You can’t practice Feng Shui effectively without a proper Feng Shui Energy Clearing first. Everyone who practices Feng Shui should know that Feng Shui Energy clearing is the most important component of Feng Shui.

Therefore before you start organizing the space of your house according to Feng Shui rules it’s vital to learn the method of Feng Shui energy clearing which includes 3 main phases. In this article, I will tell you about these 3 phases and as a bonus, I will give you some effective tips on how to fill in your house with positive vital energy.

Why Is It Necessary to Do Feng Shui Energy Clearing?

Before I start sharing information on how to do Feng Shui energy clearing let me explain to you why it is so important. Without understanding this you will not be able to practice Feng Shui effectively.

I call Feng Shui energy clearing practice “safety” Feng Shui. Why did I choose to use this word? Well, imagine what happens if in a dirty dusty room with cobwebs in the corners we turn on a powerful fan and a bright light. All this dirt and dust will start flying around, getting into our eyes and noses, etc. The same thing would happen if you start practicing Feng Shui in a dirty room from an energy point of view!

The basic law of Feng Shui says: If you want to get something new, you have to get rid of something old!

If you want to attract something new (abundance, opportunities, success, love, health, etc.) – make room for it! Therefore, I strongly recommend that you do not neglect the preparatory stage – Feng Shui energy clearing – before you start making any changes according to Feng Shui rules.

I decided to systematize this practice so it’s easier for you to follow. There are three phases of Feng Shui energy clearing you need go through. Let’s get energy clearing started!

Phase 1. Get Rid Of Old And Useless Stuff

While getting rid of old beliefs, do not forget to get rid of old and useless things! Clean up your house, throw away all the trash and mess that has accumulated in the cabinets, drawers, boxes, and shelves. By clearing the space, you release stagnant energy and get actively involved in a flow of life. There is no better way to activate the abundance energy (and any other type of positive energy) in your life than cleaning! Yes, it’s as simple as that!

Clean your closet, cabinets, shelves, boxes, and drawers

First of all, honestly assess the degree of clutter in your home. Get rid of everything useless that doesn’t serve you anymore. Audit all the shelves? cabinets and drawers on the subject of useless, broken and unnecessary.

Often, in order to just cheer yourself up, it is enough to disassemble and clean one or two boxes in the closet. Try it, you will like it! Getting rid of old and useless stuff is accompanied by such joy and a sense of liberation that sometimes exceeds the pleasure of buying. Go through and keep only those things that you really like. If you haven’t worn those green pants for over a year, then their time has passed. Make room for the new pair in your closet and for the new energy in your life!

Through Away Photos You Don’t Like

People tend to keep not only their own photos but also the archives of their relatives. Look at the pictures you keep in your house. Choose only those that are dear to your heart, those on which you look healthy and happy, and the ones that awake negative feelings throw away without regrets! It’s not good to have pictures of sick people and pictures from the funerals because they infect your house with negative and unhealthy energy.

Clean And Repair Your House

Now attentively look at your house and honestly answer the question: does it need a good cleaning or even repair? If so – it’s time to spend time on good cleaning and maybe even spend some money on the repair.

When doing a wet cleaning, add some sea salt to the water: it cleans the space perfectly. Clean every corner, and pay special attention to hard-to-reach places.

Do you know what’s important in this cleaning? Your own intention! When you’re cleaning your closet with the intention like, for example, that you are clearing space for the arrival of abundance, you bring yourself invaluable benefits. Your intention and actions will lead you to your desired life!

Check All the Light Bulbs In Your House

It is very important to make sure that all the light bulbs in your house work properly. Replace all the light bulbs that do not work with new ones.

Check Your Plants

Are there any dry and dying plants in your house? If there is, without regrets get rid of them immediately! Otherwise, your house will keep lots of pathogenic energy of withering.

Get Rid Of Broken Things

If you have broken vases, cracked mirrors, chipped dishes and other broken stuff you should get rid of them immediately! Remember that if there is something broken in your home, it means something is broken in life.

After you spend a complete cleansing of your living space, do not forget to maintain order and cleanliness, do not let the energies stagnate!

