Eat Pray Love the movie opens this weekend. It has the makings of a summer hit, with Julia Roberts as its star and Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestselling book as its source material.
The book was something of a phenomenon when it was published in 2006: instantly popular and penned by an accomplished writer (a finalist for the National Book Award in 2002) who was immensely likeable on the talk-show circuit.
Eat Pray Love is part travelogue and part spiritual memoir which in some ways is a redundancy since the notion of seeking ultimate meaning or spiritual fulfillment (the lingo varies) often involves a journey to and through unknown vistas. Fulfillment is “out there” somewhere, waiting to be discovered through geographical adventure.
Gilbert used the money from a book advance to plot a year-long trip abroad in which she would “explore the art of pleasure in Italy, the art of devotion in India and, in Indonesia, the art of balancing the two.” But for all the engaging travel commentary Gilbert provides – she’s a witty, winsome, observant guide — the book, by her own admission, is really a journey inward; the subject, finally, is Elizabeth Gilbert herself.
Given the popularity of the genre and of writers like Gilbert, it can seem a little petty and scornful to point out not only the latent narcissism of a quest like Gilbert’s but also the truth that such spiritual exploration is available only to the materially secure. The poor, it would seem, simply don’t have the means to find themselves.
It also seems hopelessly old-fashioned to suggest that spiritual-fulfillment-as-private-quest misses the boat (to stay with the travel imagery here) on the kinds of ordinary, mundane communal practices that make the life of religious commitment what it is. It’s true that Gilbert spent time in ashrams and studied at the feet of wise teachers, but she’s an ambling tourist not a planted pilgrim rooted in a particular place, willing to be faithful for the long haul to fellow-disciples on the way.
In the Christian tradition, it’s the Eucharist around which all our eating, praying, and loving converge. We share this holy meal with people we don’t necessarily like but whom we’re called to love. In the liturgy we “pray with our feet,” as an African proverb has it, moving out into a suffering world to be the answer to our prayers, to risk ourselves in love for our neighbors: friends, strangers, enemies.
Eat Pray Love the movie may be a harmless confection–a bit of late-summer indulgence. (I plan to see it soon). But if we’re looking for something more substantial or nourishing, we’d do better to forego the romantic notions about fulfillment being out there somewhere and risk life in community in all its unpredictable messiness. Eating together, praying together, loving together - that’s the ticket.
August 15, 2010 at 8:10 pm
I just discovered your website because I googled something about the glory of God. Boy am I glad to have discovered you. You’re a beautiful and gentle writer. Something nagged me about [i]Eat, Pray, Love[/i] and I was unsure what it was until I read your blog and realized that it was the narcissism, the underlying message that spiritual fulfillment is “out there,” and ostensibly out of reach for so many.
Thank you for that.
August 18, 2010 at 9:29 am
Thanks for this review. I almost bought the book on my Kindle and decided not to. Then my wife and I were going to see it but decided on another. When we do, I’ll go in with my eyes wide open. Thanks, very good review.
August 18, 2010 at 6:17 pm
I do not agree with all that Gilbert has written and I do not disagree with all that this author has written–there are some very good points. I, as clergy (Baptist at that!)and someone that works in the field of spirituality, trauma, and addiction, found this book tremendously helpful both personally and professionally. I think it is best when we approach something without falling off either side of the fence. I plan to see it tonight with open expectations. I don’t know if I will like it or not, but I am hopeful that there will be at least somethings helpful to my life journey. Whether Gilbert’s work is narcissistic or not, I choose not to judge, even though I also work as a therapy and narcissism is generally obvious to me when I encounter it. I would be thrilled to death if someone advanced me the money to undertake such an adventure and write a book about it. Perhaps for her it was an act of grace that this happened. It seems to have saved her life and change her moral perspectives and values. I think her book perhaps helps people to cut through a lot that is superficial and desire more authentic, deep, and spiritual living. I highly recommend the book–especially for those who can be discerning as they read, neither accepting everything hook, line, or sinker, or throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
August 19, 2010 at 8:26 pm
Thanks to each of you for your comments. Joy, I appreciate your measured approach to the book and the movie; I’m sure there are some nuggets of wisdom in both (haven’t seen the film yet). But I guess my worry is that a book/movie like “Eat Pray Love” both reflects and helps shape a view of religion as self-guided spiritual tourism. There’s not much room for community and accountability and the like in such an enterprise.
August 22, 2010 at 2:01 am
I’ve only seen the previews, but your review of the book echoes my worries. But there may be wisdom in the end. After all, her planned journey is much like that of the writer of Ecclesiastes: “First I’ll lose myself in pleasure. . .” The meaninglessness of such pursuits could be one of the discoveries.
But the class biases are ENORMOUS and the “faith as consumer product” message is killing our churches.
