Have you ever thought about how movies influence your spirit? Influences that impact your spirit don’t just come from spiritual texts or personal growth books. You can be profoundly changed by a movie. And sometimes you aren’t even aware of the influence the movie has on your spirit, you just enjoy watching it. Maybe it becomes one of your favorite movies and maybe you only need to see it once for it to have an impact.
For example, how many times have you seen “The Wizard of Oz”?
Did you immediately get a picture of “The Wizard of Oz” in your mind when I just asked you that? Not everyone will have the same image show up, because it influences individuals in different ways, just as books do.
In fact you probably started to sing the song, Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Now, that song has deep meaning for many of us, doesn’t it? Here’s the link to my favorite version by IZ. I get choked up as soon as I hear the first notes of his version. If you haven’t heard this version you must watch it because Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole was a gift in this world.
Why?
I believe the messages of movies sneak their way into our thoughts and belief systems, many times without our even noticing.
Think about it…
How many times have you seen your favorite movie?
Is it a comedy, drama, action, horror?
When you watch a movie do you like to laugh, cry or scream?
What does your preference in movies say about your personality and the things that are important in your life?
Have you found that as you’ve grown and changed, your favorite type of movie has changed too?
I connect to movies in a big way. I think many of us do. Watching movies is as American as baseball and something we start doing as small children and most of us continue well into old age. It’s something that doesn’t require any more effort than turning on your favorite streaming device, or at the most, driving to a theater to watch a new movie on a big screen.
How do you feel about seeing movies with kids or on a first date or with your best friend?
Movies are so closely tied to every aspect of our culture. They chronicle our lives and our history. Movies create discussions. Movies force us face situations we might otherwise not want to see. Movies celebrate the triumph of the spirit. Movies entertain us with tales of good winning out over evil.
“City Slickers” influenced me when I was coming up with the name of my first company and first product. While researching titles for the project I was working on, my mind kept seeing Curly telling Billy Crystal’s character that there was one thing. Through the whole trail ride he kept asking Curly what the one thing was. Curly told him he had to find it for himself and it was different for everyone. Ironically, I got the same question when I started talking to people about “Change One Thing”. Everyone wanted to know what the one thing was.
Remember Bill Murray in “What About Bob?” when Bob went sailing? He was totally terrified. He was suffering from mental problems and had many phobias, including being afraid of going out on the boat. The kids of his psychiatrist, Richard Dreyfus, took him out by tying him to the mast! That goes to show there really is a solution to every problem.
I’ll never forget the sight of Bob, like a scene from “Titanic”, saying, “I’m sailing, I’m sailing.” I think we could all identify with him at that point. We have all felt the incredible rush of overcoming a fear, maybe not in such a comical way. Never the less, it’s an image that is imprinted on my mind forever.
Look how many phrases we use in our daily life that have come from great and not so great movies. Movies also influence what we buy. Remember when kids wanted Dalmatians, or a Saint Bernard because of a movie? Then it was clown fish. What’s next? Then there are all the toys and other products that come from movies. The power of movies to influence is not lost on marketing people!
So, I would ask you to be aware of how you are feeling when you watch your next movie. How does your heart feel? What kind of impact is it having on your spirit? Also, pay attention at what criteria you use to select a movie.
Look for the message to be found in every movie you watch. They all have them, because after all, movies are just good story telling on film.
Having an ageless spirit means that we consciously acknowledge all the influences on our spirits.
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