My Reincarnation (2011) Online

My Reincarnation is the result of 20 years of gathering footage of Namkhai Norbu's sometimes-rocky relationship with his Western born son, Yeshe. The film beautifully captures Yeshe's gradual acceptance of his fate, as the reincarnation of Norbu's uncle.

I am a fan of this film because it deals with a spiritual topic without being preachy, it touches on a (universal) theme of parent-child struggle -- the rebellious teenage son going against his father's wishes.. except in this case the father happens to be a world-renowned Tibetan Buddhist Master! MR provides extraordinary access into this world.

Certainly worth checking out!

So much media, so little time. I will submit to you that this end of a horrible year is possibly one of the best movie runs in a long long time. And to kick things off, you could do yourself a favor by watching this remarkable documentary about the complex relationship between exiled Tibetan spiritual master Cheogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche and his Italian-born son. The incredible things about documentaries is that they get made at all. And when a film opens you up to a whole world, thousands of years of tradition and practices, and a remarkable family struggle, all at the same time, then watch and pray this happens more often. So in a real sense, this film is beyond criticism, ratings and all the rest. The fact that it exists, and that you, living your hum drum life might get to see it, and that it shows a real life drama so much more moving and important that any other film or TV show or Internet blabber that you might waste your time with is enough said. Watch this, open your mind, and experience what can only be said to be a tale for our time. For the fact that the cruelty and hatred that spawned all of it is still there, and that maybe, just maybe, by watching this we might be inspired to do some small thing to assist those who suffer,is all that really matters. Enough said.

This is a beautiful and amazing film that plays well to Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike because of its depth and humanity. Sagely editing and incorporating footage from over twenty years in the lives of Tibetan Buddhist master Chogyal Namkhai Norbu and his son Yeshi, Jennifer Fox reveals the complexity of the relationships in a cross-cultural family with a world-famous rinpoche as the patriarch, a strong and supportive southern Italian woman as the matriarch, and a son who, as a youth, feels distant from his father and his teachings. However, after having a family and working for IBM for many years, the son starts to realize that there is something to his father's teachings after all. I cannot think of another film that so subtly and exquisitely shows the reality of the Tibetan Buddhist community in exile, the ways it holds to some traditions while adapting to others. In the end, Jennifer Fox, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, and Yeshi Namkhai have offered up something that is entertaining and profound, a 100 minute dharma lesson full of light, illusion, family, and realization.

This film is a warm and compassionate exploration of the many facets of life for the renowned Tibetan Dzogchen teacher Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, as well as Yeshi, who not only has the burden of being the son of such a world-famous master, but the additional one of his own reincarnated legacy to navigate and embrace.

Most gratifying and quietly amazing is the graciousness of both father and son for allowing such close cinematic observation for so long. Twenty years of access to this family also allows for a view of impermanence, which subtly colors the events in the lives and attitudes of the principals. What a privilege, for filmmaker Jennifer Fox and for us, to be allowed to spend such a generous amount of time with them, and to get a sense of the fresh challenges which are imposed upon life when it is radically encompassed by Tibetan Buddhist worldviews. For an average person, encountering the possibility that your uncle has been reborn as your son, may well transform your conventional ideas about the meaning of family life into something new and unfamiliar... perhaps even liberating.

Some opportunities for glimpses into the nature of Tibetan Dzogchen could have served as a nice taste for cultivating an interest among some potential practitioners, but there is rather very little of it here to give a deep sense of what distinguishes its atiyoga qualities from, for example, Zen or even other aspects of Tibetan Buddhist practices. Indeed, it doesn't actually qualify (as Norbu himself has repeatedly said) as really being in itself a tradition per se, although the body of its instructional and inspirational texts do usually find a major repository within the Nyingma school. But that said, this is essentially a family drama first, with some dharma teachings appearing to provide commentary.

