Lion Lioness
Lions appear in many dreams, and usually signifies anger, desire to hurt, aggressiveness; or fear of these feelings in others or ourselves. We may feel fear of our own anger due to it threatening injury to others in a way that would reflect upon self, and devour our other feelings and desires. The lion can often express feelings of love that cannot express normally, and become aggressive instead. If we see someone we love showing interest in another, or if we feel ousted by brother or sister for parents’ love, our feelings may seem to us like a terrible lion. Daniel in the lions’ den is a beautiful symbol representing how these feelings may be calmed and changed if our life is given to the influence of love.
The power of our physical strength, of our temper, of our emotions or sexuality; love that has become anger through jealousy or pain; leadership; ones father or fatherhood, or mother if it is a lioness; an image of the father/mother God; leadership; watchfulness or guardianship; self assertion or boasting because of the power of the lions roar. The story of Androcles and the lion shows how the pain felt by our ‘animal’ life process, if tended by the conscious personality, brings a loving relationship between conscious and unconscious.
Many children experience recurring dreams of a lion chasing them through their house. This is most likely due to a developing struggle with their natural feelings of anger and aggression. This because their parents might attempt to quieten or control the child’s temper, or criticise it as ‘bad’.
Being frightened of an attack or possible attack from a lion suggests an ‘attack’ of anxiety or fear about something. Consider the rest of the dream to define what.
Many people dream of being chased or run in fear when they see a lion in their dream. But your dreams are simply a projection of your own emotions or fear upon the screen of your sleeping mind. So why don’t you rerally express those emotions instead of being afraid of your own feelings. Why not roar back!!?? But please see Nothing can Hurt You in Your Dreams
As an example of what you can do in your dreams, here the dreamer ‘roars’ back!
Example: When I arrived at the attic I put the dog down. But now the attic was empty and dark. I could feel my hair stand on end and my skin ‘crawling’. Actually I feel it all again as I write this. The feeling arose because there was an unformed dark shape creeping around at the far end of the room. The dog was really afraid and came into my arms. Then the dark creature leapt at me, transforming into a massive mouth with huge fangs and awful demonic face. Immediately I leapt at it in the same way and smashed against its face with my own huge fangs. This utterly disarmed it because it had felt, in its primitive way, to terrify me. It surprised me too that I could so immediately transform into a monster when necessary.
Example: A huge black panther chased me. I fell and it clawed my back. I/it was about to chew my back to bite me. I didn’t know whether to relax or struggle. After being floored by the Panther I managed to get up. I later did active imagination. I allowed the panther to eat me, and I thus became the panther. Then I, as the panther, noticed a tiger. Feeling enormous temper – anger – hate I leapt upon the tiger to claw and devour it. I really felt strong temper. It kept really appearing to get smaller and smaller. Eventually I saw it as just a toy cuddly tiger. Then its head came off as a pantomime horse does, and I was amazed to see that my cousin Sidney was inside it, who I felt had mercilessly teased me as a child. The panther was my own feelings of anger.
As an astrological sign, the lion is the sign of Leo, a ‘Fixed’ ‘Fire’ sign. In the dream of a person born with the sun in Leo, the lion may represent their basic character. It is said to be the heart of the Zodiac. In it all the activities of Aries have been concentrated and given purpose, permanence, passion and a certain nobility. It is the Royal Sign denoting Love, the Ruler of Life. Subjects of this sign are said to be proudly ‘faithful’ and scorn what is weak, small-minded, or mean. It is the sign of the Sun – the physical and also the Divine Sun. In terms of human evolution the sign of Leo represents rulership of the animal kingdom, to become a dominant creature, expressing the best of the instinctive and natural within human nature. Thus in The Witch and The Wardrobe, the greatest strength and unifying influence is the lion. But there is a step beyond this into independent awareness where one recognises oneself not only as the powerful and creative universal animal life, but as an individual human being as well.
Useful questions and hints:
Are there signs that this is about anxiety or anger – if so can I define what they connect with?
If the lion suggests strength and protectiveness, am I relating well to it?
What do I feel if I imagine myself as the lion?
What are the key words I use in describing this dream?
See: key words – Being the Person or Thing – Mammal Brain
Comments
I had a dream where my family and I had lion as a pet!