Phase 2. Energy Clearing

When the cleaning part is finished, you can start working on clearing the energy of your living space. This should be done to avoid stagnation of energy, “cheer up” and refresh it.

I recommend performing energy clearing at least once a month, ideally during the full moon.

First open all the windows in your house, doors of the rooms, and closets. This is necessary in order to make all stagnant energy to leave your house and to replace it with new and fresh energy.

Energy clearing requires a certain attitude – positive, joyful, optimistic. You must be healthy, energized, and active. Women should not perform energy clearing during their periods!

The main thing you should think about is the new pure life-giving energy to support you and the changes associated with it. After all, you are making a significant step closer to your well-being and happiness.

Prepare in advance everything you need for cleansing:

• a bouquet of fresh flowers and a beautiful vase;
• candles (the quantity of candles depends on the size of the house: the more space for cleansing, the more candles you will need);
• a pack of sea salt;
• a bronze bell;
• a sheet of paper and a pen.

For performing the energy clearing practice you need to take off all jewelry and watches. Turn off your phone, so that nothing distracts you.

Step 1. Light The Candles

Cleansing begins with lighting the candles throughout the house. It is better to use small candles. They do not burn for too long, which is more suitable for our purposes since the lit candles should burn down to the end. You basically need to place one candle in each room, including the pantry and bathrooms. Also, make sure to lite the candles in the hallway and at the front door.

When lighting each candle, say some positive affirmations. These words will help you tune into the sublime mood and give additional meaning to your actions.

Step 2. Flowers

Take a few flowers from the bouquet that you like the most and arrange them nicely on a separate dish. Place a lighted candle in the center of the dish.

Step 3. Setting the Intention

Concentrate, take a breath and write down the following intention:

“Today (…date) I (…your name) am clearing the energy of my home from negative energy. I’m doing it with a pure heart and the best intentions to fill in my home with vital energy. With this energy clearing practice, I’m getting rid of hard feelings, memories, and resentments and enter a new, fresh and positive stage of my life. I’m attracting the energy of love, joy, success to my home and my life. I’m performing this energy clearing ritual for my Highest good and for creating my beautiful world. “

You can also add your personal wishes to this intention.

After writing down your intention, mentally ask for support from the Universe.

Step 4. Energy Clearing Procedure

You should always start the process of energy clearing with the front door.

Sea Salt Clearing

Take sea salt and pour it in front of the front door. Then sprinkle with the salt all the corners in the house and the places that seem energetically unfavorable.

Fine sea salt neutralizes the negativity. It will absorb a large proportion of the dark energy from which you release your house. Salt can be swept away not earlier than in a day after performing this ritual!

As you finish make sure to rinse your hands to the elbow in cold running water to wash away the stagnant dark energy.

Sound Clearing

Now you need to disperse stagnant energy at a deeper level with loud claps in your hands. You should also start clapping with the front door and then move to other rooms. While clapping pay special attention to the corners of the rooms. Your task – to “clap” all the corners of your house.

Inviting Fresh Energy To Your House

Now that you cleared the space and removed the old energy you need to invite the new, fresh, and positive energy to the house.

So, again, go to the front door and get ready for the next stage of the purification procedure. You need to remember and say out loud your main intention. What do you dream about, what energies do you call into your home and your life?

Concentrate on positive, joyful visions of your future. Imagine how you will feel when you reach your goals. Feel the joy and satisfaction.

Take a deep breath, smile, and let the joy fill your heart. Let the good light energy envelop your home.

Ringing a Bell

Start walking around the house, ringing a bell. Try to keep the flow of sound as continuous as possible. Imagine how with sound you fill your home with light, harmony, abundance, and health.

After finishing this practice, you can now take a shower or bath, drink a cup of tea and rest.

Phase 3. Neutralizing “Poisonous Arrows”

In addition to the clutter of the house and stagnant energy, the quality of Feng Shui can have a negative impact on different unfavorable features of the layout, external “poisonous arrows”. However, Feng Shui provides many tools that can neutralize all these shortcomings.

But before you fix the adverse features of your home, you must be able to detect them.

