The Yoga Interpretation of The Lion King

JeremiahShanti · 11-01-2009, 11:07 AM

When I watched The Lion King back in my high school days, I wept- it was the only time a movie made me cry. It was so profoundly beautiful to me, I couldn't understand why. After studying yoga for 5 years, I finally understood why.

Checkout my video analysis here.

In a nutshell, the characters of the Lion King represent inner archetypes.
Mufasa represents the Infinite Universal Consciousness
Scar symbolizes the ego
Simba symbolizes the incarnated soul
Pride rock and all its inhabitants represent the bodily kingdom
(not just the physical body, but also our mental, emotional, and spiritual bodies.)
The Hyenas are personifications of our lower nature.
The stampede of wildebeest symbolizes the restlessness of the ego.
The Lionesses represent the chakras
Nala (Simba’s Beloved) symbolizes the evolutionary/kundalini energy
Rafiki represents the unconscious

Checkout the video on the significance of their interactions. And I promise you, you'll see that the Lion King is very much like the Mahabharata.

JeremiahShanti · 11-01-2009, 11:14 AM

For the poll, I meant "Disney will never outdo their Lion King movie

"

john104 · 11-01-2009, 12:42 PM

That's really insightful, thanks Jeremiah! That's an interesting connection, the Mahabharata and The Lion King.

When I was little I always saw Mufasah as a divine character. Youtube is down right now, but I'll be sure to check out your analysis when it's back up.

john104 · 11-01-2009, 12:44 PM

And as far as Disney outdoing the movie The Lion King, I don't think Disney, or anyone else (usually), makes many movies with much meaning anymore. I wonder what connections we can make with other older Disney movies.

Alix · 11-01-2009, 01:37 PM

I'm a Mulan fan myself.

Hubert · 11-01-2009, 02:05 PM

And a Tarzan fan here. You know, the Son of Man has been used in other context.

Have to watch the Lion King, yet. ( I did start to watch these after we got our daughter)

Nichole · 11-01-2009, 02:20 PM

thoughtful yogis think alike! we have had this discussion before, begun by justwannabe.

*nichole

JeremiahShanti · 11-01-2009, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john104

And as far as Disney outdoing the movie The Lion King, I don't think Disney, or anyone else (usually), makes many movies with much meaning anymore. I wonder what connections we can make with other older Disney movies.

So true, Hollywood is more concerned about making a profit for their investors than making something timeless.

Fairy tales always have something esoteric in them.
Sleeping Beauty:
the sleeping princess= the sleeping kundalini
the prince= the incarnated soul

Snow White:
the 7 Dwarfs= the 7 chakras that need to be cleansed
Sleepy= 1st chakra w/ the sleeping kundalini
Bashful= sex chakra
Grumpy= solarplex/will chakra
Dopey= heart chakra (he is the sweetest/most devotional of the 7

Sneezy= Throat chakra
Doc= ajna chakra
Happy= crown chakra

Pinocchio:
as the captive stooge: the traps of instant gratification
in temptation island: the destruction of the body through bad habits
in the belly of the whale: the dark night of the soul

JeremiahShanti · 11-01-2009, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hubert

And a Tarzan fan here. You know, the Son of Man has been used in other context.

Have to watch the Lion King, yet. ( I did start to watch these after we got our daughter)

It will resonate with you like you won't believe!

Xamilo · 11-06-2009, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alix

I'm a Mulan fan myself.

+1. Mulan is by far the best Disney Movie ever. The whole honor/sacrifice-discipline/will story has no comparison...

