We are very excited to offer all of you who have viewed Numen the opportunity to write a review.
Please let us know your thoughts, feelings, critiques and raves about the film! Let your friends and family know about Numen by forwarding our link www.numenfilm.com for them to join our email list to receive updates and special video clips.
Post your comments! (click on the “Comments” link above to see all the posts)
All the best,
Terry and Ann
NUMEN: THE NATURE OF PLANTS
With the fate of health care reform still up in the air, filmmakers Terrence Youk and Ann Armbrecht discuss healing alternatives to Western medicine by traveling across the country to explore the healing powers of plants and the natural world. This smart, engrossing, and thought provoking 95-minute documentary uses the subject of plants to demonstrate how our disconnect from nature effects humans and environmental health. Escalating costs of health care can perhaps be balanced with alternative medicines in many cases. But the bigger issue relates to how healing is made possible by embracing our place in the wider web of life.
The film details the difference between Western doctors who treat only the patient’s condition, in contrast to herbalists who frequently address the whole person, taking into account the environment in which they live including their work, home, and community, in treating their illnesses. This is in part due to the fact that health coverage frequently will only cover a 5 minute doctor’s visit who can therefore only can offer a quick fix with a prescription that frequently doesn’t address the underlying issues surrounding many physical ailments. Experts weigh in on this exploration of differing visions of medicine, including Bioneers founder Kenny Ausubel (http://www.bioneers.org/about/founders/kenny-ausubel) who highlights the life of plants as improving individual health and well-being that ultimately enhances the health of the earth. “Our relationship with plants and our knowledge of those plants is perhaps the most important collective heritage we have…That knowledge is ultimately what is going to sustain us,” states Ausubel in the film. Also featured is Tieraona LowDog, MD, the Director of Education at the University of Arizona’s Program in Integrative Medicine, and Larry Dossey, MD, author and editor of EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing who was featured on the Bioneers Radio Show Think Globally, Act Non-Locally in 2005 (http://www.bioneers.org/radio/series-archives/2005-radio-series/think-globally-act-non-locally/?searchterm=larry%20dossey).
Numen: The Nature of Plants shows us how the process and ritual of healing is really about our intimate relationship with nature, more than store bought products can possibly provide, herbal or otherwise. Numen will be shown at the Santa Fe Film Festival, Saturday, December 5th at 4:45pm. For more information, please go to http://santafefilmfestival.com.
I was waiting with baited breath for the arrival of the DVD and it didn’t arrive. Terry said he would send another and of course, then it arrived. I was so excited that I watched it at work (I run a health shop) and like many others I was moved to tears by the beauty of the film, the contributors, the message, the images of the insects – that little bee at the beginning is so fat and furry and cuddly. I think I will arrange a screening of the DVD here in the health shop and when the second copy of the DVD arrives Terry, I will lend it out to all my customers and to my local GP. As as ex teacher I am going to approach the local school and ask the biology teacher to show it to her students. The more children see this movie the more likely the future will be a better place. Thank you for such a great pleasure.
While we are updating our website, you can find more up to date information on screenings, reviews etc. as well as post comments on our facebook fan page. Hope you will come find us there!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Numen-The-Nature-of-Plants/148488938118?ref=nf
Wow! Very impressed! This documentary was done with passion and intelligence. Even my husband watched from beginning to end!
Highly recommended to anyone considering purchasing this dvd.
I noticed a number of the women were wearing the same crescent moon necklace. Is there a story behind that?
Rosemary gives those moon necklaces to her students (though since most of those interviewed never actually studied with Rosemary, they have also gotten them in different ways). I’m actually not sure how that first came about – I’ll see Rosemary tomorrow and ask her!
Ann
I got my full copy just the other day and watched it last night.
Yes, I cried.
I did.
Any NUMBER of times.
I do find myself making ‘that face’ when someone starts in on the SCIENCE of it all, but THIS…..this stunning weaving of the beauty and magic that IS science IF we don’t lose sight of the beauty and magic that is numen, the life force….with that deep, resonant feeling of being in communion with the plants and the people….the whole thing is following me around today, truly.
