Enlightened Entertainment Finding Life Lessons in Movies & Television: "Guardians of the Galaxy"
Dr. Sara Frawley
For some odd reason, until recently, I had only seen Guardians of the Galaxy once. As a rewatcher of many movies, I am almost ashamed of myself for this movie not being in my rainy day rotation. On my journey through watching the MCU (Marvel Comics Universe for you laymen) movies in chronological order (not the order in which they were released and which I highly recommend doing), I was blown away by what a gem this movie really is and the powerful knowledge it illustrates in a fun and funky manner.
Sometimes all we need is a good soundtrack.
Studies on how music affects the human brain are immense. Music improves mood and reduces stress. It makes us more productive and creative. It even has been shown to help improve performance in high-stress situations. But did you know that there are certain sound frequencies that are more powerful than others in how they influence our behaviors?
Sound healing such as crystal bowls and binaural beats have shown to impact cells on a molecular level. And while I recommend experiencing a sound healing concert at least once in your life (and you can find different binaural beats on YouTube for whatever ails you), any music, as long as you enjoy it, can have an uplifting effect on your behavior. So the next time you are going through something tough, remember to crank up the tunes and allow music to soothe the soul.
“Everybody's got dead people. It's no excuse to get everybody else dead along the way”. - Rocket
In the movie, Drax's pain and grief from losing his family consume him which gets the whole crew in trouble a few times. Emotions are powerful. But we do have the ability to control how they affect our behavior. Some days it’s a lot easier than others. By recognizing our emotions and the reasons for them, we can have a better handle on how they influence our actions.
Having trouble pinpointing how you are feeling and why? Try using the needs and feelings inventories created by the crew over at The Center for Nonviolent Communication. Feelings & Needs
Love someone for who they are not who they could be.
Not only does Thanos not love Gamora and Nebula, his adopted daughters, for who they are, he even goes to the extent of cybernetically enhancing them. Their faulty loyalty towards Thanos is at least in part due to shaming and lack of acceptance.
When we don’t accept people for who they are, only resentment and anger can result. Almost all of us have experienced this in some way. How painful is it when we are not appreciated for our individuality? Even though others impress their ideal onto you, it is important to remember that we can choose not to do this to those in our lives. We can’t ‘fix’ people because in the long run, they were never ‘broken’.
“We are Groot.”
It was very serendipitous that Rocket and Groot were on Xander when Quill was there to sell the orb and subsequently ambushed by Gamora. This unlikely friendship seems like it was predestined by the divine wisdom of the Universe. Only together could they hold the infinity stone and defeat Ronan.
Sometimes help comes to us the most unlikely ways and unless we are open to it, we will not receive it. Being open to help takes courage. It is important to remember that asking and receiving help is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength. As Helen Keller communicated “alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
Footloose, “is it still the greatest movie ever?” - Quill (Avengers: Infinity War)
The theme of ‘rebel outcasts’ fighting ‘the man’ is present in a lot of movies but Footloose and Guardians of the Galaxy overlap in more ways than just that (here, have your mind blown… Guardians of the Galaxy HIDDEN Footloose Connection - EASTER EGG). One of the major running themes throughout both films is, of course, dance.
Along with the amazing power of music, dance can create a spiritual connection with ourselves and others. Dance allows us to let our hair down, abandon social fears and create a sense of freedom. Maybe this is why we so often celebrate with dance. From your drunken escape to the dance floor at your cousin’s wedding to the happy little gig, so many of us do when we are excited, maybe Quill is right. Maybe “dancing is the greatest thing there is?”
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Dr. Sara B. Frawley is a chemist, human biology professor and personal holistic doctor. She is the owner of Ground Force Medicine LLC in Wallingford and Cromwell, CT as well as the founder of Ground Force Supplements LLC.
Dr. Frawley uses her medical detective skills to understand the underlying causes of disease. She works with adults with chronic diseases, such as cancer or Lyme utilizing counseling, botanical medicine, anti-inflammatory diets such as the “Blood Type Diet” and through genetic analysis.