“Knowledge is a rumor until it lives in the body.”
“The OA” is a television series that explores the significance of movement, both physically and emotionally. The characters in the show firmly believe that by executing a collection of complex, elegant but raw ritualistic movements, they can surpass the limitations of time and space and gain entry to other realities. These movements are a physical manifestation of the character’s innermost thoughts and feelings, serving as a pathway for spiritual metamorphosis.
In an interview, Brit Marling stated, “I think that the Movements felt like a call to returning to the body and other intelligences that we have abandoned that are possibly greater than the linear, rational thinking of the mind sometimes” (Hollywood Reporter).
There are some intriguing similarities between “The OA” on Netflix and Carlos Castaneda’s idea of “magical passes” with both delving into spiritual and metaphysical concepts.
In “The OA,” the main character, Prairie Johnson, undergoes a transformative experience that leads her to discover the power of her movements and breath. She develops a set of movements called the “movements” that have the ability to transport people across dimensions and heal physical and emotional wounds.
We incorporated breath—because it’s human and everyone can relate to that. I want to use the body and breath because that is universal; everyone understands breath. It’s so primal, it’s life. Within the breath you can create emotion, shock…there’s so much you can do with the breath alone. I thought it would be really important to have something that’s obtainable and palatable because it’s so easy to go absolutely abstract. I think if we would have done that, we would have failed. – The OA’s Choreographer, Ryan Heffington
Castaneda’s “magical passes” refer to a series of physical movements that are believed to have transformative effects on the body, mind, and spirit. Castaneda, a writer and anthropologist, wrote extensively about his experiences with a shaman named Don Juan Matus, who taught him these movements as a means of accessing higher states of consciousness and connecting with spiritual realms.
Both “The OA” and Castaneda’s teachings suggest that the body can be a vehicle for spiritual transformation and that movement and breath can be powerful tools for accessing higher states of consciousness. While the specifics of the movements differ between the two, they share a common belief in the power of physicality to connect individuals with something greater than themselves.
Both “The OA” and Castaneda’s teachings explore the idea that physical movements and spiritual practices can enable individuals to access other dimensions and worlds beyond our own.
In “The OA,” the movements are used as a means of travelling across dimensions and accessing alternate realities. The characters in the show believe that by performing the movements with intention and focus, they can open a portal to another world and enter into it. This idea is rooted in the concept of interdimensional travel, which suggests that there are other planes of existence beyond our own that can be accessed through specific means.
Similarly, Castaneda’s “magical passes” are believed to enable individuals to access different dimensions and worlds. The movements are thought to facilitate a shift in consciousness that allows individuals to perceive realities beyond the physical realm. Through these practices, Castaneda believed that individuals could enter into altered states of consciousness and access higher realms of existence.
Both “The OA” and Castaneda’s teachings suggest that there are other dimensions and worlds beyond our own that can be accessed through specific practices and techniques. While the specifics of these practices may differ, they share a common belief in the power of physical movement and spiritual intention to enable individuals to transcend the limitations of the physical realm and explore the mysteries of the universe.
“When I swallowed that bird I felt the whole thing flash through me in an instant. Like a way to move through the world, through worlds. And if I don’t think about it, I know it. A self, like a a me in there, that doesn’t even belong to me, and it wants to come out, it wants me to call it by name. But it’s – I feel like it’s waiting for you. To hear it in you, too.”
Prairie Johnson:-The OA, s1, ep4, “Away”
The OA – Movements
The OA Five Movements Tutorial
Part One: 00:00
Part Two: 3:57
Part Three: 07:10
Part Four: 09:47
Part Five: 13:05
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