Vigilant Citizen (VC) steps back in his analysis of movie, “The Hidden (And Not So Hidden) Messages in Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut” (pt. III),” in attempt to convince readers, entire movie represents ritual of corporeal Kundalini energy or “Kundalini Rising.”  VC explains, “…basic principle…is the raising of the Kundalini or ‘life force’, an energy that can be used for magickal purposes …Kundalini rising, the concept behind Tantric magic is wholly represented in a single image, Eliphas Levi’s depiction of Baphomet [picture, left].”  VC also makes clear opinion about present perversion of Kundalini principle, “……today’s twisted black magic orders use Beta Programming slaves and dispose of them when they are through with them.”

Admittedly, no overt references, VC asks readers to consider although, “…no mention of ‘kundalini rising’ during the whole thing. However, if we take a closer look at Bill’s journey as a whole, from the beginning of the movie to the end, we realize that the real ritual does not occur at the elite mansion, but within Bill’s head. As he en- counters new women and is exposed to new opportunities, his kundalini rises…”

It’s a titillating thought, VC makes good case for mounting sexual energy and tension throughout movie:

“While Eyes Wide Shut appears to be all about sexuality, nobody in the movie ever reaches climax. While Bill has many chances of satisfying his urges with attractive women, it never actually happens. However, as the movie progresses, there’s a definite increase in desire and lust, but Bill manages to keep it under control. Managing this ‘life force’ is at the core of Tantric magic. Viewers are constantly reminded of this process several times during the movie when Bill imagines his wife with a naval officer. Each flash is increasingly intense – going from kissing to all-out copulating.”

VC if not Kubrick may be sending message, at core, there remains need to marshal and seek balance of life force.  A sense of moderation occult elite tend to abandon and exceed as their lives degenerate much like an addict.  The case made for a subliminal ritual that reflects an awakened and then aroused sexual energy, grows stronger as movie progresses.  VC observes clear indications: 

“As the movie progress, Bill’s flashes of Alice cheating on him become more intense. Towards the end of the movie, she’s about to reach climax. These scenes reflect Bill’s kundalini rising. Having these flashes would be hurtful and painful and they remind the viewers that Bill’s journey started out of pain and humiliation…The very last lines of the movie conclude and define Bill’s journey. After running around New York and getting aroused by all kinds of stuff, Bill stands face-to-face with his wife and talks about how ‘awake’ he is now. With his ‘life force’ fully charged, Alice ends the movie with a phrase completing the ritual: ‘…you know, there is something very important that we need to do a soon as possible…F*ck.'”

The conclusion reached, according to VC, “Ending the movie on that particular note suggests that the entire journey was one of increasing intensity, one that ultimately lead to a ‘magickally charged’ climax, the goal of Crowleyan-magick.”

Further, a titillating ritual sounds great, however, VC reminds readers of dark side – duality – that lurks in shadows:

“Bill’s journey was not all fun and games, however. As the movie progresses, there is a constant back-and-forth between pleasure and pain, attraction and repulsion, life and death, and so forth. The path is all about duality and, just like the floors of Masonic lodges are checkered in black and white, Bill’s journey consists on his alternatively stepping on black and white tiles – seeing the dualistic nature of all things…”

“For instance, right after Bill enjoyed the ‘delights’ of seeing MK Kittens at work at the elite ritual, when returning his costume, he immediately sees the dark side of it all. The shop owner, who previously caught his underage daughter with two Asian businessmen and was outraged by it, had a sudden change of heart. Standing behind his business counter, the shop owner sells his underage daughter as if she was another product. After enjoying masked slaves in lavish rituals, Bill sees the other side of the ‘trade’: Young girls being sold by exploitative people to a system feeding on minors, turning them into MK slaves. Is that why this store was called ‘Rainbow’?”

The present writer would venture the name of the store “Rainbow” chosen quite intentionally and clear reference to MK Ultra programming among elite.   

VC also ventures into territory of physical attributes of three women in Bill’s proximity that all have red hair.  “The most important women in the movie are Bill’s wife, his daughter Helena, Amanda (the Beta slave who was sacrificed at the ritual) and Domino (a prostitute he met on the street). All three adult women are somewhat physically similar as they are tall, well-proportioned, and red-headed.” An informed inquiry would be whether this is an allusion to sex goddess Isis/Ishtar, who was believed to have red hair?  It represents an interesting aside not addressed elsewhere.

Wow!  VC nails shallow Western civilization in conclusion with keen insights on its empty core:

“…in this transitional period between the end of 20th century and the beginning of the 21th century…Kubrick told the story of a society that is completely debased and corrupted by hidden forces, where humanity’s most primal urge–procreation–has been cheapened, fetishized, perverted, and exploited to a point that it has lost all of its beauty. At the top of this world is a secret society that revels in this context, and thrives on it…”

“…grim tale focuses on a single man, Bill, who is looking for an undefined something. Even if he appears to have everything, there is something missing in his life. Something visceral and fundamental that is never put into words, but that is quite palpable. Bill cannot be complete if he is not at peace with the opposite of him: the feminine principle. Bill’s quest, therefore, follows the esoteric principle of uniting two opposite forces into one. As suggested by the last lines of the movie, Bill will ultimately ‘be one’ and get physical with his wife. After that, the alchemical process and the Tantric ritual would be complete. However, as Kubrick somehow communicates in the final scene, even if these two extremely self-absorbed, egoistical and superficial people believe they’ve reached a some kind of epiphany, what does it really change? Our civilization as a whole still has its eyes wide shut…”

The message is clear even after their apparent epiphany and culmination of subliminal ritual/journey, our protagonists are still lacking because in the end,  they are profane.  
 ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ Decoded: Part 1 ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ Decoded: Part 2