No Other Film …

“Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.” – Henry David Thoreau

… is like “Dreams Awake.” Like it, love it, hate it, indifferent about it, whatever … you will never ever come across another film that has the elements this film does. I personally guarantee it. That may seem like a boastful statement, but I firmly believe it. If anyone wants to challenge me on it, come right ahead. Because right here, right now, I am coming out of the closet about the content of this film.

This film is not completely fiction. Some of these things have happened, are happening, will continue happen. I know, another crazy bold statement to make. But I can back it up. People I know, as well as myself, have had many of the experiences referred to in the film, and many other similar types of experiences. Without the dramatic story that ties it all up, this could actually have been a documentary.

When I got the very first inklings of this story, I actually did not intend for it to go in that direction. It was as if the film had its own life, its own momentum, and its own magic. I cannot completely explain it, but I can attempt to relate it to you. Right here. Right now.

Now all the other things I have said about the film were all true. I have done some radio, podcast and print interviews, and I have written about it on my blog, and in other places. Those stories about the making of this film were all true. But I did leave some things out. Although I doubt I could tell you the whole rest of the story in one blog posting, I can now tell more than I ever have. Why now? Who knows? Maybe just because I feel like it. I haven’t really been intentionally hiding it. I guess it never felt like the right time, for some reason … until now?

For those of you who have not seen this film, you may not want to read any farther until you have. Mainly, because it may not make much sense to you, and also I don’t want to be a spoiler if you decide to. If none of that matters, then continue on …

First point. The wizardly sage in the film named Ambrose is loosely based on someone I know very well. Someone I have known for over 40 years. Now, there is some dramatic license taken there, because the actor who played him is actually very little like him. However, much of the wisdom is very much like him. In fact, some of the quotes attributed to Ambrose are actually his. I hesitate to name him right here until I get his permission to do so, but if I do I will write about it in another posting.

Second point. Mt. Shasta truly is a spiritually magical place. I have been coming here regularly since 1972 (forty years), and I have had some amazing spiritual, mystical, metaphysical experiences here over those years. Some I could never put into words. I also know a number of other people, good friends of mine, who also have had these types of experiences. I also don’t want to breach their anonymity, so no names here. Anyway, as Ambrose said in the film, and as my good friend does say, at Shasta the physical topography does match the spiritual topography, setting up an easy foundation for having spiritual experiences … if you are open to it. As they say in the local Shasta area, it is a place “where heaven and earth meet.” In fact, in my early script drafts, the original title of the film was “Where Heaven Meets Earth.” I eventually passed on it, because it sounded too religious. There is one more element about Mt. Shasta I would like to mention, but it will take another posting to explain it sufficiently. It is about the spiritual Lady on the mountain who is in charge of it. This film was a gift to her, for all that she has given me in my spiritual progressions on the mountain. As if such a small token of gratitude could ever match the treasures she has given me (and frankly, others too). More about her in a  future posting.

Third point. The idea of meditation is a part of this film. There are lots of ways to meditate these days. And it has become much more common and mainstream than it used to be. I started meditating more than forty years ago. I do a system of sound current meditation, as it is referred to in the film. It’s official name is Surat Shabd Yoga, and it is a very ancient practice. Although the system I currently practice is considered to be pretty advanced, so they tell me. I can tell you that there are days when I wonder what the hell I am doing it for. But then there are some days that are so sweet I don’t want to quit that particular session. I will write about some of these experiences in future postings. In a way the term meditation doesn’t really seem to fit what I do, because that implies something that is passive. The meditation techniques I practice every day are far from passive. Actually, they are very active. So active, it is sometimes hard to remember everything I am trying to do.

So there you have it for now. I am out in the open about this. But yet, there is still much more to the real story behind the story of this film. You’ll just need to keep checking in to get the whole real scoop.