Product Details

• Actors: Huston Smith, Elda Hartley
• Format: NTSC, Box set, VHS
• Studio: Wellspring Media
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: 1885538723
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #300,403 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Religious philosopher/historian Huston Smith and "the First Lady of New Age Film," Elda Hartley, combine their talents in this three-video set exploring the Islamic sect of Sufism, Tibetan Buddhism, and the conglomeration of religions that make up India. Viewers are guided through Iran, North Africa, the various regions of India, and the heights of Tibet to watch prayer on the humblest of streets and in the most glorious of temples and mosques. The prayer takes many forms: chant, dance, costumed ritual, and quiet discussion. The mostly male supplicants range from unclothed to robed to those in complicated headgear.

Hartley filmed the documentaries in the late 1960s and '70s, which, along with Smith's narration, dates the series a bit when it comes to the politics of religion. But the narrative overviews and the intimate footage of spiritual practices remain as pertinent as ever. Smith is known for his seminal book The World's Religions (first published as The Religions of Man) and his work at Harvard in the 1960s with Timothy Leary and Aldous Huxley on the relationship of psychedelic drugs and mysticism. Likewise, Hartley also made a career of exploring the importance of spirituality in 90 films and videos shot between 1965 and her death in 2001 at age 90. Their combined experience lends this series a unique authority, demonstrated by Hartley's unusual access to religious rituals and Smith's commanding (if a bit flowery) narration. This strong series will appeal to anyone with an interest in Eastern religious practices. Its only flaw may be its brevity; the three tapes make for a quickly passed 81 minutes. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars It is the Message not the Messenger, April 6, 2005

By 

Nora R. Hope "Knowledge without ethics is vanity" (PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mystic's Journey (Box Set) (VHS Tape)

Please, especially ladies in the audience, do not fall in love with Huston Smith. He is happily married. Instead, remember that he is a *messenger* of the great *messages* of the world's religions. You most likely are falling for the wisdom, not (only) the wise man. These videos are priceless. As a material lady, however, I appreciate the discount.