Enlighten Up!

Interesting and Honest
For some reason, I feel like I should start with the conclusions:

He does not achieve enlightenment. He does not experience any great philosophical realizations. He does not become a great yogi. He does not become a lifelong yoga practitioner. I do think Yoga changed his life, but I am not sure if he would agree with me.

Kate is a documentary filmmaker. She picks Nick, an out of work journalist as her subject. The purpose is to follow Nick as he explores the world of Yoga. Nick starts out visiting several yoga studios in NYC. He spends time with Gannon and Life of Jivamukti. He travels to Santa Monica, where he works out with DDP (Diamond Dallas Page), the former professional wrestler who created YRG (Yoga for Regular Guys). He goes to India where he meets BKS Iyengar and the late Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. He goes on to meet several Indian Yogis & Guruswho are NOT into the physical yoga, but more into the spiritual(such as devotion - Bhakti) aspects of the...

Hatha is not "yoga", good film but misses the point
I enjoyed the film. Now he claims not to have changed his life. But take a look at him at the beginning of the film and at the end - he's a bit mellower and more sure of himself at the end. Not night and day but it is there.

Part of the fun of the film is the director trying to work out her own life through the guy. Her "Are you there yet, are you there yet, are you there yet"? Well, that makes anyone tense. And it is good to know that by streching, twisting, wrenching you are probably not going to become Enlightened. Most Hindus I know find a one year journey to Enlightenment laughable. Especially if you expect to get there by standing on your head.

Pros: Nick seems like a great guy. He's handsome, honest and willing. The director is interesting and she realizes in the course of the film how much she is bringing her own life to bear on him. You get to meet some great teachers. And the conclusion is honest.

Cons: Most Hindus view the hatha...

Slow and painful.
I have been waiting to see Enlighten up! for a while. It was sadly not worth the wait. The movie promises us to show the benefits and spiritual growth of a newbie to Yoga on a half year intensive yoga trek.

What we get is Nick who seems to have been picked for looks rather than personality walking around in a confused state (but looking good). We are then whizzed around the New York and then the globe looking for said enlightenment via yoga. Nick's mumbling and increasingly tightlippedness seems to lead to tensions as the filmmaker tries to salvage things. Time lines get lost and there is no indication as to how much yoga is being done or where Nick is at apart from the odd 'dunno' here and there.

The real problem here is the film maker, she asks shallow questions that are answered in a 'yes' or 'no' has no real structure to the movie or the yoga practices. She parades a few old friends that have a limited grasp on reality. My favourite was in Hawaii where Nick...

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