My Thoughts on ‘Solo – A Star Wars Story' - Imago Dei Allusion?

My daughter and I watched this movie recently before Father's Day. I think a daddy-daughter Father's Day date is fast becoming a tradition (I'm delighted!). We watched Wonder Woman last year, as my journal says. 

Good background story. It didn't impress me as "super awesome" though.

Things that stood out for me:

** Qira is the only one that knows who Han really is - that he is, deep within himself, a good guy. This ties in with the character of Padme knowing that "there is still good in him (in Anakin after he turns into Darth Vadar).”

Isn't that the Buddha-nature or the Imago Dei (Image of God in Gen 1:27)? "Buddha-nature", "Imago Dei" --- those are examples of religious jargon (language) that religions have used in history to convey a deep truth that, for example, Solo: A Star Wars Story conveys in more simple, easier-to-understand (for this generation) language. In the words of Qira

"I might be the only person who knows who you really are" (despite Han proclaiming that he's a "bad outlaw"). And then, as I remember, she whispers to someone later, "He's a good guy."

** We finally see how Han wins the Millennium Falcon from Lando Calrissan

** We finally know the origins of the deep friendship between Chewbacca and Han

Things that intrigued me:

What's with Darth Maul's reappearance?

What happens to Qira after?

Restoring Balance in Our Souls As Portrayed in 'Birth of the Dragon'

A while ago, I saw a Bruce Lee movie entitled Birth of the Dragon. It told the story of an encounter of the pre-fame Bruce Lee with a Shaolin monk named Wong Jack Man...  The movie portrayed this encounter between the two kung-fu masters as full of mutual animosity in the beginning. However, it eventually resulted in Bruce Lee learning valuable lessons that he put into practice in his life and teaching soon after his showdown with the Shaolin monk.

Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_of_the_Dragon

What struck me particularly was the character of Wong Jack Man. Earlier in the story, he severely injured a Tai Chi master in a supposedly no-contact martial arts encounter and he attributed that to his ego. After this, he went to San Francisco in order to wash dishes and, in so doing, "restore the balance in his soul."

The message of the movie spoke powerfully to me, particularly because when I saw it, I still feeling burned out after a tough and very hectic school year 2017-18.

‘Restoring balance in one’s soul’ seems like a very Eastern (as opposed to ‘Western’) concept. It is commonly expressed by the yin and yang (陰陽). This is arguably the way by which the East expresses what “wholeness” or “fullness” is all about. It’s curiously different from the way Christianity (or the West) has traditionally expressed “wholeness” as seen in the concepts of “Salvation” and “Redemption.”

Intriguingly, “restoring the balance” seems to be a dominant theme in popular culture. For instance, one of my favorite animated series, the Nickelodeon series Avatar as well as The Legend of Korra also deal with this theme in a major way. There, we learn that the avatar’s primary mission is “to restore balance” to the whole world. However, we also see the avatars having to restore balance first and foremost in their own souls before they can restore the balance in the world at large.

Star Wars also speaks of “restoring balance in the force” between the dark and light sides. Hence, the “chosen one” (presumed to Anakin Skywalker) is the one who will bring balance to the force.

“Restoring our interior balance” is not only an important theme in popular culture. In fact, religious and spiritual masters through the ages have affirmed that it is an important component of spirituality. So, what exactly is “restoring the balance” and how does one go about restoring the balance in one’s soul? This is a burning question that must be answered by each and every one of us.

Rejoice in Ordinary Life

Lately, I've been reading meditations from the Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön. In the following reflection, she expresses what--I think--lies at the heart of Buddhism and of mindful practice in a very simple yet profound way. On further reflection, the following teaching does not even have to be identified with Buddhism at all. It is a key factor in trying to deepen oneself as a human person, pure and simple! Here it is:

We can learn to rejoice in even the smallest blessings our life holds. It is easy to miss our own good fortune; often happiness comes in ways we don't even notice. It's like a cartoon I saw of an astonished-looking man saying, "What was that?" The caption below read, "Bob experiences a moment of well-being." The ordinariness of our good fortune can make it hard to catch.

