10 Law of Attraction Lessons in Film

By Brent Marchant

Larry King and Oprah are talking about "conscious creation" and "the law of attraction" and movie audiences all over the world have learned from "The Secret" and "What the #$*! Do We (K)now!?" that through our thoughts, beliefs, and feelings, we create our own reality.

In my new book, I analyzed films of all kinds from a conscious creation/law of attraction perspective and from them discovered I could apply certain principles to my own life.

Here are the 10 law of attraction lessons I learned from movies.

We Each Write the Screenplay of Our Lives

Think of your life as a screenplay waiting to be written. You put your ideas down on paper, filling the pages with a storyline, characters, and dialogue until you have a completed script. But how does that narrative get made into a movie? That's where your collaborator, the director, comes in, transforming your abstract prose into a finished product. Life's like that, too. Through the practice of conscious creation (also known as the law of attraction), we partner up with the Divine to create the life we lead, based on our ideas, beliefs, and intents. You can see examples of this at work in "The Secret," "What the #$*! Do We (K)now!?" and "What Dreams May Come."

Pay Attention to What's on the Screen

Sleepwalking through life is like falling asleep at the show— you miss out on what's going on! So to get your money's worth out of your ticket price, watch the movie intently. In particular, pay close attention to your beliefs, because they shape how your personal story unfolds on the screen of life. Failure to do this may yield results you don't want or whose merits you don't readily recognize. To see what I mean, watch "Colossus: The Forbin Project," "Under the Tuscan Sun," or "The Turning Point."

Always Watch the Previews

Avid moviegoers agree that watching previews is time well spent. They show us what's coming up, even if they provide only a partial picture. Likewise, it's always a good idea to heed our intuitive impressions, because they give us valuable hints about what's going on in our lives and what lies ahead (provided we listen to them). When considered in conjunction with our intellect, these insights offer a powerful means for understanding and, if need be, altering our beliefs (which, in turn, affect the outcomes we experience). "Signs," "Forces of Nature," and "The Empire Strikes Back" illustrate this particularly well.

Check the Movie Listings Thoroughly

You don't have to watch a drama when you'd rather see a comedy; you have a choice. So why lock yourself into comparably inflexible beliefs about other areas of your life? Free will and the power of choice are cornerstones of conscious creation and the law of attraction, so exercise your capabilities in this area to the fullest. And if you make a "bad" decision, think of it as a learning experience— a choice you won't make again. Embrace the lessons of "Stardust Memories," "After Hours," and "Thelma & Louise."

Embrace Alternate Endings

If you watch a movie on DVD and don't like the way it turns out, check out the special features; chances are you'll get to see an alternate ending (and, one would hope, a conclusion that's more to your liking). The same is true in life: Change is always an option when a particular choice doesn't work out as hoped for. Finding a better way is a common theme in many films, including "The Truman Show," "Groundhog Day," "Zelig," and "The Purple Rose of Cairo."

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark; It's Just a Movie

The most engaging movies are those that boldly explore the unexpected. But dealing with such uncharted territory can be daunting, if not downright scary, because of the unfamiliarity involved. At the same time, the rewards that come from taking risks are often the greatest, both cinematically and in conscious creation. After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Face your fears, and live heroically, for fortune favors the bold, as in "Defending Your Life," "An Unmarried Woman," "Vertigo," "Good Night, and Good Luck," and "Fearless."

Follow the Story from Beginning to End

Characters often change as their stories unfold on screen; by the end, they're seldom who they were at the beginning. This is because their beliefs about themselves and their lives evolve over time, allowing them to become who they envisioned themselves to be. We frequently do the same in our everyday existence, but to appreciate the impact of this, we must examine our personal evolution to see how we've grown. "Road trip" films explore this especially well, in such diverse pictures as "The Wizard of Oz," "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," and the original version of "Lost Horizon."

Every Line Has a Meaning

When a screenwriter composes a script, there are no unimportant lines. Similarly, when a director shoots a film, there are no unimportant scenes. Everything is integral, because everything is connected; remove a single thread, and the entire tapestry begins to unravel. So it is with conscious creation: When we create our reality, we create the totality of it, not just parts. That's why it's so important to pay attention to our beliefs, for they contribute to the materialization of all the interconnected aspects of our being. "Crash," "Grand Canyon," "American Beauty," and "Pay It Forward" showcase this idea well.

Play with Special Effects

Where would movies be today without all their high- tech wizardry? Special effects put the magic into so many of the films we watch. But there's no reason we can't work that same magic into our everyday lives, too. Developing special talents, such as psychic abilities and healing skills, or drawing from the wisdom of altered states of consciousness, such as dreams or meditative states, allow us to expand our range of beliefs about what truly is possible in life. Take inspiration from "Phenomenon," "Resurrection," "K-PAX," "The Lathe of Heaven," "Brainstorm," "Pleasantville," and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."

Lead an Epic Life

Living life to the fullest is something I'd like to hope we all aspire to. Leading an epic life— one in which we live up to our fullest potential for the benefit of both ourselves and others—is a goal certainly worth pursuing. Getting in tune with our beliefs, and then acting on them, is essential to success in this endeavor. Find out how by the examples set in "The Right Stuff," "Being There," "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," and "It's a Wonderful Life."

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