The Documentary "I Am" -- my review

I saw the documentary I Am last night at a local theater. (A trailer of it can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYtfnONazTU)   I highly recommend it.

In it, the writer/director asked 2 questions in interviews with journalists/teachers/philosophers/quantum physicists/scientists/leaders: What Is Wrong with Our World? and What Can We Do About It?  It became apparent very quickly that what is wrong is the unawareness and unconsciousness of so many.  Ignorance of our own nature has caused humanity to go in the wrong direction.  Many points were made about the innate goodness and empathy of human beings.  The writer was saying, "We are not hardwired to be confrontational and violent/warlike. We are actually hardwired to be compassionate, empathetic, and loving."  By showing videos of people getting hurt and experiencing joyful moments, which would make anyone gasp in empathy and feel it themselves, he said that our own reactions prove our natural, innate tendency to love and empathy. 

The "I Am" referred to in the movie's title is the answer to the question: "Who is responsible for the way things are?" (I Am!)  The presentation of many proven scientific facts that most people are unaware of was eye-opening, and I was very touched by the statements made in the interviews with people who have discovered the secret of happiness/love/oneness.  Making this information available to the public at large is an important step in helping people to understand our own real nature. The truth was given over and over that we are all One -- and, from the deep understanding of our Oneness, the needs of all are connected.  It is hoped that in that realization of Oneness, hearts will open and those who have so much will recognize the need to give up their desire to acquire unnecessary material possessions above and beyond their real needs (i.e., do you really need 7 homes and 6 yachts? I'm sorry to say, though, as things stand now, do you see that happening any time soon?).  It also offered a variation on the Hundredth Monkey theme, showing how a herd of red deer make a decision to go to a watering hole, without any apparent outward interaction--proving there is only this One Mind at work in all of nature--including us. Quantum physicists told how what we perceive as "the solid, real world" is an illusion, much as our last night's dream produced a world and all its characters. Yet, when we wake up, where is that world and all its characters and all its problems? And where did it come from?  From our own consciousness, which produced it and called it "real" and "solid."  In their research, these scientists have discovered the Oneness of all being -- and how each action of each one of us affects the entire whole.  In each moment, our consciousness is literally creating the world as it appears to us. 

HeartMath scientists (HeartMath is located right here in Boulder Creek, near my home) told how the physical heart propels action of all kinds (love, fear, flight, etc.) before the signals even reach the brain.  They say we actually live by the heart, not the mind.  This is fascinating scientifically factual information. See: http://www.spiritofmaat.com/archive/nov1/hmath.htm  (I've included a copy of the site's important message at the end of this e-mail, but here's a short excerpt:   For centuries poets and philosophers have sensed that the heart is the very center of our lives. Throughout the ages, the heart has been referred to as a source not only of virtue but also of intelligence. Even today we use phrases like, ''I know in my heart it's true,'' indicating that we know the heart is more than merely a pump. Even our gestures indicate the importance of the heart. When people point to themselves they generally point to the area of the heart.  Looking at the heart biologically, it's an amazing phenomenon. It can beat on its own without any connection to the brain, and beats 100,00 times a day and approximately 40 million times a year. It starts to form in the fetus before there is a brain. Scientists still don't know exactly what triggers this self-initiated heartbeat.)

In spite of all of the enlightening scientifically-proven information, so well presented by experts in the film, it seems apparent to me now that, because of ignorance in the many, the world will go on as it is -- possibly until a great catastrophe wipes out billions of us -- and the whole thing starts over.  Unless and until each one becomes conscious of the need to discover who he/she really is and hears the simple fact of their own nature and our real, actual Oneness, the same old patterns will continue to reappear, created by minds that are ignorant of this proven fundamental Truth.  Still, I think the movie has great value in helping to open willing minds to quantum truths.  The key word there is "willing."  I have a hard time thinking that those who go ballistic whenever raising taxes on the rich is even mentioned, can be reached with a movie like this.  I pictured some of the Wall Street tycoons and corporate execs watching the movie and could almost see the sneers that would appear on their faces if they were asked to help ease the burdens of the poor on the planet by sharing some of their own largesse.  It's unfortunate that the Tea Party types are not ready to learn of the Oneness of all creation.  It seems they would rather believe the fairy tale concocted by the wealthy, that wealth trickles down to the middle class and poor, even in the face of absolute evidence it does not.  Interviews and facts presented in the movie showed that acquiring tons of wealth and material possessions does not make one happy. Yet the bill of goods we have been sold says that's the way to perfect happiness and fulfillment. And so the rich keep acquiring more and more -- hoping to finally reach the happiness and satisfaction that continually eludes them.