August 28, 2010 at 9:22 pm
I did not read the book but I saw the movie a couple of nights ago and must say I was sorely disappointed. Although I knew I would take issue with some of her spiritual journey (I appreciate the comments here) – I like Julie Roberts and have watched many of her movies with satisfaction. This was not one of them. Although the group of ladies I went with thought it was wonderful and spoke of becoming emotional at parts – I did not agree. I found it choppy with poor cinematography. The scenes with the food were just weird to me. I didn’t feel that it flowed very well or told the story very well – in fact I feel there wasn’t even very good acting in parts. I must say I not usually so harsh about movies. I had wondered if my feelings were b/c I didn’t read the book but I spoke with a friend who had read the book but felt the same way – she wondered if it was b/c she read the book.
I would be interested in others’ thoughts on the movie if you have seen it.
August 29, 2010 at 6:29 pm
Very true, regarding the Eucharist comment and final words about fulfillment and risking life in community. Sometimes however, it’s a nice break to fast from it all. My vote is for Italy.
August 30, 2010 at 8:49 pm
I was both moved and left wanting at different times during the movie. And I hear what you’re saying about community. Real community is the source of spiritual awakening and fulfillment. I agree with you. Nevertheless, I disagree that the character, Liz, is acting out of privileged narcissism in her quest to find balance, God, and hope. It is important to be willing (whether on a trip or not) to take the time to do that fearless self-inventory we all avoid. The character Wayan best portrays that truth to the main character in her confession of divorce. I find it incredibly difficult to discipline the time necessary for self inventory, contemplation, or lament. But the truth is, when the time is allowed, I am ultimately more effective as a pastor and a preacher, than when I am constantly striving and reaching for control and power, or just survival. We often take a hit in life and then skip the time to think, or lament. As one friend put it, we “buck up and move on to the next struggle” with no thought to the toll on our minds and bodies. What I took away from the movie was the reality that time spent in contemplation is not time wasted. It is not narcissistic to allow oneself time for self care – even extravagant self care. I think that we can do more for others when we recognize we are also humans who are also in great need. To be truly self-centered is to deny the need for spiritual growth in oneself or others. If the character had truly been a narcissist, she would not have afforded herself the time to grow. She would have presumed herself actualized, and sent to teach, rather than to learn. Instead, she was open to the experience and allowed herself the freedom of vulnerability (see tears in Thanksgiving scene). She grew, not because she was on the literal journey, but because she made space in her life and her self for the vulnerability, and humility necessary for the inward journey – and in so doing discovered community. Time alone is part of the building up of the whole community. That is a trip we can take anytime we are willing to accept the grace of fellowship, the meal that is the Eucharist. But to truly taste and see that God is good, requires the humility to realize one still has a long road to travel.
September 3, 2010 at 10:27 pm
Thanks, Leah. I haven’t gotten around to seeing the movie yet (and I think it’s left my local theatre now), so I’ll keep your views in mind when I see it at some point.
Not sure I’m persuaded by the self-inventory argument. I think the Christian tradition teaches that we rely on the wisdom and truthfulness of friends to help us know who we are. Which doesn’t mean we don’t have work to do individually in assessing our lives. But we almost never put the emphasis in the right place–on the communal quest for well-being rather than on the interior journey of the self.
November 6, 2010 at 5:30 am
[...] must admit, I have never read the notable book, ‘Eat, Pray, Love,‘ before. To avoid disappointment of book-turns-movie nightmare, I decided to just jump [...]
January 25, 2011 at 12:58 pm
I am deeply appreciative of Leah Skaggs comments. The gift of life is dance of inwards reflection and outward service. In my humble opinion who are any of us to criticize another woman’s journey – a journey that took her over the mountains, through the woods and back into her own heart? And, frankly, Gilbert took more than one journey. She explored the outward journey of traveling the world, and then she explored the inward journey of reflecting and commenting about the subtle personal transformations that were occurring within through her travels. I have deep respect for her ability to “sit still and move within” as she worked diligently through the process of creating a memoir. Though many in this forum have not read her book they seem quick to dismiss it. Is there room in the heart for her book to be both “of service for some” and “not for others”? Is not all of creation a divine expression of God? Shall we spend more time cultivating each of our own authentic expressions or shall we simply indulge in putting down others? Life is an invitation to experience ALL that exists…at times we must move deeply within our hearts, close the curtains and meditate on purpose, God and Love. Other times we must throw the curtains wide open, lift our face to sun and get our hands dirty doing God’s work for the service of others. It’s not one or the other. It’s both. Where was Jesus before his short life as a teacher? Perhaps he too was deep in personal contemplation with God…and who are we to judge “how” his contemplative experience looked. What if it too looked like a personal pilgrimage to far away places in the name of greater Self (big S) Awareness and a deeper relationship with God?? May our the eyes of hearts be open. May the ears of our hearts be open. Amen.
July 13, 2011 at 11:56 pm
I’m a bit curious about the whole advance thing. Was it sold as “I’m going to divorce?”