I found it interesting that, while Fox puts Yeshi up front as the more immediately sympathetic protagonist in the pair, the father has an outsized presence that necessarily requires some distancing, which results in a more ambiguous view of his character yet one which effectively helps preempt a superficial judgment of him on our part. In other words, our sympathies do not favor the son at the expense of the father, who is really a warm teacher with a great ability to transmit profound things. Also interestingly, the film's presentation doesn't seem to have prevented some confusion among Buddhist practitioners of other traditions who have seen it, and who have not found their own Buddhist practice, beliefs or general demeanor reflected in it.

In any case, for anyone interested in acquainting themselves with Dzogchen as taught by Norbu (and he quite a wonderful teacher), I would recommend starting with Dzogchen: The Self-Perfected State, which is not too advanced and gives a short helpful overview, with many clear points about the practice and its distinctions.

A challenge facing any reviewer is how to present a balanced picture without letting one's own feelings sway it too much either way. The same challenge must face documentary makers. How do you present 'facts' without putting a spin on them? The first film I saw by Jenny Fox was her Flying: Confessions of a Free Woman: a six-hour marathon of her own journey to discover what it means to be a woman. My Reincarnation is mercifully brief by comparison. She returns to more traditional cinema verité, again dissecting the psyche – this time of a high Tibetan Buddhist Monk. Both his greatness and his more earthly failings – all are part of this vivid 82 minute documentary. In making it, Fox gained unparalleled access to his private and family affairs. She had little funding for the first 18 years, of what turned out to be 20 years of filming, but in spite of the title, it was all completed in a single lifetime.

The monk in question is Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. While less famous than the Dalai Lama, a quick google search shows he's right up there with revered world-famous authorities.

A reason My Reincarnation took so long to complete, Fox tells me, is that there was no 'storyline' on which to hang a commercial film. Chogyal teaches in exile, and his son (Yeshi), although also recognised as a great incarnation, prefers family life in Italy to the ascetic Buddhist path. So not a lot happens. But then, a breakthrough. The documentary had almost been abandoned when our prodigal son secretly hoofs it to Tibet to reclaim his heritage. Dad, meanwhile, is looking unwell, and a Buddhist foundation wants to preserve the teachings. So they gave Fox enough funds to get things to the big screen.

Our film's unhurried pace could easily make it rather unexceptional, especially to non-Buddhists: except for three things. Firstly, access to such a reclusive life is normally impossible. Secondly, the extraordinary tension between intelligent young Yeshi, who wants wants to see father as nothing special, and Dad with his hoards of adoring acolytes. By giving both characters equal weight, Fox explores Tibetan Buddhist tradition from the angles of both believers and sceptics. The third factor is Fox herself as a filmmaker. She has an unnerving ability to turn navel-gazing into life-changing. Her daunting self-exposé, Flying Confessions, was even serialised on television. Now, her mantra-laden, bell-ringing, Himalayan odyssey is disarmingly down-to-earth.

While there is, for Buddhist audiences at least, enough 'meat on the bone' as Fox puts it (a curious expression – as most Buddhists are vegetarians, Tibetans often being an exception), she maintains a director's crucial impartiality in the final edit. Yeshi's irritation is displayed without totally wrecking the character of the old master. But we also get to see the latter as merely human. Brief monologues are impressive. Basic Buddhist teachings include observing one's own mind and avoiding worship of a master (a point repeatedly overlooked, it seems to me, from the doting expressions of followers). The Dalai Lama makes several very informal appearances, laughing and joking charismatically. But the real emotional clout is launched in the final Tibetan footage. Is there anything in the prophecies? These last reels were shot without Fox's knowledge – she didn't even know Yeshi was going. Miraculous intervention or an overpowering sense of duty? The whole thing can still look a bit woolly to this viewer, but it works dramatically and impressively for the community of Dzogchen Buddhists. Chögyal Namkhai Norbu might not be a divinity from on high, but he gives sound advice to people desperately in need. His practices have given him fortitude and focus. Not a bad role model – even as a mere father.

