A while ago, at the Royal Ontario Museum I went to the public restroom. Just before I came out of the stall I heard a high clear voice say, “Who’s going to get me soap?”
I walked out and saw a little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, the arms of her white sweatshirt rolled up as she stood at the sink. She couldn’t reach the soap dispenser. I wasn’t sure to whom she had addressed the question. The room was empty except for the two of us.

“I can help with that,” I said and proceeded to offer her soap from my hands.

“What’s your name?” she asked as she scooped up some of the foam.

Seeing she couldn’t reach the faucet I pressed it down for her and replied, “Oriah.”

“I’m Dakota,” she offered promptly.

“Hi, Dakota.” She nodded and proceeded to rub her hands under the flowing water.

“And how many years old are you?” she asked in a matter of fact voice.

“Fifty-five,” I replied. She frowned a little and then held up four fingers. “Ah,” I said, “and you are four years old.” She nodded and moved over to the hand dryer putting her hands under the warm air. My own hands now washed and dried, I headed for the door.

“Good-bye Dakota. Nice to meet you.” She smiled and waved good-bye.

Just outside the doorway, a young man stood waiting. “I bet you’re waiting for Dakota.” He smiled and nodded, and I assured him she would be right out.

The incident could not have lasted more than three or four minutes but I keep going over it in my mind and smiling, wondering why it touched me so. Physically Dakota reminded me of myself at that age- I was also slight, blonde and blue-eyed. But Dakota was so at home in her own skin, it took my breath away. She was not trying to be precocious, or ingratiating or demanding. She needed soap and she couldn’t get any so she wondered out loud who was going to help her, and seemed to take my appearance as a reasonable answer to her question. She was confident but aware of her own limitations. She was curious but not invasive, willing to give whatever information she asked of the other. She was. . . . whole and at home with herself and the world in way I could not remember being as a child.

Thinking about Dakota I remember being the same age and visiting Buffalo NY to shop at Grant’s Department Store with my family. It was 1958, and I was carrying a small pink purse. As my grandmother and I waited for my grandfather at the entrance of the store, an elderly black gentleman walked up and squatted down in front of me smiling. I heard Nana gasp and felt her suddenly grab me and pull me back against her as she stepped away. I could feel the fear coursing through her body hitting mine like an electric shock. The gentleman looked up at her. His smile faded and he slowly shook his head as he held out my purse.

“Your little girl dropped this,” he said. He looked so tired and so sad I felt like crying, but I didn’t know why. I wanted to say something, but he quickly got up and walked away. I felt confused and embarrassed for my grandmother who just stood there, her body rigid, her arm across my chest pressing me against her.

Dakota was not afraid. I have no doubt that if anyone tried to harm her she could fight and yell for assistance very effectively. And of course she was too young to be there alone, and her guardian was close by. But she did not start from a place of fear. She did not expect me to be anything but helpful. No one had yet taught her to be afraid of everyone she did not know. My grandmother had been taught to be afraid of strangers, and a racist culture has taught her to be afraid of people- particularly men- of colour. I have been privileged to live in a city of such multi-cultural diversity that many of the fears she passed from her body to mine have been expunged and healed. But I remember them and how they affected me, how they put up a barrier to the other.

Encountering Dakota made me feel hopeful. Maybe we can raise children who do not approach unknown people or places or ways of being with fear and hostility. And maybe, if we do not meet the stranger with fear, we can get to know each other a little, can find ways to live and work together.

Oriah (c) 2009

Oriah is the author of the international best-selling books: The Invitation, and The Dance, and The Call (published by HarperONE, translated into eighteen languages.) Her much loved poem “The Invitation” has been shared around the world. Trained in a shamanic tradition, her medicine name Mountain Dreamer means one who likes to find and push the edge. Using story, poetry and shamanic ceremony Oriah’s deeply personal writing and her work as a group facilitator and mentor explore how to follow the thread of our heart’s longing into a life where we can choose joy without denying the challenges of a human life. www.oriah.org www.oriahsinvitation.blogspot.com https://www.facebook.com/Oriah.Mountain.Dreamer?sk=wall 

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Technorati Tags: Childlike, fear, inspiration, Oriah Mountain Dreamer, reflection, self help, Spirituality, vivid life

A newly elected pontiff (Michel Piccoli, right) reluctant to assume his responsibilities is counseled by an eminent atheist psychiatrist (Nanni Moretti, left) in the new Italian comedy-drama, "We Have a Pope." Photo courtesy of Image.net, IFC Films.

Many of us probably like to think we have a pretty good handle on our spiritual beliefs. But do we? What if we were faced with circumstances that caused us to question the nature of those supposedly rock-solid truths? Such is the challenge faced by the protagonist in the new Italian comedy-drama, “We Have a Pope.”