The key is to be here, fully connected with the moment, paying attention to the details of ordinary life. By taking care of ordinary things-- our pots and pans, our clothing, our teeth -- we rejoice in them. When we scrub a vegetable or brush our hair, we are expressing appreciation: friendship toward ourselves and toward the living quality that if found in everything. This combination of mindfulness and appreciation connects us fully with reality and brings us joy.

The Pocket Pema Chödrön, 29

If we're just more mindful in everyday life, there are endless ways by which we will realize how much we are truly, truly blessed. Rather than focusing on the bad or negative things, let's be more aware of the many good and positive things that are there for our savoring and cherishing!

Stop and Let Yourself Experience Depth

When we're not busy with the things we are absolutely duty-bound to do in our daily routines such as job or family commitments, doesn't life for many of us nowadays seem to be an endless pursuit of things with which we could be (unfortunately) mindlessly amused or entertained. Yes, the TV or our phone screen beckons to us with a seemingly limitless array of fascinating offerings - Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, Instagram, games, news, this or that amusing factoid or whatever is “cool” out there.

Inevitably, there comes a time when, despite the many distractions around, we are faced with the stark experience of feeling empty (in a negative sense). This may lead to us becoming quiet and thoughtful. In those moments, some nobler thoughts might even come to mind such as: What's the meaning of it all? What's my purpose in life? What are the most important things in my/our existence? How do I make life more meaningful?

When these thoughts come, I say, “Hold it there!” Don't take the easier option and retreat back into mindless distraction with seemingly more "amusing" things. If we pay more attention to these nobler thoughts, we’ll realize that --and this is very important-- we're actually beginning to touch what many spiritual teachers and religious traditions consider one’s deepest core, the most essential part that actually makes us more fully human. Religious people have considered it our link with the Divine!

I’ll try to write some occasional reflections on the broad topic ‘Going deeper and beyond’. That would be my shorthand for ‘Going deeper (into our innermost core) and going beyond ourselves (self-transcendence) which is my working definition for the difficult-to-grasp word “Spirituality” which, in turn, is not only the heart of all religion but, I propose, the essence of our humanity. I also think that, in this twitter age, it would be good to have only one essential point for every reflection. Our first point here then is: Let’s STOP the mindless distractions every now and then and allow ourselves to go into our deeper dimensions.

In Honour of My Mother, Barbara G. Kato

(Began: Thursday, November 23, 2017)

    When I posted news about mom’s passing on my Facebook page two days ago, I was overwhelmed by the number of people who took the time to express their sympathies, affection, and condolences to me and our family on this occasion. One comment from a dear friend somehow stood out and struck me in a particular way. It said: “We didn’t know her but we can see her beautiful legacy in you, in your family, and in your lives.”

    This prompted me to think of mom, her life and that “beautiful legacy” which, my dear friend perceptively pointed out, lives on in us who are her children, her extended family or friends. Of course, I had to start with my earliest memories of those years in which I was most closely bonded with her as a child. I admit, it does begin to feel so hard jogging my memory at 52 years old and going back some 40 plus years to the time of the formative childhood years that I spent almost always by mom’s side.

    However, when I set myself to do this in earnest, faced with the stark reality of her death, the memories came flooding back …

Daily Dose of Hug

KH often tells us "Daddy / Mommy, I need my daily dose of hug!" and she just comes and hugs us and asks us to give her "a proper hug." Isn't that just adorable?

The mythologist Joseph Campbell once said,
"I don't believe people are looking for the meaning of life
as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive."
I think there is profound truth in this insight.
For a parent, one of the most ordinary yet most profound experiences of being alive is precisely when one is hugged or when one hugs one's dear child.

I savour and cherish this!

Pet Dog as the Buddha

I was reading in Elizabeth Drescher's Choosing our Religion about the "spiritual" connection between people and pets. One Linda Olson considers her dog Sheamus her most important spiritual sensei. She calls him "Mr. Present Moment" aned "Mr. Loving Kindness." These are the values the dog teaches her everyday. The dog teaches her "to pay attention to the present moment, to really be in it, and to approach everyone as though they're going to be awesome, wonderful friends. I don't think the Buddha could do much better than that." (p. 140)