I will be fascinated to see how it affects the folks not already ‘in the garden’. All of you who worked so long and hard on this and gave so much of yourselves have produced something totally remarkable. I do believe it is going to resonate with a very WIDE audience in a seriously consciousness-altering way.
And I very much want to compliment whoever chose to do all those interviews with everyone talking just slightly off-camera. I was profoundly aware of how that ALLOWED me to take it all in. Had everyone been talking directly into the camera, I would have been exhausted. (brava)
All in all, a magnificent piece of work. Thank you all so, SO very much!
LadyB
LadyB,
Thank you so much… I’m so moved just reading your words! We did work so long and hard on this and faced our fair share of challenges and it is so very gratifying to hear that the film reached you in this way.
Thank you.
Ann
[...] Read the full review and other comments HERE [...]
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Numen: The Magical Nature of Plants (FILM REVIEW)
I have sat through many “talking head” documentaries in my years as a film reviewer, but never before have I found so much to laugh, cry and think about as when I screened “Numen: The Nature of Plants” for the first time just a few days ago.
Terrence Youk and Ann Armbrecht’s wonderful new 95 minute film explores the world of plants, their healing powers, and their central importance (largely forgotten, in this day and age) in providing us with the very building blocks of human civilization, from sustenance to healing. The word “numen” refers to the animating spirit or power infused in an object, and the film makes an impressive argument for reconsidering just how significant “plant power” is. “Herbalism is our oldest system of healing on the planet,” observes rock-star herbalist Rosemary Gladstar (if you’ve never heard of her, get your head out of the drug store aisle and medicine closet and pay attention). “Most parts of the world where you travel today you’ll still find people practicing some remnant of traditional herbalism.”
And “Numen” seems to have found some of the most eloquent herbalist voices from around the world to speak on behalf of the plants, along with many other plant-loving people. Like any good documentary, “Numen” assembles an impressive cast of thoughtful characters: medical doctors like Larry Dossey (editor of EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing); citizen activists like BIONEERS founder Kenny Ausubel; and even Maine-based herbal practitioners like Deb Soule. Youk and Armbrecht have done their research and their homework, capturing, in tightly-edited and thoughtful fashion, why plants matter so much.
But what really sets “Numen” apart is the balance of playfulness and candor with which the filmmakers approach their subject. “Numen” opens, for example, with a sped-up time-lapse sequence of plant shoots literally exploding from the ground, accompanied by a catchy funk-driven electric guitar. I was caught completely by surprise, and totally hooked. In another sequence, we see a sped-up “shopping cart camera” view of a modern grocery store, with harried consumers completely detached from the sources of their food. Refreshingly, there are some moving scenes, too – one researcher, for example, breaks down on camera as he reflects on the sheer beauty and mystery of the plant world. In another interview, a traditional herbalist from Hawai’i grapples with the “deep history” and cultural connections she shares with the plants. “Numen” is filled with powerful moments like these.
The special effects and animation work in “Numen,” too, is impressive – taking us on both a micro (inside the plants themselves) and macro (consider the planet from space) tour explaining why plants matter.
Perhaps the best part of the “Numen” experience, though, is how hopeful, positive, and forward-thinking a film it is. In an era when there is so much to be concerned about – peak oil, climate change, the endless “war on terror,” economic downturns, “too-big-to-fail” banksters, and that constant migraine headache that over-the-counter meds can’t quite chase away, “Numen” reminds us that the answers to many of these problems, magically enough, is growing all around us. It is our job, as 21st century citizens inhabiting a finite planet experiencing “limits to growth,” to reconnect with “plant wisdom.” If “Numen” provides the inspiration for us as audience members to root ourselves once again in the earth and amongst the plants, it will have provided an incredibly valuable service to our struggling 21st century world.
I am soo excited. Just ordered my copy of the Numen film. I have been waiting patiently for the opportunity to order. Now I will wait patiently for it to arrive in the mail.
