Studio Ghibli lessons – Princess Mononoke

Anime… some may look at it as childish cartoons, but for those who actually watch it, you realise there can be many lessons taken away from an anime.

Recently I watched a Studio Ghibli film with my younger sister. She picked this one out. Princess Mononoke.

From what I understand after watching it, it is a film about a Prince (Ashitaka) who got a curse after killing a demon that attacked his village. As a result of having the curse in his arm, he was banished and thus set out a journey to seek help from the Great Forest Spirit to lift him from the curse. On his journey, he finds himself caught in the middle of a war between the humans who exploit the forest resources, and the forest gods.

Initially, I cracked a few jokes about the film to annoy my little sister as we watched it. However, as the movie progressed I realised that it had a deep underlying meaning to it all. Apart from respecting the environment, the biggest message I took away was that hatred is a powerful thing that can ruin a person.

Ashitaka: Look, everyone! This is what hatred looks like! This is what it does when it catches hold of you! It’s eating me alive, and very soon it will kill me!

The curse in Ashitaka’s arm grew stronger with fear and anger. Throughout the movie, there was bloodshed as a result of hatred and selfishness.

Hatred may not grow in us like the curse Ashitaka had, however, it can still be a curse nonetheless. Although it may not literally eat us alive and kill us, it will mentally break us down and as a result destroy us slowly. When you harbour negative feelings inside of you, only negativity will surround you. Your mood is on a constant low. Your actions become grim. Interpersonal relationships develop into a difficult task and you may soon find yourself on your own as everyone will distance themselves from you gradually. You’d be caught in an internal battle with yourself trying to fight it off, but things only worsen. Hate is a powerful thing. Swallowing your anger and letting things go may be difficult, but you must learn how to do so if you wish to find that inner peace. Letting negativity fester within you only holds you back in life.

I appreciate that Studio Ghibli films always have a powerful message, which is why I never have an issue watching them with my younger sister, or even by myself. There were many meaningful lines in Princess Mononoke which I wish to share with you all.

Favourite Princess Mononoke quotes:

– Prince Ashitaka

– Gosa

– Moro

“You cannot change fate. However, you can rise to meet it, if you so choose.” – Hii-sama

“These days, there are angry ghosts all around us – dead from wars, sickness, starvation – and nobody cares. So you say you’re under a curse? So what? So’s the whole damn world.” – Jigo

“San to Ashitaka: Even if all the trees grow back, it won’t be his forest anymore. The Forest Spirit is dead.

Ashitaka to San: Never. He is life itself. He isn’t dead, San. He is here with us now, telling us, it’s time for both of us to live.”

That is all for today. Until next time with more Studio Ghibli lessons.

Take care everyone.

xoxo thatborderlinegirl ❤

Dr. Google

Admit it, you’ve been there before. You feel a little under the weather and think something is wrong, then turn to Google for a diagnosis and solution.

I haven’t posted in a while since I haven’t quite been myself lately, and I’m starting to come down with something. Of course, I made the biggest mistake any sick person can make… Googling my symptoms!

According to Dr. Google, I possibly have HIV, Herpes, Cancer, Mumps, Measles, Scarlet fever, monkey pox, chicken pox, strep throat or maybe the common cold.

Although I could rule out everything but the last two (definitely got a cold and sore throat), my main focus was on everything fatal that my Google search listed. Yup… I was convinced that I’m dying.

It’s amazing how powerful the mind can be. Honestly, I wasn’t that badly off. Just a bit of fatigue and weakness; generally wasn’t feeling too hot. I have no clue what drove me to start typing in symptoms to that search engine but once I started I couldn’t stop until I was sure that there was something wrong with me. Once the thought of dying was fixated in my mind, I began making myself sick.

I didn’t want to get out of bed. I’ve been sleeping much longer than usual. Haven’t been eating much either. General wave of depression hit me since I figured I don’t have long left on this earth and that my life is ruined. My anxiety also skyrocketed with this scare. Soon enough physical symptoms actually started appearing. I wasn’t that ill until I made myself believe it, then the sore throat, body pains, headaches, nausea, coughing, and slight fever started to come along. Of course, this only justified what Dr. Google told me. I wrote to my sister in Japan telling her I’m dying. I told my beloved that I’m going to be morbid for a while because I’m dying. I even told my younger sister that I’m dying and to bury me with my pillow pet when I kick the bucket lol.

Thankfully, now I’m starting to realise that I probably just have a cold (I guess that happens when you have close contact with someone who has a flu haha) and the idea that I’m leaving this earth is slowly disappearing. However, the scare I’ve gotten from Dr. Google was enough to scar me for life. I’m still convinced I should get blood work done and a biopsy or MRI or whatever else there is just to be sure I’m not dying just yet. I guess a visit to the doctor would be the only thing that could ease my weary mind (or make things worse but I’m hoping for ease!).

“Be careful of reading health books. You may die of a misprint.” – Mark Twain