For sceptics, Tibetan Buddhism's shortcomings when running a modern-day sanctuary are highlighted. Early in the film, Yeshi introduces modern business strategy to enable many more people than would have been envisaged in the original Buddhism to get on well with each other. In this sense, the West brings something to the East. "This," as Fox proclaims, "is the future. If they can get through it." Whatever your beliefs, shake yourself at the end of the movie and remember: this is real life documentary, not fiction. The chrysalis of documentary movie-making transforms itself into moving evidence.

The documentary movie "My Reincarnation" opens up the story of two people, a father, and a son. Both found their reincarnation in the Buddhist teachers of Dzogchen. The movie is narrated by the son of Namkhai Norbu, Yeshi. He tells about the hard and selfless life of his father. The story starts in 1989 and within a timeline explains how the Yeshi from a potential photographer and an independent person becomes a Dzogchen teacher. If I had to characterize this movie in 3 words, those would be: relations, responsibility, and mindfulness. What I really enjoyed about this movie is that it reflects not only Buddhist side of the great Rimpoche, but also the family and personal issues which Namkhai Norbu had. Yeshi starts telling about his relations with father sincerely and open. He tells that they always had hard relations and most of the time Yeshi did not feel Namkhai Norbu as his father, because he was a teacher and had a number of students who also needed his attention. Moreover, I ques Namkhai Norbu had a difficulty in managing both roles of the family man and a community ruler, because when you have students you have to give them up and respond them fully. As it was shown, Namknai Norbu himself was feeling kind of disappointed of his family role and the way he coups with it. Nevertheless, I felt that further in the movie his relations with the family become balanced, as Yeshi accepting his responsibility. The topic of responsibility is tend to be the key point in this movie. From the rejecting and hating the responsibilities, Yeshi changes to the acceptance and integration. When Yeshi finds out that he is a reincarnation of his father's uncle, Kyence, he actually does not feel himself comfortable with it. Being born and raised in Italy, not in Tibet as his father, he wants to stay as a "normal" citizen. His aim is to have a family, good job, earn money and build a coria, which he actually achieves. Yeshi talks about his hate to this responsibility much, he even states that he is not afraid to die, but he is afraid to live, because he has a responsibility to go to Tibet and become a teacher, as his father. What I liked and found really clever, but controversial is that Namkhai Norbu did not made his son do something without his will. Knowing all the importance of this reincarnation, he let his son to choose himself a life he wants. So that in the end, Yeshi fully accepts his premise of becoming a teacher himself. Now, he understands his role, takes a responsibility and mindfully acts in order to become a good teacher. As his father always wanted, he quits a job, starts to help his father in maintaining the community which is highly growing and finally goes to Tibet. All things consider, I think that this story is an example of a true Buddhist life. Starting as a general person with all the contradicts, Yeshi was not forced to understand the Buddhism, but reached it himself. And the second important Buddhist characteristic which is shown in this movie, is the idea of selflessness, and the way how people sacrifice their lives in order to help others.

"My reincarnation" is the film about Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, Dzogchen teacher. The film is documentary and about bibliography of the teacher. Film mostly consists of life episodes and the dialogues between father and son. These dialogues are very important because they reveal the relationships between them. It seems that the son is not satisfied with their relationships because they look like relationships between master and his student but not as between father and son. The son of the Dzogchen teacher really does not understand this and refuses to accept it. However, this can be explained by the fact that Namkhai Norbu was deprived from his parents when he was little and was taught and grown up in by Tibetan Buddhists. The film is full of episodes, which show the life of Dzogchen teacher and how he spends his day. He spent much time on students and other people who came to him and ask him a help. Therefore, Namkhai Norbu helps them, gives them advices, and teaches them some practices that are very useful. He has very big responsibility and he feels that he should take care of many people that is why he cannot be an ordinary father to his family. The film itself is called "My reincarnation" because it connects the birth of Namkhai Norbu, which was assigned with a big amount of flowers. Many people believe that he is a reincarnation of saint and revere him because of that. However, people just do not understand that he is not saint; first, he is a human. "My reincarnation" shows how should real people live and how to live with a sense of consciousness. There was an example about usefulness of practices that he uses in his daily life. He said that the practices he used were helping him to get rid of illness. In addition, mantra practices were used for relaxation and stress relieving, that is why people find it useful to them. This film shows not only the advantages of Buddhism, it also discovers the life of Buddhists. How difficult it can be to be a Buddhist, to serve for the sake of other people and missing the relationships with family. The role of relationships in a family is clearly designated in this film. It is seen that Dzogchen teacher's son is feeling lack of father's love and does not want to be his student. However, that is the current situation and Namkhai Norbu is more a "Master" than a "Father".

