Lion symbolism and meaning
Articles about lions are both popular and extremely fun to write. But why? Sure they are beautiful and exciting, but something more defines them.
Lions mean many things to many people; just like the cat itself is both wild and restrained all in one powerful, passionate pounce. In this article we will go through how symbolism of the lion has and does been used throughout the ages, from the ancient art of the Egyptians to today’s popular movie franchises.
Lions have been featured throughout history in many types of art, and a wide array of themes surrounds them. This is derived from the fact that they have such an incredible personality, and every aspect, from style to behavior has been studied and can be represented in some form of artwork.
Almost all ancient civilizations have artwork about lions, and the meaning there is also varied. Lions can hold the symbolism of royalty, and there is an actual study of their physical traits that shows the better ones were used to breed with those lacking qualities. A great example is the lioness Sarabi; when paired with Simba, the lion cub and protagonist from the movie The Lion King, she becomes a step mother and an excellent queen, who leads a pack into a kingdom.
Lion Native American symbolism
Because the lion is a king of the jungle, it is associated with power, strength, and nobility. It’s also a symbol of the sun. The lion symbolizes devotion, strength, and protection. It is said to bring happiness, courage, and good fortune. The lion is a symbol of glory, honor, and eternal life.
Using lions as symbols in the art deco period was a very common occurrence. The bright colors and unique mosaic pattern was used on many community projects.
A 1914 article was written by Willys Overland Company The Lion Decorative Iron Wall Plates. The lion as big white cat was placed along with the panther in the decor of the hotel lobby. An original resort site in South Africa used the African Lion as the hotel emblem.
Lions were painted on chairs, lamps, and other places used for decoration. The inspiration of the lions in these decor pieces was the concept of power and freedom. The idea behind the art deco lions were to portray the great power of the animal.
In ancient cultures the lion was an epitome of powerful rulers. Even today the king is called the Lion or the Lion King.
Lion Eastern Symbolism
In Eastern culture, the lion represents royalty/ nobility, courage, freedom, and vitality. The lion also symbolizes generosity, justice, good leadership, and bravery.
When the lion is depicted with the dragon, the dragon represents wisdom and the lion, strength. The lion can represent the negative attributes of the cat family—domination, lust (known for its mane), cowardice (nocturnal), fierceness, anger, and speed.
Lion Christianity symbolism
Lions are mainly found in the desert or grasslands. In cultures such as ancient Egyptian and Hindus they are often used for statues and paintings.
The Asiatic lions, which are extremely rare, have adapted to such an environment. They can be found in the Gir forest of India.
Lions are the symbol of desolation and solitude. They are also regarded as symbols of courage and bravery.
A famous lion in Christianity is Saint Jerome, who dedicated his life to study and understanding the Bible.
Jerome was said to have dragged a dying lion on his own to safety. It is said that he even tamed a second lion (a female) in the wilderness.
As a symbol of bravery, lions are sometimes associated with Christ’s crucifixion. In a book written by Junius, a lion is believed to have sat around Christ’s cross during the crucifixion.
The lion had been crouched around the cross on the next day and had stayed until Christ’s body was taken down. The lion then returned to the wild.
However, the lion is not usually associated with Christianity. Rather, it is with Judaism and Islam. And because lions are found in the desert, the lion is associated with the Desert Fathers.
Lion Celtic symbolism
The lion’s Celtic spirit love is considered to be daring, prowess, fearlessness, etc. Native Americans consider a lion to be a guardian of silence, and therefore is a great defender of things hidden.
Celtic Alchemical Symbolism
The front part of the lion, the head appears in the alchemical process. It suggests to the alchemists that they should be patient, deliberate, and perceptive in identifying, detecting, and separating the material they are working with and can be applied to.
Celtic Astrological Symbolism
The lion revolves around the sun. And that is why it encourages boldness, enterprise, and progress.
Because of the lion’s connection with the sun, or the masculine principle that is involved with the concept, it is also believed to be interested in rousing or cultivating the wild side of women, and bringing them out of trances and enchantments.
Celtic Natural Symbolism
The lion is the king of the animals. And the lion’s natural symbolism is regarded as a nurturer and a guardian.
Lions symbolize heart, mind, devotion, and faithfulness.
Lion African symbolism
Meaning, & characteristics.
The lion is one of the most important totems in African cultures and traditions. They are one of the most powerful symbols of the ancient African life. Lions live in prides, which are groups of lionesses and their cubs. Prides roam around protecting the territory and chasing off the lions from other prides.
A male lion is often the leader of the pride but other animals within the pride can speak out to him. Cubs can also be cast out of the family pride if they fail to perform well against the other young lions in the pride.
The lion is the strongest predator on the African continent, along with the hyena. Their strength strongly relates to this African animal symbolism.
