Kelseyville >> March’s Second Sunday Cinema will feature “Doing Time, Doing Vipassana,” this Sunday at the Kelseyville Methodist Church at 3810 Main at First St. The doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the film starts promptly at 6 p.m. The event is free.
The film is a 1997 Israeli independent documentary film project by two filmmakers, Ayelet Menahemi and Eilona Ariel, and is about the use of Vipassana meditation as taught by S. N. Goenka, as a rehabilitation method and features its impact on foreign and Indian prisoners in Vihar Prison, which was then known as one of the harshest prisons in the world. The film inspired other correctional facilities, such as the North Rehabilitation Facility in Seattle, to use Vipassana as a means of rehabilitation.
It is also the story of the former Inspector General of Prisons in New Delhi Kiran Bedi, who strove to transform the notorious Tihar Prison and turn it into an oasis of peace. The viewers witness prison inmates who underwent profound change during the 10-day silent meditation course within prison walls.
This film is winner of the Golden Spire Award at the 1998 San Francisco International Film Festival and the 1998 NCCD Pass Awards of the American National Council on Crime and Delinquency.
Following the 52-minute documentary, mindfulness teacher and author JoAnn Saccato will talk about the researched benefits of mindfulness and lead the audience in a brief exercise. Mindfulness, traditionally called Vipassana or Insight Meditation, is a technique that can be used for stress reduction and reducing stress-related illnesses, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, gastrointestinal disorders, and sleep disorders. It is also known for reducing incidences of depression and anxiety, Saccato claims.
The roots of today’s mindfulness practices come from the Theravada Buddhist tradition, though most spiritual traditions have some form of mindfulness practice.
For more information on Second Sunday Cinema, contact Shannon Tolson at 889-7355.