Upon the passing of the Pope, the College of Cardinals convenes a Vatican conclave to select the new worldwide leader of the Roman Catholic Church. It’s a solemn occasion (the Holy Father has just died, after all), but it’s also one that’s seemingly full of hope and promise with the selection of a new shepherd at hand. In light of that, outside observers might be tempted to think that it’s an auspicious occasion, especially for those candidates who are considered leading contenders to ascend to the papacy. But, in this instance, when viewers are let in on the internal musings of the cardinals, one finds them full of dread, praying fervently not to be selected by their peers. As a group of mostly stodgy old men, they’re generally content with the status they’ve attained and have little interest in being saddled with the formidable responsibilities of managing one of the globe’s largest religious institutions during the waning years of their lives.

The College of Cardinals meets to select a new Holy Father in director Nanni Moretti's "We Have a Pope." Photo courtesy of Image.net, IFC Films.

With the new Pope selected, the cardinals prepare to introduce him to the public. But just before the new pontiff is about to make his first appearance on the balcony above St. Peter’s Square, he flees in panic, claiming he cannot carry out his new responsibilities. He aimlessly wanders about the Vatican, desperately trying to figure out what to do. Meanwhile, the Vatican’s handlers, especially its chief spokesperson (Jerzy Stuhr), frantically go into damage control mode to save face, saying that the Pope has secluded himself in his apartment to pray for guidance. It’s an unprecedented situation for an organization that’s accustomed to everything proceeding with clockwork precision.

To help the new Pope cope with his circumstances, the Vatican calls upon an eminent psychiatrist (Nanni Moretti) to offer counsel. He’s of little help, though, because he’s not allowed to conduct his therapy sessions in private, and the pontiff is reluctant to open up about himself when encircled by a band of inquisitive cardinals hanging on his every word. It also doesn’t help that the counselor is an atheist, his background not having been vetted by the Pope’s handlers before being called upon to assist the Holy Father. What’s more, even though the counseling sessions don’t work out, the good doctor is told that, due to the confidential nature of his assignment, he must remain sequestered inside the Vatican with all of the cardinals until the new Pope has been officially introduced to the world. Anxiety thus begins to set in for more than just the new pontiff and his staff.

With the crisis dragging on for days, the Pope’s handlers decide to try a more radical strategy. They plan to smuggle the pontiff out of the Vatican to see another psychiatrist (Margherita Buy) – who just happens to be the estranged wife of the counselor who tried treating him initially – hoping that getting him away from everything will put him more at ease, allowing him to engage in meaningful therapy sessions. The staff tells no one of the plan, informing the press and the increasingly anxious cardinals that the Pope remains secluded in his apartment, continuing to pray for guidance.

Everything initially seems to go according to plan – that is, until the Pope decides to flee his handlers, escaping into the streets of Rome. He wanders about in anonymity, attempting to sort out his thoughts. Along the way he meets with an assortment of people who help him unravel his anxiety. He seems especially taken with a troupe of actors, who ultimately help him uncover the source of his trepidation. But, even with this question answered, he must still decide whether he wants to go back to the Vatican to assume the mantel that awaits him there, raising the all-important question, will he do it?

Challenging assumptions related to our spiritual beliefs can be daunting, to be sure. We often consider such truths as unquestionable givens. Yet there are times when we think we know what we want when, in fact, we don’t. And, when circumstances arise that put such issues to the test, we’re often ill-equipped to handle them. When matters of head and heart, intellect and intuition, thought and feeling, don’t match up in spiritual matters, the result is often a crisis of faith.

Under these circumstances, at the very least, we may feel disoriented, and, at worst, we can experience a full-fledged meltdown. In such instances, fear is nearly always the first reaction, but once that initial fright passes, we’re still left with the conundrum of what to do. In many cases, we usually gravitate to one of two options: (1) we stay locked in place, keeping our beliefs at bay, desperately trying to maintain appearances and denying our true selves, or (2) we move forward and evolve, allowing our inner feelings to come into alignment with our outer reality, a truly liberating experience if ever there were one. All of the principals in this film must come to grips with this choice, but the most important concern for each of them is, what will they do?

The new Pope clearly feels unprepared for his new calling, and he’s aware of the inherent disconnect between how he feels on the inside and the time-honored, highly institutionalized mission he’s expected to carry out. He’s unable to reconcile the discrepancy and doesn’t know what to do about it. His wandering through the streets of Rome aptly reflects his internal soul-searching and the pursuit of an answer that ever seems to elude him.

Of course, the Pope isn’t the only one who’s conflicted. The other cardinals, for example, are clearly torn at the film’s outset when they desperately pray to God not to be selected to serve the institution that they supposedly so ardently represent. And the psychiatrist has his own quandary, too, as becomes apparent when he, as an avowed atheist, quotes from the Bible to justify his contentions to his religious detractors.

The Pope’s breakthrough comes when he encounters the acting troupe. At one point he confesses that he had wanted to be an actor when he was younger but that he failed at it because he wasn’t talented enough. So is it any wonder, then, that he feels fundamentally incapable of taking on the responsibility of leading an institution so concerned with keeping up proper appearances? He knows he can’t do that, because he’s simply not that good an actor.

