Alan Watts - The Art of Meditation [VHS]
"Meditation has no purpose, no objective, except to be entirely here and now." Not an easy concept for the competitive, goal-oriented Western mind, which is precisely one of the things that makes Alan Watts's guide to meditation a fascinating piece of work. Watts, an Englishman who died in 1973 (this piece was shot by filmmaker Elda Hartley in 1971), was an authority on Eastern thought and spiritual practice. Here he guides the viewer through a 25-minute program that's part documentary, part useful guide to meditation. While Watts explains such practical techniques as breathing, posture, and the chanted "aum" mantra, one can just as easily find oneself lost in the kaleidoscope of extraordinarily beautiful, natural images that accompany his words. All in all, those seeking "the naked experience of reality itself" and a connection to "the still, small voice within" will be enchanted byThe Art of Meditation. (The video also includesMeditation: The Journey Within, a documentary look at spiritual practices among Buddhists, Muslims, and Christians.)--Sam Graham