What Are “Poisonous Arrows”?

“Poisonous arrows” are:

1.Long, straight objects aimed towards your house (for example, a road).

2. Anything pointed, facing your house (for example, the corner of a neighbor’s house).

3. Triangular and pointed towards your house objects, located in front of your house (for example, a sharp bend of the road, the peaked crest of the neighbor’s roof).

All the poisonous arrows damage the energy of your house and can destroy peace and health of the family living in such a house. Moreover, the poisonous arrows create a feeling of danger on the subconscious level and people are never able to rest well in such a house.

The General principle is that if an object makes you feel threatened, then its impact on your home is negative.

Good news is that knowing Feng Shui gives us the ability to fix this negative impact.

Here are some tips for to protect your house from the poisonous arrows:

1. Use a mirror to reflect negative energy coming from power lines, lampposts, and tree trunks. Place small mirrors on the windows so that they can reflect the poisonous energy backward.
2. If the poisonous arrow comes to you from the South, use Water element to destroy it. For example, you can place fountains, aquariums, bowls with clean water by the front door of your home or office to neutralize this negative impact.
3. If the poisonous arrow comes from the North, use Earth element to block it. For example, you can place large stones, ceramic items in front of the house or hang a crystal on the front door.
4. If the poisonous arrow comes from the East or Southeast, use the Metal element to neutralize it. For example, you can hang a metal bell on the door. Its sound dissipates harmful energy.
5. If the poisonous arrow comes from the West or Northwest, use the Fire element. In this case, I recommend using very bright lighting of the front entrance to the house or office. Also, to add Fire element you can use red color in the decor of the facade.
6. If the poisonous arrow comes from the Southwest or Northeast, use the Wood element. For example, you can arrange a wooden hedge in front of the house. When your house is “targeted” by a straight road or a corner of a neighboring building, a row of bushes planted in front of the house would soften the “blow”. If you live in a city apartment you should put on the windowsill as many plants as you can.

Filling the House With Positive Vital Energy

So, now your living space is cleared from negative energies and safe. Now our goal is to fill it with Qi energy so that it circulates and brings you abundance. To fill your home with positive vital energy, you can use these simple yet effective tools.

Tip #1 Flowers

The easiest way to fill the house with fresh energy is to constantly have fresh flowers in the house and replace them as they wither. Even a few fresh roses or tulips can completely change the energy of the room. Fill your house with freshness and joy!

Tip #2 Essential Oils

There is a simple principle about the aroma of your house: a good smell in the house brings good luck, a bad smell – bad luck. Yes, it’s simple like that! Therefore, try to make sure to fill in every room, including bathrooms and storage rooms, closets and garage with a pleasant aroma. For doing this, use natural organic essential oils. Also, don’t forget to ventilate rooms, closets, and utility rooms.

Tip #3 Music

Music is one hundred percent Yang energy, and if you consciously use music to bring good luck to your home, then you are doing the right thing. I have examples of very successful and happy people who, when leaving home, leave the audio system turned on with mantras, spiritual chants, and chorales. This simple action not only fills your house with positive energy but also protects you and supports you while you’re out! Isn’t it amazing? Your house can be kind of your Guardian angel since it’s a keeper of your energy!

Tip #4 The Atmosphere of Abundance

Are there symbols of abundance in your home? It does not have to be expensive furniture. Get creative! Sometimes it is enough to drape the bed with a piece of elegant fabric and spread out nice pillows to create an atmosphere of bliss and abundance. Hang paintings of palaces, castles, fountains, fruits, and anything that represents abundance!

Thich Nhat Hanh is a Zen Master, spiritual leader, poet, and peace activist. He is revered throughout the world for his powerful teachings and bestselling books on mindfulness and peace. The main concept of his teaching is mindful living. He teaches how to live happily in the present moment. In this article, we want to share with you 50 inspiring Thich Nhat Hanh quotes about mindfulness. We hope that these powerful Thich Nhat Hanh quotes will inspire you to practice mindful living in your everyday life.

Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes

#1

“When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That’s the message he is sending.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#2

“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#3

“Touching the present moment, we realize that the present is made of the past and is creating the future.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#4

“To dwell in the here and now does not mean you never think about the past or responsibly plan for the future. The idea is simply not to allow yourself to get lost in regrets about the past or worries about the future. If you are firmly grounded in the present moment, the past can be an object of inquiry, the object of your mindfulness and concentration. You can attain many insights by looking into the past. But you are still grounded in the present moment.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#5

“The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don’t wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#6

“Sometimes we don’t need to eat or drink as much as we do, but it has become a kind of addiction. We feel so lonely. Loneliness is one of the afflictions of modern life. It is similar to the Third and Fourth Precepts – we feel lonely, so we engage in conversation, or even in a sexual relationship, hoping that the feeling of loneliness will go away. Drinking and eating can also be the result of loneliness. You want to drink or overeat in order to forget your loneliness, but what you eat may bring toxins into your body. When you are lonely, you open the refrigerator, watch TV, read magazines or novels, or pick up the telephone to talk. But unmindful consumption always makes things worse.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#7

“Happiness is available. Please help yourself to it.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#8

“Our own life has to be our message.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#9

“When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don’t blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or family, we blame the other person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will grow well, like the lettuce. Blaming has no positive effect at all … That is my experience. No blame, no reasoning, no argument, just understanding. If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#10

“Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#11

“If you live without awareness it is the same as being dead. You cannot call that kind of existence being alive. Many of us live like dead people because we live without awareness. We carry our dead bodies with us and circulate throughout the world. We are pulled into the past or we are pulled forward into the future or we are caught by our projects or our despair and anger. We are not truly alive; we are not inhabited by awareness of the miracle of being alive.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#12

“Because you are alive, everything is possible.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#13

“In Asia, we say that there are three sources of energy – sexual, breath, and spirit…You need to know how to reestablish the balance, or you may act irresponsibly. According to Taoism and Buddhism, there are practices to help reestablish that balance, such as meditation or martial arts. You can learn the ways to channel your sexual energy into deep realizations in the domains of art and meditation.

The second source of energy is khi, breath energy. Life can be described as a process of burning. In order to burn, every cell in our body needs nutrition and oxygen… Some people cultivate their khi by refraining from smoking and talking, or by practicing conscious breathing after talking a lot…

The third source of energy is spirit energy. When you don’t sleep at night, you lose some of this kind of energy. Your nervous system becomes exhausted and you cannot study or practice meditation well, or make good decisions. You don’t have a clear mind because of lack of sleep or from worrying too much. Worry and anxiety drain this source of energy. So don’t worry. Don’t stay up too late. Keep your nervous system healthy. Prevent anxiety. These kinds of practices cultivate the third source of energy.

You need this source of energy to practice meditation well. A spiritual breakthrough requires the power of your spirit energy, which comes about through concentration and knowing how to preserve this source of energy. When you have strong spirit energy, you only have to focus it on an object, and you will have a breakthrough. If you don’t have them the light of your concentration will not shine brightly, because the light emitted is very weak.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#14

“People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child – our own two eyes. All is a miracle.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#15

“In true love, there is no pride.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#16

“Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#17

“We often think of peace as the absence of war, that if powerful countries would reduce their weapon arsenals, we could have peace. But if we look deeply into the weapons, we see our own minds – our own prejudices, fears, and ignorance. Even if we transport all the bombs to the moon, the roots of war and the roots of bombs are still there, in our hearts and minds, and sooner or later we will make new bombs. To work for peace is to uproot war from ourselves and from the hearts of men and women. To prepare for war, to give millions of men and women the opportunity to practice killing day and night in their hearts, is to plant millions of seeds of violence, anger, frustration, and fear that will be passed on for generations to come. ” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#18

“Many people think excitement is happiness… But when you are excited you are not peaceful. True happiness is based on peace.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#19

“If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#20

“Smile, breathe and go slowly.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#21

“We will not just say, “I love him very much,” but instead, “I will do something so that he will suffer less.” The mind of compassion is truly present when it is effective in removing another person’s suffering.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#22

“If you touch one thing with deep awareness, you touch everything.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#23