Ascending the papacy is a lonely and stress-filled journey for the former Cardinal Melville (Michel Piccoli) in "We Have a Pope." Photo courtesy of Image.net, IFC Films.

The cardinals come to question their circumstances, too, thanks to the assistance of their involuntarily sequestered companion, the psychiatrist, who unwittingly assumes the role of an impromptu activities director. To alleviate the frustration of enforced seclusion, the good doctor plays cards with his religious cohorts and even organizes an ecclesiastical volleyball tournament. The once-rigid cardinals, who probably never would have thought of engaging in such uninhibited secular activities, relish their newfound freedom, experiencing more genuine fun than they likely have in years. With the shackles of their self-imposed limitations removed, they allow their joy of living to shine through, something that emerges in stark contrast to the highly regimented lives that they’ve been living for ages.

Of course, liberation need not always be quite so dramatic or deliberate in nature. Sometimes simple acts, like walking away from an intractable situation, may be the most effective response to one’s circumstances. It may also have the greatest impact, too, provided its significance is recognized for what it truly is.

“We Have a Pope” is a surprisingly substantive film on many levels. Its treatment of the subject matter is deftly handled, subtly yet effectively depicting the parallels between the Pope’s personal struggles and those of an institution increasingly struggling with its own identity, and it does so without ever becoming crass or taking cheap shots. It also features a lot of good humor, providing an effective counterbalance to the picture’s more dramatic material. Admittedly, some of the jokes go on a little too long, but most are genuinely inspired. The writing and acting are crisp, too, even if the pacing is a bit uneven at times, particularly in the film’s first 30 minutes. Overall, however, this is a very entertaining, thought-provoking film that’s well worth your time.

Taking time to take stock of our core beliefs (especially those of a spiritual nature) can be a worthwhile practice, particularly if we’ve allowed outmoded, inflexible assumptions to take hold over us. Even if we decide not to change anything after such an exercise, at least it affords us the opportunity to reaffirm what we do believe and to boost the joy of living that such beliefs give rise to.

Copyright © 2012, by Brent Marchant. All rights reserved.

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Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) fights for her life in the new blockbuster adventure, "The Hunger Games." Photo by Murray Close, courtesy of Lionsgate Entertainment.

Handler Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks, left) and trainer Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson, center) prepare contestant Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence, right) for her participation in a brutal sporting competition in "The Hunger Games." Photo by Murray Close, courtesy of Lionsgate Entertainment.

Life is full of stark contrasts in Panem, a dystopian future version of North America that consists of a grandiose Capitol and 12 impoverished outlying districts whose principal reason for being seems to be supplying the opulence and ostentation of its principal metropolis and the government of President Snow (Donald Sutherland). Having come into being as a result of a prolonged bloody conflict, this Roman-esque empire portrays itself as benevolent but never hesitates to resort to authoritarian tactics to keep the provinces in line. Its principal means of controlling the population is through a brutal spectacle known as the Hunger Games, a “competition” in which two teenage “tributes” (one male, one female) are selected via compulsory lottery from each of the districts to do battle with one another until only one is left standing, all of it broadcast with much fanfare on TV. It’s “entertainment” akin to the Christians being thrown to the lions, only with more elaborate production values.

When the contestant selection process begins for the 74th annual edition of the Games, young Primrose Everdeen (Willow Shields) is eligible to represent District 12 for the first time, a prospect that frightens her terribly – especially when her name is called. In an act of supreme self-sacrifice, Prim’s older sister, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence), volunteers to take the place of her younger sibling. Upon her acceptance as a stand-in, Katniss and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) are transported to the Capitol for their date with destiny, an odyssey that will bring them more than they ever could have expected.

In preparation for the Games, Katniss and Peeta are trained by former champion Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), and their public personas are packaged and promoted by a team of image handlers, including Cinna (Lenny Kravitz) and Effie (Elizabeth Banks). They’re also paraded – literally – before eager audiences of fanatic spectators in a variety of pre-competition festivities, culminating in appearances on a wildly popular talk show hosted by flamboyant emcee Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci).

Despite her initial contempt for the entire proceeding, Katniss’s icy veneer slowly thaws, unwittingly charming fans and potential “sponsors,” benefactors capable of providing valuable assistance during the Games. But, despite Katniss’s big splash with spectators, Peeta makes an equally huge impression when he publicly declares his longstanding unrequited love for his fellow tribute, providing an additional twist on the already-overhyped spectacle, a revelation that’s news even to Katniss. It’s also an unexpected distraction for the unlikely heroine, piling on more stress at a time when it’s needed least.

With the advance festivities complete, the Games get under way in a forested arena fitted with cleverly camouflaged cameras and state-of-the-art playing field modification equipment, all controlled by broadcast director Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley), who’s frequently called upon to script the competition in accordance with President Snow’s wishes. And so the fight to survive begins, an ordeal that includes elements of deception, manipulation, alliance, romance, unexpected rule changes, District pride, defiance, ingenuity, fear and hope, a volatile combination of ingredients that keeps viewers – both on- and off-screen – riveted.

