WARNING: SPOILER ALERT! This review and analysis contains spoilers. I highly recommend you watch the movie before reading this as it's a thoroughly entertaining, enjoyable, thought-provoking movie. And its impressive 8.2 rating on IMDB is a testament to that fact, currently putting it around the 100th highest rated movie all-time. Because of the NDE/white light/astral plane subject matter and Pixar's take, I would place this movie in my top five along with other ground-breaking movies such as The Truman Show and The Matrix.
I have been wanting to see the new Disney / Pixar collaboration Soul for a long time now ever since I first saw the trailer months ago. I was curious to see what kind of spin Disney and Pixar would put on the white light and dying process. Let me start off by saying I really loved the movie. And the more I think about it and process it all -- and I am still trying to process it all -- the more I respect the movie. In fact, it might become my favorite movie, especially since there aren't that many movies that tackle the dying process head on. And they managed to keep a very deeply serious and sometimes frightening subject light-hearted and fun for the most part.
Pixar has produced many of the highest grossing movies of all time, including Toy Story 3 (2010), Finding Dory (2016), Incredibles 2 (2018), Toy Story 4 (2019), Finding Nemo (2003), The Incredibles (2004), Ratatouille (2007), WALL-E (2008), Up (2009), Brave (2012), Inside Out (2015), Coco (2017), Monsters, Inc. (2001), and Cars (2006).
Soul was written and directed by Pete Docter who also wrote and directed Monsters Inc. Pete Docter is not just a writer and director for Pixar. He is also the Chief Creative Officer (CCO) so he is now running the show at Pixar, a subsidiary of Disney Studio owned by The Walt Disney Company.
“The CCO job is not making films,” he says. “It’s guiding other people." Monsters Inc had a plotline where monsters from another dimension were harnessing the screams from children as energy to power their world. That is a topic very integral to the subject matter on this website. So let's see if Soul relates to more similar topics.
The Disney Pixar 2020 movie Soul starts with the typical Disney intro showing the second star to the right, the wishing star, the evening star, a.k.a. Venus. The music is even a jazz band playing the song Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star which incidentally contains the lyrics, "Then the traveller in the dark thanks you for your tiny spark. He could not see which way to go if you did not twinkle so. Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are!... As your bright and tiny spark lights the traveller in the dark, though I know not what you are, Twinkle, twinkle, little star. Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are!" Is the traveller in the dark a soul after death?
As I have detailed in previous articles, Disney movies promote making a wish on that star and believing in it to make your dreams come true.... on earth. And this movie is really no different and continues that tradition. In this instance, a jazz musician, Joe Gardner (voiced by Jamie Foxx), dreams about performing professionally onstage in a famous jazz quartet. On the day he is to perform, he dies. He said he's afraid if he died today without playing the quartet that his life would have amounted to nothing so he avoids the light at all costs in order to fulfill his dream. The Half Note club name may be symbolic for Joe going to the place or space between physical and spiritual, between life and death. We find out later, Joe is still hooked up to a machine so it seems he is in a comatose state having a near death experience (NDE).
Joe immediately finds himself in darkness or a void which is in line with almost all the near death experiences I have heard about. Very shortly, he sees the white light. He is adamant about not going into the light as he still wants to fulfill his dream of playing the aforementioned jazz gig. So he turns around and heads away from the light.
There is a long line of souls on a escalator or conveyor belt like contraption heading up and into the white light which is called The Great Beyond. "I have a gig tonight. I can’t die now." As he heads away from the light, a soul informs him, "I don’t think you’re supposed to go that way." Joe answers, " This can’t happen. I’m not dyin’ today. Not when my life just started." This depicts Joe taking his sovereignty, free will and will power into his hands instead of being led like a mindless sheep.
As the other souls enter the light, a crackling, electrical, buzzing sound is heard akin to a bug zapper. Joe exclaims, "What was that?" This alarms Joe even more. As Joe passes souls heading into the light, he asks, "What’s wrong with you people?" The souls seem unaware and one mumbles, "I don't know." By the way, after writing this review, I read comments about the movie on the Pixar reddit page and others mentioned the bug zapper and conveyor belt too so it is just not my fanciful interpretation of it all.
After Joe runs away from the light and falls, he falls through what appears to be a grid of lines? Is this a nod to the theory that we are inside a grid or matrix?
Here is a video clip of the scene:
Here is a shorter, smaller clip if that one is having difficulties playing due to size:
Joe leaves the line of newly departed souls and finds himself in a space with a bunch of "new" souls, which are curiously called "coyotes", probably because they behave wildly. Joe is accosted by a tall spirit being who identifies itself as Jerry.
I thought that until I saw a YouTube video where someone pointed out that Jerry looks like Kokopelli, the native American fertility deity. Kokopelli is interesting to me since Kokopelli is a trickster and the Minstrel, spirit of music. Kokopelli is also frequently seen with coyotes (see above).
These spirits communicate in a sing-song manner and seemingly act like spirit guides for the new souls. They all are named Jerry perhaps signifying they are part of a collective. To me, they could alternatively be called angels, aliens or archons. They are shape shifters. The tall, thin being informs him, "I am the coming together of all quantized fields of the universe. Appearing in a form your feeble human brain can comprehend." This could be a reference to the quantum field and the void from which everything arises.
Joe asks if this is heaven or hell. The little unborn souls start yelling, "hell".
