Disney & Pixar’s Soul: Real life adulting lessons from a film about soul and seeking purpose
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Many times over and over children’s Disney and Pixar movies have had a profound and heart touching effect on adults. Toy Story, Up, Monster’s Inc and Inside Out to name a few. If your heart just did a little summer salt in your chest, then the new Disney-Pixar production may be right up your ally.
In the movie Soul we follow our protagonists Joe and 22 on a journey of realizing and actualizing their Dharmas, while providing us with some essential life lessons we need on our own journeys. But what is Dharma? In Dharma is the the Sanskrit term to describe the very belief of a Soul’s purpose, personal mission, or right way of living.
The concept of our Soul’s purpose or Dharma can be daunting, and the idea that we are expected to find our purpose and act on it is even more overwhelming. For many of us it leads to feelings of shame, fear and hopelessness. Shameful that everyone around us seems to be thriving in their purpose, fearful that we may never find it and are simply walking through life searching aimlessly for it, and lastly hopeless we may have found it and lost it.
I share some insights I gained about soul and purpose, and encourage you to join in the reflective exercises below. My journey towards my Dharma is every evolving, and the more time I spend in reflection, the closer I feel to embodying it on this life journey.
1. Joe is aware from a young age that music is his talent, his passion and his purpose. However, Joe’s mother has imposed her own limiting beliefs about music onto him, and in turn he has internalized those beliefs and created a false narrative about music that he does not fully align with. Joe is fully aware of his purpose, but lives his life dimming his light, playing his music in isolation, and acting as if he is embarrassed of his musical talents.
22 on the other hand, has been told by the Jerry’s that she is difficult and she will never be able to find her purpose despite their best efforts to help her. When we meet 22 she has also internalized these limiting beliefs and has already given up on trying to find her purpose. Unlike Joe, 22 has yet to find her purpose, and in turn has reverted to hiding in a cave and accepting a false truth that she has no purpose and does not deserve to live it.
Reflect: Whether you relate to Joe or 22 in your journey, it is imperative to recognize that we have all been negatively labelled by other peoples’ beliefs, internalized them and then lived our lives according to them.
In one of these ways, you have been stopped from either pursuing your purpose head-on, or simply labelled yourself as “untalented” and given up before ever trying.
2. In purgatory, 22 has been told to believe that she has a single talent that she must find before starting her life on Earth. She is looking to label and define her purpose and passion for life, and when she fails to instantly excel in areas such as music, art or science, she instantly rejects them all.
On Earth, although Joe is aware of his natural talents, he has labeled his purpose as getting his “big shot” and playing a reputable and famous jazz band. However, he fails to live in the present moment and realize that his career as a music teacher is a purposeful use of his musical talents. Joe is so close to living in his Dharma, his righteous path and feeling fulfilled but is blocked because he lacks gratitude for the current opportunity he has to serve others as a music teacher.
Both Joe and 22 are prevented from living their Dharma’s due to self-imposed stressors, the internalized belief that they must attain certain achievements and titles to be successful.
Reflect: How do labels serve or prevent you from living your Dharma?
By simply enjoying what makes you happy and dropping labels such as “being the best”, “making money” or “achieving fame” you may be able to get rid of stressors that prevent you from finding and honouring your natural talents. Living a purposeful life and doing the things you love does not always mean you will be the best, or that you make the most money. It may not even come with any labels or lucrative titles, but it will come with a sense of fulfillment, happiness and light heartedness that is essential to living your righteous path.
3. Dharma, the righteous path does not have to be a religious belief system, but a life journey towards the best version of you, your highest self. In living this path, we do not have to adopt religious or spiritual beliefs, we merely have to acknowledge that there are thoughts and actions we take that can lead us to happiness and fulfillment.
For instance, during her trip to Earth 22 is enamoured by the beauty of everyday life such as delicious food, the changing colours of autumn leaves, sunshine and the pleasures of watching other people enjoy music and art. 22 lives in the present moment and pauses to enjoy the beauty around her. By living in a state of weightlessness and free of labels or titles, 22 is on her righteous path. Allowing herself moments of presence gives her a new lease on life, and a new outlook to move towards finding her purpose and passion.
An important secondary character is Dez, Joe’s barber who shares that his lifelong dream was to become a veterinarian, and although this dream was not actualized he does not live in regret or remorse. Instead the barber explains that he remains happy and fulfilled as barber because he enjoys his work, the people he meets and the happiness he feels using his talents to make others feel beautiful. Dez is a man living his righteous path and serving his highest self. This is confirmed when he goes on to say “I may not be inventing blood transfusions, but I am most definitely saving lives.” This statement is admirable and shows us that living in your Dharma is not a defined or specific outcome, but a continuous journey, a shift in perspective, and the practice of gratitude.
Reflect: As you live your life’s journey and follow your righteous path, what are the things that help you appreciate life? What gives you butterflies? What allows you to be your authentic self and live without fear and judgement? What labels and titles can you leave that will remove unneeded stress and feelings of hopelessness when living your purpose?
Who is the best version of you, what characteristics does he/she have, and how can you align your actions with the best version of you?
So many of us are lost and it takes a special movie like Soul to give us a moment to pause and see ourselves reflected on screen. We’ve watched these beloved characters embark on their life journeys and we are compelled to take their lessons and apply them to ourselves.
Whether you are a famous or in-famous artist, a curious scientist, an avid athlete, a devoted parent, or a good person enjoying the various things life has to offer, I applaud you for taking time to reflect on where you are in your righteous path.
Just like the beloved characters in Soul, your righteous path is a lifelong adventure in which you will be able to find fulfillment and happiness and all the things you set your mind to.