Hunger Games participant Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson, right) receives advice from image consultant Cinna (Lenny Kravitz, left) and trainer/strategist Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson, center) in director Gary Ross's "The Hunger Games." Photo by Murray Close, courtesy of Lionsgate Entertainment.

Fear, for what it’s worth, can be a tremendous motivator to compel a person (or a population) into a desired form of behavior. However, regrettable as that might be, this wouldn’t happen if those being targeted didn’t buy into these circumstances in the first place. For better or worse, the targets’ beliefs materialize the reality they experience – even if they aren’t aware of them – through the conscious creation process, and they must, consequently, live with the fallout of that manifestation – that is, until they decide to change the beliefs driving their creations.

Flamboyant talk show host Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci, left) introduces Hunger Games tribute Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence, right) to throngs of fanatical admirers in the new action adventure film, "The Hunger Games." Photo by Murray Close, courtesy of Lionsgate Entertainment.

Omnipresent armed peacekeepers, fenced-in district borders and hovering observation vehicles are all employed to keep citizens in line. But the Games are perhaps the most effective means of control, especially among the young, thanks to the ever-present threat of being selected as a contestant. The fear that this spectacle engenders keeps the population subdued and malleable, with those who go unselected being eternally grateful for the odds having fallen in their favor. Such circumstances serve to chill any thoughts of rising up, questioning authority and asserting individuality. And the state knows this, doing all it can to encourage it.

President Snow (Donald Sutherland, left), the soft-spoken but autocratic leader of Panem, confers with television director Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley, right) about the unfolding of events in the savage sporting competition known as "The Hunger Games." Photo by Murray Close, courtesy of Lionsgate Entertainment.

Getting past one’s fears and moving on to live heroically is an aspect of conscious creation philosophy that’s often undervalued, yet it’s crucial to forward movement. Without it, personal growth and development sputters, stifles and stagnates, keeping us from reaching our true potential. As I have often said, those who stay stuck in fear stay stuck in place.

Thankfully, Katniss and Peeta help show their constituents the way forward. In doing so, they also help to show that change is possible for anyone, not just a select few who are at the helm of power. However, achieving this, like overcoming fear, is only possible when one believes it to be true. Through their actions – some of which are highly unconventional – the protagonists set an example, not only for their fellow citizens but also for those of us on the other side of the screen.

The protagonists’ most effective weapon against these circumstances is the hope they inspire, a force whose power even the President recognizes. He’s even willing to allow a little of it to keep the spirit of viewing audiences from becoming totally atrophied (but not enough, of course, to elicit unwanted beliefs and actions). Imagine what’s possible, however, when hope-based beliefs are unleashed in sufficient strength on a population craving to shed their shackles and undermine the tactics of the fear mongers. Now that’s a game changer.

With each passing day, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) must struggle to stay alive in "The Hunger Games." Photo by Murray Close, courtesy of Lionsgate Entertainment.

Despite this, however, the film holds one’s attention well. Even though it’s easy to see how the story will play out, the route it takes to get there is full of suspenseful twists and turns. Its excellent cinematography, visual effects and fine performances (especially by Lawrence, Harrelson and Tucci) make for entertaining viewing. I was also pleased that the picture was not overly gratuitous; given the nature of the narrative, the film easily could have become a nauseating gore-fest, but, thankfully, the filmmakers resisted this temptation, keeping the imagery appropriately in context without becoming visually assaulting.

When faced with the impending loss of a loved one a number of years ago, I was fearful of what was about to come. The attending physician could see this and pulled me aside, saying “when there’s life, there’s hope.” And even though we both knew what the outcome of this situation was going to be, his words helped me conquer my fears to face the ordeal. So it is also with a downtrodden people beset by many perils who become inspired by the actions of a courageous few who give them the hope to press on. “The Hunger Games” delivers on that point, and one can only hope that audiences are paying attention.

Copyright © 2012, by Brent Marchant. All rights reserved.

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This week I felt the impulse to share a very simple practise I use to lower fear and be with any anxiety that arises. First, a little background.

One of the things I appreciate about the writing of Jungian analyst James Hollis is how direct he is about the challenges of being human. In Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life (as well as in his other books) Hollis tells us that in order to find and fulfill our purpose in life, in order to really grow up, we have to expand our capacity to tolerate anxiety, ambivalence and ambiguity. Why? Because, given the unpredictable and every changing nature of life there is going to be anxiety, ambivalence and ambiguity. When we were children and relatively powerless we understandably developed strategies to lower or distance ourselves from the discomfort of anxiety: some of us tried to earn safety by attempting to do things perfectly (me!) while others sought to escape through fantasy or whatever numbing substance/activity was available, (food, television, computer games) while still others became combative and rebellious. The problem is the anxiety management strategies we developed as children don’t work well for us as adults if we really want to be present, live our lives fully and co-create meaning in the world.

