I have been reading Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chogyam Trungpa for a few days now, bit by bit.  At the end of chapter three, The Genuine Heart of Sadness my mind jumped to a scene in the movie Howl's Moving Castle that fits what I think he is describing in the chapter. It brings new meaning that I never saw within the story of Howl's Moving Castle.

I am torn in how to write what I mean, I'm sure there are people who have not seen Howl's Moving Castle by Hayao Miyazaki, without spoiling the movie. I suppose I should just reference what Chogyam Trunga is saying, or I feel he is saying, that relates to the movie. That for most of our lives we live out of touch with our hearts, we are afraid of what might lie within. It is empty, and in a way we are empty, as we are not aware of our true selves or afraid of looking in and seeing the real 'you'.

Howl is living without his heart for much of the movie and when he becomes in touch with it his he says "I feel terrible", "trapped under a stone". Sophie, the main character in Howl's Moving Castle we follow through out the movie, replies, "A heart is a heavy burden."

I suppose this doesn't make sense, well if you haven't seen the movie that is or what I am referencing from Chogyam Trunga. But I don't want to spoil the movie. I don't want to go into depth how other things connect with what Chogyam Trunga is saying within this one chapter that is within the movie. But this one scene is what popped into my brain that correlates with what Chogyam Trunga is saying within the book.  There are several more scenes within the movie that speak to what Chogyam Trunga is saying but I will resist spilling the beans. Its always more fun to experience a movie first hand than hearing what someone else thinks and expecting for this or that.

I just find it ironic, an anime in all things. But then again I don't think I should be surprised, Hayao Miyazaki is a master story teller of his craft, the Disney of anime as far as I am concerned. I would not be surprised if these underlying messages were purposefully placed within the movie and possibly why many westerners didn't enjoy it as much as eastern audiences because they don't see the connections just as I didn't until I became aware of these teachings. Who knows. I wonder if any other of Miyazaki's movies will pop into my head as I continue reading, hm.