The allusion to the realm beyond the molecules, atoms, and electrons being where the “mysteries lie” is full of wonderful implications. The world of quantum mechanics is where the known laws of physics break down and the proof of all this wonder is lying in wait to blow us all away and show us what we already know inside. I spent a full twenty-four cycle on top of Talcott mountain in Ct. years ago on a crisp autumn day/night. I was sitting on a spot about eye-level with the treetops. I can say this here because I’m relating to sympathetic ears. I became aware of one particular tree, which was communicating with me, imparting visual knowledge to me of the history of the area. I don’t tell this to anyone for obvious reasons, but this was not a hallucination. I’ve had similar experiences with pets, wild animals, even fish. Mind you, these occurrences are rare, but real nonetheless. People dismiss this stuff out of hand without a thought. I anticipate this film with a sharply whetted appetite.
Numen: The Nature of Plants
A Review by Herbalist Kiva Rose
Anyone who has ever experienced the bliss and connection of gathering Mullein flowers on a warm summer day or the satisfaction of facilitating wellness in another living being, who may have ever known the incredible healing power of the plants – is sure to be touched and inspired by this cinematic exploration of herbal medicine!
The premise of Numen is very much in alignment with our work in the Animá Lifeways and Herbal Tradition. What they define as Numen in the film, is what we call the anima, the vital lifeforce in the human body as well in plants. The creators of the film also clearly understand that healing is not just about tending our individual wounds but also those of our larger self, this inspirited planet. This movie is rooted in the understanding that healing can only take place in the individual self when the large self is also being tended, and vice versa. There is also an inherent sense of the magic of healing and the plants, a recognition that while science offers us many valuable gifts and ways of understanding the world, there is something akin to spirit and the miraculous in even the best aided results. Numen inspires its viewers to take their health into their own hands, to empower themselves to reconnect to their needs and to utilize resources close at hand. There is an invaluable sense of alliance with the plants, rather than just an expounding on how we can utilize our “natural resources”. This personalization provides the viewer with a very real connection with the plants and process of healing.
Numen is divided up topically into sections: an Introduction, Plants as Medicine, Mystery, the Decline of Herbal Medicine in America, Disconnection, Just Say Yes, Allopathic Medicine, Whole Plant Medicine, Business of Herbs, Vis Medicatrix Naturae, Numinous Questions and Future Generations. Each section deals with either philosophical or practical aspects of healing with plants. From the opening scene of a woman gathering calendula from the garden to the closing shots of children creating a gorgeous plant mandala, the artistry and intent of Numen is clear.
The bulk of the film is based in conversation with practicing herbalists, ethnobotanists, ecologists, those who have been healed by the herbs as well as authors or speakers who specialize in related topics such as chemical sensitivity, earth-based healing and ecology. I commend their careful yet broad selection of knowledgeable and experienced guests. Each individual was both thoughtful and deeply caring, experienced in their chosen field and impassioned about their message.
Brimming with the enthusiasm, experience and wisdom of many great herbalists, including Phyllis Light, Matthew Wood, Bill Mitchell, Rosemary Gladstar, Deb Soule, David Hoffmann, Guido Mase and many more. I was heartened and inspired by their compassion, insight and commitment to the healing of not only we humans but also this precious earth and everything encompassed within.
I must admit that I expected there to be a bit of the new-agey fluffiness so common to recent documentaries on healing and spirit, but was pleasantly surprised to find the whole feature to be grounded in common sense observations, real life experience and understandings straight from nature. Numen truly stands on its own as an exceptional film and testament to the compassion and wisdom of the herbal community.
Indeed, I found myself completely drawn in to the conversation and close to tears more than once, especially listening to the sage words of the late Bill Mitchell and the passionate grace of Rosemary Gladstar. The filming is both sensitive and evocative, presenting a gorgeous presentation of the natural world through time-lapse photography, exquisite settings and a wonderful emphasis on the microcosmic world of the plants.
Numen is a film imbued with the spirit and every day beauty of the contemporary herbalist. Not to be missed by any student of the plants, whether you are just setting out on your journey or have been traveling your path for many years. No matter if you are a gardener, wildcrafter, herbalist, ecologist or simply someone who deeply feels the connection and gifts of the living earth, Numen has something important and beautiful to offer you.
Information for availability and purchase is included below, please support this wonderful project and give yourself and your family the gift of a deeper look into the profoundly healing world of the plants.
