Joy and Sadness can coexist: Commentary on Inside Out from Spiritual Perspective
***Spoiler Alert: If you have not seen Inside Out please do not read until after you have watched the movie. Unless you like spoiled stuff.***
From the time we were uniquely crafted in our mothers womb, we have experienced consciousness. Once we took our first breath we were able to ‘better’ share our emotions with the world around us. This is where Riley’s journey begins in Inside Out. It’s where all of our journey’s begin anew on Earth. What makes the movie Inside Out so relatable is the personification of emotions across life’s challenges and excitements. We each are seeking to understand ourselves more and the world around us, some consciously others unconsciously. Understanding this paradox of reality is a gradual process, that life will teach each one of us. Inside Out unites us in the deep knowing that we all want to thrive, experience, have fun and express ourselves.
Let’s dive into this blog post, I’ll share some key takeaways from the movie Inside Out:
- The Danger of Apathy
- The Necessary role of Sadness
- Understanding Joy
- The Cave of the Subconscious Mind
- Loss of Imagination
The Danger of Apathy
The beauty of the movie is how it depicts the unifying journey of being human with emotions namely Disgust, Anger, Fear, Sadness and Joy. Seeing them as embodied characters provides nuance to the emotional experience. There are specific loops that these emotional characters play in, where even if they try to get out of their loop and be another emotion they can’t. This was evident when Fear, Anger and Disgust tried to hold down the command center while Sadness and Joy went through the memory tube. The trio of vital but ‘lower’ frequency emotions couldn’t fully handle life without bringing Riley to the level of apathy, unable to feel ANYTHING.
Here is a graph of our emotions on a frequency scale: I share more on the map of consciousness in this post - click to read more.
When we move into the space of apathy, our zest for life is greatly diminished. From the outside looking in, a human may seem more robotic. From the inside looking out, this same human is hurt, confused and unsure of themselves. I’ve felt this way. Maybe you’ve felt the same. The tunnel of darkness. Unsure of what to do or be next, yet wanting to be understood and understand yourself.
How do we move up on the frequency scale when we feel apathy creeping in? By moving the the next best feeling. In Riley’s case, sadness transformed her apathetic state. She was able to share her concerns of being in a new city, missing her friends and the home she grew up in. Being in that raw moment of sadness, allowed her to feel deeply to move to what her Soul was seeking — Love. The love of her family was able to wash over her. The love you give to yourself can wash over you. Others love is a bonus.
The Necessary role of Sadness
Sadness is in our lives to show us the value and beauty all around us. It allows us to appreciate the good in our lives. From the perspective of sadness, she deeply feels while carrying nuanced perspective. When we sit with our emotions. Once Joy understood the pain of sadness for her self, she was able to connect with the embodiment of sadness and see her (Sadness') true value.
ALL of our emotions are valid. They guide us. But when we give room for them all, harmony can exist. One emotion isn’t better than the other. Joy realized that it isn’t all about her. That Riley had to come to the understanding of the various emotions within her for her to understand herself and others on a deeper level.
The Cave of the Subconscious Mind
I loved the visuals that Inside Out gives us when it comes to the subconscious mind. Depicted as this dark place where all our fears lives. Protected by police arguing over a hat. It reminded me of this quote:
“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” - Joseph Campbell
When we lean into fear, it can be the very thing that saves us. This was symbolized in Inside Out when the awakened clown ran after Joy, Sadness and Bing Bong allowing them to escape from the depths of the subconscious mind to continue their mission of saving Riley. Your fears can be the push you need to your goals. Leaning into fear looks like continue to do the 'thing' that scares you, sharing your creative work or passion, speaking up for yourself and maintaining your boundaries.
The treasure you seek is waiting for you on the other side of fear. Fear gets smaller the more you look at it in the eye. Its a process your soul moves through to as you encourage authentic expression. (however that looks for you)
Loss of Imagination
It was very significant that imagination island was being taken down. And destroyed due to lack of use. How many of us have experienced the conditioning and programming that play and imagination is just for children and growing up means losing that. Our soul came to earth to experience play and imagination throughout our whole lives here, just not a certain part.
When we see Riley’s imaginary friend,Bing Bong, he was even willing to give up his existence for the whole of Riley’s human experience. Imagination wants the best for us by helping us form a reality we love for ourselves. It want’s us to truly understand that anything we wish to experience CAN happen, it is a possibility in the quantum field. Learn more about the quantum field in this post here.
There is a difference between being childish and child like. Being childish looks like lack of accountability or inconsideration of others feelings. Becoming more child-like involves exploration, curiosity and dream like imagination. Ask yourself: What does ‘growing up’ really mean if we forget the very thing that made us feel so alive in the first place? Imagination is where God lives. It is the play ground of all that is. Tap into your imagination through visualization techniques and dream journaling. By connecting to the imagination we connect with a deeply divine aspect of ourselves.
There is beauty in all emotions.
See you in the comments, would love to hear your perspective and nuances on the movie Inside Out in the comments.
Till the next one ~ Sai 🪬