We should all ask what Moana asks
(Photo by Brian Yurasits on Unsplash)
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“Why’d we stop?”
That’s what Moana asks her grandmother when she discovers her ancestral heritage. And it’s a good question to consider if you’re feeling stuck.
THE OCEAN CALLS MOANA
Let’s back up. In the animated film Moana, the heroine is a young Polynesian Island woman who has felt called to the ocean her whole life. The problem is, she’s the daughter of the village chief, and going beyond the safety of the reef is strictly forbidden. In the beginning of the movie we watch Moana run to the shore over and over only to get dragged away by her father.
The one person in the village who seems to understand Moana, is her grandmother, Tala. When the time is right, Tala takes Moana to a hidden cave. She tells her to go inside and bang the drum. Moana summons her courage, enters the cave, and finds out that her ancestors didn’t play it safe on the island. In fact, they were seagoing voyagers who discovered new lands.
She shouts with joy and comes running out of the cave to find her grandmother. That’s when she asks this very important question: “Why’d we stop?”
It’s in Tala’s telling of the history that Moana discovers her destiny. By learning what stopped her people from voyaging she uncovers what she must do to step into her magic, and restore the soul of her people.
YOUR HEART CALL
Like Moana, we too have inner callings. I call them Heart calls. Some are loud, some are quiet. They always point us towards what will help us open, grow, and evolve into the person we are becoming. Heart calls are meant to be answered. And, as I wrote last week, not answering leaves us stuck.
Many people know exactly what I mean when I mention a Heart call. Most have had at least a glimmer of it since they were children. Sadly, not a lot of folks are answering the call and living it. Some used to be more in touch with their Heart call when they were younger, but they’ve lost touch now. Others hear it but just keep ignoring it. Whatever the reason, putting the Heart call aside is leaving them stuck. They’re close to living a life that includes confidence, playing big, and being their True Self. But they’re not quite there. It’s a frustrating place to be.
If you can relate, it’s time to take a deeper look at what’s stopping you.
WHY’D YOU STOP?
Grab your journal or a good friend and answer two questions:
Part 1: Why did I stop following my Heart call? (or why haven’t I started)
Read your answers. Do they include things like: I’m an adult so I can’t spend my time
doing that anymore, I have kids that need me, I’m too old to chase that wild dream, I
don’t have time, It’s frivolous, It doesn’t make any money, I’m not any good at it so I
shouldn’t bother.
I know you think this is why you stopped, but I don’t.
If you’re reasonably comfortable in your life, meaning you’re not working 4 jobs to make ends meet or dealing with a real crisis right now, and you’re spending a fair amount of time distracting yourself from your Heart call, then I think you’re still on the surface. These are the stories you tell yourself to cover up what’s really going on. They’re true, to an extent, but really, something deeper is stopping you .
Part 2: Look Closer - What’s beneath the surface level answers?
If you can be honest with yourself, this is where you’ll find your path back to your True Self.
What you discover when you do this exercise may surprise you
You thought you stopped knitting fabulous costumes because your job got so demanding… but really you’re afraid to explore your creativity because you might mess it up.
You thought you stopped dancing because you have kids who needed your attention, but really you stopped because you believed your needs weren’t as important as theirs.
You don’t take spiritual pilgrimage, not because you aren’t called or your can’t get time off, but because you’re afraid to ask for what you need, even though your heart is crying out for it.
The answers eventually all come down to a few key themes: I under value myself, I’m not worthy of having what I want, My needs/desires don’t matter or I’m AFRAID. I think these are the real reasons you stop yourself from answering the Heart call.
NOW WHAT?
The reason you want to know why you stopped is because it will point you in exactly the direction to take to get started again. In Moana‘s case, she needed to travel beyond the reef, find a demi-god named Maui and take him to a Goddess to restore what he’d stolen from her.
Unlike Moana, you probably don’t need to go on ocean voyage to get unstuck. You need to make an inner journey. It may be a voyage to learn about loving yourself or about seeing yourself clearly. You may need to do inner work around honoring and valuing yourself by learning to set boundaries and ask for what you need. You may be ready to build a healthy relationship with fear. Or now’s the time to learn to get into action even if the outcome isn’t certain. Whatever you discovered about why you stopped, consider it the starting point on an adventure that will help you answer your Heart call.
Inner journeys will ask all of who you are. They’ll strip you bare to the bone, and leave you alone on a desolate sea. But that’s where you’ll find your True Self. The one that you will carry with you forever afterwards. Your True Self is the one who can hear the Heart call and finally answer it.
What did you discover? Leave a comment on this post and let me know.
And, if you’re wondering how to start the journey to your True Self, let’s set up a Connection Call, I’d love to help you.