What The Lion King Teaches Us About Life – Lessons from the West End
Some shows just “entertain” you… and then there are those experiences that awaken something deep inside of you. The Lion King in London does this precisely! From the first drumbeat of “Circle of Life,” the air seems alive with something divine, the reminder of how beautiful living can be when emotion and art converge. The stage glows gold, the animals march in lovely harmony, and for a moment you forget where you are, partially transported, not to the African savanna, but deep within your own being, in a place where wonder, love, bravery, and connection all matter.
But this is more than a West End musical. It is, in reality, a life lesson disguised as a story, one that speaks softly to the human heart. Scene by scene, line by line, the wisdom pours out, and stays with you after the final curtain. So here are the everlasting lessons of this West End contribution quietly murmuring to us.
Lessons About Life that The Lion King in West End Teaches Us
1. “The Past Can Hurt… But You Can Either Run from it or Learn from It”
When he speaks these words, Rafiki is not just speaking to Simba. He is speaking to all of us. We all have memories that hurt, regrets that linger, or moments we want to abolish in the launch. But healing does not mean hiding. Healing is facing what broke us, and moving on with our lives. Each scar is a story worth telling – not a story of hurt, but a story of progress.
2. Facing Your Fears Is a MUST
While it is simple to conceal our fears under our fear-the most empowering thing is action. One of the great moments of theatre occurs when Simba returns to the Pride Lands. To watch him stand in the presence of his past demonstrates that courage is not the absence of fear, but it is a step towards fear and into his experience. There are times when we earn our greatest victories just behind the wall we fear.
3. Forgive Yourself – You are Worth Having Another Chance
We use the saying to “forgive others” but forgiving ourselves is much harder; at times it can feel impossible and we need to let it go. We all have what feels like baggage, like Simba who felt the burden of the guilt of the things he couldn’t change. When we realize that there is no possible way to live our life apart from another chance, things in the past that seem to invade our conscious mind do not have to even be thought of. As soon as we let go of blame we will be able to see ourselves with the same love that life always saw us with. Maybe your own “Pride Rock”, that thing you’ve been trying to walk around or avoid, is just waiting to see you return.
4. Real Friends Lighten The Load
What would Simba be without Timon and Pumbaa? It is their loyalty, friendship, a little laugh, and trust in him which really help carry on his spirit. As human beings, we need our own Timon and Pumbaa to incite our way with a belief in us so we can rise in life after we are knocked down and again. We can all have our own laugh but only when life isn’t heavy enough to crush joy. Take a moment to think of the people you enjoy simply being with because without them your life would be less colorful. That could be your real “Circle of Life.”
6. ‘The Circle of Life’ – The Message of the Story
If there is one spiritual message from The Lion King, it’s this: Everything is connected. Every sunrise/every ending/every union, all part of the same great circle that joined us on the planet. When the cast sings “Circle of Life” in The Lion King London, it is not possible to hear the pulse of the universal truth that we share this life as part of something larger, all very real, eternal, and beautiful.
7. Hakuna Matata – Just Let Go and Live
While it is just a simple phrase in Swahili, “no worries” conveys more than the mere negation of living without cares. It is about surrendering, trusting the timing of the universe, accepting the chaos and imperfection of life and understanding that happiness belongs to you, it is not somewhere to be found. When the world feels too heavy, simply pause, breathe, smile and speak to yourself Hakuna Matata. Get your The Lion King tickets to witness the beauty.
The Final Lines..That Should Stay Etched in Your Mind
In the case of The Lion King’s wonder, it does not only belong to the entertainment value, you leave the theatre misty-eyed with a feeling of fullness in your heart and a quiet sense of understanding that life, in all of its wonder and messiness, is worth living in each and every deep moment.
While it may be a tale for children, it may be even more so for the adults who have forgotten how to believe. Here’s a reminder that redemption exists. That love still matters. That every fall has a purpose.
So when you get the opportunity, order your Lion King London Tickets and let yourself go. Allow yourself to be swept away by the breathtaking collage of emotion, art, and music. Of all your London Theatre Tickets, this one is special. There is something about its heartbeat that lingers long after those curtains have come down. Because The Lion King is not simply a show, it is a beautiful reminder that we are all interconnected, we are all evolving, and we are all working towards our part in the Circle of Life.
And in that moment, as the lights go down and the final roar fades you’ll see why this is one of the most unforgettable West End Musicals of all time.
