Inner Demons, Self-Love and Forgiveness (2024)

I first saw the movie Moana with Narayan a couple months ago, and we’vewatched it at least 3 times a week since that first time – it’s definitely our family’s favorite movie since the release of Kung Fu Panda. It has something for everyone, equal parts adorable yet educational and powerful, touching on aspects of Polynesian culture, a teenager’s struggle between responsibility to her family and her own desires in life, empathy, magical creaturesand so much more.

SPOILER ALERT –If you haven’t seen the movie yet, I highly recommend you watch itbefore reading on and spoiling the ending!

In the movie,Te Fiti is the goddess of creation.After her heart had been stolen by the demigod Maui, she became Te Ka, a demon manifested of fire and lava. A damaged and emotionless shell of her former self, Te Ka slowly plunges the world into darkness and eradicates humanity as punishment for Maui’sact.

I love the entire movie and the symbolism throughout, but it’s the ending that struck me quite powerfully.

Inthe ending scene, the ocean parts and Te Ka bears down angrily as Moana approaches her with the stolen heart, reminding her that thehurt she’s experienced and the angry, loveless version of herself she’s becomeis not who she truly is, singing Know Who you Are:

I have crossed the horizon to find you.

Iknow your name.

They have stolen the heart from inside you,

but this does not define you.

This is not who you are.

You know who you are.

Once Moana replaces the stolen heart, Te Fiti is revivedand Te Ka’s curse comes to an end. It was Moana’s reminder that although Te Fiti’s heart had been stolen, the destroyer of life she became as a result, is not who she truly is that hit home hard.

I think it serves as a reminder anyone can apply to their life and experiences. We’ve all been through things – terrible, hurtful, life-altering things, but our inner demons that manifest as a result of the hurt and pain of those wrong doings don’t define us.

I’ve held onto many things that have happened to me in my life, causing years of hurt and pain I couldn’t bring myself to let go or forgive myself for. Up until I saw the symbolismof Te Ka transforming into Te Fiti, I felt as if the pain and hurt was just part of me, part of who I am. But what that scene taught me is the hurt and the pain actually do not define me, it’s not who I am.

We are all so much more than the things that havebeen done to us. And when we let go, we will find unconditional self-love and forgiveness.

Inner Demons, Self-Love and Forgiveness (1)

Screen grabs from Disney’s Moana.

Inner Demons, Self-Love and Forgiveness (2024)

FAQs

How to release your inner demon? ›

Focus on positive things

They can degrade you and give you feelings of hopelessness and frustration. If you are pessimistic or an overthinker, you may give in and lose to your inner demon. Distracting yourself and focusing more on positive things is an excellent way to confront and counter your inner voice.

How do I calm my inner demons? ›

Negative self-talk and self-critical thoughts contribute to the strengthening of our inner demons, while positive self-talk and affirmations can help weaken their grip on us. Learning to cultivate a more compassionate and positive inner dialogue is a crucial step in dealing with our inner demons.

How do you know if you have inner demons? ›

Inner Demons may be categorised as internal negative forces or conflicts. They show up as undermining thoughts, self criticisms or limiting beliefs that are holding us back. An inner demon may tell us we are not good enough to obtain our goals. They may urge us to drink, gamble or act out in rage.

What are examples of inner demons? ›

Inner demons are the hidden struggles that we all face within ourselves. They can manifest in various forms, such as fear, self-doubt, addiction, depression, and guilt. These inner demons can have a profound impact on our mental well-being, hindering our personal growth and happiness.

How do I talk to my inner demons? ›

Inner demons emphasise negativity. Consciously focusing more on positive things is an excellent way to counter them. Practise gratitude, make an effort to notice the good things around, successes and achievements that you are ignoring. Another way is if you feel or hear these voices - talk back.

What are personal demons? ›

Our personal demons are our obsessions and fears, chronic illnesses, or common problems like depression, anxiety, and addiction. When we try to fight against or repress our personal demons, they actually gain and develop resistance. By facing them, we are addressing them instead of running away from them.

What are the five inner demons? ›

Here in summary is Pinker's argument. He identifies five inner demons that cause humans to be aggressive: predatory violence, dominance, revenge, sadism, and ideology. Four better angels that can cause humans to behave non-violently: empathy, self-control, moral sense, and reason.

What does inner demons mean in psychology? ›

Our inner demons are the thoughts and beliefs we have that we find most troubling, that are often recurring or obsessive, and that can cause us a lot of distress. They are our complexes, or thought addictions, that are essentially a manifestation of our subconscious fears.

What are the demons called in my inner demons? ›

A group of demons known as Daemos travel from their home world, also known as Daemos, to Earth to conquer it as their source of magic is slowly dying.

What does it mean to face your inner demons? ›

Feeding your demons is about reclaiming your power over your inner landscape. By facing and embracing these challenging emotions, you can learn from them and ultimately integrate them into a healthier, more balanced self. It's a profound act of self-love and self-acceptance.

What are two demons? ›

Two-dimensional things are flat — they can be measured in length and width, but they have no depth. Geometrical shapes like squares, circles, and polygons are all two-dimensional. A sheet of paper may seem to be two-dimensional, but because it does have a measurable (if tiny) depth, it's actually three-dimensional.

What does it mean to fight your demons? ›

When a man tells you he's fighting demons, it typically means that he is referring to his internal struggles or challenges. This phrase is often used metaphorically to describe personal issues such as mental health concerns, addiction, past traumas, or other difficult experiences [1].

Who are the 3 demons? ›

The Demons Three is the name attributed to three demonic brothers, Abnegazar, Rath and Ghast. The Demons Three ruled the Earth a billion years ago before being banished by beings known as the Timeless Ones.

Who is the leader of the inner demons? ›

Based in Chinatown, the Inner Demons are mysterious enemies easily identified by their elaborate Chinese masks and more formal black-and-white attire. They operate under direction from Martin Li, aka Mister Negative. Some Inner Demons wield weapons infused with "negative energy" that can cause Spider-Man great damage.

What are the seven demons of the world? ›

  • Lucifer: Pride.
  • Beelzebub: Envy[Beelzebub is at number '5' in Binsfield's scheme]
  • Satan: Wrath.
  • Abaddon: Sloth.
  • Mammon: Greed [Mammon is numbered '2' in Binsfield's scheme]
  • Belphegor: Gluttony.
  • Asmodeus: Lust.

What is the inner devil? ›

Inner demons are based on criticisms, self-doubt and negative patterns. They can be the things we tell ourselves that aren't necessarily real. It could be something someone said when we were a child, a negative remark from an old boss or a put down from a friend. Even a conversation we saw on Twitter.

How do you summon inner demons? ›

Summon Inner Demon Spell Book Location

You can get this skill from Jahan the level 20 trader NPC for killing the Advocate on Bloodmoon Island. You must have the maximum three Source point slots.

How do you fight sleep demons? ›

Maintain a consistent sleep schedule, create a relaxing nightly routine, and avoid things that interfere with sleep, like caffeine, alcohol, and the bright lights created by electronics.

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