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What the #$BLEEP*! Do We Know?—
The Internet Odyssey

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By now most readers of The Monthly Aspectarian have seen or at least heard of the movie/documentary What the #$BLEEP*! Do We Know? A number of us will have seen it more than once. It’s that kind of movie. Interest in this small film that mixes quantum physics, animation, and documentary style started like a spark of celestial fire on the west coast, then grew into a firestorm as those who came, saw and passed the torch to other like-minded souls searching for answers about What it is?, Where do we fit in?, and Why do we do what we do?

When the film debuted last February at a Cineplex in Yelm, Washington, William Arntz, a former computer programmer who spent $5 million to create the film, was given one week to lure an audience. The film played in Yelm for two months. It was the beginning of a grassroots marketing campaign that has spread across the United States. What the #$BLEEP*! Do We Know opened in Chicago in September. Like many, the way I heard about it had definite synchronistic overtones. After a parishioner at the Church of the Spirit, the Spiritualist church that is my community of faith, made an announcement about the film, I glanced down at the September issue of The National Spiritualist Summit, the official magazine of the National Spiritualist Association of Churches and noticed a review of the movie. That review contained a section about the Japanese scientist Masaru Emoto whose book, Message from Water, I just happened to have ordered the day before while at Healing Earth Resources. Hmmm ... definitely, this was a movie I had to see. And I did, that very afternoon. It is an energizing and uplifting experience, one that remains with you and expands within you as you explore and delve deeper into the concepts presented in the film.

Whether you’ve already seen What the #$BLEEP*! Do We Know? or are interested but haven’t managed to get to the theater yet, I recommend that you check out the website at www.whatthebleep.com. If you haven’t seen the movie, the site gives you a good preview of what you’re about to see. For example, the synopsis page points out that What the #$BLEEP*! Do We Know? is a new type of film. It is part documentary, part story, and part elaborate and inspiring visual effects and animations. The protagonist, Amanda, played by Marlee Matlin, finds herself in a fantastic Alice in Wonderland experience when her daily, uninspired life literally begins to unravel, revealing the uncertain world of the quantum field hidden behind what we consider to be our normal, waking reality. The fictional story is interwoven with documentary-style interviews with fourteen top scientists and mystics who serve as a modern day Greek Chorus to Amanda’s search for truth. In addition, there are links to movie reviews from a variety of media outlets including CNN.

A preview or between-seeing-the-film-another-time visit also allows you to get an in-depth look at those fourteen scientists and mystics. Click on “the scientists” and then scroll down to see the list of names that are anchor-linked to a photo, biographical information, and website links for each individual scientist or mystic. For example, the section linked to Dr. Masaru Emoto explains that although Dr. Emoto does not appear in the film, his research and stunning photographs of water crystals do. When Amanda misses her train she stumbles onto an exhibit of the water photographs. The information is so amazing that many viewers have asked, “Is this real?” The answer is yes, the research is real and by following the link to Dr. Emoto’s website (www.masaru-emoto.net), you can find out more. The information on that site explains that Dr. Emoto, a Doctor of Alternative Medicine, became interested in micro cluster water and Magnetic Resonance Analysis technology in the early 1990s. This led to his interest as a scientific researcher and original thinker about the true crystal nature of water and the ramifications of pollution and positive versus negative thought and sound vibrations on water. A visit to Dr. Emoto’s site leads you the concept of Hado and another site (www.hado.net) where Hado, the intrinsic vibrational pattern at the atomic level in all matter, and its practice is explained.

Many of the names in this section have websites and those links become part of the journey that begins at www.whatthebleep.com. And those tributary journeys will be the topic of my next column. But, back to the What the Bleep site.

