As it is in Heaven

One of the most beautiful movies I have seen in my life!




A Swedish drama 'As It Is in Heaven' ~ 'Så som i himmelen' ~

director Kay Pollak.
Main character Michael Nyqvist .
'As It Is in Heaven' received an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign movie.



A successful international conductor suddenly interrupts his career and returns to his childhood village in Norrland, in the far north of Sweden. It doesn't take long before he is asked to come and listen to the local church choir, which practises every Thursday in the parish hall. 'Just come along and give a little bit of good advice', he is asked. How can he refuse such a modest request? From that moment, nothing in the village is the same again. The choir develops and grows. He makes both friends and enemies. And... he finds love.



But before you turn away from yet another love story....wait!

For "As it is in Heaven" is much more than that. The story in the film shows us several aspects of the human condition, and contains different themes and dramatic turns in the lives lived within a small rural community with a high level of social control.



We see people struggle with emotions of jealousy, fear of abandonment, domestic violence, vulnerability, loneliness and old pain. But also joy, especially when their voices finally reach that moment that they can call themselves a choir.





Gabriëlla's Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxmgkxRrpZE

Naema,
We 've seen this one also and we've bought the dvd immediately.
Great movie to be recommended indeed.
The actors are great and on top of that it is a beautiful love story.

Hi Charles, did you know that spiritual orientated people, but also women's organisations and businessmen here in the country, give and follow seminars and workshops about this film? The story seems to resonate with many, and they use the themes of the story as a vehicle for a search into their own psyche and the path they are on.
I wouldn't be surprised if something simular is going on in Belgium.

Hi Naema,
No, I haven't heard of any such groups here.
They must be focused on "finding your own sound" as in the movie, because that would be of some help in coming closer to your natural self.
I've done a meditation called "nadabrahma" many times, in which you're supposed to "zoom" for half an hour with
each outgoing breath. The other half hour is silent, but you have to do some movements with your hands and arms.
During the zooming session, each meditator is searching for the sound which is most natural to him or her. It is like a self adjusting process. After some time you will know: this is my sound and you'll keep that up for the rest of the zooming session.
This meditation is a particularly beautiful and satisfying one and that may be one of the reasons why this film is so
convincing - because even if you haven't done this kind of singing or zooming, you can imagine somehow that this is true and not just an invented story or theme.
Apart from that of course there's the "encounter" between the actors as a result of this "revolutionary" method to them
which is another part of the plot.
So, I don't know about groups, but I can warmly recommend this meditation which you can find in "The Orange book"
by Osho and there is a also a cd with guidelines and music. It is very helpful in quieting your mind and easy to do as a couple or in a small group.