I recently purchased a copy of this 1991 film on DVD.
What I remember was the concept of our judgement after we pass from this existence to the 'spirit'. I am not sure what prompted me to hit the Add to Basket that day on the Amazon. I was purchasing another film with a deeper spiritual meaning. And, I am glad I did.
Watching Defending Your Life today, there seemed an awful lot of those cliches we don't see in films anymore. What I mean by that, is the waitress at the Diner, she is exactly what you expect, matronly and just a bit too friendly. But that may be part of the point. In the Albert Brooks view, the afterlife is made to fit our expectations.
In case you love an older film, that takes a bit of time to develop character and speed, unlike the movies of the past ten years, which are all about bombarding you with explosions and well manicured flesh. I will try and refrain from spoilers.
Watching the film this time, I saw & heard the notion, we are judged if we allow Fear to be an excuse for any non action in our lives. Then if we don't have a good defense, the Fear becomes a reason to send us for reincarnation. So, equal to the words of Anita Moorjani, when we do not honour who we are, what we really want, we create disease, distress and perhaps life threatening illness. I certainly wasn't raised to put myself before others. My mother made sure that I knew, to serve Jesus, I had to give! I had to give in Church and serve others endlessly. All this, doing, in the hopes that my sins may be forgiven and a place for me in Heaven secured.
Now, for many years I was a seriously devout woman. I read my Bible using a Daily bread guide for three years. I used to use several versions of the Bible, liking the poetic style of the King James and yet for discussion the New International Version with plain text was better. I can remember, one day my neighbour asking,"So, what is a sin?" I was quite agog. I had taken so much of what I learned as a little girl to be Gospel. I never asked if there were soft sins, more important vices to be avoided. I mean, you could say,"Follow the 10 commandments and you will be okay." But, I heard a minister say, "As long as you confess all your sins and accept Jesus as your Savior before you die, you will be okay." But does he know?
What will we be judged on when we pass?
Now, when I look at the 10 commandments, I see actions that we take, that either hurts ourselves or our loved ones. These are the things we are told not to do. They all make sense, don't tell lies about people, don't envy what your neighbour has, be faithful in marriage and don't kill the people that annoy you! But I know, you have heard and I have heard, Jesus loves you. No matter what. And that is a big message from Anita's book, Dying to be me. That thought, no matter what we do here, we are loved and taken to Heaven. The concept, that I don't have to be, ticking the boxes, colouring in the lines, really turned my world upside down for days.
Really? Even if I killed person?
The truth is, that it is True. The divine has created a path for us to walk. And it seems, even when we look to play the villain, there is compassion and understanding for the Why that took us to that place.
Then, there is a bigger commandment, make yourself no idols, worship no false Gods. This is quite fascinating. Because it seems, the film, Defending Your Life, Anita's book and even my favourite physical study, Taekwon - Do, all agree, there should only be One!
Now, with the study of taekwon - Do, the concept of serving One King, is very important to modern living. Many people get so caught up in 'the Rat Race' they don't realize that 'work' can now claim them totally. For so many people, the deflated response to extra training is, "I have to work!". But work used to be a means to an end! Nowadays, people are terrified to lose their jobs, even if they are unhappy there! Even if being unhappy and dreading another shift is draining the life force out of them! They need the money! It is as if, they have put money before the pursuit of happiness. Before having quality time and enjoying their family.
I do not have an answer for the current state of affairs. I know, where I live, there are hundreds of people out of work, and hundreds to apply for each open position! Many of the candidates well too qualified for the job. So, I know, it is hard to get even a poor choice position, on a low wage! I know!
The point is more, who are you serving!
If, you looked into your heart, and you asked, what do I really want?
And the answer is, I always wanted to paint. I always wanted to work in the fresh air and sunshine.
Sometimes, the desires of our own heart gets so obscured by the desires of those we love and our family. I know! I am a mother. I can tell you of year after year, putting my hopes and dreams on hold to stay at home and look after my children. And sometimes now, I have to go to work, when all I want to do is, enjoy sometimes with my children. It is very difficult to get a balance between what we 'do', our jobs, our income, and what we dream of being. Or dream of Living!
But I believe, we have to look.
We have to seek what is in our hearts.
We need to awaken to what we really are, and that is one sparkling part of the Divine!
That is why, if we do not put ourselves, our hopes and dreams first;- we may end up living a lift that seems hopeless.
Do not be one of those who live lives of quiet desperation. That quote first penned by Thoreau has lived for generations, it has survived that long because there is TRUTH in that statement.
It is all to common for us to stay in an unhappy alliance, because we think we are 'doing' the right thing.
I have done it. I have stayed too long in unhappy relationships. I have stayed too long working with a Bully. I needed it.
I needed it, so that I would learn, I needed to learn, that my voice should wait any more to be heard.
You might not like my opinion.
You might think my belief in the realm of spirits and healing energy totally eccentric.
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