Feature documentary THE MINDFULNESS MOVEMENT will launch online Friday, with Jewel & Deepak Chopra, Dan Harris, Sharon Salzberg , Jon Kabat-Zinn, and more.
The “Poet Prophet of Alternative Medicine,” Deepak Chopra’s THE MINDFULNESS MOVEMENT will launch online Friday. Chopra is Executive Producer in this feature documentary that chart the rise of mindfulness in western society.
Many people associate the rise of mindfulness with the popularity of Chopra himself. It was largely thanks to Chopra and his many bestselling books that people in the West became familiar with mindfulness (that and the other teachers in the movie).
Mindfulness, the meditation practice of focusing on the present moment in a nonjudgmental way, has been linked to myriad health benefits [READ: Mindfulness for Beginners]. Because of its ability to combat common problems like stress and anxiety, mindfulness has become ever more poplar over the past few years, and is now a multi-billion-dollar business.
For a meditation teacher like myself, the release of this documentary sure is an exciting time. I cannot wait to hear the backstory of many of my favourite meditation teachers! I’m also hoping this movie gets even more people meditating.
The documentary film charts the stories of many of the best meditation teachers in the world, including Dan Harris (10% Happier), Sharon Salzberg (New York Times Best selling author and teacher of Buddhist meditation practices), Jon Kabat-Zinn (author and founder of the Center for Mindfulness), and many more. Anyone who has been practicing meditation for a few years will definitely recognise the majority of the people featured in this documentary. And even if you do not know them by name, you will certainly be familiar with the techniques they introduced (such as Jon Kabat-Zinn, who created Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction).
Like many people who turn to the spiritual path, many of the stars of the documentary explain how emotional difficulties and struggles in life led them own the mindfulness path. The stores are emotional and compelling and will likely ring a bell with anyone who has gone through personal adversity only to rediscover themselves in spirituality. You get to see how these now-famous teachers redefined their lives through the mindfulness practices that they now teach.
Through the documentary we see the rise and history of mindfulness (something you may have discovered in my guide to all the major meditation techniques). The mindfulness practice has existed for thousands of years and has gone through a lengthy process of evolution since its inception. So there is certainly plenty of ground for the documentary to cover!
There’s also a great deal of info about the science of meditation and its benefits.
We get to see how meditation and mindfulness have helped in all aspects of society, from schools to businesses to the healthcare field. Indeed, it seems today there are few areas that “The Mindfulness Movement” has yet to reach.
Not only is The Mindfulness Movement a thorough examination of this burgeoning practice, it’s also an interactive movie. There are two opportunities in the movie where you can close your eyes and practice guided meditations so you can see the benefits of the practice for yourself.
It is almost too fitting that this movie should be released right now, with the world in the state it’s in. I’m hoping many people who are self-isolating watch the movie and start doing mindfulness themselves.
The real measure of this documentary will be how many more people it can get to start meditating. No doubt that is what Chopra himself would want.
Watch it on the official site.
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The Mindful Movement Starts Many Of The Best Meditation Teachers
Deepak Chopra (the “poet prophet of alternative medicine”)
Dan Harris (ABC News correspondent & GMA weekend co-host)
Fleet Maull (Founder of Prison Mindfulness Institute)
George Mumford (teacher and author of “The Mindful Athlete”)
Sharon Salzberg (author and co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society)
Jon Kabat-Zinn (author and founder of the Center for Mindfulness)
Bill George (Senior Fellow at Harvard Business School, former Fortune 500 CEO, and author)
Leigh Koechner (Speaker, Podcaster, Parenting Expert & Spiritual Teacher)
Diana Winston (author and Director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA’s MARC)
Daniel Goleman (psychologist and author of “Emotional Intelligence”)
Tim Ryan (US Congressman, Ohio and author of “A Mindful Nation”)
Richard Davidson (neuroscientist and Founder of the Center For Healthy Minds)
and more!
the mindfulness movement movie poster
Paul Harrison BSc is a qualified meditation teacher who believes in genuine, authentic meditation. He has more than 15 years experience in teaching meditation and mindfulness both to individuals and to corporations and is the author of four books on meditation. He has been featured in Psychology Today, Breathe Magazine, Healthline, Psych Central and Lion’s Roar.
Paul studied meditation in beautiful Oxford, UK, and Hamilton Ontario Canada, and earned his degree at Staffordshire University.
Paul’s biggest inspirations include Thich Nhat Hanh, Jon Kabat Zinn, and Jack Kornfield.
“My goal is to provide the most authentic meditation sessions so you can harness the power of your own mind for personal transformation” – Paul Harrison