“The Three Kinds of Pride are:
1) thinking I am better than the other(s);
2) thinking I am worse than the other(s);
3) thinking I am just as good as the other(s).”
– Thich Nhat Hanh

#24

“I am determined to practice deep listening. I am determined to practice loving speech.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#25

“Due to attachment, anger, and foolishness, I have committed numberless mistakes in speech, deed, and thought. I bow my head and repent. I vow from today to begin anew, to live day and night in mindfulness, and not to repeat my previous mistakes.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#26

“But sharing does not mean wanting others to abandon their own spiritual roots and embrace your faith. That would be cruel. People are stable and happy only when they are firmly rooted in their own tradition and culture. To uproot them would make them suffer. There are already enough people uprooted from their tradition today, and they suffer greatly, wandering around like hungry ghosts, looking for something to fill their spiritual needs. We must help them return to their tradition. Each tradition must establish a dialogue with its own people first, especially with those young people who are lost and alienated.

During the last fifteen years, while sharing the Buddha’s Dharma in the West, I always urged my Western friends to go back to their own traditions and rediscover the values that are there, those values they have not been able to touch before. The practice of Buddhist meditation can help them do so, and many have succeeded. Buddhism is made of non-Buddhist elements. Buddhism has no separate self. When you are a truly happy Christian, you are also a Buddhist. And vice versa.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#27

“I would not look upon anger as something foreign to me that I have to fight… I have to deal with my anger with care, with love, with tenderness, with nonviolence.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#28

“It is possible to live happily in the here and now. So many conditions of happiness are available – more than enough for you to be happy right now. You don’t have to run into the future in order to get more.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#29

“As long as you find something beautiful, good, and true to believe in and abide by, you have the equivalent of God in your life.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#30

“One of the greatest gifts we can offer people is to embody nonattachment and nonfear. This is true teaching, more precious than money or material resources. Many of us are very afraid, and this fear distorts our lives and makes us unhappy. We cling to objects and to people like a drowning person clings to a floating log. Practicing to realize nondiscrimination, to see the interconnectedness and impermanence of all things, and to share this wisdom with others, we are giving the gift of nonfear. Everything is impermanent. This moment passes. That person walks away. Happiness is still possible.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#31

“Root out the violence in your life, and learn to live compassionately and mindfully. Seek peace. When you have peace within, real peace with others is possible.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#32

“We are very good at preparing to live, but not very good at living. We know how to sacrifice ten years for a diploma, and we are willing to work very hard to get a job, a car, a house, and so on. But we have difficulty remembering that we are alive in the present moment, the only moment there is for us to be alive.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#33

“Don’t do any task in order to get it over with. Resolve to do each job in a relaxed way, with all your attention. Enjoy and be one with your work.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#34

“Every person is a world to explore.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#35

“At any moment, you have a choice, that either leads you closer to your spirit or further away from it.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#36

In modern life, people think that their body belongs to them and they can do anything they want to it. When they make such a determination, the law supports them. This is one of the manifestations of individualism. But, according to the teachings of emptiness, non-self, and interbeing, your body is not yours alone. It also belongs to your ancestors, your parents, future generations, and all other living beings. Everything, even the trees, and the clouds have come together to bring about the presence of your body.

Keeping your body healthy is the best way to express your gratitude to the whole cosmos, to all ancestors, and also not to betray future generations. You practice this precept for everyone. If you are healthy, everyone can benefit from it. When you are able to get out of the shell of your small self, you will see that you are interrelated to everyone and everything, that your every action is linked with the whole of humankind and the whole cosmos. To keep yourself healthy in body and mind is to be kind to all beings. The Fifth Precept is about health and healing.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#37

“Usually when we hear or read something new, we just compare it to our own ideas. If it is the same, we accept it and say that it is correct. If it is not, we say it is incorrect. In either case, we learn nothing.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#38

“If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can smile and blossom like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#39