I saw another YouTuber who connected a previous comment from the movie about a walrus dream and said the faces on the unborn souls look exactly the like faces of the oysters from the Walrus and the Carpenter scene from Alice in Wonderland (see above) and thought they might have served as the inspiration. The person was confused why because the Walrus led all the little oysters, like a pied piper, to be cooked and eaten. Well, that would fit in with the theories on my site since I had actually mentioned that scene in one of my reviews. Anyway, let's continue with the review.
The tall, thin being laughs and tells him, "No. It’s easy to get turned around. This isn’t The Great Beyond. It’s The Great Before... We call it the You Seminar now. Rebranding." Rebranding to me makes it sound like a deceptive marketing scheme.
Meanwhile, a smallish serious being named Terry is shown counting on an virtual abacas-like device and informs a counselor, "The count's off." Counselor: "Excuse me?" Terry: There’s a soul missing. The count’s off." This serious being reminds me a tad bit of a type of mini Demiurge-lite although he doesn't seem to be ultimately in charge, but just in charge of monitoring the number of souls and making sure everything is accounted for. He is a bean counter.
Terry says, "151,000 souls go into the Great Beyond every day. That's 105.2 souls per minute, Jerry. 1.75 souls per second. And I count every single one of 'em." Terry goes off to a huge library filled with filing cabinets to find out which soul is missing. Also, Terry's computer like obsession with numbers, facts and figures gives off an A.I. vibe.
Joe is mistaken for a "mentor". Mentors are in charge of mentoring new souls to earth. Joe says, "Uh, look, I'm not sure I'm supposed to be here." Jerry: "I understand. Mentoring isn't for everyone. You're more than welcome to opt out." Jerry shows him the white light. Joe sees the white light and gasps.
"Actually, on second thought, you know, the mentoring sounds like fun."
Joe joins the You Seminar as a mentor where new souls are briefed before coming to earth. "Hello, there, mentors. I'm Jerry, a counselor here at the You Seminar. Now you don't remember it, but you've been here before. But don't worry, forgetting the trauma of childbirth is one of the great gifts of the universe. This kind of hints at the memory wipe that souls experience before coming to earth.
"Here at the You Seminar, all new souls are given unique and individual personalities." 'I'm an agreeable skeptic who's cautious yet flamboyant.' ' I'm an irritable wallflower who's dangerously curious.' 'I'm a manipulative megalomaniac who's intensely opportunistic.' "Oh-ho, this one might be a handful. But that's Earth's problem. " When the counselor says forgetting trauma is a gift from the universe, he winks as if telling a lie. They give souls personalities like being aloof, insecure, and self-absorbed. They also don't seem too concerned about the problems of earth or the trauma and suffering that souls have to go through here.
"You'll notice these souls are all missing something. What goes in this spot? Well, these souls need their 'spark''. And that's where you come in. Maybe you will find their spark in The Hall of Everything, where literally anything on Earth could inspire. Or perhaps you'll prefer The Hall of You, featuring a selection of moments from your own inspiring life. And just what is this spark? I know you're all excited to get to work, so good luck finding the spark."
The Hall of Everything seems to be like the void where everything is potential and anything is possible, but not yet a reality. The Hall of You is like the akashic records where all memories of all lives are kept. Any scene from any life can be conjured up and viewed or relived. I feel it is a bit misleading telling viewers we need to find our spark here on earth when, in actuality, we are all Divine Sparks who have forgotten that our spirit itself is the Spark. But, then again, maybe that is the point they are trying to make when it is all said and done.
The Jerry counselor exclaims, "Now, it's time for my favorite part of the program, matching you mentors with your soul mates. Our first mentor is Maria Martinez... She'll be matched with one of my favorites, soul number 108,210,121,415. Congratulations! Off you go. Our next mentor is Bjorn T. Börgensson. Dr. Börgensson is a world-renowned child psychologist who was recently awarded a Nobel Prize. Dr. Börgensson will be matched with soul number 22 (voiced by Tina Fey)."
Joe avoided going into the light by hiding here and falsely taking the name badge of Dr. Borgensson. 22 is a soul that is always resisting coming to earth because it hates earth. It is encouraging to see the ineptitude of those in charge of processing souls. So maybe it will be easier to avoid the recycling process.
22: (GRUNTS) How many times do I have to tell you? I don't wanna go to Earth. "Stop fighting this, 22." 22: I don't wanna. COUNSELOR JERRY B: You will go to Earth and have a life. - 22: Make me!" "22 has been at the You Seminar for quite some time." You can watch the clip here:
So Joe becomes 22's mentor and tries to get 22 to go to earth with him. "Thanks, but no thanks, Doc. I already know everything about Earth, and it's not worth the trouble." It's very interesting that Joe's last name is Gardner. As a mentor to a soul, is it an allusion to soul guides being gardeners of souls? Makes earth sound like a soul farm which is what I have suggested for years may be the case. They make it sound like Earth is a desirable place to go and one needs to earn an Earth pass to be able to come here. Joes says, "Come on, don't you want to fill out your pass?" " You know, I'm comfortable up here. have my routine. I float in mist, I do my Sudoku puzzles, and then, like, once a week, they make me come to one of these You Seminars. It's not great, but I know what to expect."
22 is able to show Joe various scenes from his life. He looks at them and concludes his life was meaningless. He wants 22 to give him her earth badge so he can go back and change that. But 22 shows him the badge can only be used by her unless it become an earth pass. Joe asks if he helps her turn it into an earth pass, would she give it to him? Thinking she could skip life if they did that, she agrees.Joe wants to help her find her sparl so they go to the Hall of Everything.
