Below is a list of 13 movies or TV shows that I think would be great for yogis to watch and get inspired. They have similar messages as to the teachings in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
(If you are interested in me linking up the movies with their respective yoga sutra then please comment on this article and let me know.)
They are in no particular order and there is no reason for 13 – that’s just the number that came up. Enjoy!
- Peaceful Warrior
This is a MUST!!! This movie will show not tell the audience what yoga and being present is all about. Everytime I watch it I get inspired to live NOW! I invite you to do the same.
“There’s never nothing going on.” – Dan Millman. Can someone please throw me over a bridge now? AAAAAH!
- What the Bleep Do We Know?
This movie is powerful as long as all the interviews filled with quantum physics terminology doesn’t make you fall asleep halfway through. I usually pass out after the wedding scene, but it shares some conceptual truths in a visual and understandable way. This is hard to achieve with such esoteric concepts, so kudos to them. It is worth watching all the way through at least once.
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
The TV Series NOT THE MOVIE. Please do yourself a favor and NEVER EVER EVER watch the movie version of this amazing TV series! If you want to get back at a friend you may suggest they watch this movie so they waste an hour and 30 minutes of their life… No, don’t do that yogis. We practice ahimsa, nonharming. Anywho, this clever and witty cartoon is genius! The story is so well developed and the messages throughout all the three seasons will leave you wanting more. It is for all age groups. And a yogi would like this because there is actually a whole episode dedicated to yoga and the chakras and there’s something called the Spirit World! Plus, who wouldn’t want to bend water, fire, earth and air? These are the siddhis (superpowers of yogis) at their best and worst!
(I couldn’t find the English version of this clip so here’s a little Spanish Avatar. It does sound a little cheesy, but I’m hoping you watch the whole show. Well worth your time. I know I’m not the only one who would watch episode after episode hooked to a marathon weekend.)
- Animaniacs
Yes Animaniacs… They are crazy and that’s exactly why they are yogis. They turn the world (aka our reality) upside down by being completely themselves. Could you handle living in the world they live in? Does your world need to be perfect all the time, or can you find the peace in the chaos? Yakko, Wakko and Dot are actually geniuses in my book – if you can see the deeper layers. Really, really deep layers. Thanks Steven Spielberg!
Here’s another one: I just couldn’t help myself…
- I Heart Huckabees.
Oh the beauty of the blanket metaphor… Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin master the yin and yang in this movie. Prepare to be surprised by this witty comedy/drama. Would you hire people to follow you around and analyze every move, every breath, every word, then question you on all your actions in order to find deeper healing? Lily and Dustin are actually your Yoga Sutras in practice during this movie.
- Meet the Robinsons.
A Disney/Pixar movie that came and went under the radar, but it was beautiful and had a very profound message.
We are all family in the end. When we see clearly, we are all connected and part of each other. When we are in the dark and in ignorance, we feel like orphans. Plus, the motto of the movie is “Keep Moving Forward!!!” How great is that? You just gotta watch it!
- Wings of Desire (City of Angels was a remake of this movie.)
When I was in college I wrote a screenplay with a similar theme to this movie, without having seen it, of course. Why I think a yogi would like this is because it hopes to instill compassion in us all by being able to hear people thoughts as you pass them on the street. That is what I was hoping to achieve in my own movie, which I never completed. Maybe one day, if it is meant to be.
- The Music Never Stopped
This movie will remind us yogis about our impressions, which can be so powerful and branding. What I loved about this movie was that the main actor who was suffering from a brain tumor was only able to remember things from his past when he heard songs that triggered his memory. Of course, he would remember the memories that he needed to heal the most, which is the power of the True Self trying to teach something to the little self. Healing can still happen on any level, especially when it’s not mental.
- Amelie
I think everyone who has seen this movie loves it. But, why? Because it shares the simple pleasures in life. It shows beauty in the strangest places and it definitely awakens your senses. This movie is so well done that I even smelled the fruits in the fruit cart scenes so vividly. In addition, is shares how the power of one happy girl can influence a whole town positively. We all have that potential if we allow ourselves to see and be more truthfully.
- Serendipity
Trust the universe. Don’t fret if things don’t go exactly how you had planned. The universe, God, Purusha, whomever you believe in, always has your best interest in mind… just trust, yogis, and surrender!
- Samantha Who?
This quirky TV show stares Christina Applegate who comes out of a coma and has amnesia. The yogi would like this because it is an interesting approach to what would happen if you lost your identity and your ego all in one instant. She doesn’t even remember if she liked certain foods or if she liked dancing and what not. How would you shape your life without any memories of happy or sad times? You would automatically forgive anyone who “harmed” you, and you would literally let go of all your issues at once. Would you create new ones? What would be your perspective if this happened to you? Is it a blessing or not?
I am__.
- Psych (I know… I just love the dorky sitcoms!)
I will admit that I LOVE this show. The main reason is because the premise of the show involves this young guy, Sean Spencer, who pretends to be psychic in order to help detectives solve crimes in Santa Barbara, California. But really what he is is SUPER observant and sees a lot more than the average person. He can deduce things by intuition and clear thinking… A yoga siddhi for sure! J Plus, the main characters are funny and the script includes a lot of witty humor (yes witty. Well, at least in my opinion) and they reference a lot of movies as their schtick.
- Life is Beautiful
If you haven’t seen this movie, then you really have not felt pure emotion during a movie yet. J This whole movie inspires true love. It shows one how to change one’s perspective to see that life is beautiful. To this day, I still feel that Roberto Benigni died in WWII because of his truthful performance. He’s an amazing character who you so badly want to believe existed during those harsh times. It’s all a matter of perspective. Walking towards his death, he smiled, made funny faces and danced for the sake of his son’s happiness! I’m crying now just writing this… What a powerful message. See his love and beauty in this clip. Click here!
Amelie is my all time fav!!!!
The Last Airbender is my daughters most favorite series ever! The Legend of Korra is the follow up to the original. I wish they would come out with more. if you have kids. definitely introduce them to Aang.