On Life and True Freedom inside a Movie theater

So, this is the movie of life. If everything is predetermined, if the reel is already set and we are merely watching it play out then what is the point? Why do anything? How do we , and can we make our life better?

This question leads us to a powerful metaphor. Imagine you are in a movie theater. What do you do there? First, you try to get a good seat. You find a spot with a clear view, where you can settle in properly. Second, you make yourself comfortable. You adjust your posture; you don’t slouch so much that you cannot see, nor do you stand up and block others. You follow a certain decorum because you understand the shared nature of the experience.

We know the theater is not life. We know the movie is not real. Especially with thrillers or fantasies, we recognize these stories are not our reality. Yet we choose to watch. We want to be entertained, to spend our time in a meaningful way. Even as an audience member, you take care of yourself. You don’t expect the actors on screen to look after you. If the theater is cold, you wear a sweater. If it is warm, you dress lightly. Your well-being is your own responsibility.

Furthermore, you remain consciously aware that the drama unfolding is not something that can truly affect you. That is why you don’t leap from your seat to join a riot on screen, or walk up to counsel the heartbroken heroine. You are cognizant that this is a movie. The key to enjoying it is to hold that awareness and still allow yourself to be engaged. That is the delicate, wonderful balance.

So too with life. When we realize it may be deterministic, that everything may be predetermined, it can feel disheartening. But it can also spark a profound curiosity. If this is all a movie, then who are we? What are we? This question invites us to go deeper.

The bright side is significant. If this entire show is an illusion, a temporary arrangement we get to experience, then it means there is something beyond this theater. Logically, is a movie theater the best place to live forever? No. It is a temporary space for a specific experience. Similarly, this life, this belief we are on planet Earth, is a temporary arrangement so we can watch and participate in this grand movie. Clinging desperately to it, or wanting to stay here indefinitely, misses the point.

But does that mean we should neglect our life or exit early? Certainly not. Think back to the theater. Do we ignore our comfort because the movie isn't real? No. We might sip a soda, enjoy some popcorn, share snacks with a friend. We nourish ourselves to enhance the experience. Many people love going to the cinema not just for the film, but for the environment: the collective anticipation, the shared laughter, the feeling of being part of a community in that larger-than-life space.

That is exactly how we should live. We should not sabotage the movie or ourselves. We participate. We even pray for outcomes. I have caught myself in emotional films, hoping against hope the hero survives. I know the ending is fixed, but what is the harm in hoping? None. It is part of the engagement.

Therefore, just because life may be a movie does not mean we become careless or indulge in whatever we want. There is a decorum to follow. We nourish ourselves with healthy food and protect our environment because it improves the quality of the experience. It gives the movie a better flavor. We pray and delve into philosophy because it grounds us in the awareness that this is a mirage. That awareness allows us to digest outcomes more easily, to be engrossed yet not lost.

A spiritual master was once asked about freedom. How can we express it? He replied with a series of questions: Can you eat glass? Can you jump from the tenth floor? Can you slap someone without consequence? Can you stand on train tracks and claim it is your freedom? The answer to all is no. There are immutable laws and consequences.

So where, he was asked, is true freedom?

He answered, "There is just one freedom you have. The freedom to choose to be happy or to be sad." If you learn to exercise that freedom, you change the quality of your life. This is the freedom we have in the theater and in life. We may not control the script, the other characters, or the external events. But we are completely in charge of our reaction, our emanation, what happens within our own mind. That is our power.

The most important thing to remember is this: if life is a movie, the point is not to stop living, but to start enjoying. If we are just in a theater, imagine how wonderful it must be once we step outside. This is why we should not fear death. Death is merely exiting the theater. Recall how you feel when a film ends. You walk out, the memories linger, but there is a whole world awaiting. There is more beauty outside than in that dark room. The theater had its comforts: warm seats, snacks, shared excitement. But it was never a place for permanent residence.

So, let us not worry about what is outside right now, in two ways. Let us not be in a rush to exit before the movie is done. If you leave prematurely, your unresolved curiosity, your itch to understand, will likely pull you back in. The ancient Vedas hint at this with the phrase punarapi jananam punarapi maranam: again birth, again death. Finish the movie. Enjoy it.

But as you watch, remember your freedom. Get a good seat. Make yourself comfortable. Be kind to your fellow viewers. Savor the snacks. Feel all the emotions. Hope for the heroes. And always, always choose the reaction that leans toward wonder, toward happiness. For in the end, that choice is the only ticket you truly need to validate this incredible, illusory, and utterly engaging show.