Quest Mythology in Film

This film class is designed to give you a direct experience of the "hero's journey" cycle, a universal theme in world mythology. The hero cycle--departure, initiation, return--is common in the cultural stories of all humankind because it's what happens in life. It is life.

You watch the films on a big screen, surround sound, home theater. Powerful films with excellent plots and cinematography are selected that can activate you at a subconscious level. You begin each film with a meditation to relax you into your subconscious, to experience the film more as a dream. Having floated into your right brain, you can intuitively pick up symbols and messages from the film without thinking. Afterwards, you re-activate the left brain to discuss what you have discovered.

This is a highly inspirational way to experience movies!

Through Quest Mythology in Film you will become adept at recognizing the stages of the hero's quest and make strong correlations to your own life. You will learn to identify universal archetypes (personality traits, psychic attitudes, etc) portrayed in the film characters, and realize which of these archetypes you tend to emulate or resonate.

Each film/discussion class includes a thorough paper that mythically interprets the film. Each of the ten classes is self-contained--attend one or all. We do one film a month:

Contact – Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey

The Game – Michael Douglas, Sean Penn

Thelma & Louise – Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis

Shakespeare In Love – Gwyneth Paltrow, Ray Fiennes

The Contender – Joan Allen, Gary Oldman

Fight Club – Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter

Rain Man – Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman

Finding Forrester – Sean Connery, Rob Brown, Anna Paquin

The Silence of the Lambs – Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster

The Matrix – Keanu Reeves, Carie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne

Typically a three-hour class held on a Friday evening or Saturday afternoon. The program typically runs from September through June. To stay apprised of upcoming events get on the monthly email list!

dance@mindfulmedicine.com

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