"This is all an illusion." "Huh? " This whole place is a hypothetical. I could sound like this if I wanted to. Or sound like this instead. I could even sound like you." 22 tells Joe the whole place is an illusion. This is what mystics have been telling us for thousands of years as well as Buddhists and Hindus.
"You can't crush a soul here. That's what life on Earth is for." All these jokes are made about how awful earth is and that it is a "hellish planet" where a soul gets crushed. And these jokes wouldn't be funny if we didn't recognize some truth in the statements. Yet they are selling the idea of coming to earth to live here. It just seems a bit of a paradox or contradiction to me. Maybe a coping mechanism?
Joe thinks maybe baking will be her spark, and gives her a slice of pizza. She says there is non touch, taste or smell there. "All that stuff is in your body." 22 samples a lot of different passions, but doesn't like any of them so they leave the Hall.
Jerry pops in out of nowhere and says, "Time's up. So let's get you to the Great Beyond." and shows them the Light with the conveyor of souls. 22 says she did try breakdancing and convinces Jerry to let her try.
They run into a box to escape. 22 says, "Joe, I have been here for who knows how long, and I've never seen anything that's made me want to live. And then, you come along. Your life is sad and pathetic. And you're working so hard to get back to it. Why? I mean, this I gotta see. Okay, let's go." Another joke relying upon juxtaposition. So Joe and 22 decide to take the plunge and come to earth.
"What is this place? You know how when you humans are really into something and it feels like you're in another place? Feels like you're in the zone, right?
Well, this is the zone. It's the space between the physical and spiritual."
You can watch the clip here:
This is a really good inclusion in the movie, in my opinion. Addressing the whole in the zone and idea of lost souls in the astral plane is an ambitious and interesting undertaking.
"Oh! Ahoy there, fellow astral travelers. Good to see you again, 22. Moonwind, how are ya?" "On the brink of madness, thanks for asking." " Hey, got a request for you. Uh, yeah. I'm trying to get back to my body. Can you help me?" " That's what we do. We are the mystics without borders. Devoted to helping the lost souls of Earth find their way. I'm Moonwind Stardancer at your service. That's Windstar Dreamermoon, Dancerstar Windmoon, and that's Dreamerwind Dreamerdreamer." " These weirdos are going to help me get back? Just wait." DANCERSTAR: Let's get this lost soul back home. CREATURE: Make a trade. Make a trade. Make a trade." "Poor fellow." MOONWIND: Some people just can't let go of their own anxieties and obsessions, leaving them lost and disconnected from life."
Notice they are making the connection between the moon and astral traveling.
Moonwind asks 22, "And what about you? I thought you hated Earth."
She jokes, "Yeah, I'm not stuck with a body. So I can go wherever I want. I'm a nobody, get it?" It's a joke, but it is pretty true, according to some near death experiencers and out of body experiencers. Without a body, you can go wherever you want instantaneously just by intention and will. And, furthermore, one doesn't even need to take a form or have a body at all.
"So many of them. Sad." "You know, lost souls are not that different from those in the zone." "What?" "The zone is enjoyable, but when that joy becomes an obsession, one becomes disconnected from life."
You can watch the clip here:
This is along the lines of the need to let go of one's ego and overattachment to earthly things.
Moondancer is able to help them get back to Earth. Joe is able to sense some things around his body like a heart monitor and smells wood. They show a hall in the hispital. Notice the recycle symbol. He says he can feel his feet and the fur of his therapy cat. Joe is in a hurry to get back to his body so he rushes and accidentally bumps 22 and they fall through the earth portal together.
Joe's body is in a hospital bed attached to a machine. This insinuates he was having an NDE. Joe had a therapy cat in bed with him and he ends up in the wrong body. Joe is now in the body of a cat and 22 is in Joe's earthly body. "This is the worst day of my life. I hate Earth."
"I can't believe I'm in a body on this hellish planet."
You can watch the clip here:
They sneak out of the hospital so Joe can make his gig.
"Yeah, this place is worse than I thought. It's loud, and bright, and... (SNIFFS) Hmm. What is that in my nose?" "That's smell." (INHALES DEEPLY) "And if you think that's good, just imagine what it tastes like." "Hmm. "(SUCKS TEETH)..."Go on." [Eats slice of pizza.] "It's so good!" (SCREAMS). Food is definitely one of the ways people become addicted to earth. The movie insinuates that touch, smell and taste don't exist on the other side, but I'm not sure that's true. I remember one near death experiencer who conjured a piece of her mom's chocolate cake. Besides, how could 22 be lassoed with a rope if there is no touch or resemblance of physicality, albeit at a higher vibration.
They go to Joe's apartment. One of Joe's band students, Connie, comes by to give her trombone back because she says she is quitting. 22, still in Joe's body, agrees. "I really am glad there's someone else who see how ridiculous this place is. You're right to quit." Connie ad libs a bit onthe trombone. 22 is impressed by how much she loves playing and Connie realizes she doesn't want to quit after all. "If Connie can find something she loves here, then maybe I can too."
Joe and 22 go to Dez, Joe's barber, so he can look perfect for his gig with Dorothea Williams. While in the chair, 22 in Joe's body is talking to the barber and 22 tries explaining what happened in metaphysical terms.
