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

-Shravan 2017-02-23 3:29:14

Hello!
I had this dream last night where me and a friend were at stall adjacent to a dirt track. It was a large patch of land with nothing around. I felt that the girl I liked just passed through that road. There were sounds playing at the stall. I then noticed the roar of lions. There was too much disturbance, so I asked the stall guy to reduce the sound. I then notice a group of lions running toward us.
One lioness comes near me, I try My every bit to be safe.the dream went blank. After a while in the same dream I meet my friend and see that he is all injured and has plaster and bandages all around his head and an arm.
Could you please interpret what this could mean?
Thank you in advance.

-Shravan 2017-02-23 3:20:36

Hello!
I had this dream last night where me and a friend were at a road side stall. It was a large patch of land with around. There were sounds playing at the stall. I then noticed the roars of lion. There was too much disturbance, so I asked the stall guy to lower the sound. I then notice a group of lions running toward us.
One lioness comes near me, I try to be careful.i guess I was safe as the dream went blank. After a while I meet my friend and see that he is all injured and has plaster and bandages all around his head and an arm.
Could you please interpret what this could mean?
Thank you in advance.

-Lidia 2016-12-26 19:16:22

Hi Tony,
I had a dream last night that I was walking with my family and then I saw a lion sitting on a hill. We all started running. The lion started chasing us and he attacked two of my youngest children. I didn’t see what happened but I came to realization that he killed them. I was devastated. MY oldest daughter, my husband and I survived. I was grateful that they survived. Next,I saw a little boy walking by himself and I decided that even thought I lost my children I needed to bring this boy to safety and help him find his parents. Please explain what any of this means.

-Christoffer 2016-11-29 9:58:16

Hi Tony Crisp,
I’m a long time greatful user here and I though that instead of writing here asking you for help and answers, instead would just like to say thanks. A thanks for this wonderful dictionary you have created and for all these possibilities you have made available for us to help ourselves with. It is truly a gem created, and it’s The place of which I continuously return to for translations and guidance. Rarely do I look for other sources, since these resonates so clearly with me.
Thank you so much for this creation of yours!
Best regards/
Christoffer Justusson

-Dana Tibbetts 2016-09-19 2:10:56

I had a very interesting dream last night and it was so vivid I feel there is something behind it. I will just tell you the important parts. I turned down this dirt road and passed a sign that said keystone heights. My car got stuck in the sand so I got out and started walking down this road. All of a sudden I saw a large German Shepard running straight for me. I was frightened but not nearly as frightened as I was when I saw what was chasing behind him. The German Shepard went around me and kept running. Then I saw 2 lioness running towards me. They went right passed me as if they didn’t even see me. Then 2 more Lioness and a lion came towards me. I was frightened but I just yelled, Keep going! They seemed to notice me but kept going. Then another group, I yelled “keep going!” again. this group slowed down a little and looked at me but kept going. One more set of lioness came running at me and I think another Lion but I dont quite remember. This time they stopped at me and were growling. Although I was scared to death I looked one of them right in the eyes and yelled keep Going! over and over, Just keep going! I then heard one of them say why? I answered “because that is what God wants you to do! Keep going! Then I woke up. Any thoughts on this? Im curious to know what it means. I feel there is definitely a meaning behind it.

    -Tony Crisp 2016-09-21 9:07:18

    Dana – The dirt road says you have been going in a direction not used much by you, and maybe not either by many others. Keystone Heights is a small town with several lakes, and maybe has a sandy beach. Your car got stuck – are you feeling stuck in a life or work situation?

    If so the answer is given in your dream, because you can’ move easily in life because you are afraid a lot of the time. Whenever we dream its images are not like real life, because a dream is nothing like outer life where things could hurt you, but is an image like on a cinema screen that even if a gun is pointed at you and fired it can do no damage – except if you run in fear; so all the things that scare you are simply your own fears projected onto the screen of your sleeping mind. So the animals you feel in your dream will harm you are actually your own instincts and feelings that frighten you and are actually harmless. This is because every dream image, animal or person is a subtle or powerful aspect of your own efficient working.

