SIMBA & Elm Flower Essence
by Adenike Tamara Walters
An archetype is a typical example of a certain person or thing. A statement or pattern of behavior, a first form or a main model in which other statements, patterns of behavior and objects copy emulate or merge into. A collectively inherited unconscious idea, pattern of thought etc., that is universally present in individual psyches, as in a constantly recurring symbol or motif in literature, painting, or mythology. They also continue to influence feelings and behavior even after some degree of consciousness developed later on. A Spiritual Archetype is like a spiritual identity. It is an energy that may infuse our being for a given period of time and cause us to feel a particular way within our relationships with people and to the world in general.
Simba was born into a family of the pride of lions that ruled the jungle. He was lovingly being raised by his father Mufassa, the King, and his mother Serabi. The King told his young cub that one day he too would be King, and rule everywhere the light touches. The lion cub was delighted at the prospect of one day ruling this animal kingdom like his father. The healthy soul expresses itself by wanting to care for and serve others, but at times this positive altruistic impulse can be stymied. Simba’s excitement grew more and more about the possibilities that lied ahead. He envisioned himself with the ability to shoulder the task effectively. This Archetype shows Elm balancing the natural leadership capacities within the soul, especially by integrating these with the true directives of the Higher Self. Simba knew in his heart that his call to be King resinated within him, even as a cub growing up. The early imbalance of this archetype showed itself in eagerness and naivety within him as he bragged about his new information and shared it with many, especially his jealous Uncle Scar, who was in line for the throne before Simba was born.
His Uncle Scar served as a great contrast for Simba, who was the direct opposite personality of his father. Scar showed himself to be the undermining brother that was letting nothing stand in his way in taking the throne from Mufassa. Scar continued to encourage Simba in his inquisitiveness and disobeying his father’s instructions. As Simba grew and played through-out his young days, he would convince his young friend Nala to go roaming around with him past the boundaries that were set for them. Simba would plot ways to venture out into the elephant’s grave yard, and scoping out what laid beyond.
To Simba these adventures were exciting, he felt he could prove to himself and to his father that he was a strong and a brave lion that would one day rule well. Simba failed many times as his dad had to save him from near death experiences time and time again. Perfectionism - wanting to be the hero He became frustrated and overwhelmed for not being successful in his quests. Simba’s leadership abilities were beginning to surface and whatever the outcome he kept trying. Wanting to prove himself a lion of high standards of perfection; to show his bravery to his father but not succeeding. Becoming responsible requires that one rightly assesses one’s “ability to respond.” In this archetype Simba’s over-perfectioist or unrealistic goals can result in fatigue and overwhelm at a later point when the individual is simply feeling anxietious; unable to measure up, or unequaled to the task. While in this slump Simba wondered over to his Uncle’s area and walked right into a trap that was set for him and his father.
During Mufassa’s reign, the time to nurture and groom prince Simba, in becoming a King was cut short by his death. The Archetype, which takes on responsibilities and to respond in time with faith and confidence to complete one’s task, was not allowed time to be nurtured or mature in Simba before Mufassa’s death. His Uncle Scar, in his envy and jealousy, had set Simba up to take the fall, by making it seem as though he was the cause of King Mufassa’s death. The young Simba was terrified as he saw his father laying on the ground dead, from the stampede he just saved him from. While watching his father lay there and crying, his Uncle Scar approached them and told Simba to run, and run far away and never come back because it was his fault Mufassa was dead. And so Simba ran far away. In this Archetype, the imbalance shows itself with feelings of being overwhelmed by present events, and leaves one with the inability to step back and get a perspective.
As strong as Simba felt in the arms and embrace of his father and family, he was now in a situation that he couldn’t understand. Simba was now being blamed for his father’s death by his Uncle Scar, someone whom he looked up to, and was being exiled from his home. The Archetype plays itself out in self doubt and despondency with deep feelings of loneliness setting in. Simba did not see his Uncle Scar allow Mufassa to fall back down to the canal into the stampede after saving Simba, and so did not know that it was his Uncle that killed his father the King. Simba’s innocence and inability to see his Uncle Scar for who he was, even as a cub, brought him much sorrow. In this way the Archetype feeling overwhelmed by present events, shows inability to step back and get perspective. The jealous Uncle set up Simba and framed him so he could take the throne. The conspiracy to kill the King and get rid of Simba succeed for the time being.