Africa is rich with tradition, myth, and symbolism. When an encounter with the lion (or any other important African animal totem) occurs you are being greeted by the spirit of an ancestral relative. They are your ancestors watching over you and helping you.
When a lion blesses you, you will feel and see strength, courage, and power.
When the lion attacks you, you are being visited by a demon or the spirit of a malevolent person who is brought about your negative energy. You need to clean your energy of these negative feelings and spirits and you will attract only positive manifestations.
Lion in dreams
The lion is a symbol of strength, vitality, and courage and is a universal symbol of royalty.
Those who dream about lions are being called to these traits in themselves.
The positive interpretation of the lion in dreams is courage; lion meaning for a woman is that she is looking for power in herself.
If you dream of a lion confronting you, fear is the situation that you are facing today. There is something going on that you are feeling unable to deal with.
When you dream of seeing a lion clean and healthy, you are encouraged to be brave, postive, and strong in front of a difficult situation.
Lion meaning for a man is that he must be the protective man of his household.
Lion encounters and omens
The lion is one of the most respected animals in the world. It represents strength and power. With a long life expectancy and a very strong instinct for survival, the lion is associated with healthy living. The lion shows up in our lives as an encounter, a dream, or an omen to warn us of a coming danger.
The lion is a symbol of regal power. A lion symbol is often seen as a symbol for courage, bravery, a dominant personality, and initiative as well as a love for the outdoor and nature.
In dreams, the lion represents strength, physical power, and primal instincts. The lion in dreams can indicate that you have an animalistic desire for the chase. Lions appear in dreams to signify that you may be headed to a place of safety or transitioning to a more secure time in your life.
Lion encounters or omen include having a new pet lion, or a child you babysit acting like a lion. Your dream or object of importance may have a lion emblem on it. You might also see or hear a lion roar or growl.
Lion means that strength and power is in your life. It is especially present in the lives of people who are looking for more stability and have gained courage from facing their fears. The lion is a symbol of regal power. A lion symbol is often seen as corresponding to the zodiac sign Leo as well as the astrological symbol of the sun.
Lion mythology and folklore
Millions of people are fascinated by the majesty of the feline and, of all the big cats where lions are the sole representatives of the Leo, the signature star sign that symbolizes the lion, man’s fascination with the king of the jungle can be traced far back in time.
Lions, as you probably know, are portrayed as fierce and predatory warriors in African folklore. Thus, they are often linked with people who can be described in similar terms such as warriors, chieftains, kings, chiefs, emperors, etc. All these people have to be strong, courageous, dignified, and always ready to confront their enemies.
Lions also represent boldness, courage, pride, and leadership. They are often used in art, literature, and poetry as symbols of might and strength, afraid of nothing.
Let’s have a look at the lion symbolism through the eyes of several folklore tales from the ancient Greeks to the Native American Indians of the Pacific Northwest. Please note that the ancient Egyptian, Assyrian, and Babylonian also revered the lion, however, their views slightly differed from the ones held by the classical European traditions.
Lion spirit animal
There are two types of Lion, from a dream interpretation point of view. In this interpretation, we are going to focus on a lion representing a member of the cat family you may or may not be aware of.
First of all, the lion is recognized as a symbol for magical power, or animal magic. When you see a lion in your dream, you may be having your own animal magic taken out on you. That magic could be bringing out the animal in you that you have repressed for a long time.
The black magic side of this animal is about an opportunist. They may be looking for something and will take any opportunity to get it now. They also could show up to warn you about the future, and something that is going to happen.
If the lion is a cat, it is some person you know easily. It could also be the ability to learn an animal language. It is a natural ability.
Lions have been known to predict weather in this dream interpretation. Their roar during a storm alerts everyone to take shelter. The tiger also can do this, but the idea is that it is the lions that are warning us.
Believe it or not, there is also a weather forecast for lions available for researchers.
Lion totem animal
Lioness: The lioness is a symbol of power, protective, passion, and devotion. The lioness is a symbol of the power of a woman. The lioness is independent, strong, and knows how to protect her own. She can be violent but is equally caring and loving. She is a risk taker, and she’s got many friends because she has a no nonsense approach. The lioness is a symbol of the female leaders who represent strength, bravery, courage, and above all, pride and devotion.
Lion: The lion is a symbol of strength and nobility. He is a symbol of the balance of power between nature and man. The lion shows respect, courtesy, communication, forgiveness, connection to the earth, and his eyes see straight to the heart of you. The lion is a symbol of how to rule with love instead of power. His eyes are the color of the sun and are veiled in a golden mane, which represents the sun’s rays.
In Egyptian mythology, lions were represented as gods. They were believed to be mediators between humans and the gods. We see lions depicted in Egyptian art as the guardians of the dead. The Egyptians believed that the soul left the body from the head and the heart of the deceased was weighed against the f