    Obviously fear of your own natural self (See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/brain-levels-and-dreams/) makes you pause before any life challenges face you. The message was repeated several times. The animals you dream about are your own feelings of fierceness, along with your ability to meet danger and to relax afterwards. As well as much else. As children we are often taught not to be angry or to defend ourselves, and that blocks our natural self from being effective.

    I suggest you try imagining yourself as the lions, and feeling their wonderful power and majesty – http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson

    Tony

-Travis 2016-09-14 6:33:50

I had a dream that something was chasing me through a forest. It wasnt dark out but very dreary. It chased me until i got to a swamp with lots of dead Cyprus trees. There was something like a levee built there i thought i had got away, then i felt fear and turned around and there it stood staring me in the eyes. It was so close i could feel its breath, i could see the detail of its fur. It was a lioness. It looked into my eyes for what seemed about 30 seconds, then it just walked away. I think about this dream all the time. I had it 3 years ago in march.

    -Tony Crisp 2016-09-14 10:35:41

    Travis – The forest represents your natural instinctive feelings, that are often quite different to those we develop as a personality. See http://dreamhawk.com/interesting-people/animal-children/#Program

    Since you had the dream last you have wandered through not dark times, but sometimes your life felt dreary. But even so you were running away from your own fear. So the animal you feel in your dream will harm you is actually your own instincts and feelings that frighten you and are actually harmless. This is because every dream image, animal or person is a subtle or powerful aspect of your own efficient working.

    Whenever we dream its images are not like real life, because a dream is nothing like outer life where things could hurt you, but is an image like on a cinema screen that even if a gun is pointed at you and fired it can do no damage – except if you run in fear; so all the things that scare you are simply your own fears projected onto the screen of your sleeping mind.
    It is also important to realise that every image, every scary or terrifying thing, is taken place inside you, in your mind, as you sleep. This means that every awful animal, every scary thing or person, is created out of your own fears and must not be seen as outside you as happens in waking awareness. The problem is that we are often scared of or frightened of actually experiencing our emotions and so they confront us in our dreams. Avoiding them or controlling them is like running away from oneself – there is no escape.
    But you obviously have learnt to face your own fears – your anxieties – because the lion got near you – your fear became more conscious – and walked away.

    Congratulations – but it would be helpful to clarify what you have done to meet your fear face to face. Try using http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson

    Tony

-Rebecca 2016-06-11 7:30:51

Hi
I dreamt I was cuddling a lion in bed. I was aware and slightly anxious that he may attack me but the cuddle was so nice I carried on. Then I realised the lion was actually my fiancee so continued to cuddle but then it got sexual…..I was reluctant to touch him them but did so through his shorts (I know lions don’t wear shorts but hey its a dream) we did have intercourse but was cut short through a family member coming home early.

-Charley 2016-03-22 8:45:01

I wonder if you can help. I had a vivid dream and in my gut I know it must have significant meaning. I somehow dozed off and when I woke up a lion had fallen asleep next to me…it looked cute and harmless and I wasn’t afraid (I was in my mothers house) However I was afraid to fall asleep next to the lion in case it ate me in the night. I therefore put the lion in a babies crib (I don’t have kids of my own). There was a lioness in the other room caged safely, which I seemed to already be aware of and wasn’t afraid. In the morning I was relaxed doing chores then a friend came over and told me the lion was loose in the bedroom and the lioness was loose in the rest of the house too. The lioness was not angry and I even touched her tail by accident and she did nothing. I tried to lock the lioness outside but couldn’t as she was too strong. Then I woke up. Can you give me any guidance?

