Wednesday, October 13, 2010

The desired effect....

Eat Pray Love. Have you seen the movie, or read the book? It seems as though it has had the desired effect on my friends, and it certainly stirred a few things up for me too. I've only seen the movie at this stage, but when I can get my hands on a copy of the book, I'll be buried in it for a few days, I'm sure!

It got me on a few levels. Superficially, I just adored Julia Roberts who played the role of Liz Gilbert. She is my favourite actress right now, and I applaud the fact that she isn't afraid to age. I loved looking at her face in the close ups, and noticing those fine lines around her eyes, and the creases on her forehead. She is aging exactly the way she is supposed to, and that can't be easy to do in Hollywood!

The cinematography was like gourmet eye candy, and thankfully I had two and half hours to satiate that hunger! The gypsy in me was ready to pack up and board the next plane. It is set in Italy, India and Bali. Italy is at the top of my holiday wishlist. I still can't believe we didn't get there during our stint in London! India was my honeymoon destination, and a land of incredible spirituality - there's something profoundly enlightening when a country can lack so much materialistically, yet be so rich in spirit. And Bali is my old faithful - she has been awaiting my return for some years now. If the movie was to have had only one success, it was to give me incredibly itchy feet!

The part that has everyone talking though, is of course the spiritual journey Liz went on, and just as importantly, the way she did it. I don't know if it's the way the world is moving, or if it is just impending middle-age (yes girls, we ARE getting older!!), but a number of my friends are starting to question their paths, and their lives in general, and I think this is so exciting!

We're not all going to be lucky enough to go on such a sabbatical, and we can only dream about have an amazing adventure and then being paid a fortune to write about it! But that doesn't mean that we can't begin our own journey right now. It just takes one little dream, a little bit of determination, and one small step at a time. If you've seen the movie, do you remember the picture that Ketut gave to Liz on her first visit to Bali?

This one (sorry about the quality) -



I felt as though it had been drawn for me.

Each one of us has a unique story to tell. Sometimes it can take years to work out what your purpose is, and at other times it can be as simple as laying your eyes on a picture. My discovery of self is far from over, but it was been guided lovingly back on track by that simple sketch. The four legs planted firmly on Mother Earth, reminded me how important it was to remain grounded and to concentrate on now only. What is happening in this moment is all the focus I need. My life is not to be defined by what I was 5, 10 or 20 years ago, but by who I am right now.

It also reminded me that I need to learn how to meditate properly, and that I need to do it more often. I have a busy, busy mind, and it often keeps me awake at night. My thirst for knowledge has attributed to that, but it's my thirst for wisdom that's urging me to still it. I'm learning more and more to think with my heart, and while it was a concept that befuddled me at the start, it now makes perfect sense. When you smile, and smile regularly, you remove yourself from the egotistical emotions that are attached to a thought. I think the symbolism in the sketch is quite amazing. Seeing from your heart as well as thinking from your heart would allow for such a richness in experience.

So with all of that, I am setting myself a goal. Actually, two goals. I am going to set my alarm for 30 minutes earlier than normal, and I am going to take myself outside to greet the day. I want to start my morning with some yoga and some meditation. Secondly, I am going to buy myself the best journal I can afford - I've seen some gorgeous ones on etsy. Getting my thoughts onto paper will surely help to calm my restless mind, and maybe make some sense of my wonderfully unique experiences.

The way I see it ...... each little plan, each little goal, each little dream,
is one step closer to something bigger.

Much bigger.

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