On the surface, this can be a hard sell: read this book or do this work and you’ll be able to tolerate more anxiety? May not be the catchiest marketing method. But the truth is we cannot experience and be fully present with joy if we are armoured against or busy trying to outrun the anxiety that’s part of normal human experience.

And there are moments, even when we are fully committed to being present with whatever is, that can simply feel like more than we can hold, moments (or days, or weeks) when our anxiety goes through the roof. Our palms sweat, our hearts pound, we can’t articulate a complete thought and/or we are racing around doing a thousand things to avoid feeling the anxiety. In those moments, it’s helpful to have a way to ground and strengthen our capacity to be with what is. I want to share one such practise here.

This method for being with anxiety without letting it paralyze or send us running from the room is deceptively simple. It comes out of my experience participating in and leading sweat lodge ceremonies. Now, if there’s anything that can and sometimes does raise anxiety it’s going into a small, dark structure filled with hot steam and other people you may or may not know, to do a ceremony designed in part to help you send out prayers from the heart centre of your being. And in ceremony there is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, no distraction, no way to use old strategies. So, one of the things I have often done myself and have instructed others to do when anxiety arises is- breathe through the soles of your feet.

I know, it sounds crazy, but try it. Wherever you are reading this, put your feet flat on the floor and imagine the earth below you. It may be several stories below you, but wherever you are, it is there- same earth as the one that’s there when you’re sitting on a beach or hiking in the wilderness.

Then, imagine that you are breathing through the soles of your feet, inhaling up from the earth through the bottom of your feet into your body, and exhaling back down through your body and out the soles of your feet into the earth. The beauty of this method is that although it grounds and calms, it does not take us away from what is happening within or around us. It just helps us lower our fear enough to be with what is. And you can do it anywhere: in the middle of a business meeting or at the dinner table with relatives. The more you practise it the more you can develop what is called split attention where a small part of your awareness is imagining your breath flowing in and out of your body through soles of your feet, while you are clearly and calmly answering a question in a job interview or explaining to a relative why you don’t have a “real job.”

So take this along with you today. Give sole/soul-breathing a try, because the soul really can hold it all.

From The Green Bough blog (c) Oriah Mountain Dreamer 2010

Oriah is the author of the international best-selling books: The Invitation, and The Dance, and The Call (published by HarperONE, translated into eighteen languages.) Her much loved poem “The Invitation” has been shared around the world. Trained in a shamanic tradition, her medicine name Mountain Dreamer means one who likes to find and push the edge. Using story, poetry and shamanic ceremony Oriah’s deeply personal writing and her work as a group facilitator and mentor explore how to follow the thread of our heart’s longing into a life where we can choose joy without denying the challenges of a human life. www.oriah.org www.oriahsinvitation.blogspot.com https://www.facebook.com/Oriah.Mountain.Dreamer?sk=wall  

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Technorati Tags: anxiety, breathing, fear, grounding, inspiration, Oriah Mountain Dreamer, Reflection. Self Help, Soul Breathing, Spirituality, stress

Be yourself to free yourself: “If I had no fear, I would…”

#3 in a series of inspirational, motivational shorts.

Real people answering important questions from their heart.

For more information and the bi-weekly release, please visit ETN Studios at the link below.

Director.Cinematographer.Editor
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EVERYTHINGTONOTHING STUDIOS
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Carlos Galindo (Demián Bichir, right) and his son, Luis (José Julián, left), seek a brighter future in Los Angeles in the absorbing immigrant drama, "A Better Life," now available on DVD. Photo by Merrick Morton, courtesy of Summit Entertainment.

“A Better Life” (2011). Cast: Demián Bichir, José Julián, Joaquín Cosio, Dolores Heredia, Carlos Linares, Bobby Soto, Chelsea Rendon, Richard Cabral, Todd Felix. Director: Chris Weitz. Screenplay: Eric Eason. Story: Roger L. Simon. www.ABetterLife-movie.com, www.imdb.com/title/tt1554091/

So often in life we wonder why things turn out as they do. We ponder the outcomes we experience, especially when they have a significant personal impact on us. But, if we’re truly honest with ourselves, we invariably find that those results are generally driven by our beliefs and expectations, a theme explored in depth in the absorbing drama, “A Better Life,” now available on DVD.

Landscaper Carlos Galindo (Demián Bichir, right) and his boss, Blasco (Joaquín Cosio, left), work hard tending the gardens of wealthy Angelinos in director Chris Weitz's "A Better Life," now available on DVD. Photo by Merrick Morton, courtesy of Summit Entertainment.