    -Anna - Tony's Assistant 2016-03-28 10:00:50

    Dear Charley – Please explore your dream yourself as well as it is your creation; http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/
    Your dream may reflect feelings you are not aware of yet; “I somehow dozed off and when I woke up a lion had fallen asleep next to me”.
    If you are being eaten by for instance a lion, this shows you being deeply influenced by urges that you feel will rob you of your will or direction.
    It will be interesting to explore if the lion is a symbol for your relationship with what is called an autonomous complex (your internal infant; “I therefore put the lion in a babies crib”)
    In Carl Jung’s theory, complexes may be conscious, partly conscious, or unconscious. Complexes can be positive or negative, resulting in good or bad consequences.
    Some complexes usurp power from the ego – “However I was afraid to fall asleep next to the lion in case it ate me in the night” – and can cause psychological disturbance. With intervention, it may become conscious and greatly reduced in their impact.
    As the autonomous complexes hold in them such varied and spontaneous responses to life, they have enormous creative potential if they can be met and expressed in a way that does not dominate or destroy the central personality. The characters we meet in dreams, their variety and difference to how we know and think of ourselves, present us very clearly with the enormous variety of talents, sensitivities, possible approaches to a situation, and personality types that we hold within us. If we can tap them they are an enormous resource. Although it can be very disorienting and even frightening to meet ones internal infant, and feel its explosive moods and deep instinctive longings, it can enlarge our perspective of life enormously, as well as our ability to relate more widely; http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson
    When you may decide to learn to manage these urges, the intervention might come from your role as an observer; http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/self-observation/.
    “In the morning I was relaxed doing chores” may reflect that once you let go of control, whatever you have repressed will surface naturally and dealing with it is part of your inner work.
    Because of the context of your dream, your lioness may be a symbol of your inner mother; http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/mother-mum-ma/#InnerMother and http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/archetype-of-the-anima-jungs-view-of-the-female-in-the-male/
    Your dream reflects that you cannot lock this part of you outside the door (outside your mind) – http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/the-archetype-of-the-shadow/ – so you might want to explore other ways of dealing with the lioness in your inner world.
    See also http://dreamhawk.com/approaches-to-being/opening-to-life/
    Anna 🙂

-Amanda 2016-03-16 13:34:56

I just woke up and started seaching this topic as I just had a dream that is effecting me at the moment

My dog was missing and I went back to I soppose the lions den, where it felt normal that I jad a small lioness Panther and lion living in my home. I noticed the gate needed to be shut so they couldn’t roam around as much and at that point realized they had eaten my beloved dog. I was heartbroken and still feel it. As I was shutting the gate angry and upset that my dog was dead , the animals started to attack me. I got the door shut in time and had to call for help with locking the cage

My boyfriend was there concealing me then all of a sudden my ex is there also concealing me All of a sudden my ex n I are shopping and I realize I am late for my sisters wedding. All while mourning the death of my dog …
Any interpretation would be helpful. Thank you

-Helz 2016-02-14 10:44:39

Hiya,
im at a loss for interpreting what the meaning behind this dream is, I have searched all day looking for answers.
My son and I are walking down a wide grass pathway in a dry field and either side of us are enormous fences. I’m carrying a broken chair from home to throw over the fence for the lions (to play with I think?), we see a car in the distance driving around that belongs to a friend of ours (who has recently been quite ill) he is roaring out the window and we wave as he drives on. When we get to the lion enclosure there are 3, I think 1 male and 2 female. I notice a ranger heading towards us with a large gun but am not scared, it’s his job to patrol. The male notices him too and heads off towards him. One of the females though spots us and races over towards us just as I’m thinking we can’t possibly throw the chair over the fence, it’s just way too high! She picks up her pace and reaches the fence, I remember looking at the large gate and seeing the chains and feeling relieved it was bolted shut. She jumps and I see her go straight over the fence and I watch her slow motion like, come at me, thinking not much I can do about this, this is it! But I wasn’t scared I don’t think. As soon as she lands on me I woke up but I felt like I would have died. I wasn’t shaken or frightened by the dream at all, I felt calm…..but curious

