狮面空行母藏名「森哈母卡扎给尼」，是一位非常威猛的本尊，续主是阿弥陀佛，所以在中阴成就法中可以把亡者刹那间送往极乐国土；部主是般若佛母，表示狮面空行母是般若智慧的形象化的表现，具足一切智慧如百兽之王一样。。

在西藏主要有格鲁派派、萨迦派、宁玛派和噶举派四支主流派别。这四支主派，都尊崇狮面空行母。宁玛派和噶举派所修的狮面空行母，传承与格律派和萨迦派的不太一样。格律派所修的，则本来源自萨迦派传承。

狮面空行母有一个名为「回遮法」的诛灭仪轨，因为太猛烈太易相应，所以自古以来此法都是个别传授或单一传授。修持「回遮法」不但可以帮助行者歼灭一切敌对的诅咒、邪障、降头、蛊术、魔璋、恶兆及灾难，如果行者是具足慈悲心，还可以把破波罗夷者或破誓言者送往佛土。

狮面空行母原始法身为般若佛身，报身为金刚亥母，而化身即是狮面空行母，为宁玛巴之殊胜本尊，一身兼为莲师之上师、本尊、空行、护法，可遮止一切邪魔，具大威神力。福报接受威力尊传法灌顶，勤修本尊心咒法轨礼讚胜尊，能降伏邪魔、消除外道恶符咒诅及鬼神附身之伤害，更让恶梦、恶龙神、星曜凶神、阻碍佛法者迅速消除，行者更得怀召威权、财富、增上好人缘，受人喜爱之效益。

The dakini Simhamukha is a female meditational deity with a lion face. In the Sarma traditions (Sakya, Kagyu, Gelug) she arises out of the Chakrasamvara cycle of Tantras and belongs to the Anuttarayoga 'wisdom' classification. The Sarma tradition Simhamukha is somewhat unrelated to the deity of the same name and appearance in the Nyingma tradition, although the Nyingma Simhamukha is based on the Sarma tradition of Bari Lotsawa according to Nyangral Nyima Ozer. In the Nyingma 'Treasure' tradition Simhamukha is regarded as one of the many forms of Padmasambhava, specifically a 'secret' form of Guru Rinpoche within the system of outer, inner and secret manifestations.