Mantra: Sounds Into Silence

A mantra is a word or phrase to help a meditator focus, cutting through the noise and chaos in one’s head. In this lovely documentary, viewers are introduced to another level of mantra magic: bringing music and singing to the practice, especially in a communal setting. A team of excellent cinematographers work with filmmaker Georgia Wyss to capture this melding of music and mantra in India, Japan, Russia, and the U.S. Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and less traditional faiths are represented here, and a number of chanters/singers and instrumentalists—including Krishna Das, Jai Uttal, MC Yogi, and Mirabai Ceiba—are heard in concert performances that prove to be both mesmerizing and joyful. Extras include "making-of" featurettes and additional scenes. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)