The documentary movie "My Reincarnation" by Jennifer Fox is about a Tibetan spiritual master and his son. It is a 2011 movie that contains timeline from twenty years ago till nowadays. First of all, talking about the way movie was shot. Mostly it contains real life videos. It seems like they were shot not for the purpose of the documentary movie. Therefore this gives a feeling of reality and proof for all things said. Also they are accompanied with the interviews, which are helpful to understand the feelings of the main characters. It is a story about Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche (precious), Tibetan spiritual master, who moved from Tibet because of Chinese conquer. In western countries he tries to save Tibetan culture, spirit, therefore self-sacrifices to teach other people. He always moves from place to place and spread Dzogchen teachings, which were only in Tibet, because this teaching is not only about books, but also about being with and talking to the teacher. During one of the teachings of Rinpoche he says that Buddha said "everything is unreal" which proves intersection with Mahayana Buddhism, since it is known that Tibetan Buddhism is not only Mahayana, but also Vajrayana. He tells that problems are relative. Namkhai Norbu believed in signs such as flowers at winter time during his birth, a lama in dreams telling him he is a Rinpoche, a lama telling about the death of his uncle and his reincarnation into his son. He enjoys every day even if he knows he is in samsara still. Of course, he is doing a good deed, and spreading the Buddhism, but it also affects his family. He is married to Italian woman and has one daughter and son, Yeshi. In this documentary, it can be seen that the son does not like this way of living. He does not feel father's love, he cannot talk to him openly, and he does not want to live this way in the future. As the movie is called "My reincarnation", we can notice that it is about the son. From the dream of Namkhai Norbu, the son was the reincarnation of Namkhai's uncle, who was one of his teachers. There were proves such as old Tibetan places in son's dreams, that he could recognize. Yeshi points out that he does not like being someone's shadow, and that people know about him but not him at all. In this way he shows that contrary to his father who self-sacrifices for the sake of the Tibetan culture and Buddhism, he wants to be an individual. He wants to live ordinary Italian life. According to Tibetan Buddhism, as the son is the reincarnation of the Buddhist master, he is needed to be sent to the Indian monastery for teaching. But Namkhai Norbu did not do that. It seems like he knew that the son was not interested in it, and does not like to push him. This we can see that possibly he wanted his son to come to it on his own. Anyways we can see the father-son relations, when Namkhai is ill. His son, Yeshi, was very worried. He pointed that many people, his students forget that Rinpoche is actually a human. Mostly they perceive him as something saint. The son is also used to see a strong man. At this point, possibly because of the father's illness, or Yeshi's maturation, he begin to change. Finally, when Yeshi went to the Tibet, he realizes this Buddhist spirit. So we can see how Yeshi's outlook changed over time. Possibly, it may be a destiny, written for him when he was born as a reincarnation of one spiritual master. So, Jennifer Fox shows this lifetime story and leaves food for thought.

