"The Martian"
Reviewed by Joy Ramos Davis

Synopsis: Wrapping up a manned mission on Mars, the NASA crew prepare to leave the planet when a dust storm ominously heads their way, complicating their hasty lift-off.  Caught in the fierce storm and presumed for dead was Astronaut Mark Watney.  Left to fend for himself, he manages to survive using his engineering and botany skills.  When NASA officials and Watney's fellow astronauts discover that he is alive and struggling to sustain himself, they fiendishly and creatively plan their own rescue missions to bring him back home alive.

Warning: Contains Spoilers

Having the Survivalist Personality

Welcome to "Conscious Movie Reviews."  I'm your host, Joy Davis and here to review "The Martian."  In dire situations, when your life is endangered, you'll need to have a Survivalist Personality.  In Astronaut Watney's case, he had the qualities naturally that increased his chances of survival.  He was self-calming, able to blend optimism with pessimism, flexible, committed to surviving, and had a good sense of humor to deal with the levity of the situation.

Creativity on Demand

Watney had to make creative use of his talents and resources with each challenging situation - and there were many.  He knew it would be four years before another manned manned crew to Mars would arrive. 

Based on the teachings of internationally renowned intuitive, Sonja Grace, when we allow ourselves to be vessels for the Divine, its energies can flow through us from above, entering the top of the head through the crown chakra, and from below through the soles of the feet. They meet in the middle at the heart chakra - igniting the energetic spark for brilliant, creative ideas.

Abandonment

Watching "The Martian" can trigger very primal fears of abandonment.  We all carry this feeling of being abandoned, starting from childhood and even earlier in the womb.  On a spiritual level, it is really the feeling of separation from God.  And, separation is just an illusion. 

The journey from abandonment to healing goes beyond psychology if we have the experience of recognizing your True Self.  Self-realized individuals know with conviction that we are all divine beings - a spark of God -  encased with a physical body.  We've never been separate from God or others because we're all interconnected through invisible webs of divine love.  

The Universe Works Efficiently

Spirit works efficiently for many to get their lessons at once.  Oftentimes, there is a person or difficult circumstance that brings out people's "stuff" to work through because it hasn't been dealt with in the past to resolve within themselves.  God only gives you what you can handle and not more than that.

In this case, of all the astronauts, Mark Watney was just the right person, without intending it, to provide the greatest opportunity for personal and spiritual growth for many at once.  He very efficiently brought out various moral and ethical dilemmas for NASA to publicly confront; taught the value of Botany as a necessary science for future space travel and colonization; pushed NASA engineers to be highly creative under enormous time pressure; encourage a collaboration with the China National Space Administration; and put the crew of Ares III to a grave decision of whether or not to make a dangerous rescue attempt that calls for self-sacrificing action.   

The Good of the Whole

In the film, many heeded the inner call to do things out of selflessness.  This is when humanity is at its highest spiritual expression. 

Astronaut Watney knew that even after all his great efforts, he may die alone on Mars.  Despite that, he carried gratitude in his heart for the opportunity to do what he loves because of his parents' nurturance and knowing that his mission on Mars is bigger than himself. 

Mankind was meant to explore the heavens through inner and outer travel.  It is for the bold and adventuresome.  Because we're all interconnected, the courageous ones who step into the unknown, reaching the farthest galaxies and the highest planes of God truly uplift us - for the good of the whole.