Yesterday I went to see the Tourist and gained so much inspiration from Angelina Jolie’s character in the movie. I think there are two main points that can be learned from her character.

Tapping Into the Sacred Feminine

The first is garnering the energy of the Sacred Feminine. I believe so many women struggle with cultivating this energy because we live in a world where we are constantly rushing and intellectualizing (with jobs and appointments for instance), rather than in living sensually in our bodies. I found it hard to imagine Jolie’s character in the movie feeling rushed and staring at her cell phone while in line to grab a quick cup of coffee. All of her movements were slow, sensual, and coy, and she seemed to be enjoying every moment.

Being in her space of the Sacred Feminine gave her a confidence she wouldn’t have had otherwise. In part, it came from the fact that her character knew she was beautiful, but I believe this also comes from a deeper place. Knowing you have beauty on the surface is like the icing on the cake, the extra layer that gives you confidence on top of what is already underneath. I believe her character would have been just as powerful and sexy, if she had acted and moved in the same way and had not been beautiful.

Have you ever known a woman who wasn’t very attractive, but she knew how to flirt and carry herself with feminine sensuality so that she attracted both men and women to her?

Have you ever known a beautiful woman whom you always thought should be projecting that kind of energy, but for some reason does not? Perhaps due to a lack of self-confidence? I have known many women who have gotten all dressed up and fixed themselves to look absolutely beautiful and then stared at the men they were interested in longingly with an air of desperation that was tangible.

Tapping into this energy/space of the Sacred Feminine is almost like a meditation in that you may find yourself moving in and out of it. Remember that it is easier to get caught up in worry, feeling rushed, and over-thinking everything than it is to surrender to just being, just feeling sensual, and having an air of calm. Such a state can be tapped into in an instant, but maintaining it constantly can be a challenge. In this sense, mindfulness is the ability to consciously cultivate a state where you are actually letting go of the mind and being. In this case, the focus of being is a feminine, sensual energy space.

Struggle is Unnatural

I recently read about the concept that struggle is unnatural. Think about that for a moment. Nothing in nature aside from the human being struggles. Grass doesn’t struggle to grow. Animals don’t struggle to gain anything. Of course, they don’t always have what they need, but they do not live in a constant state of frustration and struggle like many of us do. In fact, you could even say that the more conscious a creature is on the evolutionary ladder, the more potential for struggle there is.

What struck me about Angelina Jolie’s character is that she moved throughout the whole movie in many difficult circumstances without a feeling of struggle. She had a sense of confidence that everything would work out in her favor.

My favorite example of this is the part where she was walking through the train looking for a man that resembled her boyfriend, so she could get him to pose as her boyfriend. Imagine that feeling of boarding a train, knowing that it is very important that you find a complete stranger who is also willing to spend time with you.

At times when I have been feeling less confident, I could imagine myself in this situation biting my nails, worrying that I wouldn’t be able to find the perfect candidate. I can picture myself thinking in less secure moments that even if I did find such a person, I would imagine all the possible scenarios that could make the whole thing go wrong–maybe he wouldn’t stick around long enough to pose as the boyfriend, for instance.

But what I love about Jolie’s character is that she does none of this “catastrophizing”. She is confident that she will find someone who is willing to postpone whatever he has planned for herself and take a jaunt with her because she is just that compelling. There is no sense of struggle in any of her movements. She is quite sure she can accomplish whatever she sets out to do.

I love how there is a moment in this scene, where you do see her waver slightly for a second. First, she walks through the train as if she is a prize about to choose the priveliged man who will have the honor of playing the role she requests of him. She’s walking very slowly, looking over each man she sees, sizing him up. She seems to settle on one and pauses just as another woman slides in next to him and glares at her as if to say, “Piss off! He’s with me!” Jolie’s character doesn’t shrink away, looking defeated. She looks mildly disgusted and annoyed that there has been a delay in the fulfillment of her plan, a plan she is still confident can be fulfilled flawlessly. She is also obviously in touch with her instincts, since she is finally able to select the perfect candidate for her plan.

I know this is just a movie, and things don’t always go this smoothly in real life, even for someone who is supremely confident. But I believe the big takeaway is the way character conducts herself and reacts to her environment–and this is useful information regardless of external outcome. You maximize your chance of success in any situation if you are not struggling, and you feel confident that you will achieve your desired outcome–even if you have a few setbacks.

Experiment

I did a little experiment myself, and I encourage you to try this–it’s fun!. For the past day and a half, I have adopted the feeling of being this character. I have walked slowly and confidently with my head held high. I do everything slowly, as if I have all the time in the world and it all waits for me. When I speak, I am slightly coy and flirtacious (when appropriate). My mindset is that I expect for things to go my way (having versus hoping).

I have found this to be a very pleasant experience, and it has been interesting to observe myself and how others react. Most days, I am moving quickly trying to finish whatever I’m doing as quickly as possible. But now, I have practiced moving slowly with grace and elegance. The whole day feels like much less of a struggle. By acting regally confident, as if everything is under control, I am also sending myself that message internally, that there is no need to panic or feel anxious about anything.

Let me know how it works for you! 🙂