Spiritual Awakening Movies: 12 Films That Make You Think

These are the films people name first when they talk about spiritual awakening. Each one takes an ordinary person and slowly pulls back the curtain on the life they thought they knew.

• The Truman Show (1998): Jim Carrey plays a man who does not know his whole life is a TV show. It asks a simple question: what would you do if you found out the walls around you were only painted on?
• Groundhog Day (1993): Bill Murray plays a grumpy weatherman who lives the same day over and over. Many people see it as a funny picture of how we change, one small choice at a time, until we learn to care.
• The Matrix (1999): A computer worker learns that the world he sees is not the real one. Under the action, it is a story about questioning what you were taught and choosing to see clearly.
• Peaceful Warrior (2006): A gifted college gymnast meets an odd gas station worker who becomes his teacher. It is based on Dan Millman's book Way of the Peaceful Warrior, and it is about living in the present moment instead of chasing the next prize.

What these stories share is a slow crack in the everyday. The hero notices something is off, feels afraid, and then has to choose whether to look closer. That is how many people describe their own spiritual awakening.

Some of the best movies about spiritual awakening are about leaving home. A long walk or a far trip strips life down, and there is room to think.

• The Way (2010): Martin Sheen plays a father who walks the Camino de Santiago in Spain after the death of his son. Written and directed by his real son, Emilio Estevez, it is a quiet film about grief, strangers and slowly opening up again.
• Wild (2014): Reese Witherspoon plays Cheryl Strayed, who hiked the Pacific Crest Trail alone after a very hard season of life. It is based on her true memoir, and it shows healing as slow and messy, done one step at a time.
• Eat Pray Love (2010): Julia Roberts plays Elizabeth Gilbert, whose memoir tells of a year in Italy, India and Bali after a divorce. Some people find it too glossy, but many say it gave them permission to ask what they really want.
• Life of Pi (2012): Directed by Ang Lee and based on the novel by Yann Martel, it follows a boy lost at sea in a lifeboat with a tiger. It is a beautiful film about faith, fear and the stories we tell to survive.

Not every spiritual film needs to be heavy. These are softer and good for watching alone with a cup of tea.

• Soul (2020): In this Pixar film, a music teacher who dreams of being a jazz star ends up in a strange place before life. It is a warm reminder that small, ordinary moments may matter as much as big goals.
• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013): Ben Stiller directs and stars as a shy man who daydreams instead of living. When a missing photo sends him on a real trip, he starts to show up for his own life.
• Walk with Me (2017): This calm documentary shows daily life in Plum Village, the community in France started by the Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. There is little talk and lots of silence, which is the point.
• Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond (2017): This Netflix documentary looks back at Jim Carrey playing the comedian Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon. It is odd and moving, and it raises big questions about who we really are under the roles we play.

Many people search for Jim Carrey's spiritual awakening, and it is easy to see why. The star of The Truman Show has spent years talking about the same ideas the film raises.

In interviews, he has said that fame and money did not bring him the lasting happiness he expected. He has spoken about seeing his public self as a kind of character, and about feeling more free when he let go of it. Jim & Andy shows some of this in his own words.

In 2014 he gave a commencement speech at Maharishi University of Management in Iowa. In it he talked about his father, who chose a safe job and still lost it. His point was that you can fail at the safe thing too, so you may as well take a chance on what you love. He also spoke about choosing love over fear, which many viewers found touching.

A film can pass by like any other night on the couch. With a little care, it can become a small practice.

1. 1Pick one film, not fiveChoose a movie on purpose instead of scrolling until you are tired.
2. 2Watch without your phoneTurn it face down or leave it in another room, so you can take the story in.
3. 3Notice what moves youPay attention to the scene that makes your chest tight or your eyes wet. That is often where your question is.
4. 4Journal one question afterWrite one line, like 'Where am I living a Truman Show?' or 'What would I do if today repeated?' Answer it for five minutes.
5. 5Try one small changePick one tiny action for the next day that fits what you wrote.

If you want to go further, our list of the best books for spiritual awakening pairs well with these films. You can also take our short spiritual awakening test to reflect on where you are right now.