Another important links features information about the filmmakers. Here I was in for a bit of a surprise. The section in the movie where Amanda is challenged by the little boy Reggie (Robert Bailey, Jr.) to get off the sidelines and play on the court with the basketball that symbolizes our unlimited possibilities sounded very much like the training that I’ve been getting though my coursework at Landmark Education (www.landmarkeducation.com). I had expected that someone on the filmmaking end had taken at least some part of Landmark. In fact, the buzz among my Landmark friends is that What the Bleep is a must see movie. Landmark, however, is not mentioned on the site (although a phone conversation with John Räätz from The Visioneering Group, the film’s media relations firm, revealed that filmmaker Betsy Chasse took Landmark eight years ago). Other influences, both cinematic and spiritual are mentioned on site. For example, according to the “FAQ” section—another great section for pre- and post-filmgoers alike—the spiritual influences on the filmmakers include Theosophy, Carlos Castaneda, Buddhism, Paramahansa Yogananda’s Self-Realization Fellowship, and Ramtha’s School of Enlightenment. Ramtha in particular is influential since it is Ramtha channeled by JZ Knight who is the focal mystic in the film. The range of spiritual influences translates into a film that has broad appeal among many spiritual and transformation-oriented groups.

Of particular interest to post-filmgoers are the “Book Recommendations” section and the links under the heading “Community.” The “Book Recommendations” section features a link to The Renaissance Bookshop where titles associated with the film can be purchased. In addition, recommended books are organized into areas of interest like “Modern Spirituality: God without Dogma” and “Intersection of Science and Spirit.” Featured books range from The Mystical Mind: Probing the Biology of Religious Experience by Andrew Newberg, The Quantum Physics of Soul and Spirit by Amit Goswami, Molecules of Emotion by Dr. Candace Pert, and Where God Lives by Melvin Morse, M.D. with Paul Perry to Shaman of Tibet: Milarepa—From Anger to Enlightenment by Winged Wolf (Heater Calero).

Under the “Community” heading, the “street team” link takes you to a page that focuses on the group of people willing to get the word out about What the Bleep by postering and communicating in their own local community. You are invited to join the effort. The “what can I do” link is also about passing the word about the movie. Ideas here include word of mouth and sending emails to friends and family. A sample email that can be cut and pasted into your own email system is available. There is also a link that allows you to sign up for email updates about the film. And there are “guest book” and “forum” links. The “guest book” section gives you an idea of how folks around the U.S. are reacting to the film. It even includes emails from a few people who say that viewing this film stopped them or a dear one from committing suicide. Emails posted in this section as of 10/17/04 included:

Fantasmically Brilliant!! You captured into this film everything that has been racing in my head, yet inhibited from articulation. —Sheri Kavoosi, Huntington Beach, CA

I have a date with four friends (one is my son) to see this movie on Wednesday night. It will be my fifth time seeing it. Brilliant!!! —Sharon Jefferes, Waimea, HI

I have never been so touched by a film. It simply reasserts what I already knew; already re-membered—that we are all one and that God is everything and everywhere! Blessed be! —Joseph Whipple, Clawson, MI

I went with my mom and dad to see this movie, and I was a bit skeptical going in ... when I went to see i,t I had no job, I was smoking, and had never before had a drivers license ... after seeing and believing, I have since got a job, quit smoking and gotten my learners permi—and a new boyfriend on top of all that ... and it has only been eight days! All I had to do was change my attitude and believe in positive things ... absolutely wonderful! —Angela W, Indiana

Awesome movie. My fiancé and I have seen it twice and will be back for more. It is refreshing to see science and metaphysics coming together to create a new paradigm and take us further into the realm of possibilities and creating. —Jim Hostler, Chicago, IL

My advice: See the movie and go to the web site. Whatthebleep.com is not only enhances your movie-going experience, but it is designed to expand the horizons of your own real-life knowledge and experience.

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Mary Montgomery-Clifford is a certified web author and developer. Her company, Montgomery Media Enterprises ("Freelancing with Finesse!"), specializes in public relations, events, promotions, writing project and web authoring, development and publicity. Ms. Montgomery-Clifford has a Master's Degree in religious studies from Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS) in June 2002 and is working on a Ph.D. with a focus on the new scholarship of Unlimited Love and the Other Regarding Virtues in the Fall of 2002. She is also in the process of completing the Morris Pratt Institute Course on Modern Spiritualism. Contact her via e-mail at Monty764@aol.com, by phone at 773-235-8821 or at her web site at www.montymedia.com.

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