By Hazel, our resident Life Coach

Generally speaking, an Avatar is the embodiment of a person or idea. Children and computer boffs are quite clued up on the term as it represents an online user and with the advent of ‘Simms’ and ‘Second Life’ an Avatar is a representation of themselves in a virtual life. I must admit, that for me, it’s enough coping with one life at the moment   but we are being faced with new potentials and opportunities, different realities and choices every day so maybe a second life isn’t so far fetched

If you look at the older meaning of Avatar, there are two common themes The Sanskrit definition literally means descent (from heaven to earth), where the embodiment is the manifestation of a deity in human or animal form. Other similar meanings define that it is the manifestation of the divine in various aspects of human life and the natural world. The English meaning is incarnation, appearance or manifestation and all associations relate to the concept of “a deliberate descent from higher spiritual realms to the lower realms”

The other theme is in the purpose of Avatars which is to bring righteousness back to the social and cosmic order, all of them fulfilling a highly spiritual task in the name of God. Avatars were considered fully freed souls and the difference between Avatars and Gurus was that Avatars led an entire culture to God, whilst Gurus lead individual disciples to God

With so much talk about 2012, end of the world, the second coming and planetary changes, the film is a brilliant interpretation of the challenges we are facing at the moment, the importance of unity within evolution, the choices we have made in the past, tolerance and a higher dimensional humanity in whatever form – and the director achieved this with 3 metre high, blue aliens with tails who you ended up rooting for against the US marines!

The second movie I saw was “Invictus”, a seemingly totally different film (although aliens and rugby do seem to have a connection I think, even to the presence of blue faces). It portrayed the life of Nelson Mandela after the fall of apartheid and his relationship with Francois Pienaar and the 1995 Rugby World Cup and yet has similar messages to humanity at this time

The word Invictus means ‘unconquerable’ in Latin and is the title of a poem by William Ernest Henley who wrote it in 1875 from a hospital bed after many operations for a disability

Lines from it have been used in many books, talks, songs and films and demonstrates the concepts of hope, courage and strength in times of despair and trouble

In the film, Nelson Mandela gives the poem to Francois before the world cup, (in reality a totally different poem by Theodore Roosevelt was given) as Invictus was the poem that Mandela memorised and used in his prison cell for inspiration

Both Avatar and Invictus have central themes of unity, interconnectness, the power of one, courage, inspiration overcoming insurmountable odds and tolerance within diversity.
When I asked my daughter what she got out of Avatar she said “no matter what race you are you are all important” – also a central message within Invictus

With the recent earthquake in Haiti, the continuing financial changes, health issues, relationship difficulties, the resulting chaos and the day to day challenges all of us face it is important to recognize the human Avatars that we meet everyday, those that inspire, give hope and help in practical ways, friends and strangers, individuals and organizations and it is also important to act as Avatars to support each other, connect in unity and to pass on the message of Invictus and our unconquerable spirit

Let me know if there is a particular line in the poem that makes you think about an aspect or memory of your life to share with others!

With love

Hazel

INVICTUS by William Ernest Henley
Out of the night that covers me
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever Gods may be
For my unconquerable soul

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody but unbowed

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll
I am the Master of my fate.
I am the Captain of my Soul