Samadhi Part 3: The Pathless Path

Colette Aboulker Muscat has taught Waking Dream for the past forty years in Jerusalem. To each person who comes for a consultation, she offers a short story leading to a waking dream, equal in intensity to a night dream. The surprise provoked by the story, and the shortness of the treatment are, for her, essential aspects of the process. The mental imagery itself allows one to overcome a problem or an illness.

An intimate portrayal of the everyday lives of Carthusian monks of the Grande Chartreuse, high in the French Alps (Chartreuse Mountains). The idea for the film was proposed to the monks in 1984, but the Carthusians said they wanted time to think about it. The Carthusians finally contacted Gröning 16 years later to say they were now willing to permit Gröning to shoot the movie, if he was still interested.

Samadhi Part 2 (It's not what you think) is the second installment of a series of films exploring Samadhi, an ancient Sanskrit word which points toward the mystical or transcendent union that is at the root of all spirituality and self inquiry.

The Way of the Psychonaut explores the life and work of Stanislav Grof, Czech-born psychiatrist and psychedelic psychotherapy pioneer. Stan’s quest for knowledge and insights into the healing power of non-ordinary states of consciousness, influenced the discipline of psychology and profoundly changed many individual lives. One of those transformed by Stan is filmmaker Susan Hess Logeais. The documentary utilizes Susan’s personal existential crisis as a gateway to Grof’s impact, from the micro to the macro.

A struggling writer attempts to rationalize the state of things. To varying degrees of success.

An unconventional biography by Oscar nominee Paola di Florio and Sundance winner Lisa Leeman about Hindu mystic Paramahansa Yogananda who brought yoga and meditation to the West in 1920 and authored the spiritual classic "Autobiography of a Yogi," which became the go-to book for seekers from George Harrison to Steve Jobs.

Before leaving for Rome with his mother, five year old Natan is taken by his father, Jorge, on an epic journey to the pristine Chinchorro reef off the coast of Mexico. As they fish, swim, and sail the turquoise waters of the open sea, Natan discovers the beauty of his Mayan heritage and learns to live in harmony with life above and below the surface, as the bond between father and son grows stronger before their inevitable farewell.

Meditation: The Art of Ecstasy

Francesco Garripoli and Daisy Lee-Garripoli guide viewers through a moving meditation of gentle, flowing qigong poses; deep breathing; and visualization techniques to enhance the flow of qi. The style of qigong is called wuji qigong or primordial qigong.

This VHS video includes two short documentaries by Elda Hartley. In the first, THE ART OF MEDITATION, Alan Watts gives us techniques and advice for meditating. Elda Hartley herself narrates the second film, MEDITATION: THE JOURNEY INWARD, which exposes viewers to different cultural approaches to meditation. Hartley then discusses how meditation enriches one's life, and what it can reveal to us.

Mindfulness is the art of simply being present. From Oprah to Phil Jackson to Anderson Cooper, it's an art practiced by some of the world's most successful people. Brought to the west by Zen Buddhist Monk Thich Nhat Hanh, who was once nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., mindfulness has recently gained mainstream popularity in both the media and in mental health treatment. This film features insights from Deepak Chopra, Thich Nhat Hanh, Sharon Stone, Oliver Stone, Cesar Milan, and many more. Watch it and learn how to embrace mindfulness in your own life!

Every individual confronts fundamental questions about the nature of reality, self-identity, and elusive happiness, yet few make these their life goal. An international group of students have traveled to a monastery in a remote area of southern India with the single purpose of discovering these answers. GURUKULAM is a journey into their lives, a wisdom tradition, and the contemplative space in which it is carried.

"Be Still" is an extraordinary film that demonstrates contemplative prayer as a vital part of our everyday lives and as a remedy for the ills of the frenzied, fast paced modern world. Featuring interviews with some of today's most highly respected authors, educators, and ministers, like Dr. Henry Cloud, Dallas Willard, Max Lucado, and Beth Moore, "Be Still" examines the importance of silent reflective prayer as a way to truly be open to receiving God's guidance. This remarkable film also features a useful "how to" section that shows how contemplative prayer can be used by anyone at any time to better one's life and reaffirm that which is truly important.

Developed by Thích Nhất Hạnh himself, the exercises taught here combine simple stretching and graceful gestures with mindfulness meditation. Join Thich Nhat Hanh and Plum Village monk Brother Michael to explore ten unique movements. Practice them before or after sitting meditation anytime you have a few minutes to refresh your body and quiet your mind.

Samadhi Part 1 (Maya the Illusion of the Self) is the first installment in a series of films exploring Samadhi. Samadhi is an ancient Sanskrit word which points toward the mystical or transcendent union that is at the root of all spirituality and self inquiry. The saints, sages and awakened beings throughout history have all learned the wisdom of self surrender.

Documentary approach follows six people (and a robot) who transform their lives using stillness and mindfulness.

A remote and wild island on the west coast of Scotland is home to a small group of people that live in deep connection with the land, the sea and the weather. For different reasons, they left their city life to escape their inner demons and to live as eco-friendly and sustainable as possible.

As well as providing the subject for Luc Besson’s The Big Blue, Jacques Mayol did more than anyone to establish the sport of free diving to enormous depths without an oxygen supply. Using breathing techniques derived from yoga, he went to 50, 60, and even 100 meters—depths no one had considered to be within the bounds of human possibility. Mayol was a sportsman, a mystic, a vagabond, but above all, a man who believed in testing the limits of experience. This visually stunning tribute shows a man’s quest to be at one with the vastness of the ocean and to have no fear of the abyss within, where lurks serenity, freedom and finally, death.

Experimental meditation on land, consciousness, and artificial intelligence. Shot in the Okanagan and West Kootenays. Original music by Jack Brintnell.

After accidentally becoming the caretaker of a robin’s egg, I reach out to my grandmother for guidance. As we await the fate of the fragile, pale blue egg, we call from across the world to birdwatch together—a meditation on nature, nurture, and letting go.