Ayurveda - Art Of Being, The - Pan Nalin DVD

AYURVEDA

THE ART OF BEING DVD
Pan Nalin

An insightful look at one of the oldest holistic healthcare systems on the planet.

Under a timeless South Asian sky, fingers expertly probe flesh, bones and hands. Healer Brahmanand Swamigal is practicing Ayurveda, the "science of life", one of the oldest holistic medical systems in the world. Originating in India more than 5,000 years ago, and spreading to Tibet, China and Japan, this uncanny intersection of science, medicine and magic is only now receiving serious study in the West. Shot over three years on three continents, Pan Nalin's AYURVEDA: THE ART OF BEING is both a breathless globe trotting travelogue that's "fascinating to watch" (Variety) and a deeply spiritual testament to the power of Ayurvedic medicine.

Founded on the belief that human disease is cured by restoring an imbalance of individual life energies, Ayurveda supports diverse forms of treatment. Scenes of dreamlike resonance, where "the camera itself seems to be smiling beatifically" (New York Times), demonstrate both the power of Ayurveda and the commitment of its acolytes. Intuitively manipulating nerves that can either cure or kill, a healer displays amazingly intimate pressure point mastery. One wizened practitioner grinds precious stones into priceless medicinal powders while another shrugs off payment and brusquely dispenses treatment like a crusty country doctor.

Whether documenting the catastrophic loss of potentially cancer curing herbs or detailing the mounting scientific evidence supporting Ayurveda's efficacy, AYURVEDA: THE ART OF BEING retains an affecting sense of wonder. In the end, the film simply and persuasively observes that "Hope is nature's way of enabling us to survive so that we can discover nature itself."

Review(s):

"...Technically, the film is quite sophisticated, and the cinematography, by Serge Guez, has a soft, warm edge that well suits the subject..." - New York Times
"...A fascinating documentary..." - Box Office
"...[The] manufacture of herbal concoctions is fascinating to watch..." - Variety

AYURVEDA: THE ART OF BEING, written and directed by Pan Nalin, takes viewers on a documentary journey through the history of this holistic from of health care and natural well-being. Partially based in methods of healing that identify incongruence in the body's energy, Ayurveda has roots in India, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Tibet, China, Russia, and Japan. Brahamand Swamigal is one of the central figures in the film, an Indian practitioner of Ayurveda who explains its basic principles.

As he treats a patient by placing three fingers on the patient's wrist, then checking the patient's palm, he talks about the three doshas: Vata, Pitti, and Kapha. These three elements are representative of the body's energy and its balance of Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space. Swamigal explains that when one or more of the doshas is imbalanced, the body is not healthy. Later in the film Swamigal reveals the workings of his private medicine-making practice, where he harvests plants from surrounding hills, combines them and cooks them, then has his assistants grind them into brightly colored powders. When the charismatic Swamigal is not on screen, the film introduces other doctors and patients, showing methods of diagnosis and treatment, some of which involve mud baths, head wraps, oil massage, and pouring liquid in the eyes and nose.

Ayurvedic doctors explain their cures for cancer, diabetes, blindness, and paralysis, and share stories of sick Westerners who have sought their help after having failed to be cured by Western medicine. Throughout the film the delightfully soothing sounds of Cyril Morin's music plays and the dramatic photography by Serge Guez shows a beautiful natural land where the earth and its magic are considered sacred, united with human health and well-being.