My personal thanks to Anne and Terry for taking years out of their lives to create this precious glimpse into the living tradition of herbal healing and the community committed to its continuance.
I wrote a blog post on the 15 mintue demo of this DVD if you are interested.
http://dr-flower.com/blog
Can you imagine the impact of seeing the whole thing? I can’t wait for it’s release. We need many gentle nudges back on our path’s journey. If you aren’t nudged by this one, you aren’t paying attention.
~Regina
Posted by Anne Romance:
My husband and I both thought “Numen” was great. It seems so timely as well, in light of the health care reform issues being discussed. It was so very comprehensive – I liked that, and hadn’t expected that. Comprehensive in the issues that were developed and addressed; comprehensive in regards to the number of impressive people speaking. I am eager to watch it again, for I know I missed, &/or just want to hear again, the awesome gems of heartfelt love and experience of the plants. The photography, especially, and the music were exceptionally stunning.
Thank you so very much.
Anne Romance
sunday, september 20, 2009
REVIEW: Numen – the Nature of Plants
The Essential Herbal Blogspot – by Tina Sams
http://theessentialherbal.blogspot.com/2009/09/review-numen-nature-of-plants.html
Although I will be reviewing this in the upcoming issue of TEH, I just finished watching it and would like to comment.
The structure of the film reminded me of What the Bleep? in that there were a series of experts and individuals that were interviewed in turn on a lot of topics so that it almost feels like we are sitting in a huge room talking to everyone at once.
The most important element to me was that in the time it took to watch, concepts that took the first 5 or 6 years of my herbal enchantment in order to become fixed and cemented in my heart, were expressed clearly and concisely.
That means that those who are just now opening up to plants as food and medicine will be able to grasp those things more quickly, without having to stumble along. So now, 15 or more years after having them firmly held inside, I can watch and nod and at times be moved nearly to tears. It is interesting to imagine how this might effect the newest wave of herbal enthusiasts – being able to understand all that information all at one time.
Bravo! Well done. Knowledge can change individual behavior and we can change the world.
posted by tina sams at 10:34 am
It is always heart-warming to hear people giving the same message from different parts of the world, that you have been giving out, in your own way for many years. It brings hope that the ‘tipping point’ will be reached soon, when enough people feel the same way about working with the natural energies of the world, that it will begin to happen in a big way – to save humanity and our planet for our children and grandchildren.
This beautiful film will go a long way to doing just that! Brilliant
This looks fabulous! I can’t wait to see the whole film. I’m happy to see such an impressive lineup of herbalists in the preview, and it looks like the true spirit of herbalism is really being captured here. I’ll be awaiting Numen eagerly.
As a student of my elders, the plants, and as a teacher of herbal medicine for nearly 25 years, I’m very excited and deeply touched by the tone of this film. I look forward to having a copy of it and congratulate you on the beauty of Numen. Thank you.
Beautiful. Wonderful. At last.
This is a wonderful teaching tool which many of us will be able to use in our work. Bless you for the work that has gone into putting this together.
I can’t wait to see the whole DVD (and get copies to send to friends/colleagues for Christmas).
Green Blessings
Incredibley Powerful!
Resonates on so many level !
I love the blend of Science,Native traditions and how all this information is available to us as we have our own relationships the the plants.
Thank You, Thank You,
John with Herb Mentor
Thanks for continuing to share your gifts and resources with all.
Earth Blessings,
Frank Grindrod
It’s a real gift to view at once so many talented teachers speak about the power of plants with such conviction and from so many perspectives. This is a wonderful reminder of the importance of all our planet’s resources, and I plan on showing it to my A.P. environmental science students.
Numen: The Nature of Plants is not only an incredibly beautiful film, but its message is so important. Bringing awareness of the healing power of plants to a larger audience is especially timely when health care is on everyone’s mind.
Thank you for creating such a wonderful film!
Beautiful! Many points are made that I teach in my classes. This film will be a good addition to my lending library.
Numen: The Nature of Plants is such a dynamic and beautiful film. Stunning images and thought-provoking inspiration to support true healing on so many levels. Thank you Ann & Terry for creating this powerful message that encourages us all to reconnect with the natural world to ensure a healthier future for the planet!