Like many who make their way to the U.S., Carlos Galindo (Demián Bichir) desires a brighter future for himself and his teenage son, Luis (José Julián). He spends his days tending the gardens of wealthy homeowners in and around Los Angeles with his boss, Blasco (Joaquín Cosio). He works hard, but, as an illegal Mexican immigrant, he also keeps a low profile, ever aware that even the slightest infraction could get him deported in a heartbeat. He also keeps a watchful eye on Luis; as a single father, he’s concerned that his son might fall prey to the gangs that heavily recruit neighborhood youths.

Carlos’s hopes for a better life get an unexpected boost one day when Blasco announces plans to sell his truck, the primary asset of his landscaping business. Having achieved his business goals, Blasco plans to move on, but, before departing, he gives Carlos first crack at buying the vehicle and taking on his client list. Carlos is hesitant initially, but he realizes that, if he doesn’t make the purchase, he’ll probably be out of a job, since there’s no guarantee that a different owner would hire him.

Carlos decides to take a chance and become his own boss; he borrows money from his sister Anita (Dolores Heredia) to buy the truck and set himself up in business. It’s a big step, one with the potential to deliver great rewards, but one that also carries more risk now that he must assume a higher profile. And it’s not long before he discovers just how big a risk that can be; when he hires an assistant (Carlos Linares) to help him, Carlos quickly has his world turned upside down, threatening everything he’s worked so hard to achieve.

“A Better Life” provides an excellent illustration of the power of expectation in governing the outcomes we experience. As conscious creation practitioners well know, expectations are based on our beliefs, the driving force in what materializes in the reality surrounding us, and that concept is clearly on display here. The picture is particularly effective at demonstrating what happens when conflicting beliefs come into play. For example, Carlos genuinely believes that a better life is possible in the U.S., yet this aspiration is constantly burdened by the conflicting influence of fear that he’ll be exposed as an illegal alien, an element that not only sabotages his hopeful intentions but that also threatens to make his worst nightmares become self-fulfilling prophecies.

On the other hand, the film also shows the malleability of beliefs, that they’re always capable of being changed or rewritten and that even second chances are possible, provided we choose carefully. This is especially apparent in the relationship between Carlos and Luis. As Carlos spends more and more of his time working and Luis spends more of his time with questionable peers (Bobby Soto, Chelsea Rendon, Richard Cabral), we see a father growing progressively worried about an impressionable son, fearing not only for his child’s future but also concerned about the deterioration of their bond with one another. Since Luis is obviously the most important aspect of Carlos’s life, he creates circumstances that draw the two of them back closer together, though it’s a choice that carries potentially high-cost consequences and that may well involve subsequent belief rewrites – changes that, in themselves, may prompt the rise of additional new opportunities for second chances as well.

Hiring an assistant (Carlos Linares, left) proves a bigger challenge than new business owner Carlos Galindo (Demián Bichir, right) bargains for in the immigrant drama, "A Better Life," now available on DVD. Photo by Merrick Morton, courtesy of Summit Entertainment.

Given the subject matter of this picture, it might be easy to let political views color one’s opinion of it, regardless of which side of the fence one’s views fall on. However, I’d like to hope that audiences could find it in themselves to look past such superficial considerations and assess the movie on a deeper level, giving its profound metaphysical themes a critical examination. To be frank, doing less than that, in my opinion, constitutes “lazy viewing” on the audience’s part. Perhaps this is a pet peeve of mine, but I was sorely disappointed when many viewers did just that with the release of “Crash” in 2005, unfairly saddling the picture with a stigma based on oversimplified interpretations that it has carried around with it ever since, despite its critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including the Academy Award for best picture. I would hate to see “A Better Life” befall a similar fate.

With that said, however, I must hasten to add that “A Better Life” is no “Crash,” either. It’s an engaging drama that tells its story well, despite some rather improbable plot line elements, and its narrative is heartfelt and moving, particularly where the father-son relationship is concerned. It’s well acted across the board, and it provides a probing look at a world that most us probably never see.

Impressionable teen Luis Galindo (José Julián, center) becomes a concern to his father when he begins spending more time with questionable peers like Facundo (Bobby Soto, left) and Ruthie (Chelsea Rendon, right) in "A Better Life," now available on DVD. Photo by Merrick Morton, courtesy of Summit Entertainment.

If you haven’t heard of this film, you’re not alone; it had a verybrief theatrical run at independent movie houses last summer, though, if you blinked, you probably missed it. However, the picture’s visibility has risen of late with its DVD release and with two well-deserved best actor nominations for Bichir in the Screen Actors Guild and Independent Spirit Awards competitions (there’s even talk of an outside shot at an Oscar nod, too). It’s certainly heartening to see a small film like this receive some noteworthy recognition, considering how easily its voice might have been overpowered by the noise associated with other larger, better-financed productions.

It’s been said that we should be careful what we wish for, because we just might get it. And therein lies the power of expectations in manifesting the results we experience, especially when powerful elements like fear and conflicting beliefs get wrapped up in the mix. “A Better Life” reinforces that notion, showing us that we’d be wise to choose those beliefs carefully in the first place – and maybe to even think twice before doing so.

