Dalai Lama Renaissance

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MyHinduPage.org Reveiw. I think everyone on the planet must at least see or hear one talk by this profound mystic and leader The Dalai Lama. It makes me wonder how the Chinese government can even make a huge unimaginable leap in logic and call him a terrorist! I have always been moved and entertained by Dalai Lama's speeches, though personally I have not seen this one, I can tell this is worth the watch.

Review by Lena on Amazon.com
I saw "Dalai Lama Renaissance" in a theater when it had its theatrical release in the U.S., and I was very moved by this film, and can understand why it won 12 awards: It was both unexpectedly funny and profoundly moving, and presents an intimate experience with the Dalai Lama.

I have watched a few other films about and featuring the Dalai Lama, and I have seen him speak in person in an auditorium, but "Dalai Lama Renaissance" surprised me in that, like no other documentary film about the Dalai Lama that I had seen before, it really captures the intimate presence of the Dalai Lama. You feel that you are in the room with him as you watch this film. Perhaps it is the fact that the film is shot with 4 or 5 cameras (with many different angles), and perhaps it is also because the film so skillfully shows how the Dalai Lama, through his wisdom, humor and compassion, transforms the people who encounter him in this film. The characters in the film who meet the Dalai Lama are a vehicle for the audience to also experience their own personal journey.

When I began watching the film, because of the beautiful images and music, as well as the masterful storytelling and colorful characters, I soon began to feel that I was one of the participants in the film, and that I had stepped into the film and was a part of the journey to meet the Dalai Lama.

In "Dalai Lama Renaissance," you really see some of the characters go through a profound personal transformation (in the presence of the wise, personable and funny Dalai Lama), and (this has very rarely happened to me while watching a film) I myself felt myself going through an inner transformational journey of my own.

As the main characters in the film travel through India, I felt as if I were traveling through India. As the Westerners where discussing how to solve the world's problems and then their egos began to surface, I also felt something stir inside of me. And most importantly, when these Westerners began to experience an inner transformation in the powerful and inspiring presence of the Dalai Lama, I also felt something deep and powerful occur inside of me.

My dad was in the theater with me watching the film (he doesn't normally like any films other than Westerns and classic comedies), and I was struck by what he told me after "Dalai Lama Renaissance" was finished. He is as far away from Buddhism and spirituality as you can get, but he really liked the Dalai Lama, and was struck by how funny and common sense he was. I even think that the Dalai Lama got a little bit into my dad's skeptical heart :) But there was something that was even more striking: After watching the film, he at first was somewhat quiet. I looked over at him, and I saw emotion in his eyes. I asked him how he liked the film, and after a few moments, he told me that he saw himself in one of the cantankerous characters of the film. He said "I am him." At that moment, he told me that he realized that he had been living his life with a closed heart, and that he knew that he had to open his heart and love the people in his life.

I was almost speechless, but also grateful that one film could make such a powerful and positive impact on someone as skeptical as my father.

Needless to say, I am going to share the film with others in my life.

Here are some other quick thoughts about the film:

-I think that this film acts like a mirror, and will give every person the experience that they need to experience.

-It was both very funny and profoundly moving at the same time

-There were some remarkable quotes sprinkled throughout the film (at important "chapter" points) that really anchored the ideas of the film into your mind and heart.

-Aside from containing the documentary on the DVD, the filmmakers somehow were able to squeeze in 105 minutes of Special Features, including some very interesting behind-the-scenes interviews with the Dalai Lama, as well as the people who traveled to India to see and meet the Dalai Lama.

Kanthan Karunai (Tamil Movie on the myths surrounding Lord Murugan)

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Editorial Review
The story is of Lord Murugan, his birth to marriage and accepting the post of the head of the army of the heaven is portrayed. There are six abodes of lord Muruga in accordance to Tamil Mythology, the story behind each of the abode is portrayed chornologically in the movie --bollywoodeverywhere.com

MyHinduPage.org Review. This 1970's Tamil movie about the mythology of Lord Murugan's life is entertaining and enlightening. The film dialogue which is entirely in polished Tamil, is reflective of the prevailing Tamil culture from earlier in the 20th century. If you are Tamil or an ardent devotee of Lord Murugan (also known as Lord Kartikkeya) or if you are true-blue fan of Shivaji Ganesan you will want this movie in your classic collection. Songs are amazing and comic relief apt and high-minded.

