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?
The night before I had watched The Men Who Stare At Goats for the second time, and loved it just as much as I did the first. I know it got terrible reviews, but I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time. And, I know it’s a satire, but there’s some quality philosophy here…
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. 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!!!!
…
I lay on the beach thinking about the journey of life. Sometimes I feel as though I’m traveling along my Optimum Trajectory. At these times 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. But that’s easier said than done… sometimes it’s hard to know which direction your destiny lies…
After five minutes of warm sunshine the day turned cold and windy… I guess it wasn’t my day to swim with or against a current. Or to stare at goats.
Taken from script found at:
http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Men-Who-Stare-at-Goats,-The.html
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
Hi, I’m just watching this film for the first time and was blown away by this quote: If you’re aiming for a goal that isn’t your destiny, you will always be swimming against the current. Find out what your destiny is and the river will carry you.
And then I Googled Optimum Trajectory and was blown away again.
I agree with you – there is quality philosophy in the film and also lots of truths such as invisibility which, for me, is about a variation in vibration.
I’m just shifting my trajectory at the moment so this is all very resonant for me!
The way I see it….Optimum Trajectory is merely a rephrasing of Aleister Crowley’s concept of “True Will”….the central theme in thelema. Look into it…
Oh Juliet I love your blog post! And I’m glad that you thought the men who stare at goats is a funny movie because I couldn’t stop laughing. I had to rewind some parts just to keep laughing, I was enjoying it so much!! I had tears in my eyes and everything. Such a good movie with hidden messages about life and personal growth that are very true. That quote about optimum trajectory is going up on my living room wall because it’s so true and has happened in my life. I wanted to be a barrister since I was 5yrs old, I pursued it and got called to the bar but getting a job as barrister was just too difficult and even thinking about practicing and living the life of a barrister did not appeal to me but I continued to pursue it, and living an unfulfilled life, basically swimming against the current. Eventually I was what I know for sure by Oprah Winfrey and started to make peace with the idea of not being a barrister, and what do you know? I got a job that paid me more than I’ve ever been paid before and allows me to live a really fulfilled life. I couldn’t be happier. I found my destiny. Sometimes I pray that other people would find theirs too.
🙂
[…] Quote from The Men Who Stare At Goats 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. 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. Source […]
[…] Quote from The Men Who Stare At Goats 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. 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. Source […]
[…] Quote from The Men Who Stare At Goats 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. 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. Source […]
[…] Quote from The Men Who Stare At Goats 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. 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. Source […]