Ep279: The Missing Peace - Miles Neale & Matthew Freidell
Nov 8, 2024
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Miles Neale, a therapist and author, teams up with Matthew Freidell, a visionary documentary filmmaker, to dive into the making of "The Missing Peace." They explore the enchanting Borobudur monument's quest to broadcast peace to the world. Their journey highlights profound life lessons, the importance of intuition, and the magic of synchronicity. The duo shares their transformative experiences in the Amazon, the challenges of capturing spiritual narratives, and the necessity of genuine artistic expression in an increasingly commercialized world.
Miles Neale and Matthew Friedel emphasize the significance of pilgrimage as a transformative journey that fosters healing and self-discovery.
Their collaboration symbolizes the blending of Buddhist and Hindu philosophies, reinforcing the power of unity in achieving collective peace.
Matthew Friedel discusses the artistic process in filmmaking as a spiritual practice that requires authenticity, vulnerability, and connection to one's creative muse.
Deep dives
The Significance of Borobudur
Borobudur is a stunning, 1250-year-old Buddhist monument on the island of Java, Indonesia, designed as a technological relic to resonate the frequency of peace across the globe. Despite its grandeur, it is described as missing its most crucial element, the chakra, which symbolizes completeness and energy within the structure. The film focuses on the urgent need to reactivate this relic, particularly during times of planetary unrest when peace is essential. Both Miles Neal and Matthew Friedel highlight the historical and cultural importance of the monument, acknowledging its role as an ancient mandala that serves as a pilgrimage, offering spiritual insights to those who traverse its paths.
Personal Journeys Leading to Collaboration
Miles Neal and Matthew Friedel recount their individual journeys that led them to Bali and eventually to collaborate on this documentary. Neal transitioned from a successful therapy practice in New York to Bali, spurred by visions and the desire for deeper exploration of spirituality. Friedel, on the other hand, faced a personal crisis that led him to the Amazon, where he underwent shamanistic experiences, ultimately finding his way to Bali amid the pandemic. Their meeting was serendipitous, revealing a shared understanding of navigating personal transformations and a mutual calling to explore the dimensions of spirituality through film.
Turmoil and Transformation through Pilgrimage
The conversation underscores the theme of pilgrimage, emphasizing its therapeutic power in both the personal and collective narrative. Neal describes how his pilgrimage experiences became avenues for healing and self-discovery, encouraging individuals to confront their inner turmoil. Friedel echoes this sentiment, noting that the act of pilgrimage can serve to unify fragmented identities and foster a sense of belonging. As both creators navigated their own processes of transformation, they illuminate the importance of pilgrimage as a means to connect with ancient wisdom and personal truth.
Aligning Energies and Revitalizing Peace
A significant aspect of the film revolves around the collaboration of two masters from different spiritual traditions, aiming to revitalize the energy of Borobudur. Geshe Tenzin Zopa, a Tibetan Lama, and a local Javanese Shiva master, Mankujito, meet to perform a ceremony that seeks to restore the chakra of the monument. Their collaboration symbolizes the merging of Buddhist and Hindu philosophies, reinforcing the idea that unity can emerge from diversity. This deep connection between the two traditions reflects a vital step towards reactivating the monument's original purpose—a call for collective peace and harmony in a fragmented world.
Art and Intuition in the Creative Process
Matthew Friedel discusses the intricacies of filmmaking and the challenges faced while capturing the essence of their journey through the documentary. He emphasizes that true artistic creation is akin to a spiritual practice, where one must cultivate a relationship with their creative muse, enabling vibrant expression and connection to the narrative. The process requires facing one's fears and doubts, leading to self-discovery and authenticity within the work. The final product serves as an invitation for viewers to engage with their own experiences of peace, highlighting that art transcends time and space to foster a collective consciousness.
In this episode I am joined by Miles Neale & Matthew Freidell to discuss their documentary film “Missing Peace”.
The film’s description states: “Borobudur is a 1250-year old Buddhist monument located on the island of Java, Indonesia. It was designed as a kind of ancient technology to broadcast the frequency of peace across the world. The only problem is---Borobudur is missing its most important piece. Follow along as two masters, from two different traditions, come together with the goal of reactivating this powerful relic at a time when the Earth needs it most.”
Miles and Matthew share the remarkable story of the making of the film, including the powerful life lessons both men learned along the way,
Miles and Matthew also reflect on the power of pilgrimage, learning to trust intuition in life and the creative process, and the strategies they employed in dealing with local land spirits on location.
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Link in bio.
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
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Topics include:
00:00 - Intro
01:03 - Chance meeting in Kathmandu
01:57 - Matthew’s creativity
03:39 - Synchronistic moments
04:07 - Origin story of the collaboration
05:22 - Matthew’s ontological suicide through plant medicines
06:42 - Embracing good and evil, coming to Bali
08:04 - Meeting of minds
09:54 - Thin veils since pandemic
10:43 - Miles’ stagnation and facing a choice
12:45 - Going to Bali during lockdown to follow an intuitive call
15:09 - Synergy and how to find courage and clarity
17:21 - Waypoints in learning to trust intuition
18:05 - Costly decisions and visions of Asclepius
21:25 - Healing temples of Ancient Greece
22:41 - From hyper-rationality to the mythopoetic
24:30 - Contact with discarnate entities
26:10 - Matthew’s experiences in the Amazon & encountering Chenrezig
29:57 - Spirit encounters in Bali
32:21 - Holistic perspective of wisdom cultures
36:03 - Turning off connection to the unseen world
38:10 - Borobudur monument has been turned off
38:57 - Strategies for dealing with entities
41:39 - The Missing Piece documentary
42:47 - Stupas are ancient technologies
44:46 - The power of pilgrimage
46:46 - Uniting Geshe Tenzin Zopa with a Javanese tantrika Mangku Jitho
51:45 - Shiva Buddha prophecy with global import
55:21 - Who is Geshe Tenzin Zopa?
55:52 - Who is Mangku Jitho?
56:38 - Mangku Jitho’s collection of cursed kris knives
57:43 - Reflections on the Shiva Buddha
59:14 - The joint ceremony to reactivate Borobudur
01:04:25 - The chatra and what do we worship?
01:06:50 - Challenges of filming in remote locations
01:08:49 - Style, the artistic process, and AI
01:11:44 - Matthew’s hero’s journey
01:16:06 - Invitation to the viewer
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Watch “The Missing Peace”:
- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDBzNsxyi_y_4ICCcAoMji6azDelR60OZ
Watch previous episode with Miles Neale:
- https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep69-dr-miles-neale-buddhas-tulkus-narcissists
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For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- https://www.guruviking.com
Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James
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