The movie was a noble attempt at presenting spiritual/scientific Truth -- and it may have some temporary (hopefully, permanent) impact on the viewers. I suspect that those who most need to hear and see the message so wisely stated in the movie will never see the film--or even hear about it. It's hard to imagine Southern rednecks/white supremacists being drawn to it--or even knowing it exists. And the wealthy and their followers/believers, convinced they are on the right track in acquiring ever more material possessions, will close their ears and ridicule it.  Even church goers who can connect in heartfelt love at times may not agree with the premises/suggestions of the film maker.  As his own father (who created St. Jude's Children's Hospital along with Danny Thomas) pointed out to the movie's creator, he goes to a wonderful church where the multi-race, multi-culture people turn to each other on Sundays and, with broad smiles and generous hearts, give a hug of love and peace to each other. And then, after Mass is over, they go to their cars in the parking lot and back to their everyday lives, where they would NEVER give a hug like that--or even a hello--to each other on the street.  We can only hope that the Hundredth Monkey*/red deer herd principle that works so well in nature, will eventually reach a critical mass in humans, causing a quantum shift in consciousness, before the ignorance of the oligarchic corporatists/Cheneys/rednecks/racists/Tea Partiers/Al Qaedas/religious fanatics, and their believers and followers, brings more misery and eventual destruction to the entire world.

The writer/director of the documentary suffered a cataclysmic health event in his own life, which brought him to the realization that his multi-millions and innumerable material acquisitions (huge Hollywood and Florida palatial mansions, estates and furnishings) did not and could not bring him the happiness he craved.  That was when he started asking the questions that developed into the movie.  He sold all his material things and now lives simply, serving others, riding his bicycle instead of driving a car to work, and living in a mobile home.  He claims to be much happier--and he looks it.

This is a film I want to own -- and give as gifts.   Who knows what possibly small impact it can make in helping to raise consciousness and help people to understand who they really are?  As was pointed out in the film, even the flutter of a butterfly's wings in one part of the world affects the whole of creation.  And who knows when the Hundredth Monkey* will be reached?

*The Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon is today well enough known, and in short propounds the theory that when a 'critical mass' number of people adopt a new behavior, or way of thinking, it is spontaneously adopted by everyone.

Research scientists observed that, in 1952, on the Japanese island of Koshima, a young macaque monkey known as Imo learned that washing the sand and dirt off her sweet potatoes made them taste better. Other monkeys, including Imo's mother, began to follow suit, and over the next few years many more monkeys learned to wash their sweet potatoes as well.  By 1958, a sufficient number of monkeys – the 'critical mass' number – had all learned the trick, and as a result the monkeys on the other islands--even though they had not witnessed the behavior themselves--spontaneously began washing their sweet potatoes, too.

Whether or not 100 was the precise number of Koshima monkeys who learned to wash their sweet potatoes, is uncertain. And it probably doesn't matter. The point is that, metaphorically speaking, 100 monkeys came to represent the critical mass number required to trigger the phenomenon.

Translated into human terms, this theory states that when enough people free themselves from the shackles of mundane materialism and start to think in a more liberated, more enlightened way, a new aspect of consciousness will spontaneously awaken in the collective mind, bringing with it a new reality.

INFORMATION FROM THE HEARTMATH INSTITUTE

The heart. For centuries poets and philosophers have sensed that the heart is the very center of our lives. Throughout the ages, the heart has been referred to as a source not only of virtue but also of intelligence. Even today we use phrases like, ''I know in my heart it's true,'' indicating that we know the heart is more than merely a pump. Even our gestures indicate the importance of the heart. When people point to themselves they generally point to the area of the heart.

Looking at the heart biologically, it's an amazing phenomenon. It can beat on its own without any connection to the brain, and beats 100,00 times a day and approximately 40 million times a year. It starts to form in the fetus before there is a brain. Scientists still don't know exactly what triggers this self-initiated heartbeat.

The Intelligent Heart

Currently some of the most revolutionary research on the heart is coming out of the Institute of HeartMath (IHM) in Boulder Creek, California. In The HeartMath Solution (HarperSanFrancisco 1999), Institute of HeartMath founder Doc Childre and co-author Howard Martin take a provocative, in-depth look at the heart and it's alliance with the mind, body and spirit. They depict fascinating information on how every beat of our heart carries intricate messages that affect our emotions, our physical health, and the quality of life we experience.

In recent years, neuroscientist Dr. J. A. Armour made the exciting discovery that the heart has its own intrinsic brain and nervous system. This has helped to explain what physiologists at the Fels Research Institute found in the 1970s -- that the brain (in the head) was dutifully obeying messages being sent from ''the brain in the heart.'' Doc Childre and colleagues at the Institute of HeartMath take these discoveries even further. HeartMath researchers have established the heart's capacity to ''think for itself.'' Their aim was to determine how the heart formulates logic and influences behavior (for references, see HeartMath Bibliography.)

HeartMath researchers believe that the heart communicates with the brain and the rest of the body through four biological communication systems. Through these systems, the heart has a significant influence on the function of our brains and all our bodily systems. IHM's extensive research led to a number of published studies in medical journals such as The American Journal of Cardiology, Stress Medicine and Integrative Physiological and Behavioral Science.

