"There is no spoon"

A young child, bending spoons, spoke to Neo: "Do not try to bend the spoon—that's impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth."

Neo asked him, "What truth?"

The child answered, "That there is no spoon."

Neo meditated on this. "There is no spoon."

The child continued: "Then you will see that it is not the spoon that bends—it is only yourself."

And Neo was enlightened.

There are times when I prefer to veg out in front of the TV despite knowing the fact that it's an ill wind that blows no one any good. But half the Fun in doing so lies in the fact of following on great master pieces. "MATRIX" is one such Masterpiece. And guys I must tell you that all I ever needed to learn in my life is all exhibited by the movie "The Matrix" (part 1 to be more precise).

Initially I thought of it as any other action packed thriller incorporating all cool special effects and stuff like that. But I was really amazed by the very astuteness and the cognition depicted by this movie. To be honest earlier I was little confused by it all. I must have seen Matrix umpteen times and every time I watch the movie I chance upon on some new matter. New constructs that I hadn't seen before appeared with each viewing. New thoughts. New perspectives. New paradigms. Suddenly, it wasn't an action movie anymore. It depicted about almost everything - the Life, the Freedom, the Thoughts, the Destiny and a lot more. The best part of this movie is that the real movie is not surfaced to you the first time you watch it. It gets clearer with every successive watch. As I watched it with a more sensitive mind I began to actually see the hidden substance, the hidden wisdom.

The citation "There is no spoon." holds in itself much more wisdom than anything could ever articulate. After acknowledging the wisdom I just redeemed myself. I could cognize with the very powers I bear. All experiences we get, all the success in life, the failure, the happiness the sadness, the conventional thinking, the unlawful views everything, is effected / starts with that twelve-pound mass sitting pretty between our shoulders. The implication referred out here is to our Thoughts that we put into our mind every second of every minute of every day. By controlling the thoughts that we think and the way we respond to the events of our life, we begin to control our destiny. The thoughts form our world and the quality of one's life comes down to the richness of one's thoughts.

I guess you don’t sound sold. Well that’s the ultimate truth that life always wanted to convey. Robin Sharma the author of "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari", which is told like a fable, presents the following paradigm:

"Thoughts are vital, living things, little bundles of energy, if you will. Thoughts are just as much a part of the material world as the lake you swim in or the street you walk on. Weak minds lead to weak actions. A strong, disciplined mind, which anyone can cultivate through daily practice, can achieve miracles. If you want to live life to the fullest, care for your thoughts as you would your most prized possessions."

It’s been beautifully put up in Matrix:

Morpheus: You have the look of a man who accepts what he sees because he is expecting to wake up. Ironically, this is not far from the truth. Do you believe in fate, Neo?

Neo: No.

Morpheus: Why not?

Neo: Because I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life.

Morpheus: I know exactly what you mean.

Let me tell you why you're here.

You're here because you know something.

What you know you can't explain, but you feel it; you've felt it your entire life.

That there's something wrong with the world.

You don't know what it is, but it's there....like a splinter in your mind...driving you mad.

It is this feeling that has brought you to me.

Do you know what I'm talking about?

Neo: The Matrix?

Morpheus: Do you want to know what...it...is?

The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now...in this very room.

You can see it when you look out your window, or when you turn on your television.

You can feel it when you go to work, when you go to church, when you pay your taxes.

It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes....to blind you from the truth.

Neo: What truth?

Morpheus: That you are a slave, Neo. Like everyone else, you were born into bondage.

Born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch. A prison....for your mind.

That’s what the struggle is, in this materialistic world. It is indeed about Freedom as well. The freedom, to do things your way at your convenience. Not thinking much about what the world might think of you. The immunity from an obligation or duty. The freedom to see the forest beyond the trees, the freedom to choose what is right over what seems pressing. Freedom to take charge of your life.

The fight in Matrix is also about the freedom. To free the lot.

Morpheus: I'm trying to free your mind, Neo, but I can only show you the door.

You're the one that needs to walk through it.

You have to let it all go, Neo. Fear...doubt...disbelief. Free your mind!

This ties in closely with the skeptical idea that the everyday world is illusory. A penny for your thoughts?