Planet Yoga Trailer (2011)

Trailer for Planet Yoga.

This doc is an excellent primer on yoga--philosophy, practice and history. Director Carlos Ferrand undertakes a personal journey to discover the origins, chief practitioners and practical applications of this healing art. Spanning the globe and taking in gurus and dedicated enthusiasts from Nunavut to Paris, this is an engrossing and inspiring film. Ferrand talks with critically injured people whose lives have been virtually saved by yoga; with teachers who seek to transmit its healing power to others; and with philosophers of this art of concentration, physical exertion, and spiritual focus.

In our increasingly technological and secular age, yoga presents traditional spirituality without the baggage of retrograde oppression that has dated so much religion. One enthusiast puts it well in saying that the practice “makes it possible to rediscover the meaning of ritual.” Ferrand details both the physical and metaphysical aspects of yoga, stressing their intricate connection and conveying it clearly to the audience. We also get a succinct history of the practice in Western society, which was largely initiated by pioneering guru Swami Vishnu-devananda--an inspiration to the Beatles and thousands of others. The personal is always stressed, however: one of the key pleasures of this movie is getting to know its many subjects and how yoga has changed and defined their lives.