Fortitude: Meditation Mama & the Lion of Judah
- Emilene Heiderscheit
- Jul 2
- 4 min read
Who else has that one child, the one who’s actually your greatest teacher?
Apologies, Judah. When you read this someday, I hope you’ll understand.
This is a story about hearing God, about divine symbolism, and about how our children often become the clearest mirrors of our spiritual evolution.
Where Do You Connect with God the Best?
Before children (BC—before children, of course ), it was always in nature. I felt closest to God beneath wide skies, among trees and rivers, walking barefoot and prayerful.
Now I’m blessed to still enjoy nature, with my children, but they get my full attention.
So instead, God meets me in quieter corners:
In the shower.
In the car.
And during meditation.
A Vision in the Stillness
This week, during my shower meditation and prayer, I envisioned a lion. My eyes were closed, and it resembled the way you "see" in a dream. The image was a clear, three-dimensional outline between my eyes, often referred to as the third eye.
This wasn't an ordinary lion. It was akin to a spiritual connection, filled with peace and surrender, divine, as though there was a message intended for me.
Later that day, I pondered and explored its significance! The Lion kept appearing in the songs playing in the car, and it stirred my memories. My heart was deeply touched.
Then, a lot of it became clear to me.
My son’s name is Judah.
The Lion of Judah
I’ve always loved lions, especially thanks to The Lion King (okay, maybe obsessed is more accurate).
At our wedding, we even surprised guests with a little performance to “Circle of Life.” Lions have long been a symbol of strength, loyalty, and divine connection for me.
But this vision was different. It felt full circle.
Naming our son Judah had purpose from the start. But now?
I feel the magnitude of his name expanding.
Over the last three years, animals have often appeared in my meditations and energy sessions, messengers from God.
But the lion?
This one roared with meaning.
What Does It Mean to See a Lion Spiritually?
Across many traditions, the lion represents:
Courage
Protection
Presence
Heart-Centered Power
Shamans say lions are connected to the sun—a reminder to release our tempers, troubles, and fears, especially as the day ends. As the sun sets, we’re invited to leave behind the weight of the day and step into the radiant power of the present moment.
Shaman’s Prayer:
“I ask for your watchful eye to dissolve the negativity that surrounds me and to protect me from harm.”
The word that came to me after this meditation was fortitude.
It bubbled up from within, and I hadn’t consciously used it in years.
I looked it up:
“Fortitude is the strength of mind and courage to face pain, adversity, or temptation with perseverance—not through our own strength, but through God’s power and grace.”
(2 Corinthians 4:7)
These messages relate to various aspects of life, as I find myself at the midpoint of life at age 42, not yet who I am becoming and no longer who I was. This is also applicable to my three incredible, soul-driven businesses: GreenHouse Holistic Co-op, Driftless Retreats, and Emilene Anna, LLC.
The Bible, the Lion, and the Lamb
Reconnecting with the Bible has been a profound part of my spiritual growth.
Growing up Catholic, I was an altar girl and completed all the sacraments. But only in recent years, through Bible study communities, have I come to spiritually understand its power, not a religion BUT a follower of Jesus.
Jesus is the Lion of Judah,
But what makes Him most powerful is that He became the Lamb.
He didn’t conquer with force.
He conquered through humility.
He laid down His power so we could rise in ours. WOW!
“He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him…”
(Philippians 2:5–9)
It was His suffering, His surrender, and His love that made Him the truest Lion.
And Then There’s Judah… My Son.
He is wild and wonderfully strong-willed.
He stretches me.
Challenges me.
And teaches me things no book ever could.
Through him, I’m learning how God speaks not just through silence and Scripture but through motherhood.
In the chaos.
In the questions.
In the resilience, defiance and armory.
Start Here
If you’ve been feeling disconnected from God, start here:
Be still. Be open.
Listen to what comes through nature, memory, movies, children, or unexpected moments in the shower.
Meditation with God brings my love for lions full circle
from The Lion King, to the name Judah, to the sacred image that visited me this week, reminding me that Jesus is my Savior, King with Strength and Softness, Protection and Presence.
A Final Word: Fortitude
Maybe you’re holding on by a thread right now.
Maybe you feel like your strength is gone.
Let this remind you:
It’s not your strength that will carry you.
It’s His.
The Lion of Judah fights for you.
The Lamb has already redeemed you.
All that’s left is to trust the Circle.
I’m humbled. I’m grateful.
And I’m listening.
All Light and Love, Emilene
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