I dreamt a lion was trapped downstairs in the basement and then a anaconda came out of no where and ate a human being. I wanted to save him but i already knew he was going to die so i took the hands of another human being and we both ran upstairs. I later then discovered the lion, very angry and aggressive , was desperately trying to escape to attack us. Then some people turned up and were trying to chase me as if they were going to hurt me. I eventually woke up being very scared and not wanting to go back to sleep. This was the second dream i had on the same day straight after another scary dream in which i can’t remember.
Hi,
I found this article extremely interesting! Please can someone help me to interpret this dream.
I dreamt of a lion with a lioness alongside him. The lion had just devoured his own cub. His mouth and teeth were bloody as a result. People were shouting around us and running away from the lion- “he ate his own cub-he ate his own cub”
I was accompanied by my mom – and it was on the fringes of a forest that we saw this. She was horrified and she panicked and ran away as well. My emotions were that of surprise and a kind of curiosity and I crept closer to the lion to see – that whether the lion really ate his own cub. We looked at each other –
He with his bloodied mouth and I with astonishment. Felt a little bit sad for it too that why did he have to eat his own cub. Also felt the lion was misunderstood and did not deserve the treatment he was getting. Then I too turned back and jogged to join my mom who had run away
I had dreamt about Lions. 2 nights in a row. First one was about zombies and wild animals. A lion bit me on my knees, but somehow it was my brother who was turning to a lion because zombie bite him. Second dream was about my boyfriend wants to raise a pet Lion. I told him to not keep the lion in the house because it aggressive and it can hurt my son. In reality we use to own a little dog and my boyfriend didn’t like it in the house. He wants to tie her up and keep her outside. Anyways. I lectured him about that in my dream. Then the lion attacked me as it want me to get out of his life. What are your thoughts on that?
Hi. This is the third night I have the same or similar dream/nightmare.. My daughter and I are leaving a zoo or something of that sort on an evening and out of now where we get attacked by lions and lionesses… I literally just woke up again and this dream it was me in the emergency waiting room and I went into her room and she had passed and no one was helping no one was trying to revive her I was calling and screaming for help and no one was helping until I fell to the ground crying that she had passed away and then a guy got up from his desk and went to her room and brought her back hours later… Alive… But bruised and stitched everywhere..and a dephribilator was used and the design was of a lions paw print and it was bruised/burnt on her chest but she was alive and frightened. They let us go the same night and as we were walking out, we see a lionesses run across the parking lot and my daughter started freaking out. I must’ve been too scared that I woke up after that.. Does this mean anything ? This is the third time I have dreams very similar to this about lions and lionesses attacking my toddler… 🙁
Teresa – Dreams are all symbols and are not about loins outside of you, but are simply your own fears about your little daughter. As a mother you are primed to see danger everywhere to protect your child.
As human we tend to bottle it all up or are frightened of it. Your love and care for your baby can trigger your mothering instincts with a vengeance. Being female and a mother holds with it an enormously increased anxiety about the baby. They see all manner of things that might be a threat, and I believe that is what such dreams shows. Your imagination for such dangers is enormously increased. This is natural in all mammals.
When my son Leon was working for a year prior to entering Cambridge University, he met people who owned wolfhounds, and often walked the dogs. I went with him a couple of times. The dogs were kept in a large pen, and owner went to get the keys for the pen. While we were waiting at the door one of the dogs, a bitch, was kept in the house. The bitch came to the door to look at us, then ran back, only to reappear again a few moments later to look at us anxiously. This was repeated a few times. I asked my son if she had pups and he said yes.
So as soon as she saw we were strangers she rushed back to her pups to check they were okay. Then, for the short period we were there she continued to come and look at us with obvious tension, and then run back to check her pups. This is most likely about your anxiety about caring for your baby, or it might also have a link with feelings you have about something that happened to you as a baby. It might help if you imagine yourself in your dream – while awake – and hold the baby and see if you can change what happens to your baby, hold the baby till it is okay and healthy. You might need to do this a number of times to succeed. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/questions-2/#Summing
Tony
I dreamt that i was on my couch holding my daughter trying to fall asleep when i pray to god and gave into his will and love. I fall asleep in my dream and have another. Im surrounded by lions with faces of men except for one. The one is god and he speaks to me. He tells me that he wont hurt me yet. I look at the others and they are laughing hysterically. They then dissolve into full humans. I look back at god still as a lion and hold my hand out to him and he touches me. I then see something small running in the grass and i chase after it and he follows. Thats all i can remember except for feeling completely safe. Please help me understand.
