REVIEW OF FREE THE MIND: A documentary film by Phie Ambo

The movie will be in theaters on June 7th, 2013 (Toronto)

Playdates in US 2013
VENUES	CITY		DATE
May
USA Film Festival	Dallas	TX	4/24 - 4/28
Rubin Museum of Art	New York	NY	Starts 5/3 +
The Screen	Santa Fe	NM	Starts 5/10 +
Sundance Cinemas	Madison	WI	Starts 5/15 +
Stanford University	Palo Alto	CA	5/17
Laemmle Music Hall	Los Angeles	CA	Starts 5/17 +
Laemmle Monica	Santa Monica	CA	5/18 - 5/19
Laemmle Playhouse 7	Pasadena	CA	5/18 - 5/19
Laemmle Claremont	Claremont	CA	5/18 - 5/19
Kimball Theater	Williamsburg	VA	5/31 - 6/5
Real Art Ways	Hartford	CT	July tba
Northwest Film Forum	Seattle	WA	Starts 7/26 +

To watch the trailer click on the link below

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/freethemind/

Huff Post Live:

https://s.embed.live.huffingtonpost.com/HPLEmbedPlayer/?segmentId=517fca2e02a7601798000026

Synopsis

In 1992 Professor Richard Davidson, one of the world’s leading neuroscientists, met the Dalai Lama, who encouraged him to apply the same rigorous methods he used to study depression and anxiety to the study of compassion and kindness, those qualities cultivated by Tibetan meditation practice. The results of Davidson’s studies at the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, are portrayed in FREE THE MIND as they are applied to treating PTSD in returning Iraqi vets and children with ADHD. The film poses two fundamental questions: What really is consciousness, and how does it manifest in the brain and body? And is it possible to physically change the brain solely through mental practices?

Review

This movie clearly shows us the power of the mind - how we can let go of the unhealthy and unskillful feeding patterns of our mind towards a more healthy and skillful feeding, just by being mindful in the present, for example being aware of the breath. This shows that Mindfulness can be used by anyone, irrespective of the age, their personal experiences or belief systems. Although we have not yet uncovered all the mysteries of the brain and how the consciousness  works, it is reassuring to know that we can help ourselves by being our own therapists using mindfulness as the tool. The movie Free The Mind gives us a powerful message that we can unlock our preoccupations with unskillful habits of the mind with mindfulness. This movie also gives us a glimpse of hope that true happiness is still possible and it is not too far beyond our reach.

-Piyal Walpola, MD, PhD