"Well, Dez, for hundreds of years, I've had no style at all. But then my life changed. I was existing as a theoretical construct in a hypothetical way station between life and death. And by the time I got to mentor number 266, I was seriously asking, like, what is all the fuss about? Like, is all this living really worth dying for? You know what I mean?" So there is reference to a hypothetical way station between life and death. And the crux of the question whether life on earth is really worth living.
As 22 is experiencing earth through Joe's body, she has an epiphany that it is not as bad as she feared.
"When I was nervous, Dez gave me this. A guy on the subway yelled at me. It was scary. But I kind of liked that, too. (22 SIGHS) Truth is, I've always worried that maybe there's something wrong with me. You know? Maybe I'm not good enough for living. But then you showed me about purpose and passion, and maybe sky-watching can be my spark. Or walking. I'm really good at walking." Joe says, "Those really aren't purposes, 22. That's just regular old living. But, hey, when you get back to the You Seminar, you can give it an honest try." "No, but I've been at the You Seminar for thousands of years and I have never felt this close."
Joe and 22 are in the subway station and 22 is intrigued by a street singer playing the guitar, He is singing a song called Parting Ways. It may foreshadow Joe and 22 soon having to part ways as mentor and soul. But looking closely at the lyrics, the song actually may be hinting at soul recycling, and that love is the foundation:
♪ Though we are parting ways
♪ We shall come around to touch eyes again
♪ Love is the foundation
♪ If the purpose be to recycle life
♪ I promise you I'll bring us to one
♪ Beating heart in the end now...
♪ Now love, love, love, love, Talkin' 'bout love
The song Parting Ways was actually written for the movie. And was one of only two songs out of 42 tracks in the movie's soundtrack not written by Trent Reznor and Aticus Ross or Jon Batiste.And one of only three tracks that are not instrumentals. So it is basically the only song in the movie that sends a message. The fact that it contains the line about the purpose being to recycle life is very telling, in my opinion. As is often the case, songwriters are given a detailed description of the subject matter or themes a song for the movie needs to have. So it is quite possible, if not probable, that Pete Docter, the guy running the show for Pixar, a subsidiary of Disney, intended for the main theme in the movie revolve around the recycling of life, which would include souls since that's what the movie is about.
Terry comes down to earth (as a type of shadow being hiding in the shadows) to bring them back in order to restore the count. He succeeds in capturing them and bringing them back.
You can watch the clip here:
Joe makes it in time for his gig and sits down outside the jazz club. While he is waiting, a wind picks up, leaves rustle and a helicopter seed whirls around and round and lands in his open hand. I think the helicopter seed represents being free, light and breezy, adaptible and the recycling of life since the seed becomes the birth of a tree only to be recycled again as another seed later.
JOE: So, you ready? - Huh? To go home. I bet you're ready to get off of this stinky rock, huh? What do you think of Earth, anyway?
"I always said it was dumb. But... I mean... Just look at what I found. Your mom sewed your suit from this cute spool. When I was nervous, Dez gave me this.[lillipop] A guy on the subway yelled at me. It was scary. But I kind of liked that, too. Truth is, I've always worried that maybe there's something wrong with me. You know? Maybe I'm not good enough for living. But then you showed me about purpose and passion, and maybe sky-watching can be my spark. Or walking. I'm really good at walking."
"Those really aren't purposes, 22. That's just regular old living. But, hey, when you get back to the You Seminar, you can give it an honest try."
"No, but I've been at the You Seminar for thousands of years and I have never felt this close."
Terry, the Accountant. finally is able to bring both Joe and 22 back. As they are all arguing, Jerry notices that 22 filled in her last box and now has an earth pass. Joe says she only got the pass because she was living his life in his body. Jerry says it is time for Joe to accompany 22 through the earth portal since that is the standard procedure. 22 is now feeling unworthy, gives Joe the earth pass and disappears before Joe can give it back to her.
Joe is talking with Jerry. Jerry says, "Well, you should probably get going to the Great Beyond." Joe asks, "Hey, um, we never found out what 22's purpose was." "Excuse me?" "You know, her, uh, spark." "Her purpose. Was it music? Biology? Walking?" (CHUCKLES)
Jerry reveals, "We don't assign purposes. Where did you get that idea?"
Joe explains,"Because I have piano. It's what I was born to do. That's my spark."
Jerry further elucidates, "A spark isn't a soul's purpose. Oh, you mentors and your passions. Your purposes. Your meanings of life. (SIGHS) So basic."
"It is music. My spark is music. I... I know it is." Joe is still trying to come to terms with the idea that music is not his spark or purpose.
Meanwhile, 22 is a lost soul now and wallowing in self-pity. "I'm no good. I got no purpose. No purpose."
Now that Joe has an earth pass, he dives through the earth portal, plays in the quartet that night and afterwards speaks with Dorothea. "What's wrong, Teach?" "It's just I've been waiting on this day for my entire life. I thought I'd feel different." Dorothea shares an anecdotal metaphor with him. "I heard this story about a fish. He swims up to this older fish and says, 'I'm trying to find this thing they call the ocean.' ' The ocean?', says the older fish. 'That's what you're in right now.' ' This?', says the young fish. 'This is water. What I want is the ocean.' See you tomorrow."
Joe reflects back on 22 and her experiences on earth and realizes he advised her wrong about purpose, meaning and what her spark is. He remembers the pizza, lollipops, feeling the wind blow, getting lost in music etc, spending time with family, riding a bike, watching fireworks, a piece of pecan pie, teaching kids, feeling the ocean tide between your toes, watching the sun set. He had said, "Those really aren't purposes, that's 'regular old living' ".