    -Anna - Tony's Assistant 2016-02-18 9:20:05

    Dear Helz – You wrote “I have searched all day looking for answers.” Do you know the joke about the “streetlight effect”;
    “A policeman sees a drunken man searching for something under a streetlight and asks what the drunk has lost. He says he lost his keys and they both look under the streetlight together. After a few minutes the policeman asks if he is sure he lost them here, and the drunk replies, no, and that he lost them in the park. The policeman asks why he is searching here, and the drunk replies, “this is where the light is.”
    The streetlight effect is a type of observational bias where people only look for whatever they are searching by looking where it is easiest.
    In the context of your dream it means that you will not find the meaning of your dream outside yourself, but in the dark contents of your unconscious mind; http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/
    Is that where you searched all day?
    Being curious is a wonderful start and so:
    What does it feel like to walk in between enormous fences?
    What do you associate with the broken chair?
    What does it feel like to be a broken chair? http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson
    “we see a car in the distance driving around that belongs to a friend of ours (who has recently been quite ill) he is roaring out the window and we wave as he drives on.”
    What does it feel like “to roar”; http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/anger-angry/
    “I notice a ranger heading towards us with a large gun but am not scared; it’s his job to patrol.”
    What does it feel like to “patrol/control” your inner lions?
    What does it feel like to let your inner lion jump over the fence?
    See http://dreamhawk.com/approaches-to-being/the-lifestream/#Open
    Anna 🙂

      -Helz 2016-02-26 13:48:36

      Thank you Anna for helping me with this. I needed to step outside my head a bit to remember that only I can find what my subconscious was trying to say. I was too busy looking out instead of in
      I understand it now, although the chair still has me puzzled lol
      Thank you xx

        -Anna - Tony's Assistant 2016-02-26 16:42:33

        Dear Helz – The broken chair could be a symbol for some habit or attitude that “does not work anymore.” Maybe it reflects a relaxed attitude that is caused by repressing, rather than by having dealt with your inner feelings (lions)?
        In your dream you become aware that what you had in mind – to throw the broken chair over the fence – will not work either.
        Often we learn which approach will work by learning first what does not work.
        Your dream shows though that you become aware what does work; “She jumps and I see her go straight over the fence and I watch her slow motion like, come at me, thinking not much I can do about this, this is it! But I wasn’t scared I don’t think. As soon as she lands on me I woke up but I felt like I would have died.”
        The death of your old self is part of being born again and of exploring and gradually learning new ways to deal with yourself and your inner world.
        It is good to realise that an inner growth process that is expressed in one dream, will take time and inner work in your waking life.
        Anna 🙂

-Isaiah White 2016-02-02 1:35:23

Last night, 2/01/16, I had a dream I was in some town or city. There were a few dozens of people pointing up at the top of this old brick building about 8 or 9 stories high. At the top there appeared to be 3 to 4 lions growling, walking back and fourth out of our eyesights, then immediately someone pulled my attention away, “There’s people still in the!” Someone exclaimed, and I was quick to approach the door. “They have guns!” Someone in the crowd screamed out, so I picked up a broom stick on the side of the doorway and wrapped a metal hanger, that i found on the ground, around the tip and looked back at the audience and askef who was coming with me. Thankfully, my older brother Josh was there, astonished by bravery, so he joied arms with me. Then I noticed two older guys, one was a minister I’ve worked with, and the other was a good friend I worked with as well. All of them I knew, and all I can trust. Anyways, they all follow me into this now dark, deserted building. There was hardly any light, but as I lead them through the dark hallways in stealth, we spotted our enemy. I went to take him out and he tried to shoot me, but I reflected his attack and knocked the gun out of his hands and shanked the man in the chest with my stick. After noticing his death, I signal the others to keep moving. They were all in awe of courage, especially Josh, so they continued by my side. Next we approached a dead end, but it wasn’t completely dead. There was an old ragged ladder that went straight up. I thought I heard a woman or child up there, so I instructed that we all climb up. After just a few feet up the ladder, I noticed a couple screech sounds and I feared that one of the older men, who was a bit overweight, might be too much weight for the ladder. I didn’t want to hert his feelings, but I noticed the sweat in his brow already, so I asked him and the other man to stay down and keep watch. Once my brother and I reached the top of the ladder, we saw that it was just an attic. I looked back thinking we should climb back down, but then I heard growling. It had to be the lion! I clinched on tightly to my staff and proceeded towards the snare. My brother was in awe of my bravery and continued by my side. As we made it around the corner, we can now see light sipping through the cracks of the wall. Through the light we can see that these weren’t lions at all, but lioness. I stared, waiting patiently for its next move. Sadly, I woke up, not sure if it ever noticed me or not. Please share your opinions on what you might project through this dream of mine. Thanks.