The Emotions and the Heart

IHM studies found a critical link between the heart and emotions. The studies explain how the heart responds to emotional and mental reactions. As we experience emotional reactions like anger, frustration, anxiety, and insecurity, heart rhythms become incoherent or more jagged, interfering with the communication between the heart and brain. Thus, negative emotions create a chain reaction in the body -- blood vessels constrict, blood pressure rises, and the immune system is weakened. This kind of a consistent imbalance can put a strain on the heart and other organs, and eventually lead to serious health problems.

When we experience heart-felt emotions like love, caring, appreciation, and compassion the heart produces coherent or smooth rhythms that enhance communication between the heart and brain. Positive heart qualities produce harmonious rhythms that are considered to be indicators of cardiovascular efficiency and nervous system balance. They've also been shown to produce beneficial effects that include enhanced immunity and hormonal balance.

The ability of the brain-in-the-head to process information and make clear decisions is affected by how we react emotionally to any given situation. According to Childre and Martin, as we learn to become more heart- intelligent and increase our emotional balance and heart/brain coherence, we may well be surprised by new and enhanced levels of mental clarity, productivity, physical energy, overall attitude, and quality of life.

Solutions at Work

Based on these findings Doc and his colleagues have developed The HeartMath Solution, a systematic approach to maintaining coherence and emotional balance and developing the heart's intelligence. This may sound as though it would be complicated, but the Institute of HeartMath has successfully created a very user-friendly approach that considers today's challenges and time restrictions.

''We recognize that one of the biggest stressors in people's lives today is the lack of time,'' Howard comments. ''We knew the Solutions would have to be so simple you could learn them during your commute to work, listening to a tape in the car. The Solutions would have to be easy to remember, and not interfere with people's lifestyles or schedules. I really feel we've done this.''

Numerous HeartMath case studies have illustrated the effectiveness of heart intelligence at work. One study with Motorola showed that tension, anxiety, nervousness, and physical stress symptoms significantly decreased. In this study, 25% of the participants began with high blood pressure. But after only six months of using HeartMath techniques their blood pressure had normalized, and no conventional medical interventions were used (see Motorola Study).

Another study, at Hewlett-Packard, said HeartMath techniques made an amazing difference to team morale. Before the program, 46% said they often felt exhausted. After the training, this figure fell to 9%. Organizations like Hewlett-Packard, Motorola, Royal Dutch Shell (UK), Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, and Cathay Pacific Airways (Hong Kong) are repeat clients, as well as many state and federal government agencies throughout North America. HeartMath Solutions are presented to more than 20,000 people a year (see Corporate Studies).

Based on HeartMath's breakthrough discoveries, we now know that the heart is the control tower of our body and connects us deeper with our life experience. The HeartMath Solutions reveal the vital importance of the heart's influence on our health, and offer user-friendly techniques for restoring balance in our lives during these rapidly changing times.

-- from the HeartMath Institute

Heart Centering Exercise

The HeartMath Solution describes in detail many exercises you can use to relieve stress and painful emotions. Here's a sample exercise adapted from the book. We've chosen it because if has value in boosting your immune system!

1. Arrange not to be disturbed. Take a comfortable position, close your eyes, and relax.

2. Start breathing in and out very slowly. As you do this, feel, imagine, or visualize that your breath is going directly through your heart. Do this for about 15 seconds.

3. Think of someone whom it's very easy for you to love and cherish -- a friend? a child? Whomever you choose, make sure it's someone for whom you feel great love and appreciation. And start to focus on the love you have for them. Think of times when you looked at them. Picture them with love. Remember the sound of their voice, and your own voice speaking to them. Think of times when you held or were held. Think of touching them. Think of being touched by them. Keep thinking of all of the exchanges of love and appreciation with this person. Do this for as long as fifteen minutes, but at least for five minutes.

4. If outside thoughts come into your mind, gently let them go and draw your attention back to breathing through your heart. Then go back to your love for this person.

5. If outside emotions intrude, or you feel blocked in feeling the love, picture the heart softening. Tell yourself it's not important that everything go perfectly this time, it's okay just to be doing this. Breathe through your heart, and see, feel, or imagine your heart becoming soft. Ask yourself, ''What would it be like to be soft and yielding and totally relaxed.'' It's okay if it doesn't all happen perfectly today. You are just doing something good for yourself. It's okay.

6. Now, go outside yourself, and see or imagine yourself sitting there, in your relaxed position, doing this exercise. And take this love that you have felt for the other person, and send it to yourself.

7. Now send the love to others. First, send it to other people you find it easy to love. If you feel ready, you can try sending the love to others, even people it's difficult for you to love. If you can't feel the love, say to yourself, ''I want to be able to feel this love and send it to this person, and meanwhile I am willing that they will receive it from God and my higher self and the universe.'' Just be willing that they receive love.

8. When you are ready, feel, picture, or imagine yourself completely wrapped up in a blanket of love, and open your eyes. Write down your experiences, intuitions, thoughts, or feelings of inner peace. Tell yourself that you are going to remember to act upon these feelings in your life.

For more exercises and scientific studies backing up the information in this article, please visit the HeartMath main website, and especially the HeartMath Research website.