I had a dream that my partner was a lion and I could see his past of him and and lioness. She was hugging him and looking after him in the form of lions but they’re affection was evident. The lioness died. He recently had an ex partner pass away and she was an Aries. Could I be dreaming of them? Not quite sure what it means
I dreamt I was indoor in a long corridor area. There is a lion I am trying to lock up in a steel vault, but no matter what I do, the lion is too strong and has large sharp teeth and it gets out.
Finally I give up and let it free. I told the lion, you want to be out here…be out.
It runs away to go attack someone but it comes back to me.
That same night I dreamt this…
Samuel L Jackson the actor, he was trying to kill me with a automatic laser gun. It was outdoor and at night. I escaped, but always feared that he will come back and kill me, so I’m always on edge.
what does this mean?
I had a dream I was talking to a lion he was play fighting with a lioness and we were in the desert and he was talking to me like a human . Almost as a friend. What do u think
Will – I think you need to read http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/brain-levels-and-dreams/ and http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/animals/
Your dream show you have integrated the immense power of your animal strength, but to really appreciate what you have see http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson
Tony
I dreamt I was indoor in a long corridor area. There is a lion I am trying to lock up in a steel vault, but no matter what I do, the lion is too strong and has large sharp teeth and it gets out.
Finally I give up and let it free. I told the lion, you want to be out here…be out.
It runs away to go attack someone but it comes back to me.
That same night I dreamt this…
Samuel L Jackson the actor, he was trying to kill me with a automatic laser gun. It was outdoor and at night. I escaped, but always feared that he will come back and kill me, so I’m always on edge.
what does this mean?
Can you help? I had a dream that I went into a nature enclosure/wild animal reserve with a few friends. I did not know these people in real life but in the dream they were 2 men, one quite reckless, the other relaxed and resourceful. There was also a woman who in the dream was my sister, she was bold, beautiful and fearless. I felt anxious in the dream, with a foreboding that something bad would happen. We were driving a sort of buggy cart, and all the time I kept saying we needed to get back as it was getting late. When we stopped in the bear enclosure , and I was terrified we were going to be attacked, but when we looked down a whole family of bears were sleeping beneath us. We carried on. It started to get later as we approached the area where I knew the lions would be. I kept seeing flashes of lions and had the feeling they were hunting us. I became very scared, like my foreboding was coming true. Hearing screams from the reckless man we were with, we realised he’d been attacked and killed, so we tried to escape, we were on foot and losing the light, it was terrifying. The resourceful man was looking out for me, protecting me. We managed to get near to civilisation and buildings, but the lions were closing in. My beautiful strong sister (in the dream) tried to run to a nearby tent, and was suddenly attacked by a huge fearsome lion, she was fighting him with all her strength and at points she looked to be dominating, but he slowely overpowered her and each time she faught hard, he hit her with his huge powerful paws and started biting into her skin and killing her. I watched her fight over and over to near death and felt terrified and powerless to do anything to stop it. Other people by this time were watching and some had guns but they did not shoot the lion. I woke up feeling very scared! Any ideas?!
Kerry – Why are you letting your wild feelings and fears scare you like this? See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/questions-2/#Summing
Although you may not think it you are an animal like all the other creatures on earth. But you as a human animal can hold on to fears and apprehension because you have language, and so can play the fears over and over – as shown by your dream. In it death is faced again and again. The only way to tame these fears is to take hold of your instinctive animal feelings and calm them. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/brain-levels-and-dreams/
There are was to calm such feelings, but they do need personal effort. To do this you need to work with one of your deeply instinctive drive such as breathing. Using this technique you are gradually changing very deeply seated habits that have been with you a lifetime. Taking hold of the breath and controlling it is like taking hold of your nervous system, or body, and gradually altering the way it responds to events and thoughts. It is a bit like taking a wild animal and gently taming it. See http://dreamhawk.com/body-and-mind/the-slow-breath/
Tony
Please can u help. I have no idea how to understand this.I had a very bad nightmare I was out with friends when fierce lions came looking for human blood. I ran and jumped onto a moving truck. Seeing the lions moving towards me on the truck I went to the cabin area where my kids,husband and the driver was. The driver had to stop as the lions were making the truck to heavy to drive. We hid inside the truck that changed into a house with big windows. My husband helped a man inside the house being chased and locked everything. I saw a child outside and wanted to help but feared the lions would come in and eat my children. A lion cub bit the child in the neck and was licking the blood while the lioness was attacking the child’s mother. I woke myself up because I couldn’t handle it any more.