Joe places the pizza crust, helicopter seed, spool, etc on the piano and they inspire him to improvise on the piano and reach the zone. Moonwind sees him. "Good heavens, man. What are you doing in the zone?" "Moonwind, I messed up. I need to find 22. I'm afraid she's become a lost soul." " What?" "I'll explain on the way."
"Lost souls are obsessed by something that disconnects them from life. And now that 22 has technically lived, she's become one of them. There! - Good show. 22! [22 snarls.] Ready the net." "I'm on it." MOONWIND: "She's got us!" JOE: "Moonwind!"
You can watch the clip here:
Joe tries to talk 22 out of the zone. "22, stop. 22, I was wrong. Please, will you listen? You are ready to live, 22."
22 is still listening to the negative voices inside her and things her mentors had told her. "I'm not good enough. Nope. No. Nothing. I just need to fill out that last box." (IN 22'S VOICE) "You're dishonest. All you make are bad decisions. You are unwise and you won't make it in the world. You're so selfish. No one would ever want to be around you. Loser." "Oh, the world needs remarkable people and you are the least remarkable soul I've ever met." "You'll never find your spark. Imbecile. I cannot help you. To come live."
"I'm scared, Joe. I'm not good enough. Anyway, I never got my spark. "
"Yes, you did. Your spark isn't your purpose. That last box fills in when you're ready to come live."
Joe jumps itno the earth portal with 22 to accompany her as far as he is allowed to go, then he is brought back and finds himself on the conveyor before the Great Beyond. It looks as if he might be ready to go into the light, but..... he is interrupted by Jerry.
COUNSELOR JERRY A: Mr. Gardner? JOE: Yes? Do you have a moment? I think I'm speaking for all the Jerrys when I say thank you." "For what?"
"We're in the business of inspiration, but it's not often we find ourselves inspired." "Huh. Really?"
"So, we all decided to give you another chance. (COUNSELOR JERRY A CHUCKLES) "Hopefully, you will watch where you walk from now on."
"But what about Terry?" "We worked it out with Terry." Notice he says inspiring souls to come to earth is a business.
Joe is asked, "How are you gonna spend your life?" He answers, "I'm not sure. But I do know... I'm going to live every minute of it."
So, in conclusion, would I say Soul is soft disclosure on not going into the white light at death? Not exactly, but it does contain many of the elements I have wrote about on this site and talked about in interviews. There are many similarities in the movie with my web site, including themes or elements of an NDE; avoiding the white light; the counting, tracking and even capturing of souls; the memory wipe; the recycling of life; being in "the zone"; lost souls and more. Also, consider he fact that the song Parting Ways was written for the movie and it contains a direct reference to recycling life as the purpose.
In most near death experience cases, life on earth is deemed to be necessary for learning and growing, and all in the name of love. And in at least one case I read, the pain and suffering here on earth are said to be a necessary sacrifice so those in the Great Beyond can have a perfect, idyllic, peaceful, joyful, loving paradise. So, in some ways, perhaps the message of the movie could be considered a rebuttal to the NDE idea that earth is a school for learning lessons as just living life in the moment and the little things are what's important?
I'm glad someone asked me what I thought about the movie because it prompted me to write the article. While writing it, I realized just how many elements are in common with what I have been writing and talking about on this site. It is a great way to introduce the subject to loved ones without sounding preachy, being pushy, or generating anxiety. Just because it is a huge Disney/Pixar movie, it gives the theory instant credibility and illustrates that you are not just a sole conspiratorial lunatic.
A reader sent me feedback about the article and made a good point so I decided to add it: "I believe this movie is a good conversation starter about the light trap, the afterlife, souls, purpose, deciphering the symbolism and wording, even touching on the Gnostics about the Demiurge and Archons." Another wrote, "... people making hope filled wishes on earth that turn out to be terrible archon agreements that bind…lies on lies for eternal beings degraded over many incarnations…..you make 'deals' on earth wanting to be 'famous' and the trap is sprung…what else does a non thinking person do in a realm of suffering turned into a demonic power source….We have the POWER all along…..we don't have to settle for SEMINARS or other archon deceptions…so disney wants the 'soul' to be trapped in EGO and LONGING forever playing their jazz…but with manifested POWER…we can create WHATEVER REALM we choose." This is exactly right, in my opinion. If we choose to manifest, we can choose a world without war, hate, disease, suffering and pain... or at least one with susbtantially reduced negativity. One with a better positive to negative ratio. I understand the positive spin the writers place on finding the good in the world. There is indeed a need for balance and moderation, but they conveniently leave out the part where religion threatens you with eternal torment for not believing their dogma, politicians want to steal all your money, and now social justice warriors want to kill or imprison you because you have a different opinion. The writers conveniently don't show how awful life can truly be on earth for some people, if not most.
It seems like the writers of the movie are obviously familiar with the archon / soul recycling / don't go to the light theory and maybe even Gnostic teachings. Souls make a crackling sound as they enter the light, reminiscent of a bug zapper. Joe is told he is not supposed to go away from the light, but he uses his will power to run the other away and avoids the light. The whole point for the souls in the movie is to find their "spark". This could be referring to the divine spark that Gnostics talk about. It is the mystics and astral travellers who help Joe and 22 connect.
