Can one achieve enlightenment by force? Apparently that seems to be the prevailing question after screenings of the yoga film Enlighten Up! this past weekend in Boston. As put by the Boston Globe, “Forget about the organic way that yoga might allow new strength to alight into your life.” Indeed, the article goes on to quote filmmaker Kate Churchill as admitting the idea of expecting enlightenment to magically emerge on a constricted schedule was “naive thinking” and the “flaw of the premise.”
In hindsight, there’s an ostensible duh moment. Really, who can achieve true enlightenment on demand, meanwhile being constantly pummeled by new philosophies, traversing foreign lands and remaining cut off from family and friends for months at a time? It sounds exhausting; a recipe for a breakdown rather than revelatory wisdom. But honestly who loves to watch a breakdown more than the American public?? That’s just good cinema.
Meltdown or not, it actually does sound like an interesting film, even if only for the “insidery” kind of perspective, the breadth of interviews with worldwide yoga figures, and perhaps a chance for us to relate Nick’s journey to our own personal experiences with yoga.
From the Boston debut, check out the video interview with Kate Churchill and Nick Rosen, courtesy of theyoginme blog.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
For a longwinded, yet informative, review and some outtakes from the movie, click here.
