When a spiritual luminary dies, how do his adherents continue? With intimate access to two of Transcendental Meditation’s new leaders – iconic filmmaker David Lynch and dedicated disciple Bobby Roth – Shadows of Paradise documents the movement’s metamorphosis following the passing of its founder, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
A journey both personal and mystic, this documentary breaches the portals of enhanced consciousness. Putting a face to spirituality is never easy, yet that’s what filmmaker Sebastian Lange has set out to do. His new documentary-cum-essay tackles a larger than-life subject: transcendental meditation and its numerous metamorphoses. Through the words and experiences of these two adepts, we travel from the banks of the Ganges to the skyscrapers of Manhattan, sharing in the personal quest of a director whose questions engage us all.
Having himself grown up within the Movement, director Sebastian Lange approaches his subject through an introspective and essayistic lens, seeking to reconcile TM’s present-day incarnation with the teachings and practices that have shaped his worldview. From star-studded galas hosted by Lynch’s Manhattan-based foundation to a perilous cliffside cave in Madhya Pradesh, Shadows of Paradise accompanies Lange as he pursues personal spiritual meaning amidst TM’s transformative global growth.