-Pauline 2015-12-12 5:46:52

I dreamt that I was at a zoo and watching lions behind bars, pacing back and forwards. Tgen all of a sudden they disappeared. They had cleverly made dens which resembled caves and could escape from these. I was very afraid and tried to tell someone at the zoo that we were all in danger but no one listened to me.

    -Anna - Tony's Assistant 2015-12-18 15:16:16

    Dear Pauline – A zoo is a symbol of inner urges and instincts that are repressed, or caged; so your spontaneous urges trapped by social conventions. It might suggest that you find it sager to see your natural urges and drives caged/repressed because it seems safer.
    It can also show how you relate to natural urges and instincts such as sexuality, parental caring, social grouping etc.
    What do you feel when you see lions behind bars, pacing back and forwards?
    Captivity often drives (our inner) animals crazy – they pace back and forwards – like it happens in a zoo when lions don’t get to do the things that are natural and important to them because they are kept in cramped spaces with virtually no privacy and very few opportunities to exercise or keep their minds active.
    I believe that you must have perceived their pacing as disturbing and so you gradually learned to totally repress these feelings and urges; to push them into a cave, which is a symbol of your unconscious mind.
    See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/animals-as-dream-figures/
    Perhaps it helps to explore what you perceive as dangerous about repressed urges and instincts?
    See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/autonomous-complex/
    QUOTE:
    Apart from the infant there are many beings we touch in our dreams. It can be everything from the deeply animal such as the dog (or the lion) in our dreams, or the wolf, to the sadist, the lover, the monk and the business tycoon. If we do not meet these characters and manage them in our life, they will certainly manage us, and lead us into relationship tangles, emotional responses and actions that are not what we ourselves choose to be or feel.
    Let me know if you have any questions Pauline.
    Anna 🙂

-Marilyn 2015-11-03 18:44:58

Tony – Last night woke up from a dream of being held down by a lioness, one paw across my chest and I could look up into her face as she looked around. I feared she would claw me open or bit my neck to kill me but she didn’t before I woke. I didn’t wake fearful..just woke up.
Thankyou for any comment.
Marilyn McArdle

-Stephen May 2015-08-03 9:59:58

Can you please differentiate between the lioness and the (male) lion in a dream? I dreamed of a pile of very large dead lions and on top stood a lioness of equal size licking the blood of a dead lion. I hopped in my car and drove at speed and the lioness gave chase but I sensed she was just playing, not really trying to catch me.

-dionne 2015-05-21 15:10:19

I had a dream that i put a female lion in my backyard of an old townhouse i use to live in many years ago.The lioness somehow broke down the gate an roamed free..all of a sudden i was scared where as i wasnt before.i tried calling the police and animal control but at 1st the call wouldnt go thru..then when i spoke with police i couldnt speak inorder to explain..i suppose i was to excited scared or upset..the words came out in peices…informed the police not to kill her just to subdue her…then all of a sudden i felt the need to bond with the police ..(which i hate in real life) and tell him about how im planni g to build a shipping container home…then i jump to a sceen where im in an appartment…and the lion is there in the kitchen while theres a baby playing on the floor..the lion was there but wasnt harming anyone..however i was terrified annd woke up…really dont know what happened to that lioness….i rarely remeber my dreams..but im going thru some things and found this to be very mind boggling

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