I’ve been spending time lately with Paolo Sorrentino’s The Hand of God (2021). It’s one of those films that stays with you, not just because of the story it tells, but because of the quiet ways it mirrors our own messy humanity. When I put it through the Alignment Movie Process (AMP), what came up surprised me. Beneath the humor, grief, and family chaos is something most of us wrestle with every single day: our addiction to conflict and drama.
Why We Stir the Pot
The movie reminded me how easy it is to use conflict as a way of avoiding what’s really going on inside. When life feels overwhelming, we stir the pot. We pick fights with our spouse, our kids, our coworkers—or we jump into the endless whirlpool of social media outrage. Why? Because the rush of adrenaline, the spark of anger, even the cortisol dump—it makes us feel alive.
In The Hand of God, we watch this play out in the family dynamics. People lash out, make jokes at each other’s expense, and hold grudges instead of saying what they’re really feeling.
The AMP session surfaced statements like:
“I feel powerful when I can create enough conflict to get people reactive.”
“When I’m bored, I stir things up for the excitement of drama.”
“I unconsciously react to the trauma in my body, and when I create conflict, I feel better.”
It’s sobering to admit, but many of us do this. We don’t know how to sit quietly with the discomfort of our own pain, so we externalize it. We create storms when we can’t handle stillness.
The Trap of Drama
There’s a high cost to this way of living. Constant drama keeps us locked in survival mode. It trains our bodies to look for conflict where there is none, to manufacture problems just so we don’t have to face the existential anxiety of silence.
One intention from the AMP session says it all:
“I create non-existent problems to reduce my anxiety.”
That’s the trap. The drama feels like it’s giving us purpose, but in reality, it’s draining us and blocking us from peace.
In the film, tragedy strikes suddenly. And like in real life, it doesn’t come wrapped with an instruction manual. The main character is left with grief, anger, and confusion—and no amount of conflict or cleverness can resolve it. Watching that unfold hit close to home. Haven’t we all had moments when loss or change cracked us open, and our first instinct was to run back to the familiar chaos instead of sitting with the grief?
Another Way Forward
The AMP intentions for this session guide us from conflict toward compassion, from judgment toward presence. They invite us to let go of chasing perfection, let go of over-responsibility, and let go of the need to be the “fixer.” Instead, we’re reminded to find beauty in the ordinary, to honor boundaries, and to trust that peace doesn’t come from fighting the next battle.
This is where the real gift of The Hand of God lies for me. The film shows how fragile life can be, how easily tragedy can wipe the slate clean. But that fragility is also an invitation. It asks us: Can you let go of the old conflicts? Can you step out of the endless loop of trying to fix, control, and stir things up—and instead rest in the inherent wisdom of your soul?
Boundaries, Balance, and the Ordinary Sacred
Another theme that surfaced strongly in the session was boundaries. When we live without clear limits, we end up over-giving, over-responsible, and resentful. We think being “dependable” means saying yes to everyone, even when it depletes us. But the session reveals the truth: without boundaries, we lose ourselves .
And then there’s the reminder of “ordinary perfection.” Jack Kornfield puts it beautifully:
“Peace and happiness are always available in this moment. Ordinary life—blemishes and all—already holds perfection if we’re willing to see it.”
That feels like a direct answer to the despair in the film. Yes, life breaks our hearts. Parents die. Dreams collapse. Families disappoint us. But there’s also sacredness in the small, ordinary things—cooking a meal, sitting quietly, or sharing laughter with someone we love. That’s where healing begins.
My Takeaway
What struck me after finishing this session is that The Hand of God isn’t just about one boy’s coming-of-age in Naples. It’s about all of us. It’s about how humans everywhere try to cope with loss, how we act out our pain, and how—if we’re willing—we can slowly shift from drama toward peace.
For me, the AMP session became a mirror. It showed me where I still feed off conflict, where I still over-compensate, and where I still avoid silence. But it also reminded me that I have a choice. I can step out of those loops. I can breathe, meditate, and practice letting go of the mind’s endless churn. This session helped me get there.
That’s why I keep coming back to this work. Movies like The Hand of God don’t just tell stories; they open doors (and hearts). They show us where we’re stuck, and they give us a chance to imagine a different way of being. A way that’s less about drama and more about dignity. Less about grasping and more about grace.
And maybe that’s the hand of God after all—guiding us, gently, out of conflict and back into peace.
Here’s the thing about how I create AMP sessions: I don’t start out knowing exactly why a film is calling to me. I’m led to content, to experts, to books or articles, and I gather statements that feel connected. Honestly, I don’t always know why they fit.
But then I watch the film with those patterns in mind, and something shifts. I see my own stuff reflected on screen—the ways I create conflict, avoid silence, or cling to old pain. From there, I let the resonance of those insights do its work in me. I give it time to integrate, and eventually, I write it down. That’s what you’re reading here: not a movie review, but my healing journey with The Hand of God.
Try It Yourself: The Intention Session
If you’d like to experience the resonance of this AMP session, here’s a simple practice before watching The Hand of God:
Step 1: Say these statements out loud
I allow the changes in my timing and only integrate what I’m ready to.
I have faith that I’ll receive the benefits I desire.
I’m patient with myself as I make my changes.
I let go of feeling I’m too busy to take the time for this.
I let go of needing to understand how AMP sessions work, allowing myself to receive the full benefits in my own timing.
Step 2: Do these three modalities
1. Nod your head up and down, as if saying yes.
2. Drink some water.
3. Take several slow, rhythmic breaths through your nose.
Once you’ve done this short intention session, simply watch The Hand of God in its entirety. Don’t force insights. Just notice what stirs, and trust that the resonance will integrate in its own way.
Closing Thought
This isn’t about analyzing movies or even about changing others. It’s about changing the story inside ourselves. The Hand of God showed me my tendency toward drama and conflict. The AMP process gave me a way to release it. And little by little, it’s giving me more of what I’ve been after all along: balance, peace of mind, and freedom to step into what’s next. I hope it does that for you too.