TonyTamer · 11-07-2009, 05:16 PM

Art is Life and Life is Art, sorta like Yeats' ( I think ) A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Real Art is Truth and Truth speaks of the deeper things with surface symbols sometimes. All Life to those that deeply see is meaningful beyond the surface. Fairy Tales, cartoons, animated movies, Bach, Beethoven,Flowers, trees,you and me, words and silence, all travel in the same direction and carry their destination in their hearts. I guess what we call Art to ourselves is whatever touches us and brings on this heart vision. Different people have different things; some things are more universal because they go deeper and resonate clearer. I was a bartender for 20 years and I can't read Gunga Din by Rudyard Kipling in public anymore...I cry like a baby by the 2nd stanza, and I love reading it aloud because of the accents. Maybe I'll internalize this someday. I love Disney movies and animation in General. Johnny Weismueller Tarzan's too. Namaste

View Poll Results: Disney will never outdo this
agree	1	33.33%
disagree	2	66.67%
Voters: 3. You may not vote on this poll

11-01-2009, 11:14 AM	#2
JeremiahShanti catvaarimshát Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 41	For the poll, I meant "Disney will never outdo their Lion King movie"

11-01-2009, 01:37 PM	#5
Alix Eternal Optimist Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Edmonton Posts: 695	I'm a Mulan fan myself. __________________ You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it. Robin Williams

11-01-2009, 02:05 PM	#6
Hubert sahásra Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Romania Posts: 1,173	And a Tarzan fan here. You know, the Son of Man has been used in other context. Have to watch the Lion King, yet. ( I did start to watch these after we got our daughter) __________________ "wahetever we deny or embrace, for worse or for better, we belong togheter" Pat Benatar

11-01-2009, 02:20 PM	#7
Nichole rockin' in the free world Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Boulder, CO, USA Posts: 1,444	thoughtful yogis think alike! we have had this discussion before, begun by justwannabe. *nichole __________________ Nichole Nurenberg-Miller Structural & Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist Certified Yoga Therapist • RYT500 www.fivekoshayoga.com

11-01-2009, 11:07 AM	#1
JeremiahShanti catvaarimshát Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 41	When I watched The Lion King back in my high school days, I wept- it was the only time a movie made me cry. It was so profoundly beautiful to me, I couldn't understand why. After studying yoga for 5 years, I finally understood why. Checkout my video analysis here. In a nutshell, the characters of the Lion King represent inner archetypes. Mufasa represents the Infinite Universal Consciousness Scar symbolizes the ego Simba symbolizes the incarnated soul Pride rock and all its inhabitants represent the bodily kingdom (not just the physical body, but also our mental, emotional, and spiritual bodies.) The Hyenas are personifications of our lower nature. The stampede of wildebeest symbolizes the restlessness of the ego. The Lionesses represent the chakras Nala (Simba’s Beloved) symbolizes the evolutionary/kundalini energy Rafiki represents the unconscious Checkout the video on the significance of their interactions. And I promise you, you'll see that the Lion King is very much like the Mahabharata.

11-01-2009, 12:42 PM	#3
john104 vimshatí Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 22	That's really insightful, thanks Jeremiah! That's an interesting connection, the Mahabharata and The Lion King. When I was little I always saw Mufasah as a divine character. Youtube is down right now, but I'll be sure to check out your analysis when it's back up.

11-01-2009, 12:44 PM	#4
john104 vimshatí Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 22	And as far as Disney outdoing the movie The Lion King, I don't think Disney, or anyone else (usually), makes many movies with much meaning anymore. I wonder what connections we can make with other older Disney movies.

11-07-2009, 05:16 PM	#11
TonyTamer shatá Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Winston-Salem,NC Posts: 182	Art is Life and Life is Art, sorta like Yeats' ( I think ) A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Real Art is Truth and Truth speaks of the deeper things with surface symbols sometimes. All Life to those that deeply see is meaningful beyond the surface. Fairy Tales, cartoons, animated movies, Bach, Beethoven,Flowers, trees,you and me, words and silence, all travel in the same direction and carry their destination in their hearts. I guess what we call Art to ourselves is whatever touches us and brings on this heart vision. Different people have different things; some things are more universal because they go deeper and resonate clearer. I was a bartender for 20 years and I can't read Gunga Din by Rudyard Kipling in public anymore...I cry like a baby by the 2nd stanza, and I love reading it aloud because of the accents. Maybe I'll internalize this someday. I love Disney movies and animation in General. Johnny Weismueller Tarzan's too. Namaste

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