Film Review

By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

The Making of a Modern Mystic
Directed by Frank Cvitanovich
First Run Features 1993 DVD/VHS Special Interest Film
Not Rated

Andrew Harvey is a writer, lecturer, and spiritual teacher. In this intriguing documentary directed by Frank Cvitanovich, he discusses his upbringing in India and his education in England. At 21, Harvey became the youngest fellow in the history of All Soul's College. Experiencing a crisis of despair four years later, he returned to India in 1977 where he spent time with Tibetan Buddhist teacher Thuksey Rinpoche and with Christian mystic Bede Griffiths (who appears on this documentary).

Harvey delves into his personal life with commentary on his obsession with his aloof and beautiful mother, his mystical experiences, and his life-changing encounters with Mother Meera, whom he calls "a feminine aspect of God on earth." Also appearing in this profile are Sogyal Rinpoche, a Tibetan master; novelist Iris Murdoch; biologist Rupert Sheldrake; analyst Anne Baring; and the Dalai Lama in a speaking engagement. Harvey's spiritual journey is a fascinating one and he discusses it with intellectual verve and great enthusiasm. He makes a good case for mysticism as the spiritual adventure of the twenty-first century.

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by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat