Yoga Unveiled

I was fortunate enough to attend a screening of "Yoga Unveiled," a family created grassroots documentary covering Yoga, it's history, it's movement from India to the West, and it's expansion into the mainstream.

The producers of the film were there, giving a preview of the inspiration behind the movie and answered questions afterward.  In the audience were a variety of yoga teachers, Ayurvedic doctors, humble students like me, and many other people in the yoga and holistic health community.

The most interesting things I'll take from this movie is the producer's husband talking about how the idea of the movie came about.  "One day, my wife says to me...'Let's make a movie about Yoga.'  That's not a usual request from a spouse.  And a friend of mine says that's a good recipe for a divorce."  :)  But, seven years later, they put together a beautifully enriching film, with so many famous people.  And they were just regular people, with no experience or credentials in film-making. 

The inspiration for the movie was to shed some light on what yoga really is.  Here in the West, we think of Yoga as Asanas, and Asanas as Yoga.  And yet, Asanas are but "2%" of Yoga, there's so much more to it.  The film was meant to educate us all of the other 98%, so it doesn't get lost.  It truly is a beautiful piece, something I want to show to my kids, and have them appreciate and understand the gift of yoga, in it's wholeness.

For me, a humble student of Yoga, one that is still a baby even after years and years of practice, it was an incredible experience.  Sure, there are complex and very dry parts of Yoga that are difficult for us to comprehend, and I'll admit, a lot of that still goes over my head.  But, just to know the people, the players, their motivation and history, and how long the lineage goes back, was truly eye-opening and inspirational.  I think many people today could make use of Yoga, to bring peace and light to their day, and heal them from the inside out.

One more thing, I could've sworn I was one of the youngest people there (at 42 mind you), but darn, everyone there looked so young and glowing, likely because of Yoga.

One last thing, there is a very nice older woman, who was lost on the De Anza campus, looking for the movie.  I was lost also.  I caught her eye as I was walking towards her, I placed my hands in namaste as a sign of respect (is that okay to do? :)), and she asked me where the film was.  I told her I didn't know, but I would walk with her until we found it.  Sure enough, it was just around the corner.  She was so sweet, she was talking to the producers of the movie when we arrived, and she was telling them about her ordeal and how she was lost and then said, "Thank God this man was there to help me find this place."  I thought it was cute.  :)  She's a wonderful lady, and those 5 minutes I spent walking very slowly with her across campus, was in essence, my sense of peace for the day.