I read the book back in the mid '80s and at that time there was much I did not understand fully,I may have thought I did however as the last 20 years have bloomed in my life I know that my views were clouded by what I thought I knew rather than the experiences and revelations which come to a life consciously lived.
That is what this movie is all about,breaking free from all the misconceptions we have and living in the moment,a moment that is rich with all the things we think are missing and in actuality are present in every heartbeat,so close and in our face that most of us miss it.
Its what Socrates calls being asleep while walking around living our lives and missing the fullness of life which surrounds us completely.
I saw this movie then re-read the book and while I would recommend the book over the Movie,if you go into the theater with a mind willing to see something new about yourself,as opposed to being a critic,then it is possible to come away with a new prospective about your place in this world.
Of course letting go of what we call mind would be even better.
If anyone has ever read "The Art Of War" by Sun Tzu then you know what the Peaceful Warrior concept is all about. The greatest warrior of all is one who has resolved the battle within oneself.
That is what this Movie is showing us and in my view the human race would be far better if all did this work.
Very few movies actually leave you with something to consider about how we run our lives in the way this one does and if you are willing to be open to these lessons,then you will get far more than the price of admission.
This one is worth 10 stars,for what it shows us about ourselves.