"My Reincarnation" is one of the unique films of Jennifer Fox, an American producer and director, that was released in 2011. This is documentary film that shows a biography of one of the Tibetan Buddhist masters, Rinpoche, and his son, Yeshi. The most interesting fact about this documentary is that it took 20 years for Jennifer Fox to film and produce it. The story of the documentary is not focused only on the Dzogchen, one of the Tibetan Buddhist teachings, but it touches the family relations and altruism. Family relationship between son and father is one of the central topics that is discussed in this movie, that can be observed through the interviews of both men. These interviews show an unusual father-son relation, where one is a master, and another is son of a master, showing the great responsibility laid upon their shoulders just by their titles. Master Rinpoche feels the responsibility to help other people and save the cultural identity of Dzogchen, that is why he sacrifices all his time that he could spend with his family. A dozen of students and followers all over the world replaces him his family. During his life he put the duty of master higher than the duty of father. However, that does not necessarily mean that Rinpoche completely fails in his role as a father, because in the documentary we just see him more as a master rather than as a father. On the other side of the story, there is his son, Yeshi, who believed that Rinpoche took too much responsibility that negatively affected his own personal life because of Rinpoche's altruist lifestyle, that include continual teachings all over the globe and consultation with the followers of Dzogchen. Through the whole documentary it is seen how Yeshi's opinion on his father's attitude towards life has changed during these 20 years. At first, he did not understand, or even did not want to understand, all things related to these teachings, while towards the end of the documentary he accepted his fate of the reincarnation of his father's uncle, also a great master of Dzogchen in Tibet. Great effort has been put in the recording and the production of this movie. Jennifer Fox used a good method of blending the interview material with other daily life video materials. By following this method viewers can actually see what did Rinpoche and Yeshi mean in their interview as it helps to visualize the interview in their real life. Furthermore, this method helps us to better understand feelings of these two main characters. Another thing that can be noticed throughout this documentary is Buddhist teachings and lifestyle. We can see how the first community, Merigar, has appeared and how Rinpoche is trying to deliver teachings to the students through representing samsara as an ocean. The documentary "My Reincarnation" is not just a simple biography of a religious master. It is also a story about relationship between father and son, the struggle of responsibility, the story of many other people, who seek peace and solution in the teachings. There are a lot of useful life lessons that can be learned from this movie.

The movie "My Reincarnation" narrates the personal story of Tibetan spiritual master Rinpoche and the development of the complicated relationships with his son over time. This very unique documentary let us see what is happening inside the families of the religious teachers and make the viewers look at them from absolutely different perspective. What makes this film special is the versatility of its perception by every person. Some people may take out from this story the Buddhist religious ideas and principles about which Rinpoche is talking. Some people may view this film as a drama between son and father. Some may argue that it is the story about how you should raise your children. And all these thoughts were running in my mind as I was watching this movie. I liked the philosophy of Rinpoche which highlights the main Buddhist principles about detachment, impermanence of everything and importance of present. The lifestyle of Rinpoche breaks all the stereotypes about the life of a holy person, and we can see that the greatest Buddhists can also enjoy life, have families like regular people. On the other hand, I personally saw the reason why it is better for such people not to do that. Rinpoche is on very high spiritual level, he is detached from everything as it is prescribed in Buddhism, but this detachment hurt people, who are close to him, his family. By making happy a lot of students and people all over the world, he makes unhappy people near him, who probably do not have to understand Buddhist canons, but just need his attention and love. Throughout all these years, his son was seeking for a connection with his father, for love, which would be independent of the path that his son would choose: singer, lawyer or master like his father. And all the time he did not get that. Could we say that Rinpoche is bad father? Probably, but he is a good teacher. He is so compassionate that he not only himself devoted his life to the good of community, but made his son do the same thing. He sacrificed his life, his family, to please a lot of people, to give them at least a little hope. Does this justify him? This question is left unanswered, and make every viewer to think about his family. What I think is that if you choose such complicated way of life as being the religious master, you do not need to pressure people around you, you do not need to make them feel like they do not deserve your love, you do not need to make them unhappy. Nobody is perfect, nobody can please everyone. That is why religious people should live the way they live, and ordinary people should live in other way. Overall, I enjoyed watching this documentary. I was impressed that throughout 20 years the recordings were kept and it made this film so interesting to watch. I loved the plot and the main ideas of the film. It made me reevaluate the family values, and gave me some deep Buddhist ideas also.