Free movie event to be held Thursday to raise awareness of self-empowerment
Hosting free movie events to hopefully inspire people to find their inner power is Marcie Kay Rodriguez's personal gift to the community.
At 7 p.m. on Thursday, Herbs Etc., 503 E. Broadway St., will host a movie night.
Rodriguez said in an email the film shown that night will be “The Shift," which is based upon the teachings of best-selling author and self-empowerment teacher Dr. Wayne W. Dyer.
“Through my own emotional self-healing and personal evolution, I have grown and learned from and love the teachings of Louise L. Hay and Dr. Wayne Dyer,” Rodriguez said.
She said she decided to organize movie nights for people who are more audio/visual learners like her to sit down, enjoy and learn from a film.
In 2009, Rodriguez said she hosted a free viewing of best-selling author Louise Hay’s "You Can Heal Your Life, The Movie" at the Broadway Theatre, 216 E. Broadway St.
“My intention at that time (was) to do this every year for the community, but since then, I have not had a spare $350 to rent the theater (again), so it never happened,” she said.
The effort she made didn’t go unnoticed, though.
When Rodriguez became a student at Naturopathic Institute of Therapies and Education, she met the founder of the institution, Dr. Bessheen Baker, who had enjoyed watching the movie when Rodriguez first had rented the theatre.
“I explained it has always been my intention to host more movies, but that I haven’t had the extra money to do it since. Her reply was ‘Do them here (at Herbs),’” Rodriguez said. “So after a few more weeks, we got things rolling.”
Mount Pleasant resident Codi Brown said she thinks it’s a great service to people in finding ways to live a happier life and helping them find an outlet.
“(‘You Can Heal Your Life) personally gave me a lot of advice on how to create positive thoughts to live a happier life,” she said.
Mount Pleasant resident Alisa Cwiek said she had gone to the first viewing, and she thinks making the screening of movies free to the public increases a sense of community.
"You get to meet people to discuss the various concepts of the movie," Cwiek said. “The theme seems to be increasing the awareness of positive thinking, and in doing so, (it) helps to heal yourself and those around you and just have a positive impact on the environment in which you live."
Self-discovery coach of Herbs, Etc. and Mount Pleasant resident Allegra Miller said “The Shift” raises an awareness of transformation.
“Transformation is waking up to one’s deepest potential and learning how to attain action with it,” she said.
Rodriguez said there are more movies to come in May and June, and they plan to continue having these movie nights every third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m.
She said someone suggested she ask for donations, but it doesn’t line up with her intentions.
“It is just that these movies have helped me so much, I want to share them with others … very simple,” she said. “I have been given a gift and I want to pay that gift forward.”
