Movie Reviews

Movie Review: “Becoming Nobody” Is A Man’s Incredible Journey Of Finding True Freedom By Stripping Away His Self Identity


 

“Becoming Nobody” is the quintessential portal to Ram Dass’ life and teachings.

As I watch this documentary, I think about how many times I’ve questioned not only who am I beneath my self proclaimed identity, but who I would be without the indoctrinated beliefs I’ve acquired from my parents and society; which I’ve upheld ever since. After spending years trying to become one with source, get a deeper understanding of my truest self and eradicate some of my set beliefs, I look at the journey of this ordinary man and think two things; I’ve been doing it all wrong and I still have a lot of work to do!

Never feeling comfortable with who he was, Clinical Psychologist Richard Alpert, who later became Ram Dass, began seeing experts trying to understand why he didn’t like who he was becoming as a person. He had been given specific labels like good and smart, he had been categorized by society and expected to play a role, embrace and live up to it but deep down he didn’t like the way he felt. Like most of us who forcibly grow into who we are told to be and only see others for their differences, Richard began to denounce his manufactured self and seek acceptance which ultimately results in seeing others for their inner being and not their facade.

After receiving the psychedelic drug psilocybin from Timothy Leary in the ’60s, Richard was affected in a profound way as he describes feeling stripped down from the person he thought he was to a place of true being-ness. After trying to maintain this state with every form of chemical drug possible, he found himself always coming down back to where he began. Then he went to India where he met Maharaj Ji, who never came down, always maintaining the level of consciousness Richard desperately wanted.

Maharaj Ji, who became his guru, guided him in transforming himself from the inside and during his evolution, he became known as Ram Dass, which means Server of God. He practiced many techniques like meditation, clearing the mind of all the false realities he had created and learning to release the ego, something he felt he no longer needed there. His journey from having a sense of being a somebody to being a nobody was not easy, as the mind is powerful and maintains a sense of familiarity which is why we fear change. He explains some of the difficulty is getting through the layers of loving yourself, releasing all identity and breaking free from self riotousness but also learning to trust your intuitive nature vs your rational mind.

As I try to process his journey and imagine the frustration he endured along the way, I am utterly mind-blown and impressed with his discipline, self-control, and patience. But I also have an image of a man sitting alone in a hut for years doing nothing but meditating, talking to himself just to maintain peace; sounds like a lonely life. Then my mind goes back to a person who is free from the mentality most of us have, waking up every day, trying to live up to standards that were forced upon us, never feeling free to be ourselves, whatever that is, and always judging and chasing the validation of others. I feel jealous in many ways but then I wonder how this lifestyle plays out in the real world, my world, living in an apartment in NYC where there is no Indian guru, bills to be paid and family members who will start arguments just to break the peaceful high. What will he do then? Will he turn back into a somebody and put the mask on?

As I lay on the floor that night, lighting sage to rid the bad energy I felt on the subway ride home, I feel I have a lot of work to do on myself. I realize I am nowhere near inner freedom nor have I separated myself from all the labels and the somebody that was created for me at birth. But I’m going to try and I may not get there completely but I hope to reach a level that I am happy with. No need for psychedelic drugs! This documentary was a mind trip all its own. I will now forever think about Ram Dass’s words as I put on my mask just to deal with the world and possibly myself. Great film, definitely one of a kind.

 

In Theaters Friday, September 6th

 

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Malika Harris

Malika is a Writer from NYC who loves movies and talking about them.