The film ‘Changing Lanes’ demonstrates how a moment of distraction quickly spirals into a dangerous feud, and how ego, as an expression of unhealed trauma, can derail lives.  It is a cautionary tale and a reminder of the importance of mindfulness and healing in creating a peaceful and loving New Earth.

Samuel L Jackson and Ben Affleck star in this tense and gripping drama that explores anger, greed, and the battle of wills.  This film probes the limits of morality and human behaviour in modern society when people put themselves under extreme pressure.

A seemingly minor car accident on a busy New York City morning rapidly spirals out of control, setting off a chain of extreme conflict that ripples through both men’s lives.  Preoccupied by the stress of their separate court appointments, neither of them is focusing on the road or the cars around them.

Affleck is a lawyer with an urgent legal filing, and Jackson is an insurance agent anxious about a custody hearing.  Instead of being aware of the traffic, they are in their minds, overthinking and planning what they will say in their respective court cases.  This lack of attention has far-reaching consequences for others around them.

Both men are living fast-paced lives, demonstrating how modern living has distorted our sense of well-being, creating triggered reactions to stressful events, resulting in destructive behaviour.  Instead of working things out amicably, they embark upon a competitive battle, each determined to impose greater harm on the other.

Mindfulness

The film illustrates how a lack of mindfulness and empathy can escalate ordinary frustrations into destructive battles.  Had they taken a mindful approach to their morning drive, the situation could have been avoided.  Daily meditation enables us to approach life as a peaceful observer who is in full command of our thoughts, feelings, and actions.  Acting from a place of peace enables us to have empathy for others, moderating our behaviour.

Healing Wounds

People who operate their lives through ego are often reacting from a place of unhealed trauma.  The ego will always come up to defend an old wound.  By becoming aware of our negative patterns of behaviour, we can start to peel the onion and get to the core of our wounds.  Shamanic Healing Distance Sessions can quickly identify the root cause of the pattern and create a new, positive programme.

Greed

As well as exploring the consequences of anger, two subplots also touch on the ego of greed, demonstrating how unchecked power leads to cheating and theft.  The two other partners at Afleck’s law firm are implicated in the theft of money from a charity for which they were acting.  These characters were acting from unrestrained greed and lack of moral standards, likely caused by an unhealed childhood trauma.  Throughout the film, the main characters are acting without consideration for the feelings of others and without thought for the consequences of their actions.

Anger & Alcoholism

Jackson’s character could have healed his alcoholism if he had gone for a Shamanic Healing Session to heal the wound that was causing him to self-medicate his anger.  There would likely have been a caregiver in his childhood with whom he was angry.  By repressing his emotions, they were being released in triggered moments, causing chaos in his life.  He sought to control this chaotic behaviour through alcohol.

Pride & Lust

Affleck’s character would have improved his marriage by addressing the reason he was having an affair with a work colleague and changing his behavioural pattern to a new one of fidelity and consideration for his wife.  He would also benefit from mindfulness so that he could act with consideration for others in all areas of his life.  His pride caused him to rush around, triggering rash actions with grave repercussions.  This arrogance was likely being fueled by an unresolved childhood wound, which could have been resolved through Shamanic Healing.

Forgiveness

The film entertainingly follows the two protagonists in a full day of sparring and concludes with them both stepping back to consider their actions.  By pausing to reflect on the day, they are able to explore forgiveness and the cost of redemption.

Healing the Web of Life

Changing Lanes serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting how a single rash choice, driven by ego, can unleash a cascade of consequences far beyond our control, impacting our lives and those around us.  It shows how urgently we need mindfulness and healing to navigate not just the roads we travel, but the shared journey of life itself.  Shamanic Healing can address trauma and create new patterns of behaviour that cascade out into our everyday lives to benefit the web of life.

For further information about transmuting the ego, see my previous post:

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