Optimum Trajectory, swimming against the current, and man who stare at goats.
So I watched The Men Who Stare At Goats for the second time, and loved it just as much as I did the first. I’m not joking. I know it got terrible reviews, but I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time. And I think it’s got some great quotes. Look, I know it’s a satire, but there’s some quality philosophy here…
Words spoken by LYN CASSADY (George Clooney)
Have you heard of Optimum Trajectory before? (No answer) Your life is like a river, Bob. If you’re aiming for a goal that isn’t your destiny, you will always be swimming against the current. Young Ghandi wants to be a stock-car racer? Not gonna happen. Little Anne Frank wants to be a High School teacher. Tough titty Anne. That’s not your destiny. But you will go on to move the hearts and minds of millions. Find out what your destiny is and the river will carry you. Now sometimes events in life give an individual clues as to where their Destiny lies. Like those doodles you just “happened” to draw?
He unbuttons his shirt and reveals an EYE tattooed on his chest – very similar to the one Bob had drawn. Bob looks up.
LYN CASSADY continues
This is the Ajna chakra – the third eye – the symbol of the Jedi. When I saw you’d drawn it…well, the Universe gives me a sign like that, I don’t ignore it. You’re meant to be here with me, Bob. The Jedi inside you sensed that.
Bob stares at the EYE.
…
Classic movie. With Jedi warriors, psychic spies and sparkling eyes techniques. If you haven’t, you gotta see it. And if you have and you didn’t like it, then I suggest you watch it again… so funny!!!!
…
Sometimes I feel as though I’m traveling along my Optimum Trajectory, and at that time I’m usually full of energy and the river does simply carry me along. Everything goes well. The traffic lights are green.
I can typically tell when I’m trailing away from it. I get stuck at every set of traffic lights and I have a sense of unease pervading my body – a niggling feeling that appears to be connected to an ego-interrupted intuition.
I guess the trick is to notice this, and adjust your path accordingly. But that’s easier said than done…
Taken from script found at:
http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Men-Who-Stare-at-Goats,-The.html
Photo:
On Monday, before the rain. Hmmm, I wondered to myself on my last off before an almost 4-day working week (heaven forbid!)… what is my destiny? To read books on the beach? To find the Jedi inside me and jump in the water?
After five minutes of warm sunshine the day turned cold and windy… so I packed up and went home. I guess it wasn’t my day to swim with or against a current. Or to stare at goats.
I saw the movie. It s based on the book of the same name. the characters have made up names, but if you follow closely you will conclude that Django (Jango Fett?) is Jim Channon, Gen.Hopgood is Gen. Geo. Stubblebind III, etc. According to National Public Radio (NPR), in an interview with Terry Gross, the film is 60 to 70 true and the balance fictionalized. The book is way dark. I read the the army and CIA may have perverted Jim Channon’s intentions. There is more than what meets the eye at what happened at Abu Graib. Jim Channon I hear owns large property on the Hawaiian islands. Happy ending I suppose. Lyn Cassidy is a composite person.
If you read an older book, the Psychic Battlefield-the military occult complex, then you may know how and possibly why our tax dollars are spent the way it is.
Sounds like truth is way creepier than fiction.
Interesting post Juliet I love That movie as well. The funny thing about it is many of the concepts hidden within it are so important to personal development. Jeff bridges seems to be in a Lot of great movies that have hidden messages, The Big Lebowski is one of my favorites. I wrote a recent blog post along the same lines maybe you could check it out
Thanks?
http://richartichoker.com/personal-development/your-strengths-and-weaknesses-what-matter-most
Great post Rich – reminding us to focus on our strengths rather than focusing on our weaknesses. Love the catchy phrase “where focus goes, energy flows”. And your work on the Hero Journey
Right now I’m working on some tools based on Campbell for an undergrad course I’m teaching. Keep in touch!
Hey Juliet, sorry I haven’t been back sooner. I love Joseph Campbell. I only wish I had more time to devote to studying his work. The heroes journey is for me the epitome of not only doctor campbells work but I also feel its pat the heart of all human existence. I think everyone can remember a time when we were little and the world of posibilities was wide open to us, when we imagined ourselves the hero beating the bad guy and going beyond any limitations to win the day. It’s why as adults that we love a good story with these elements. Star wars, the matrix, men who stare at goats, the lord of the rings, I think that if we (human beings) are honest with ourselves we all want to play a staring role in an epic journey