Copyright © 2012, by Brent Marchant. All rights reserved.

Technorati Tags: "A Better Life", "Crash". stigma, "lazy viewing", beliefs, Brent Marchant, brighter future, choice, Chris Weitz, conflicting beliefs, conscious creation, consequences, Demián Bichir, DVD release, expectations, fear, Film, gangs, illegal alien, Independent Spirit Awards, José Julián, los angeles, Mexican immigrant, movie, Oscar nod, outcomes, pet peeve, political views, risk, Screen Actors Guild, second chance, self-fulfilling prophecies, single father

Join host Sharon Quirt as she chats with international best seller of The Conversations with God series, Neale Donald Walsch in a conversation that will alter your reality forever…

Neale Donald Walsch has been a newspaper reporter and managing editor, a radio station program director, public information officer for one of the nation’s largest public school systems, creator and owner of his own advertising and marketing firm, and a nationally syndicated radio talk show host.  He has now “retired” from his career in communications arts to pursue his vision of a world in which people no longer live in fear of God, or of each other.

He has written more than 25 books on spirituality and its practical application in everyday life, including the multimillion-selling With God series: Conversations with God, Books I–III; Friendship with God; Communion with God; The New Revelations; Tomorrow’s God; What God Wants; and Home with God. The titles have been translated into 37 languages, and seven of those books reached the New York Times Bestseller List.

Walsch is the creator of several outreach projects: Humanity’s Team, CwG4Kids, the ReCreation Foundation, and the Changing Change Network, all revolving around a “hub” organization: The Conversations Movement (www.TheConversationsMovement.com)

Neale has a home in southern Oregon where he lives with his wife, Em Claire, who is a working poet. ( www.emclairepoet.com )  They travel extensively throughout the world, speaking to audiences and sharing the messages of the Conversations with God material.  His newest book is The STORM Before the CALM, to be released October 1by Hay House.

For more information visit www.nealedonaldwalsch.com

See Neale Donald Walsch LIVE in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona Nov 03-08 at the Celebrate YOUR Life Conference!!!

Technorati Tags: Conversations with God, fear, insight, inspiration, Neale Donald Walsch, self help, Spirituality, vivid life

CALL IN Number: 646 200 3448 or TOLL FREE 877 903 1396

Part one of a series on preparing our energy field for the new frequencies of 2012. There is nothing to fear when we are in alignment with all that life has for us. Many new frequency shifts are moving in and our bodies, emotions and thoughts are calibrating to the New Energy. It’s time to clear out the old and make way for the new!

You deserve the best in life and it’s waiting for you when you are aligned and in receive mode. Jenn takes you on a journey to discover your first chakra where the energy to provide security and life necessities flow into your life. To feel safe and secure in life are the energy frequencies of the first chakra. Learn how your body tells you about imbalances in the first chakra and explore ways to shift the frequencies that will empower you.

Jenn will be taking your calls for reads to help you fine tune your energy and will conduct a distant energy healing session to clear and empower your First Chakra to receive the best of life in 2012.

Listen to more VividLife Radio on demand:

Discovering Energy Mandalas with Keith Allen Kay

Join host of Possibility 101 Shasta Townsend as she chat with Transformational Artist ~ Keith Allen Kay on his many years spent researching esoteric writings, ancient religions and spirituality with a special interest in Sacred Geometry, Numerology and Quantum Physics and how this study has created the foundation for his work today. Combining his passion for spiritual artwork, science and spirituality Keith has developed a unique and artistic form of expression called Energy Mandalas. These Energy Mandalas are created using Quantum Fractal Technology and personal numerology.

Sunny Dawn Johnston ~ Invoking the Archangels

Join host Jenn Royster as she chats with  internationally acclaimed psychic medium and authorSunny Dawn Johnston on Invoking the Archangels ~ a nine step process to healing your body, mind and soul.

Technorati Tags: 2012, alignment, Bodies, Emotions, Energy Field, fear, First Chakra, inspiration, intuition, New Energy, Spirituality, vivid life

We are living in an amazing time.

We are transitioning from one world age to another as we move toward the marker of December 21, 2012. For some this date feels scary and for others it brings great hope. Regardless we are in transition. Just look around your world and life to see that things are in an evolution right now. Systems are breaking down and this can be scary as we are often afraid of change. We are in a time when WE can choose and create new systems bases on values of the heart. Wow. This is power.

Many say we are in a crisis. I think we are in an opportunity so profound and so full of potential that this time really is a gift for us all. We are all here for a profound and meaningful reason – to finally access the most powerful force in the universe – love. Scientists have shown that the Earth and humankind moves through 5,000 year cycles and we are at the end of a 5,000 year cycle that began August 11, 3114 BC. The last 5,000 years have been frought with war, weapons and destruction. The era that is dawning is one of love, peace and prosperity – if we choose it. It is the day to day actions that we all take that bring about global evolution.