22 tells the barber she was "existing as a theoretical construct in a hypothetical way station between life and death" and asks "Is all this living really worth dying for?" Souls are being processed, tracked, prepped for life on earth, given life reviews, brought back via lassoes and nets so they can't "cheat the universe". Joe's last name is "Gardner" perhaps alluding to his role as a sort of spirit guide or mentor for 22 and perhaps earth as a farm for souls. Even the song the man is singing in the subway contains the lyrics "♪ If the purpose be to recycle life ♪" though, much like the NDE community message, it says "♪ love is the foundation ♪". So the song definitely refers to life being recycled and presumably souls too. And recycling may even be the meaning behind the symbolism of the helicopter seed that is so prominent in the movie as a trigger or key to understanding life. It is a seed, but it gets caught by the wind and spins round and round.
Or is that supposed to be symbolic of simplicity or somehow living in the moment? A seed symbolizes new life and a seed is like a new soul perhaps. But it would also sort of look like a recycle symbol as it's spinning/falling down.
But the movie is definitely selling "coming to earth", or at least trying to help those of us here to cope with it by putting a positive spin on it. It is almost like they were saying there is no ultimate purpose or meaning to life. The soul counselor said the spark was not related to that, but rather seemed to emphasize the actual living of it, the regular everyday part of life i.e. "regular old living", living in the moment, or "jazzing". 22 seemingly found joy in everything little thing on earth as if to imply the meaning of life is to live. Or live it fully each day in the moment and not overly obsess on things to the point of missing everything that's going on around you all the time. A rebuttal to the NDE idea that life is a school for learning and growing? In fact, the movie pretty much insinuated if you don't come to earth and remain in the moment you can become a "lost soul", even if you remain "in the zone" for too long. I'm not sure if what they are calling the zone is supposed to be the same thing as the void.
There are many allusions to control mechanisms throughout the movie. There is something that maybe looks like a conveyor belt taking souls to the 'Great Beyond'. Joe keeps trying to return to earth through the earth portal, but each time is returned against his will. Terry the accountant continuously counts all the souls and has a record on file of each one. 22 says she is forced to go to a You seminar every week. 22 is lassoed when it is time for her to try to earn her earth pass. The lost souls are caught with a net. Terry goes down to earth among the shadows (a shadow being?) to bring them back so they can't "cheat the universe". Terry keeps Joe from re-entering his body and brings him back to the in between lives way station so he can then be sent into the light and restore the count.
I like how Soul claims the movie is about the journey to YOU and is about finding your spark, and that your spark is not what you think it is. Gnostics have said the soul is a divine spark. The movie doesn't touch on what happens if one goes to the light other than there being a crackling noise as souls enter it which draws allusions to a bug zapper: something to think about! Joe even gasps and exclaims, "What is that?" when he witnesses it. I like that it shows a soul wanting to avoid the white light at all costs, albeit Joe doesn't want to die yet because he is still attached to the earth plane.
It shows that all souls are closely tracked, monitored and captured if necessary. Souls are given seminars, i.e. brainwashed and conditioned by Counselors who are all named Jerry which suggests they may be of one collective hive mind. The Counselor isn't concerned about earth and its problems and, in fact, they seem to confess there is trauma involved in the birth process. Trauma is a proven means of mind control, e.g. trauma based mind control.
The movie centers around finding one's spark but not getting too overly attached or obsessed to the point of getting lost and becoming what they call a "lost soul". It mentions what it calls being in the zone when one is tapping into its most creative and productive aspect. The movie says the zone is the "space between the physical and spiritual". This sounds something akin to the void. They say being "in the zone" for too long can cause one to become a "lost soul". I agree with this to a point. It all depends on your point of view or perspective and what you "desire" or set your intention to do.
In previous articles I have suggested one possible afterlife scenario is avoiding the light and manifesting a reality of creativity such as music, math, art etc but always remembering that it is all still an illusion and fabrication of the fine game of nil, a manifestation of awareness. At one point in the movie, soul number 22 actually tells Joe that it is all an "illusion" and just a "hypothetical". That is what I refer to as the potentiality or potential energy of the void. But the movie, true to Disney form, seems to advocate and push the need to come to earth to fulfill your dreams where I feel one does not need to take a physical form to explore the infinite expressions of music, math or the arts. The movie does, however, suggest astral travellers can rescue lost souls so there is a connection there. I think one perhaps needs to be beyond the astral plane as there are reportedly a lot of unsavory characters there.
The spirit guide soul counselors are synonymous in my mind to archons or aliens. The wimpy little accountant librarian pseudo demiurge like character is one as well.
A lot of emphasis is placed on finding one's spark. Joe assumes his spark is the same thing as his purpose, but we need to remember that we are a divine spark. Joe is given another chance at life on earth and he says he will live every moment. So to him the meaning of life is to live life fully in the moment. Or, in other words, the meaning of life is to give life meaning not to find its meaning.
To live. The movie implies when one finds one's passion and becomes in the zone that it's not a good thing if one becomes obsessed with it because one then becomes a lost soul whereas finding a sweet spot in the middle path, e.g. music, is a good place to be as long as one wants to and does not FORGET that one is playing the fine game of nil.
Most people here on earth have forgotten who they truly are and have been disconnected from their divine spark so you could say they ARE indeed lost souls wandering around on earth without a purpose like the guy at the computer who was more or less at that point in time an NPC (non-playing character) until his soul connected with his body and he jumped up and felt alive.