Global Treasures Prambanan Java, Indonesia

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Synopsis on Amazon.com. Prambanan Indonesia's largest Hindu holy place is Prambanan, in Central Java, a religious treasure that dates back to the 9th century and originally included 232 temples. An earthquake struck and for many centuries the buildings lay buried beneath the ground until, in1918, archaeologists began to reconstruct the main temples. The individual sections of the Candi Lorojongrang were rebuilt like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, which made the reconstruction process particularly laborious, but in 1953 the rebuilding of the central temples was completed. The Candi Siva Temple rises 47 metres into the sky and is the tallest in Prambanan and contains four inner chambers that face the four points of the compass. The main Hindu god, Shiva, is depicted in the southern chamber, whilst the sculpture of his reborn wife, Durga, is located within the temple's northern chamber. Thankfully, due to the hard work and determination of many archaeologists, the symbolic meaning of the old Hindu god, Shiva, God of Destruction and Renewal, is well on its way to being fully realised. Global Treasures - History's Most Protected Monuments - Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live today, and what we pass on to future generations. our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa's Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world's heritage. Join us as we explore one of these protected monuments.

Peter Brook's The Mahabharata

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Review by M. Lilliquist on Amazon.com
This excellent multinational production of the Mahabharata feels almost Shakespeaerean at times - the language so eloquent and poetic, the themes so profound and universal, the action so epic. Truly great literature brought to film.
Briefly, the Mahabharata is a tale of two rival sets of brothers, cousins to eachother, each born into royalty and with divinely guided paths in life. The result, however, is a great war, death, destruction, but a final glimmer of light preserved. Vishnu after Shiva.
Peter Brook's five-hour version of the Mahabharata is theatrical, philosophical, spare, poetic. It is rendered in gentle, nearly monochromatic hues and with often silent backgrounds, interspersed with periods of hauntingly beautiful music. The actors are gifted, if a bit too grand and mythic in their presentation. As in the written versions, the characters motives are seen to be, in turns, grounded and human, and unearthly and enlightened.
Such a powerful mix, and such a penetrating vision of life -- all from over three thousand years ago!
I highly recommend this film, anbd the special features of the DVD make it that much more valuable.

Chanakya - 8 DVD Set - Hindi

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Review by M. Goswami on Amazon.com
A brilliant production with great accuracy to history as far as possible. it has been one of the pioneering historical serials in the lines of benegal's bharat ek khoj-perhaps better. Discovery of India has a theme and foundation from nehru's book. Chankya's figure is so old that it almost has mythological aspect to it. but Dwivedi has presented in a fashion and accuracy that makes it authentic as well contemporary. beautiful dialogues in purest hindi, a compact and sterling acting by the cast, authentic settings and greatest accuracy to details- chankya stands monumentally tall as compared to cheaper though more popular serials of ramayana and mahabharta.

Integral Consciousness: Sri Aurobindo's Yoga and how Haridas Chaudhuri brought it to the West

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Editorial Review by Amazon.com
Integral Consciousness is the story of a spiritual philosophy developed by one of the great sages of the 20th Century, Sri Aurobindo - and how his yoga was brought to the West by Dr. Haridas Chaudhuri.

The film includes a history of Integral Yoga, from Sri Aurobindo's origins as a revolutionary leader determined to free India from British rule, to his founding an ashram at Pondicherry and the beginnings of Auroville.

The story also tells of Dr. Chaudhuri's twenty-five years in America, bringing together east and west. The film presents pivotal figures in America including Alan Watts and Michael Murphy, and recounts the birth of the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), the Esalen Institute, and the Cultural Integration Fellowship (CIF).

