The Zen of Hollywood: Using the Ancient Wisdom in Modern Movies to Create a Life Worthy of the Big Screen. Fulfilled Dreams and Life Purpose. (A Manual for Life, #6) / A Manual for Life (ePub)

Irrespective of our individual life goals, we all just want to be happy. But how can we get there? Fortunately, life contains inherent intelligence designed to guide us to our very dreams. This intelligence has been expressed by the world's wisdom traditions as a series of truths which David calls "universal life principles." He has assembled what he considers to be the most important life principles-in a series of books called A Manual for Life-which serve as a foundation for the life of greater meaning, joy, and happiness which we all desire and deserve.

Truth can be found anywhere, including Hollywood. What makes some of the films out of Hollywood so magical is that they contain these fundamental life principles. We are basically seeing the truth of ourselves on the big screen being reflected back to us, and then we become inspired-sometimes enough to change our lives for the better.

Drawing on his background in psychology and spirituality, David analyzes some of Hollywood's most beloved and popular films, extracting the wisdom contained within as it applies to these critical life principles, and explaining it all in an easy-to-understand manner. He then gives exercises so that we can internalize these truths, put them into practice, and make real strides in improving our lives.

This sixth and final book of the series is dedicated to what brings us our greatest life satisfaction: the fulfillment of our dreams and life purpose. In chapter one David examines October Sky (1999) to show that nothing is more visceral, transformative, or inspiring than embarking upon the journey that leads to the manifestation of our most cherished dreams. As we do so, we discover our life purpose or calling, the work we came here to do that utilizes our talents, skills, and abilities in the service of humanity. This is the subject of chapter two and the poignant film Mr. Holland's Opus (1995). But none of this would matter without the context of meaning and purpose that makes life so majestic and worthwhile. In chapter three, David sums up the entire book series by exploring the meaning of life through the excellent mystery thriller The Game (1997) and how it is designed to guide us to the joy, love, and happiness that exist as our destiny.

Life is ultimately about learning, growing, and evolving. Why not do it in a fun, entertaining, and inspiring way?