Life experience was now going to work. Surely, Simba ran, and ran far across the desert and into the jungle. His heart was broken and his body was tired from running so far and so long. Simba came to a stop and could move no more.
At this point the Archetype is helped as Elm balances the natural leadership capacities within the soul, especially by integrating these with the true directives of the Higher Self. His call to be a leader was now going to be grown. The leadership abilities that Simba had was now going to be nurtured to its fullest capacity. As in rest that we heal, so in a relaxed state of being and yielding to the universe the stresses and trauma of life, healing comes. As much as his father shared with him his words, Simba began to realized that words do not teach only life experience does, and it teaches to the very core of one’s being. Experience tells us what we already know with maturity or it coming full circle. In this Archetype as a leader you can see all the pieces of the puzzle being put in its perspective places in Simba’s life. In becoming responsible requires that one rightly assesses one’s “ability to respond” and respond we must because life will always continue to flow.
After meeting his new friends Pumba and Timone, and seeing the joy they were experiencing, Simba threw off the pain and anguish of the death of his father and being exiled from his family and home to once again enjoy his life. His new friends help Simba to laugh again and have fun. They told him to be here, in this beautiful place, he had to put his past behind him….and hakuna matata - meaning, no worries for the rest of your days. Pumba and Timone told Simba as they sang their motto, there was no rules, no responsibilities, its a problem free philosophy, a recipe for the rest of your days. “When the world turns its back on you, you turn your back on the world”. Simba took a moment to understand this, but totally allowed it to envelope him. Still young and vulnerable he threw off his present pain and hakuna matata. The Archetype being able to throw off the martyrdom, that thrives in anxiety about responsibility, feeling the weight of the world on one's shoulders. As young as he was Simba knew he needed to be around others and be happy. He knew at this point in his life he needed it to survive.
In this archetypal area one being overwhelmed due to life's responsibilities, to revitalize and re-align with true aims of Higher Self was very much needed. As Simba enjoyed his life, reminders of who he was met him face to face on this journey. He remembered his past at different times in his experiences away from home. On Simba’s path he came face to face with himself, his past and now future. The years had past, and Simba grew and became an adulthood lion.
Pride Rock (Simba’s home) was being ruled by his Uncle Scar. Scar ravaged the pride lands with the hyenas and destroyed the natural balance of the land. Many animals left and the land lacked food to be able to sustain the lions and animals that were left. Nala ventured far away from home to find help for her home land. On her journey Nala arrived in an area that was green and plush with healthy greenery all around, a lot more healthy looking than her home. She was hungry and began to chase a pig for food. In the area where Simba resided she found herself running after Pumba, Simba’s friend. Simba heard the commotion and sprung into action to save his friend. Nala and Simba began to battle and as they faced each other they realized they were each others playmate as cubs. They reunited lovingly and remembered how much they had cared for each other so many years ago.
Nala asked Simba had he been here all this time and what had happened. Simba stated that he did not want to talk about it and that he was happy there. Simba carried a lot of guilt about his father’s death and was reminded of it all after seeing Nala and her encouraging him to come back home. Within this Archetype, in becoming responsible requires that one rightly assesses one’s “ability to respond.” Nala brought Simba up to speed on the current events of the day and tragedy that had taken place at their home. Nala said she left to find help and found him. Simba did not want to go back, as he remembered what had happened, but in view of the situation at home he knew he had to go back and help. In this Archetype -Feelings of self-doubt, despondency, and deep feelings of loneliness can set in when the soul feels it must face an overwhelming task relying solely on its own ego forces. It is necessary at these times to shift the identity from that of hero or rescuer to an alignment with the true energy and inspiration of the Higher Self. In this way the individual is able to receive help from others and from the spiritual world.
