My top 5 yoga philosophy films
- Alex
- Mar 24
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 25
It was the Berwick Film and Media Arts Festival this weekend, which inspired me to put together a list of yoga related films and media.
Lots of the documentaries around yoga asana (posture) practices involve exposés of dodgy yoga teachers. The latest of these is "Twisted Yoga"; I haven't seen it, but I can guess the pattern.
Those kinds of documentaries have their place. Be safe out there and choose your yoga teachers wisely! If a yoga teacher makes you feel uncomfortable, remember you have the power to call them out or in, and to leave.
This list is mostly more on the philosophical side.
We have a choice whether to turn towards the light (inspirational, uplifting media) or the dark (the kind of content that makes you feel hopeless about the world). Our individual perspective also has a huge influence on whether we can look upon media with a positive or negative framing.
With that in mind, here are some films that I'd place firmly in the "turning towards the light" category. Your own framing will shape what you take from them.
1. Gandhi (1982)
I was encouraged to watch this film in Extinction Rebellion training (my involvement with XR was mostly painting animals close to extinction on children's faces a few years ago!). It shows the power of non-violence (known as ahimsa in Sanskrit, the ancient Indian language). Non-harm is a foundational part of yoga ethics. It's a sentiment echoed in medical ethics, and is by no means only found in yoga: "first, do no harm."
I’ve noticed a big emphasis on non-violence towards yourself on the yoga mat - not pushing too hard, for example, which makes sense in a yoga class. It’s important to also remember non-violence towards others as well, off the mat.
As Gandhi says: “an eye for an eye, and the whole world is blind.”
Really, really worth a watch. Especially if you are in any way interested in politics. Or want to feel hopeful about the possibilities of positive change in politics.
2. Samsara (2011)
This is a visually stunning documentary with no spoken narrative. I don’t want to spoil it for you! The trailer gives the feel.
I will explain the name: Samsara. This is the unending cycle of birth and death. Setting the idea of reincarnation aside, just looking at the world around us and seeing the churn of configurations of matter coming and going, constantly changing. Patterns emerging, existing momentarily, then becoming another. Cause and effect: karma.
The ouroboros; the snake eating its own tail.
If you’ve been to any of my “energising flow” yoga classes, you might have heard me chant the Ashtanga opening mantra. The first half is:
“Oṃ vande gurūnāṃ caraṇāravinde sandarśita-svātma-sukhāvabodhe | niḥśreyase jāṅgalikāyamāne saṃsāra-hālāhala-moha-śāntyai”
Roughly translated and stripped to its core idea:
“I give thanks to the teachers who reveal the happiness of self-realisation/pure being which is beyond any joy we have experienced, who… remove the delusion caused by… conditioned existence (Samsara).”
3. Siddhartha (1972)
If you have a choice of reading the book (by Hermann Hesse), or watching the film adaptation, I’d recommend the book. It’s slim! The film is also pretty good. I have a copy of the book if you’d like to borrow it. Libraries are also an underrated, free way of reading books.
The story follows the journey of self-discovery of a man in India during the time of the Buddha.
4. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring (2003)
A Korean film set on a beautiful lake. A story of the mistakes, lessons and growth, interwoven with Buddhist philosophy.
You might be thinking: what does Buddhism have to do with Yoga?
The Buddha trained with yogis, before going his own way, the middle way. They share a lot of philosophy, although there are key differences. In yoga, there is a true self/nature (Purusha), in Buddhism, there is no self, for example.
Freedom from suffering is important in both. They share a lot of similar views on samsara, karma, ethics and meditation.
Buddhism does adapt itself to wherever in the world it lands, and in the east, it became Zen, which has its own differences.
5. Chef’s table: The philosopher’s kitchen Jeong Kwan
Season 3, Episode 1, Netflix
Technically an episode, but definitely worth a watch, and filmed to a very high standard! This makes me want to go to Korea and live with her in the Buddhist temple. Mindfulness and food go together so well.
This was a recommendation from someone in my dorm when I went to stay at Samye Ling, Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Scotland, for a retreat.
Bonus films
Eat, pray, love: Cliche? Yes. Sprinkled with clever observations about life nonetheless. It feels like you’re travelling the world with her, without leaving your comfortable viewing spot. You’ll know if it rubs you up the wrong way within 10 minutes, so please don’t watch this if it doesn’t agree with you!
Seven Years in Tibet: A cute one about the Dalai Lama as a child. There is a strong connection between India and Tibet. Indian teachings were preserved in Tibet. India is now the home of the Tibetan Government in Exile. Starring Brad Pitt.
Little Buddha: This was recommended viewing for my yoga teacher training. It’s sweet! Also: Keanu Reeves as the Buddha. It is very American and very 90s.
Yoga, the architecture of peace: I watched this at a screening at my teacher training. During the full moon, one of the teachers told us about the celebration that was happening elsewhere in India, once every 12 years: the Kumbh Mela. It is a place that the “real yogis” gather on a rare occasion. Someone asked “what do you mean by 'real yogis?'”. This film goes some way towards answering that. It includes interviews with some of them. The wandering recluses. The ones you won’t find on Instagram. But really, we all have the same spark of light within us, there is no hierarchy. I do like to see glimpses of those who went all in, though. The film includes interviews with a wide range of people, not just the ones that find their way to the Mela by their knowledge of the stars. This is available to watch for free on YouTube.
I'm always looking to add to this list. Do you have any yoga film or media recommendations? Leave them in the comments - I’d love to know.
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