Yoga Journal

December, 2005


MOVIE REVIEW
'Naked in Ashes'

LIGHT MY FIRE

"One day we will die and merge with the earth, with Mother Ganges. Why wait until death?" So asks one of India's holy men as he smears cremation ashes on his bare body.

Naked In Ashes is an apt title for the 108-minute documentary that follows the daily life of Shiv Raj Giri and his band of disciples. Produced and directed by Paula Fouce, the film reveals the oddities of spiritual life: the disciple who shows his reverence by never lying down (he sleeps leaning against a support); the guru who walks barefoot in the snow; the holy man who tows a car with his genitals. A gritty sincerity comes through, too, as the guru reflects on a society that values shopping and entertainment over spirituality.

For more info go to www.paradisefilmworks.com.