We got a new tv and blu ray player for Christmas so of course it’s required that you buy at least one blu ray movie. We decided on Eat Pray Love even though my other half saw it in the theater while I was in San Antonio. It’s a total chick flick (not a bad thing), after all I had read the book. I wanted to see it mainly because I love Julia Roberts.
If you don’t know this story it’s about a woman who takes a year after ending her marriage and goes to three international places, Italy, India, and Bali. At each location she experiences takes on a personal challenge. She eats her way through Italy; learns to meditate and develop a spiritual practice in India, and then all that’s left is finding love in Bali. Bali is interesting because she meets up with a medicine man, Ketut, who guides her through a process of inner exploration. The movie was entertaining, certainly not winning any academy awards, but it got me thinking.
After 25 years of doing this work I’ve heard thousands of stories about the day of diagnosis. It ranges from shock, to meltdown, to “I already knew”. It’s the experience of what John of the Cross calls “the dark night of the soul” that gets people’s attention. “Dark night of the soul” wasn’t intended to be an internal nuclear meltdown, but not being able to see in front of you like driving on a night with a very thick fog.
I talk about the dark night of the soul in its intended meaning because not seeing ahead of oneself is often what sets us out on a pilgrimage or journey. So I want you to consider this question. If the movie was called Eat Pray Love, what would your movie be called? It requires three words that capture what your journey entails. It captures the qualities of your life once receiving the diagnosis that you want to elevate to new heights. It’s the motivation that draws you on your pilgrimage to health and healing.
If you haven’t seen the movie rent it and then come up with your movie title. I invite you to tell us your movie title in the comment box. I think this could be rich for us as a community.
For more information on the pilgrimage to health and healing, check out the website at www.survivingstrong.com
Pilgrim Pathway/Surviving Strong 