Joyeux Noël & The Secret on Oprah
09Feb2007 05:52 AM Filed in: Film &
Video
Tonight
we watched two seemingly unrelated programs on our
tell-a-vision (as our Swami friend) likes to
call it. – The first was a superb
film we watched via
NetFlix, Joyeux Noël (released in
2005) and the second was Oprah's program from
earlier this week about "The Secret" DVD
(currently
enjoying a wave of popularity) and a panel of some
of the folks featured on the DVD.
I already posted a blog entry last Christmas about the music of John McCutcheon which originally introduced me to the story of Joyeux Noël about a decade or so ago. Tonight we finally got to see the film, and it was worth waiting for! Joyeux Noël is a powerful film. On the surface, it documents (with minor artistic license, which is why I classify it as a documentary in the spirit of the film) the cease fire of 1914 among the Scottish, French and German soldiers, initiated by the healing power of music. I'm impressed with this film on many levels, starting with a great story about how soldiers are brainwashed from an early age to hate. As the song goes, when will we ever learn? The film quickly moves to the drama of World War 1, and even though the violence isn't excessive, I wouldn't recommend the film for children for that reason; besides, children already KNOW that war is insane! The film gives a very sensitive portrayal of the stark contrast between the desire to dutifully obey the militant dictates of a culture gone mad and the spirit of interconnectedness that is our natural state – one where we intuitively want to share photos of loved ones, food, wine and support with ALL. Here is where the film goes beyond being merely a great historical monument to a lapse in the insanity that great art (in this case the romantically engaged couple singing beautifully on the battlefield) can initiate. The metaphor applies right here, right now. It applies to the current world geopolitical situation very eloquently. It also, most importantly, reminds us to declare an inner cease fire, a truce between the personal ambitions and internal struggles we face every day and recall the inner serenity, joy and kindness, where the distinction and polarization between "self" and "other", between "we" and "they" disappears. If this film touches you emotionally and spiritually as it did me, we can smile together knowing that the world is waking up from the nightmare of separation, the illusion of lack and "not good enough". ... BTW, don't miss the director's comments which are also quite inspiring!
"The Secret" is an introduction to the Law of Attraction, a sublaw of the Seven Hermetic Laws of Truth detailed in the Kybalion. I enjoy hearing dialogue about these ancient laws or principles, which have been around before the pyramids in Egypt, before there was a planet to build on... My primary caution for viewers is that the emphasis of this video (and the interviews on Oprah and Larry King) still seems to be on how to achieve external results such as material wealth, radiant health, harmonious relationships. There is, of course, ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with any of these worthy ambitions. Ironically, the video and TV interviews persistently shift from the Neville's "Feeling Is the Secret" first principle (particularly the innate love of self as co-creator, inseparable from all creation and the allowing of gratitude with abandon) to the results that accrue from these feelings. I AM grateful that this information is getting out to the masses. At the same time, I appreciate Oprah's reminder (paraphrased) that we've "known it all along".
I already posted a blog entry last Christmas about the music of John McCutcheon which originally introduced me to the story of Joyeux Noël about a decade or so ago. Tonight we finally got to see the film, and it was worth waiting for! Joyeux Noël is a powerful film. On the surface, it documents (with minor artistic license, which is why I classify it as a documentary in the spirit of the film) the cease fire of 1914 among the Scottish, French and German soldiers, initiated by the healing power of music. I'm impressed with this film on many levels, starting with a great story about how soldiers are brainwashed from an early age to hate. As the song goes, when will we ever learn? The film quickly moves to the drama of World War 1, and even though the violence isn't excessive, I wouldn't recommend the film for children for that reason; besides, children already KNOW that war is insane! The film gives a very sensitive portrayal of the stark contrast between the desire to dutifully obey the militant dictates of a culture gone mad and the spirit of interconnectedness that is our natural state – one where we intuitively want to share photos of loved ones, food, wine and support with ALL. Here is where the film goes beyond being merely a great historical monument to a lapse in the insanity that great art (in this case the romantically engaged couple singing beautifully on the battlefield) can initiate. The metaphor applies right here, right now. It applies to the current world geopolitical situation very eloquently. It also, most importantly, reminds us to declare an inner cease fire, a truce between the personal ambitions and internal struggles we face every day and recall the inner serenity, joy and kindness, where the distinction and polarization between "self" and "other", between "we" and "they" disappears. If this film touches you emotionally and spiritually as it did me, we can smile together knowing that the world is waking up from the nightmare of separation, the illusion of lack and "not good enough". ... BTW, don't miss the director's comments which are also quite inspiring!
"The Secret" is an introduction to the Law of Attraction, a sublaw of the Seven Hermetic Laws of Truth detailed in the Kybalion. I enjoy hearing dialogue about these ancient laws or principles, which have been around before the pyramids in Egypt, before there was a planet to build on... My primary caution for viewers is that the emphasis of this video (and the interviews on Oprah and Larry King) still seems to be on how to achieve external results such as material wealth, radiant health, harmonious relationships. There is, of course, ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with any of these worthy ambitions. Ironically, the video and TV interviews persistently shift from the Neville's "Feeling Is the Secret" first principle (particularly the innate love of self as co-creator, inseparable from all creation and the allowing of gratitude with abandon) to the results that accrue from these feelings. I AM grateful that this information is getting out to the masses. At the same time, I appreciate Oprah's reminder (paraphrased) that we've "known it all along".
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