“Compassion is a verb.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#40

“Feelings, whether of compassion or irritation, should be welcomed, recognized, and treated on an absolutely equal basis; because both are ourselves. The tangerine I am eating is me. The mustard greens I am planting are me. I plant with all my heart and mind. I clean this teapot with the kind of attention I would have were I giving the baby Buddha or Jesus a bath. Nothing should be treated more carefully than anything else. In mindfulness, compassion, irritation, mustard green plant, and teapot are all sacred.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#41

“There is no enlightenment outside of daily life.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#42

“When an unpleasant feeling, physical or mental, arises in him, the wise man does not worry, complain, weep, pound his chest, pull his hair, torture his body and mind, or faint. He calmly observes his feeling and is aware that it is only a feeling. He knows that he is not the feeling, and he is not caught by the feeling. Therefore, the pain cannot bind him. When he has a painful physical feeling, he knows that there is a painful physical feeling. He does not lose his calmness, does not worry, does not fear, and does not complain. Thus the feeling remains a painful physical feeling, and it is not able to grow and ravage his whole being.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#43

“Until there is peace between religions, there can be no peace in the world.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#44

“In modern society, most of us don’t want to be in touch with ourselves; we want to be in touch with other things like religion, sports, politics, a book – we want to forget ourselves. Anytime we have leisure, we want to invite something else to enter us, opening ourselves to the television and telling the television to come and colonize us.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#45

“In true dialogue, both sides are willing to change.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#46

“You are what you want to become. Why search anymore? You are a wonderful manifestation. The whole universe has come together to make your existence possible. There is nothing that is not you. The kingdom of God, the Pure Land, nirvana, happiness, and liberation are all you.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#47

“Every thought you produce, anything you say, any action you do, it bears your signature.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#48

“Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and failure to listen, I am committed to cultivating loving speech and compassionate listening to relieve suffering and promote reconciliation and peace in myself and among other people, ethnic and religious groups, and nations. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I am committed to speaking truthfully using words that inspire confidence, joy, and hope. I am determined not to speak when anger manifests in me. I will practice mindful breathing and walking to recognize and look deeply into my anger.

I know that the roots of anger can be found in my wrong perceptions and lack of understanding of the suffering in myself and the other person. I will speak and listen in such a way as to help myself and the other person to transform suffering and see the way out of difficult situations. I am determined not to spread the news that I do not know to be certain and not to utter words that can cause division or discord. I will practice diligently with joy and skillfulness so as to nourish my capacity for understanding, love, and inclusiveness, gradually transforming the anger, violence, and fear that lie deep in my consciousness.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#49

“Take my hand. We will walk. We will only walk. We will enjoy our walk without thinking of arriving anywhere.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

#50

“When we recognize that we have a habit of replaying old events and reacting to new events as if they were the old ones, we can begin to notice when that habit energy comes up. We can then gently remind ourselves that we have another choice. We can look at the moment as it is, a fresh moment, and leave the past for a time when we can look at it compassionately.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Having embarked on the path of spirituality, most of us have lots of questions. We search for answers in books, video lectures, seminars, pilgrimages, etc. One way or another, most of us seek to find a spiritual teacher who can help us understand the incomprehensible labyrinths of the spiritual path and give answers to the most difficult questions. The meaning of life, the struggle with temptations, finding happiness, ending suffering, methods, and ways of self-improvement – these and many other vital questions we ask spiritual teachers.

But who are they – spiritual teachers? What was their spiritual path? How did they get the wisdom to guide thousands of people? This is what we are going to talk about in this article, or rather, give you the opportunity to find it out yourself. In this article, we want to share with you the list of 8 thought-provoking documentaries about spiritual teachers that you should definitely see.

8 Documentaries About Spiritual Teachers

#1 Awake: The Life of Yogananda, 2014

An unconventional biography about the Indian mystic Yogananda who brought yoga and meditation to the West in the 1920s. This documentary was filmed over three years with the participation of 30 countries around the world. It examines the world of yoga, modern and ancient, East and West, and explores why millions today have turned their attention inward, bucking the temptations of the material world in pursuit of self-realization.