Joe and 22 help each other to see the world through someone else's eyes and to appreciate it. 22 stops to smell the roses along the way at every chance whereas Joe has a one track mind for jazz. 22 stops to listen to a subway singer, drinks a slurpee she found under the subway seat, has an in depth conversation with Joe's barber and got to know more about him whereas Joe only talked to him about jazz. And, ultimately, 22 gets her earth pass and seems like Joe was ready to go into the light maybe, but is given another chance to go to earth. So still major programming. Souls that don't go to the light or in the zone are considered "lost souls".
22 gave up trying and became the dark sludge that my friend saw during his NDE. The sludge that was shedded from him as he went through the tunnel or washing machine like cycle. 22 could have called out to the light or a higher power for help, or could have manifested a better reality. But, instead, listened to the negative archontic voices, gave up and could have stayed in that limbo state for eons. But Joe and Moonwind came to help talk 22 out of her funk.
Silencing the parasites should be our main objective while here. We can do this through meditation and other creative outlets such as music. The movie illustrated that with the mystics and meditators in the astral plane who helped souls connect. (It's interesting that 22 appeared to possibly be headed for Tibet when she was falling towards Earth). We can use dream yoga. Our awareness is always in various states of consciousness or dream states, maybe even after death. It just seems more real than this reality. We can see more beautiful land scapes and seascapes. Where attention goes, energy flows. Maybe the next revolution will be to declare personal sovereignty even inside our avatars. 2020 has distracted many from doing that while simultaneously waking others up. It's a battle of the will. Being in the zone without losing yourself or soul. We can stay there longer and longer with meditation and practice. And extend it into our daily lives. They call that waking meditation or mindfulness , I think.
Some might say this movie is for people like me who are skeptics of life on earth. I acknowledge that point, to an extent. I do try to appreciate the little things in life as best as I can without becoming obsessed or addicted, which is the same point the movie is making. I love listening to and playing music. I like watching and playing sports. There are many things I appreciate. I strive for balance and moderation. Although I don't ultimately agree with the movie in that I feel there are way better realms than the earth plane. I do think the movie probably helps one to cope with things while we are here on earth. What I feel is not being shown in the movie and in near death experiences is the other side of the story. The ongoing narrative is that souls need to come to earth in order to grow and learn to love. This sacrifice is all in the name of love. And the being of light in NDEs is said to be full of love.
So I'd like to use the NDE of one Sandi T. to illustrate my point. Sandi wrote as a result of her NDE, "I understood that everything that we do here on Earth, all that we are, all that we experience, allows creation to exist. Every beautiful thing, every wonderful being and creature, whether on earth or in any universe, relies upon people who are on the extremely rare places like Earth."
Sandi went through an unbelievable amount of suffering while on earth. " 'Why?' With that question, I asked a dozen others, 'Why me? Why suffering? Why this horrible world? Why did I go back when I could leave? Why would I come here and accept such horrific things when I am a spark of the divine, a portion of the Great Intelligence?' It was a cry of confusion, anger, pain, and loss....
"First, we went into the chamber of the Great Intelligence. What you might call 'god'. This was the loving, vast, incredible Being who made all things, is all things, exists as and through all things.
"The Great Intelligence (god) is a paradox. It is completely loving and fully unlimited. Which by the definition of paradox, means it is impossible? It cannot be limited only to love; it cannot be limited to only being unlimited; or it is not unlimited.
"Earth is a place where the unlimited becomes limited; where the singular becomes many. Here, it can know community and loneliness. It can know heartache and hope. It can know all which an unlimited being of pure love cannot. It can conceive and perceive evil; which in truth it cannot do this either. To solve the paradox, it must experience helplessness and limitation and all as it is Real. In this place, it is all so REAL.
"So what is free will? Free will is the option to come here to help solve the paradox of 'god'. To be all that we are not, so that everything wondrous and joyful may continue to exist. So that love itself may continue to exist. So that the Unlimited is not limited to being only unlimited.
"Why are the answers always, 'simply to exist' and 'to choose love' and 'to learn how to love'? Because all you need to do, to solve the paradox, is to exist. And as we exist here, each time we choose love, we expand the universe. Love is life's longing for itself. Despite the reality of what we live, even the darkest souls among us cannot help but to reach, to yearn, and move towards goodness and towards love.
"For love is the true nature of who we are. And when we experience horrible things, the question 'why' comes to mind because it is the central question of love, life, and of this world. The answer is 'so that all things might continue to exist.'
"Every soul chose to come here and to suffer because of love. Each soul loves the universe, loves life, and loves this world and ALL of the worlds. Each soul loves ALL of the people so immensely and intensely that they chose to come here so that all the universes may teem with beautiful, joyful LIFE.
"Every creature that I saw, acknowledges that your life gives them the gift of life. And when each soul goes 'home' after they die, they will know the rewards of their own gift, too. The 'reward' for their sacrifice will be joy, love, and feeling incredible, wonderful, beautiful joy at the LIFE and the LOVE everywhere in the universe.
"When you go home, you meet your own soul. You willingly came here to forget yourself. You willingly came here to save every beautiful and wonderful thing. By suffering what 'god' cannot, you give the gift of life...
"In this Presence, I simply stood there. I felt love everywhere. It was thick and heavy and it had a literal physical presence. This Presence was exquisite and magnificent. I also felt its gratitude for all of humanity and for all who must suffer in this place. It had weight, presence, and form. It is one thing I have never heard spoken of; that God is grateful to us and for us and for all that we are and do."
