.
Spiritually, these qualities refer to protecting the spiritual health of yourself and the people around you from the evil entities that seek to destroy us spiritually. Fiercely protecting your values while providing food for the soul is another analogy of the spiritual lion.
Lions are proud animals; they know their worth and value as lions, living for their pride with pride. Pride often gets confused with arrogance. Pride in one’s spiritual journey, way of life, or the person you are growing into is not arrogance; it’s knowing your place in the universe and embracing enlightenment.
A Lion Symbolizes Love And Affection
A lion’s roar can put fear into anything that hears it, yet these creatures become meowing kittens around those they love. Lions are very loving, and it’s plain to see when they are around their family. They are playful, fun-loving, and a little mischievous.
Connecting to their spirit of love should remind you to love deeply, have fun on this journey called life, and let off some steam when the situation allows for it. Showing affection to people in your life is a normal and healthy way to show love.
A Lion Symbolizes Leadership
A lion leads; he does not follow. Lions don’t waste their time with unenlightened people or sheep as they are commonly referred to; they eat sheep for breakfast. By connecting to the lion spirit, you are in the process of taking steps to take the lead in your life.
By leading with example, other people will see the lion in you, possibly changing their sheepish ways to mirror a person who does the best thing for themselves and others.
Walking in a lion’s footsteps will force you to take the lead, which will result in a more assertive you as you face life head-on. Seeing a lion pop up everywhere should inspire you to stand tall and lead from the front, ultimately improving your self-esteem.
A Lion Symbolizes Master Of Emotions
Lions are masters of their emotions. They are fearless and don’t let their emotions get in their way; staying calm down is second-nature to them. Emotions are normal; however, when certain ones negatively dictate your life, you need to become like a lion and fearlessly face and address them.
Emotions are feelings that come and go. Reacting to all of them as they arise gives them the power to linger longer, ultimately disrupting your life. A lion instinctively knows which emotions require action and which ones to let go of.
It is all about balancing your emotions and your reaction to them. Serenity only arrives when you start mastering your feelings. Patience is a virtue that a lion possesses, sometimes waiting patiently for something you want will enrich the experience when granted.
What Does A Totem Lion Spiritual Animal Represent?
People who live with the Lion totem are:
- Confident
- Independent
- In control
All of these traits are perfectly balanced with a calm and quiet demeanor. People with a lion spirit animal totem are also very creative and an influential force in the lives of many. They also possess internal power to make positive or negative changes in their lives and others around them.
For the best part, Lion totem folks are very loyal creatures and will defend their family and friends’ honor to the death. Continuously watchful can be added to the list and always on top of life.
It’s important to keep in mind the darker manifestations of power. Power is not a negative force, but abusing power makes it so.
The lion totem serves as a symbol of good luck for manifesting:
- Confidence
- Strength
Lioness Totem Spiritual Animal
When the Lioness is your totem spiritual animal, you will display powerful engrained:
- Maternal Instincts
- Protective Instincts
Women with this totem will have complete mastery over emotions, a unique ability to manifest all of the aspects of love, and are very:
- Passionate
- Creative
- Strong-willed
Woman connecting with a lioness sees the need to build for a better tomorrow, realizing that the groundwork done today will manifest in the destiny of tomorrow. Lionesses work together to provide and care for the family; they symbolize divine sisterhood.
Want to find your spirit animal? Click here for more information.
Astrology And Zodiac Sign Of The Lion
A lion in Western Astrology represents Leo. People born under this sign often portray and display a “King of the Jungle” mentality, making them exceptional:
- Bosses
- Guides
- Instructors
- Mentors
A Leo is the only ruler in their “kingdom” or reality; their personalities seek the limelight; however, they are very loveable to doting partners. When Leo uses their powers for the greater good, they become almost saint-like.
When under the influence of the Wild Cat, they can be:
- Aloof
- Secretive
- Independent
- Aggressive
Leos are true humanitarians, as their mission is to serve and protect all people.
Mythology And Folklore Of The Lion
Many cultures refer to the lion in some way or form; they are revered animals worldwide. The lion’s spiritual meaning has impacted many human beings worldwide and for many a spiritual generation.
The Bible’s Lions
Lions are mentioned in the Bible a staggering 157 times. If you want to read more about some vital spiritual references, click here. Also, make sure to check out this Lyric Video (God’s Not Dead-Like A Lion) to get some spiritual inspiration.
Ancient Egypt’s Lions
Ancient Egyptians have always depicted deities with human and animal qualities. Egyptian sphinxes are one example, shown with a human head and shoulders finished off with the body of a lioness.
Here are a few examples of other examples when lions formed part of their spiritual beliefs:
Dedun, the Egyptian god of incense, luxury, and wealth, was depicted as a lion and considered the protector of the diseased.
Aker (aka Akar) was one of the earliest gods that Egyptians worshipped, the deification of the horizon. As the horizon, Aker was seen as symbolic of the borders between each day – depicted as two lion heads facing away from each other with a bit of land (horizon) between them – The past and the present.
Egyptians believed that Aker guarded the entrance to the underworld (the gates of morning and evening), and some placed two statues of lions at their palaces and tombs for protection from evil spirits.
Sekhmet (Lioness Goddess of War), whose name translates to (one who is) powerful, was depicted as a human being with the head of a lioness. Sekhmet typified the dual nature of a lion being both destroyer and protector when she became the goddess of disease, also becoming the one to turn to when needing protection from diseases.
Maahes was the lion god or the one “who can see” in front, a half-man with a lion head. Maahes was revered as “The Lord of the Massacre,” slaughtering the guilty and protecting the innocent.
The Buddhist, The Lion, And The Dog.
Before Shakyamuni or Siddhartha became the Buddha, he was part of the Shakya clan closely associated with lions. Shakyamuni was the clan’s lion.
Lions symbolize enlightenment, roaming free and without fear. For practitioners of the Dharma – this illustrated one who travels with a pure mind, not contaminated with delusions – and just like the lion, the enlightened ones have achieved the power to subdue all beings, but only with:
- Wisdom
- Love
- Compassion
Milarepa, a Tibetan Buddhist sage, once told the tale of the lion and the dog. The story goes something like this; if you throw a stick to a dog, they will chase that stick for eternity. Throw that same stick to a lion; there will be no chasing as the lion will turn to face whoever threw the stick.
Milarepa’s advice was not to be like the dog, an unenlightened person chasing and reacting to the perpetual thoughts running in his head. Instead, face the source of your thoughts (fears,) get to understand them, and stop chasing after them in perpetuity. Be like a lion!
Native American Symbolism Of The Lion
You will often hear mountain lions appearing in various tribe stories: The symbol of a wise leader who is aware of his intention, leading with confidence.
The Hopi Tribe: The lion is revered as a sacred guardian of the tribe, an expert hunter who is can be relied on to be fearless in the face of any challenge.
The Navaja Tribes: They consider the Lion Spirit a guardian and protector and a symbol of bravery.
Pueblo people, or Keres: Believed the mountain lion was a protector and a genuinely significant spiritual helper.
The Tewa people considered the lion to be part of creation, as an explorer was sent to the primordial realm called Sipofene, only to return as a mountain lion.
Hinduism And The “Lion Man”
The “Lion Man” is a deity god called Narasimha, an avatar of the god Vishnu. Narasimha incarnates into the lion man to destroy evil and end religious persecution and further catastrophe on earth.
He was also called the god of destruction when he destroyed the entire universe at the time of the Mahapralaya (Great-Dissolution). The “Lion Man” is known as:
Conclusion
Choose the lion as a spirit guide. You have so much to gain by incorporating this power animal into your life. Hear the lion’s roar!