#2 Amongst White Clouds, 2007

American director Edward A. Burger takes us on his unforgettable journey into the hidden lives of China’s forgotten Buddhist hermit tradition. Amongst White Clouds is a look at the lives of zealot students, gaunt ascetics and wise masters living in isolated hermitages dotting the peaks and valleys of China’s Zhongnan Mountain range.” With both humor and compassion, these inspiring and warm-hearted characters challenge us to join them in an exploration of our own suffering and enlightenment in this modern world.

#3 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama, 2006

Filmmaker Rick Ray meets with Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama at his monastery in Dharamsala, India The filmmaker asks him ten questions during the course of the interview which is inter-cut with a biography of Tenzin Gyatso, a history of modern Tibet and a chronicle of Ray’s journey securing the interview.

Ray asks a range of questions, touching on philosophical, social and political issues.

Some of the questions asked:

• “Why do the poor seem happier than the rich?”
• “How can one reconcile an attitude of non-violence when faced with a direct threat to one’s safety and security?”
• “Should countries be dedicated to preserving their traditions or embrace modern culture?”
• “Will there be another Dalai Lama?”
  

The questions are not numbered in the film and Ray admits to asking more than ten questions during the interview.

#4 Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami Who Started It, 2017

Srila Prabhupada, the founder of the Hare Krishna movement, gave the youth what the society could never give. He taught them to seek peace inside and to live without cruelty.

This documentary shows how wonderful it is when you have a great mission and purpose in life. And when there is a goal to change the world for the better, then the right people will always find you.

If you remember history, there were many other peaceful revolutionaries. If we talk about religion, Jesus was one of them too. So this movie is about history, about inspiration, about the power of the human spirit, about the purity of the heart, but NOT about religion.

#5 Wild Wild Country, TV series

This is a Netflix documentary series about the controversial Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho), his one-time personal assistant Ma Anand Sheela, and their community of followers in the Rajneeshpuram community located in Wasco County, Oregon.

When a controversial guru builds a utopian city in the Oregon desert, it causes a massive conflict with local ranchers. This docu-series chronicles the conflict, which leads to the first bioterror attack in the United States and a massive case of illegal wiretapping. It is a pivotal but largely forgotten, time in American cultural history that tested the country’s tolerance for the separation of church and state.

#6 The Buddha, 2010

This documentary tells the story of the Buddha’s life, a journey especially relevant to our own bewildering times of violent change and spiritual confusion. It features the work of some of the world’s greatest artists and sculptors, who across two millennia, have depicted the Buddha’s life in art rich in beauty and complexity. Hear insights into the ancient narrative by contemporary Buddhists, including Pulitzer Prize-winning poet W.S. Merwin and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Join the conversation and learn more about meditation, the history of Buddhism, and how to incorporate the Buddha’s teachings on compassion and mindfulness into daily life.

#7 Ram Dass, Going Home, 2017

Ram Dass is one of the most important cultural figures from the 1960s and 70s. The author of “Be Here Now”, beloved spiritual teacher, and outspoken advocate for death-and-dying awareness, Ram Dass is now himself approaching the end of life.

Since suffering a life-changing stroke twenty years ago, he has been living at his home on Maui and deepening his spiritual practice – which is centered on love and his idea of merging with his surroundings and all living things.

From his home on Maui, pioneering researcher, author and spiritual teacher Ram Dass reflects on love, life and death as his own days draw to a close. 

#8 Walk With Me, 2017

“Walk With Me” is a meditative film about a community of Zen Buddhist monks and nuns who have dedicated their lives to mastering the art of mindfulness with their world-famous teacher Thich Nhat Hanh.

Cooling to the mind and soothing to the spirit, this documentary offers a tiny oasis of relief to anyone overheated by current events. When you feel like freaking out, the movie’s commitment to slowing down and drawing inward doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.

The Bottom Line

Spiritual Teachers belong to different faiths and traditions, but they all have one thing in common – the desire to help people.

Guru is an ocean of knowledge. And in this ocean, one disciple chooses stones and the other pearls, and this choice depends on the disciple. Therefore, listening to the advice of a spiritual teacher, always remember that the final choice is always yours. We ourselves determine which knowledge resonates with us and which does not. That is why we and only we are responsible for our personal spiritual development.