Rafeeka, the monkey witch doctor in King Mufassa’s reign saw in the spirit realm that Simba was alive. The true heir to the throne. Rafeeka journeyed across the lands and visited with Simba as he meditated on leaving his oasis. He reminded Simba that Mufassa was alive in him. He had to prove it by allowing him to follow him through a part of the jungle at night to look at the stars & hear his father’s voice speaking to him telling him to remember who he was. Rafeeka also had Simba to look hard into the stream near by to see his father’s face and then his own face to remember who he was. Rafeeka helped Simba to reconnect to the ancesstors and his destiny to remember his path, and that Mufassa and the ancestors were always with him. Simba now stood face to face with a decision. With a feeling of being all alone in carrying the burden of responsibility: feeling unequal to the task; to accept the help of others and of spiritual forces. Making this decision was not easy for Simba…. overwhelmed due to life's responsibilities, to revitalize and re-align with true aims of Higher Self. The mature Simba was now able to re-align with the higher self and make a decision that would now help him to realize his destiny and remember the underlining meaning of what his father was trying to teach him while he was young. As he stepped into his maturity, where the growth of his experiences met with the growth of his knowing, Simba undoubtedly remembered. As a cub the Perfectionism - the wanting to be the hero; high standards for performance leading to frustration and overwhelm.
And now with the past better understood, Simba could now walk in the light of what he was taught coupled with his experiences and be the King his father believed him to be. In this Archetype Elm shows the individual is able to receive help from others and from the spiritual world. Simba said goodbye to his paradise and headed home to Pride Rock.
Upon returning to the home of his youth Simba went boldly to the area where his Uncle now King, resided. As a more mature Simba the Archetype now trusting, one has the help needed; letting go of undue worry. As a cub Simba Archetype Over-perfectionist or unrealistic goals can result in fatigue and overwhelm at a later point when the individual is simply unable to measure up to the tasks assumed. heroic - but now as he realizes the universe and the ancestors had helped him to mature as he connected to self in a space of love, joy and friendship, and letting go of the stress he had carried for all those years. Simba grew to appreciate life and enjoyed it to a great degree. Upon returning to his home he realized that life happens and one has to deal with it as it comes. Simba stepped into his place as he remembered who he was. As a cub he tried to prove himself worthy of one day being a king, but now, he was finally ready to step into the position of becoming the King he was always meant to be.
Simba met his Uncle Scar head on as he tried to lie and tell the rest of the lions that it was Simba’s fault that his father the King had died. Simba owned up to what he thought was the truth sadly and did not back down. Scar glorified this moment and backed Simba up to the edge of a cliff to finally get rid of him. But Scar’s inconsistencies with truth and deception and jealousy took opportunity to show its ugly face.
The same situation presented itself in the same position when he clawed his brother Mufassa’s paws to make him drop from the cliff to his death. Now grown up, Scar underestimated Simba. He thought he was the same simple, weak and naive little cub he dealt with before. The pain and guilt Simba had carried for years of the past, came rushing back, (of his father’s death) as Scar whispered his confession in Simba’s ear. Simba jumped from hanging off the cliff to attaching Scar and made him confess to everyone. Scar again tried to take Simba and they battled as Simba catapult King Scar off the cliff and in falling Scar did not die but was attacked and eaten by the hyenas, his cohorts.
Thus King Simba took his place on his journey as ruler with his mate Nala. Feelings of self-doubt, despondency, and deep feelings of loneliness can set in when the soul feels it must face an overwhelming task relying solely on its own ego forces. It is necessary at these times to shift the identity from that of hero or rescuer to an alignment with the true energy and inspiration of the Higher Self. In this way the individual is able to receive help from others and from the spiritual world. Elm balances the natural leadership capacities within the soul, especially by integrating these with the true directives of the Higher Self.
It is important to allow our inner selves to alignment with the true energy and inspiration of the Higher Self. Only then can we I feel, walk in our true destiny. Simba, a true Archetype of the leader that couples the inner being with the experiences of life. One that takes on their own indiosyncrasies and flaws and puts them together and rule with inner guidance.
www.flowersociety.org/repertory
footnotes: https://gostica.com/soul-science/
