The Movie Avatar: Talking “Yoga”
Somewhere between Snowcapolypse and Round II, cabin fever got the best of me and I scooted over to the cinema to see the movie Avatar. Rich with imagery as fantastic as anything I could imagine, what I found especially striking was the language. They were talking yoga! Intended or not, the language we hear in yoga class and in this movie were strikingly similar.
There were many times during the movie when references to the “network of energy that flows through all living things” was highlighted. Ahhhhh, prana. The energy or life force which emanates from all physical matter and moves through and around us at all times. Sigourney Weavers’ character (Grace Augustine) was in awe of the trees on the planet Pandora, which possessed a dynamic and energetic root system that was both physically intertwined and provided a conduit for their universal communication between the environment and the Avatars. She repeatedly remarked, “I gotta get a sample of these roots.” Does the phrase, “I gotta get to yoga class!” resonate?
Avatars’ main characters Neytiri and Jake were embroiled in rigorous training on Jake’s behalf throughout the film. At one point, Jake reflected on Neytiri’s advice to “Trust what your body already knows to do.” She also told him that he “looks but doesn’t see” which is what happens to me when I loose my dristi or when I don’t practice mindfulness off the mat. As Jake learned to connect with his body, his senses, with others and the environment, he effortlessly began to avoid multiple perils which both consumed and distracted him prior to his training.
Icing on the yoga language cake were repeated references to the bond frequently depicted between Avatars and their hunting companions called the Lavi (or birds) and other untamed creatures. The union between beings was only solidified through the yoking of the breath and heartbeat once a physical connection was established.
At the end of the film, Jake learned to set intentions which enabled him to make clear and good decisions, which resulted in his ultimate self realization and of course saving Pandora from the Sky People. In preparation for the ultimate battle to save the planet, Neytiri gazed at Jake and proclaimed, “I see you.”
In yoga class, we come to the mat to work through our sheaths or koshas in order that we may see ourselves and others as we really, truly are. During that process, we begin to make mindful connections with ourselves, with others and the world in which we live. The result is that we are able to proceed with conviction in our daily walk.
Nice job, Hollywood.
Namaste,
Jessica