The most powerful force in the universe is the human heart. And moment to moment you can choose to express love or fear. These daily choices will determine your own life as well as the life of those around you and at a bigger scale the life of our society and even planet. Sometimes we think love is for that hippie guy or maybe just the very few people in your life who you call your friends and family. Love, I have come to realize can be the powerful force of connection, awareness and right action in every moment if I choose. It is also the most powerful force in my life and the universe. It can be yours too.

Little BIG Ways to Choose Love:

* The next time you are in line at Starbucks or the grocery store make an effort to actually make eye contact and maybe even smile at the person serving you. Put down the cell phone and actually be present to someone with openness and appreciation. This is love in action.

* When you are in traffic which is usually a stressful experience take a moment to smile at someone passing or imagine all the people in the cars receiving a moment of light and love from you as you wish them well on their way. This is love in action.

* Next time you have an argument with someone you love. Let it go. Let them be right and tell them you love them. This is love in action.

What’s your love in action power play?

Everyday we are faced with a choice: love or fear? What will you choose? These choices are the basis for our new world dawning. Let’s make it amazing together.

This video by Shawn Gallaway is powerful…Check it out.

Namaste

Shasta

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Choose Joy and Experience Love in One of the Most Amazing Places on Earth – Costa Rica

Join Shasta for an experience of delicious renewal and bliss at the Prana-liscious Yoga and Nature Retreat December 4-10, 2011 at the Blue Osa Retreat Centre in beautiful in Osa Peninsula Costa Rica. Enjoy lush jungle, first rate accommodations and inspiring practice that will enliven every cell and leave your heart singing. Limited capacity. LEARN MORE

And remember to tune into Shasta’s Vivid Life Radio Show Possibility 101 every Wednesday at 4:00 pm eastern standard time on www.vividlife.me.

Shasta Townsend

A celebrated transformational leader and a leading pioneer in embodied spirituality and Yoga, Shasta has inspired hundreds of people through her breakthrough methods for awakening and empowering your inner voice and divine power. Director, founder and senior teacher with Balanced Life Yoga, she delivers public talks, seminars and trainings on evolution and empowerment. She draws on a wide variety of techniques including Yoga, Shamanism, meditation, energy healing, coaching and the Law of Attraction. She is especially appreciated for her passionate way of allowing individuals to make sense of their world and embodied, holistic means to become the change they wish to see.

As early as in her teenage years, Shasta embarked on her journey as a spiritual explorer which led her to India, where she studied yoga, meditation and energy healing. She has studied with many remarkable mentors and she has undergone thousands of hour’s intense practice of meditation and spiritual studies. Shasta has taken every opportunity to become adept in her field through her own practice as well as through extensive training in yoga, group dynamics, meditation and spiritual counseling.

www.balancedlifeyoga.ca

Technorati Tags: 2012, Costa Rica, fear, inspiration, love, retreat, Shasta Townsend, shift, vivid life

What if fear no longer stopped you from your dreams?

What is it that you really want right now?

Not from your head or your ego, or what you think you should have to make you happy.

Go deeper.

To the place where real dreams,

dreams worth having and dreams that actually have the power to manifest in reality come from.

Go in to your heart.

Who already knows exactly what dream is raising its hand screaming, “Ooh! Ooh! Pick me!!”

Who already knows the first few steps you could take right now to turn it from dream to reality.

What does your heart have to say?

Can you hear her or him?
Okay, let’s do this together.

Close your eyes right now.
Take a breath and put your hand on your heart and ask,

“What is the one dream I have for myself that right now is most important to me?”

What does your heart say?

And if you were to ask

“What is the one or two steps that I can take in the next three days to move towards that dream?”

What does your heart say?

And wait, one more question…

“What is the one thing that will stop me from this dream becoming real?”

What does your heart say?

Okay, just one more…

“If I didn’t listen to fear but instead to the truth in my heart, what do I know?”

Whew! Great work moving past your fear into love… if you were really listening to your heart when you did this exercise, then when you asked yourself what would stop my dream from becoming real, you would have felt your heart contracting, fluttering or some kind of feeling that was BLAH! That’s because fear had the microphone!

And as an ambassador of Team Love, I’m just not going to let fear win over you and smash your dream. All you have to do is take the love dare!

SELF-LOVE DARE…

Take one giant step toward your dream!

1.  Write down the guidance you received in your journal, on a piece of paper, heck even a sticky note. Just somewhere you can see it.
2. Then write down, say out loud or share with a friend the one or two actions you are going to take in the next 3 days to take a giant leap toward

If you need some extra support connecting to your Inner Wisdom and her Team Love message about your dreams – you can download the video meditation I created.

Wherever this finds you today, read this knowing that fear only has the power you provide it and at any time you have a choice … To choose to have faith in LOVE or to choose to have faith in FEAR. I really encourage you to try on having faith in LOVE. And of course, that love starts with the love you have for yourself. Love yourself well today. You deserve it.

Technorati Tags: Christine Arylo, dreams, fear, self love