I have this recurring dream of a lot of lionesses that a woman ( I think its me) sees around her whole house. Then I see the husband n this lady (who I suppose is me) and the rest of the children from the house start shutting all doors etc as they are scared. The lionesses however are wandering around the house but seem to do no harm. What does it mean?
Sylvia – Have you seen this entry that explains a bit more about the lions – http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/brain-levels-and-dreams/#mammalbrain
I see the lionesses as your instinctive female strength. But when the male enters you shut down your ability to respond. If you imagine yourself as the male in the dream what do you feel? See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson
Tony
I had a dream about a week ago about going into a pet shop and I wanted to show my son the animals i had seen in it, but when we took him through it was like a zoo and all the animals cages were open a big python came out of his cage towsrds our feet and we walked by a lions cage and the lion walked out. The worker at the pet shop took my son into a room and lshut the door so the lion wouldnt hurt him and i was left and i tried walking into a room but the whole time the lion looked me straight in the eyes. I woke up in a panic with my heart racing. So scared. Now we are moving into a new house out inthe country and theres a ranch full.Of different wildlife like zebras and stuff. My boufriends brother was telling us they had a lion that got out a few years ago and they found him at a park. What couldthis mean? Im almost too scared to move intomy place because of the dream and what happened close to our new house.
Kalipow – You are a mother, and mothers are programmed by nature to be aware of every possible danger that their child might meet. This is natural in all mammals. When my son Leon was working for a year prior to entering Cambridge University, he met people who owned wolfhounds, and often walked the dogs. I went with him a couple of times. The dogs were kept in a large pen, but one of them, a bitch, was kept in the house. When we went to the house to let the owner of the dogs know we were going to walk them, the bitch came to the door to look at us because she had pups. As soon as she saw we were strangers she rushed back to her pups to check they were okay. Then, for the short period we were there she continued to come and look at us with obvious tension, and then run back to check her pups.
The thing is that this is your natural proactive instinct and not a view or reality. So please sit down and talk to the inner instinctive self and say to it in kindly tones, “Thank you for all the wonderful work you do in warning me about dangers to my son. But I think we are going to be okay living in our new house, and if there is any new development of danger please let me know. Thank you”. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/conditioned-reflexes-or-responses/
Tony
I dream a lioness who are injured or about to die near to our house or tent. she stuck and hurt in the left side of her body and she keep roaring and not welling to give up and me I just keep watching on her and worried that she might get heal and attack my family. Even though I am scared a little bit I keep going there and watch her and clean the area where she’s lying at! and again she roar and seems like she wants help. I keep ignoring her and keep cleaning the area of where she’s laying down at and suddenly she gets up and walk towards me in our tent or house and I thought she’s going to attack me but she doesn’t. she came inside to our house and very submissive she looks around and she looks thankful for what I did and she became my watchful lioness its seems like she’s welling to protect me from anyone who wants to hurt me. because she was watching outside and all the people including our neighbors are afraid of her. but not me im so shock she’s so kind a protecting me from ouside world.
Marylou – The lioness is your own wonderful womanly strength. The lion in you has been injured, either by people’s criticism, prejudice or even violence. But you are a strong and caring woman who did not give up on yourself or your love. For the lion is a part of you and your care for it has led to you becoming a fuller and better person. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/brain-levels-and-dreams/#mammalbrain
The lion part of you is important and so care for it and it will continue to protect you.
Tony
Hi, I recently had a dream where I was supposedly living in a nice house, and outside the house was a farm like enclosure with a pride of lions living within my compounds. A trainer( couldn’t see his face though) was telling me a little about the lions.
The next scene, the lions were in my house and throughout I was feeling calm and kind of happy. So I tried petting the lioness when she bit my hand a few times. Feeling a little confused but undeterred, I tried petting the male lion only to be bitten once by it. I had the impression my fingers were gone but when I looked at it only the meat got bitten off and supposedly the bones still intact. Red blood could be seen at where I was bitten but it wasn’t gruesome or messy and dripping with blood at all though. Then I woke up.
What could this mean? Please enlighten me! Thank you
T – First of all, please read http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/questions-2/#Summing
It explains a lot quickly. But your dream seems to be a mixture of an inner/dream world experience and waking world caution. See http://dreamhawk.com/inner-life/inner-world/
But in the dream world no actual harm can happen, as you saw from your dream. So the dreamt of hurt probably occurred through fears you had. But it could also mean that you either sometimes have a temper or through that get in trouble with a male and get your fingers burnt/bitten.
Tony