The second part of the film is a concise explication of Integral Yoga and key concepts like the Psychic Being, the Supermind, and Conscious Evolution. Archival material of Dr. Chaudhuri is featured as well as interviews with highly regarded luminaries including Debashish Banerji, Hilary Anderson, Michael Murphy, Aster Patel, Brant Cortright and Rama Jyoti Vernon.

This 55-minute film is the result of a grassroots effort by alumni of CIIS and CIF who wanted to preserve the legacy of Dr. Haridas Chaudhuri and spread the word about integral yoga. Highly respected documentary filmmaker Mark Kitchell (Berkeley in the Sixties) was engaged to write and direct the project.

Integral Consciousness was shot in Pondicherry and Auroville, India, and in San Francisco, California. Portions of the film were nationally televised in the United States in April 2009. Proceeds from this film are helping to make a new film, now in production, featuring the evolution of consciousness and conscious evolution.

This is the dawning of the Age of Integral Consciousness... And everyone should see this important and engaging film!

Review by JGarcia on Amazon.com
I really like this film... with sensitivity and maestry it unites interviews with great scholars on the history and philosophy of Integral Yoga by Sri Aurobindo.

The film is entertaining and educational.It is extremely useful for those who are familiar with the subject and those who are curious about the spiritual ideas of Sri Aurobindo.

Naked In Ashes

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Editorial Review
Paula Fouce's beautiful, illuminating documentary "Naked in Ashes" takes the viewer into the profoundly spiritual world of India's yogis, who see their taking on the sins of humanity as a source of healing and redemption for others.... --Los Angeles Times

Review by Brian E. Erland on Amazon.com
The recently released film documentary `Naked In Ashes' directed by Paula Fouce is an absolutely breathtaking up close and personal look into the hearts and minds of the modern day Holy Men of India. Travel up and down the River Ganges and meet a variety of yogis, sadhus, gurus and sages as they dispense wisdom and forgiveness to mankind by performing austerities and rituals in an effort to combat the current dark age known as the Kali Yuga.

I simply cannot say enough good things about this amazing production. The urban and rural cinematography is gorgeous, the interviews are insightful and filled with wisdom, and the camera positioning is so close you feel as though you're on the spiritual journey as a participant, not a viewer.

An added and unexpected plus in this documentary are some pointed, timely, possibly prophetic comments concerning the political climate of the country, the ongoing impact of the Kali Yuga on present day spirituality and the envisioned decline of ascetic life in India in the next fifty years. These insights interspersed here and there amongst the wonderful spiritual teachings conveyed in this film make 'Naked In Ashes' a truly intelligent, accessible, unique and important documentary.

The film also contains a mesmerizing Indian soundtrack that adds intensity and wonder to the already exotic atmosphere.

My Highest Recommendation!

Mystic Tibet: An Outer, Inner and Secret Pilgrimage

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Editorial Review
Mystic Tibet vividly captures the grandeur and mystery of this life-changing journey. One feels intimately a part of the experience, seeing these holy places and holy objects that seem to live and breathe, enduring the hardships and receiving the blessings right along with the pilgrims. This film is a visual and spiritual treat for the eye, the mind, and the heart. Its evocative soundtrack with music by Nawang Khechog and Mercedes Bahleda is as much a part of the film as the extraordinary landscapes, intricate icons, and devoted faces not to mention the heroic Italian pilgrim who finished the journey on crutches! --Mandala Magazine: A Tibetan Buddhist Journal

Review by Heruka "Be Kind" on Amazon.com
This DVD is super and shows what a trip to Tibet should be like. I hope that one day i get a chance to go to Tibet in the presence of a spiritual expert like Lama Zopa Rinpoche who can transform a sight seeing tour into a mystic journey.

Lama Zopa's explanation of all the holy places in the DVD was inspiring and the DVD really conveys the special quality of the places when viewed from a different angle. The soundtrack was fantastic and the sights will remain in my memory until I see them for real.