During her NDE Sandi was shown many other worlds that exist. She wrote, "Then, I was taken into the Universe. I surfed on sound, I tasted colors that we can't see and for which we have no names for on earth. I experienced the fullness of the songs that the planets sing to each other and the laughter of the stars. I experienced all that is, and the wonder of what exists. There was indescribable beauty and such vast love and joy...
"This planet had vast cities, unlike anything here. There were magnificent, towering edifices that were gleaming with crystalline shine. They were not built, but rather grown in a process I do not, and did not understand... It was joyful and beautiful. The intelligent beings who lived there were filled with laughter, Happiness, and sublime contentment... I understood immediately the fullness of life on this planet...
"I was brought to another planet where the people lived in sprawling huts that were far apart from each other... These people were joyful, peaceful, and lived in harmony. They were very attuned to the planet they lived on. They spoke of the planet and to the planet. There were two other intelligent species there, and all three lived together and worked together in a strange symbiotic manner...
"As we went from place to place, I saw wonders everywhere. I was shown non-intelligent species. I was shown splendors of every kind, like waterfalls and being taken into the heart of a burning flame. I skimmed the surface of a sun, playing in the shifting energy and heard its jubilant joy at giving life to so many wonderful things.
"It was the most joyful, beautiful, wonderful, amazing experience anyone could possibly have. The size, the scope of it cannot be expressed. I met with incredible, spiritual beings like my attendant, friend, and my guide. They all were filled with contentment and joy.
"Everywhere in the universe was great love, dignity, respect, and compassion. It was so exquisite that I can't contain my tears as I have a diminished capacity to remember this experience because this is all that my brain can encompass while in this reduced, small, and limited form."
So my question is why incarnate on earth to "live in the moment" when there are countless better worlds available that we can choose or manifest ourselves using Intention and will power? Why should we sacrifice and suffer so that others can benefit from our pain? Are they not using us for their benefit? The movie focused on the positives and glossed over and ignored the suffering. Joe somehow miraculously was able to play his dream gig the same day he was in a coma on a hospital bed on life support.
The movie still promotes the white light as the process or way to get to the great beyond after death. The only reason Joe avoided the white light was because he wanted to do that gig on earth. At the end of the movie, it looked like he was gonna go to the light before the Jerrys offered him a second chance at earth. So the movie promoted both the white light and incarnating on earth as worthwhile. But at least they subtly put in a lot of the truth, but that will be dismissed as humor or just be missed by the masses.
The ultimate 'danger' in a movie like SOUL is that Disney indoctrination reaches so many millions it will encourage of the 'dead' who encounter the conveyer and white light to submit to the archons because, hey, 'Disney wouldn't lie to us would they', thereby going back to earth and giving power away over and over again. People trust Disney, not realizing the function of all 'systems' is to create brainwashed sheep that can be easily used by the parasites as eternal food/fuel.
Regardless, Soul is probably now the best, most thought-provoking movie there is about the afterlife. And I enjoy watching it.
When the credits finished rolling, Terry popped up and yelled, "Hey, movie's over! Go home!" And maybe that is precisely what we all should do when this movie called Life on Earth is finished. We should go home.
I would welcome any feedback about the article or what you thought about the movie. I can be reached at waynejbush@protonmail.com.
"I also watched it when it first came out and came to many of the same conclusions that you did. I believe they use fear to get us to return here and reincarnate. Everything we are taught is about preserving our physical form and to worship of the body. We are taught to fear death and that their is nothing else once we die. The movie also shows anyone who doesn't go to the light as someone who is an outsider who needs help. It makes so much sense to make earth appear as the only place you can go and to worship materialism and the physical form so you will want to come back here. If we all have free will then upon our death we have a choice where we want to go. If everything is created through consciousness then there must be great worlds where peace and love exist without all the pain earth contains."
"I did not understand the message, or messages …not sure what they are trying to get across?
The best line of the movie for me was, “You can’t crush a soul here, that is what life on earth is for”
“Find your spark" can be difficult to do due to the circumstances grown into, or preconceived ideas like the mother had about him being a musician”. And maybe the purpose sometimes is to be a love figure or a support person vs. something like a profession. Maybe I am here to give love and happiness to others among other things.
The authoritarian theme and characters were difficult for me to accept – Terry. “You cheated”. That is “standard procedure” “It’s your time to go.” Why don’t we decide? The earth theme & religion is always an authority figure still perpetuated in this story.
They mention Astral Travelers are the Mystics without borders. That is what I prefer to be, or become. I am the most like 22. I don’t want to come back here - Earth. I would enjoy being an unfettered soul. Maybe #22 was where he belonged & he knew intutitively.
Of course symbiosis with nature is an important part of life and certainly finding your purpose or spark but life here on earth often does not allow one to follow his destiny or bliss …..as Joseph Campbell and so many others speak of.
The beings in the Beyond told Joe “We all decided you get another chance”. Shouldn’t Joe be the one to decide??? Where is free will?
The concept of Portals was brought up and they exist here but few are privy to that info. (Mt. Shasta, Sedona, Bermuda Triangle, Giza Pyramids, etc)
I am glad I watched it. I see earth as a trap, a controlled grid and if the movie has any validity the same goes for their afterlife. I want to escape & go to another universe or place outside the grid of earth. "
"I noticed how all the other soul's numbers were in billions or in trillions maybe more while the protagonist was just soul number 22 does that suggest she/he/it was way more experienced (I believe it does) than the rest, she can be classified as an "old soul" in this case very old... "