One

At 6:45 AM on April 13, 2003, a middle-aged father of three from the midwestern United States suddenly awoke from a sound sleep with a strange notion to make an independent film exploring the meaning of life. In the Spring of 2002, I think we all had a lot on our minds. But why the idea to make an independent film? I don't know. He was not a film maker. Since I had no idea of how to make a movie, I figure, I'm going to need some help. Later that day, he called a couple of his closest friends and shared his idea. They were NOT film makers either. So, with our camera in our hand, we head out into the world. As I look back now, I have to question myself Why? Why did we possibly think we would gain access to noteworthy people who would help us with this project? Why would a group of guys from Detroit, with absolutely no experience in filmmaking, possibly think we would be able to meet, let alone interview, some of the world's greatest Priests, and Rabbis, and Imams. But they came forward. As I look at their faces now, I'm amazed. Indian Yogis, Masters from the East, African Kings. They volunteered to help us with this project. We were joined by Catholic Monks, and Buddhist Nuns; Native American Medicine Men; great minds, cultural icons, authors, celebrated thinkers; people working at a very high level on the international stage. And, they gave of themselves to us; without qualifying us, without asking us who we were, or what our credentials were; knowing only that our project was about oneness. In the power of that energy alone, they opened the doors and let us in. And so, I think it's important as we tell this story; as we tell the story of this movie, and the story of this journey, that we honor all of that love and positive energy that these wonderful people gave to us. And, I hope we can do that. Describe what happens to a person after they die ... What is everyone afraid of? How does one obtain true peace ... ... What stands in the way of world peace ... When is war justified? What is it that does not allow people to live to their full potential? ONE During the course of this project, we asked a lot of people a lot of questions. But, it seemed like the one question that caused people the most pause, that gave people the most trouble, was the ultimate question. The meaning of life is ... ... to say a few words, it's ... The meaning of life; God, that's a ... that's a ... that's a really good question. We're here because ... out of that big question ... What is the meaning of life? The question is actually absurd. Um ... God. For me ... I couldn't tell ya. I have, I have never really thought about that. I ... I don't know enough to answer that question. Ah ... I don't ... I can't answer that. That's too, too, too tough. I ... I couldn't really tell you the meaning of it. I don't know. I don't ... I don't know. I can't answer that. I don't know why we're here. Cheers. Something is trying to happen here. Something is being born like a phoenix rising out of the ash. Something is being born. I think the meaning of life is you do whatever you want, no matter what people say. Just to live your life to the fullest. Just live the life; do what you want to do. And, if the person tells you that you suck, and that you can't do it, I believe to prove them wrong, and that will; that would be the meaning of your life. I think the meaning of life is not to look, to look back, you know; to enjoy the moment, you know. Do ... the best way to describe the meaning of life is ... To, to be good people, and enjoy yourself, and take care of others, and just be good, you know. That's, to me, that's the meaning of a good life. To find the real meaning is to find love; love. Christ is love. Buddha is love. Krishna is love. There is a great power giving us life, and that gives us meaning to find that great power. What is the meaning of life? It is what is the meaning of life to you. Because, for me, it is different to you. Because each of us is unique; each of us is different; each of us has a unique note to play. All of us are just this huge massive puzzle. I am a part of everything else that's here. And so the meaningful life is that we all have a role, and I'm trying to define what my role is. And, if I know what my role is, I know what the meaning of life is for me. The meaning of life is to experience the divine potential within you; say yes to it totally, and actualize it on the behalf of all life. The meaning has to be made here, in my relations with other people, collectively. What we make of this Earth, and of all the people who live together; that's what makes the meaning of life. There's no point in you trying to follow my meaning, or me trying to follow your meaning. The thing is, that you need to be able to understand your little piece, and see what you look like, and also see all of the pieces around you, so you can see how you fit in, without trying to mimic all the pieces, or change your piece. Because, we are each unique. We are a unique creation. A butterfly doesn't try to become a tree. And then you've got the part of you that is connected, which is the little edges of the piece of the puzzle, correct? God is found in the interconnections between people. And the discovery of every person that I meet is a discovery and meeting of God. As we look back now, having completed all of the interviews, it seems like the meaning of the project wasn't found in answers that we got. It was found in the people that we met; the people that came forward, and they became like partners to us in some strange way. Maybe the best example of that is Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee. He's this great Sufi mystic who invites us to his retreat in northern California. And, while we were there, he answered the question, But, when he was answering the question, it was as though he was talking directly to us, about having come together for the project. for a moment intersect and then we're outside of space, outside of time, and we're working together in a totally different way, that affects not just you and me, but the whole, and that is very meaningful. I see a face in the crowd, I see eyes wide open. I see a face with seeing eyes, in a crowd of blindness. A power is growing between us, we are growing strong. There is no need to fear us. We simply belong here. They can try to chain us down, they can try to own us but they can't own our living soul, the breath that moves between us, no. What is the meaning of life? The meaning of life is to ... As a Christian, to me, the meaning of life is to know God and his son, Jesus Christ. The meaning of life is to make a decision where you're going to spend eternity, plain and simple. The meaning of life is to be obedient to God. To worship Him, to accept ... to praise Him. Those who deviate from His path, they are dead, even if they call themselves alive. He is a God of judgement. He is a God of wrath. And a God of consequences. Let me think about that. If there is a God I don't want to believe in him unless he accepts all of us, instead of condemning the ones, the ones he wants to. Describe God. Describe ... Describe God. Describe what? Describe God. I didn't get you. Brahma Describe God? Oh. Describe God. Describe God? You can't. It is a ludicrous question. A good meaning of God are when people mean, when people say, If they mean by that, that sort of power of love is the power of the universe. That isn't necessarily a person, doesn't have a plan. And also, love doesn't necessarily control the beloved. It just wishes for the happiness of the beloved. So, it's sort of a happiness energy that wishes for beings to be happy. If God is defined that way, then there is no question that any religious person, whether they are theistic, or monotheistic, or not, they would agree with that definition. The personal definition, like the angry God, or the God of this tribe, that sort of thing; those things are a little bit problematic from an enlightened point of view. The great mystics of all the great world religions - Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism - none of them are afraid of God. God is not a person. He's not some sort of character who sits in a chair or something. God is certainly not a dead white male in the sky. He's not like some big old white dude sitting up there on a diamond studded throne with a long beard, looking all elegant and snooty and looking down on people. that there is someone sitting up there. This assumption has created enormous pain and suffering to human beings on this planet. or a person, or a thing which is creating all of this, where can it be? See? He listens. The Creator is everywhere, just like I said. The Muslims say that God is closer than your jugular. He is even closer than this vein here. And God is certainly closer to me than my jugular vein. He is closer to us than our hearts. And God is to be found in the heart of every living entity, as well as in all of the atoms. Smaller than the smallest. One can say smaller than an atom or an electron. And greater than the greatest. Greater than the whole universe is the divine realiity. That God is in everything. Everything is God. Everything is a part of God. We call the Woochee, the nothingness, the center of the universe. So, in Taoism, we don't give them a name of God. God is beyond even our idea of the beyond. You can't describe it. You can only feel it. The real goal is something much more amazing. It's much more fantastic. Like a phoenix rising out of the ash, someones waking up, here. What is the meaning of life? Ahhhhh! Created and directed by Ward Powers It is our work, the work of you who are making the film, Co-created by and Featuring Scott Carter the work of those who are watching the film, to bring the next level of evolution into being.