The Story Behind Awakening Mind Films
An expanding collection of documentaries exploring consciousness, awakening and the nature of who we are...
When we began this journey in 2022, we couldn’t have imagined where it would lead. What started as a conversation between Leif Heimbold and myself, later joined by Dan Schmidt and Leif’s brother Eric, grew into a vision to create documentary films about awakening — capturing conversations with some of the world’s most respected spiritual teachers, scientists, philosophers, and mystics of our time. What began as a single film project soon revealed itself as something far greater.
From behind the lens to the editing room, from the first question to the final cut, we discovered we weren’t creating these films — the films were creating themselves through us. Like brushstrokes on a blank canvas, each interview became a palpable transmission, each frame a whisper from consciousness itself. The storylines emerged not from planning, but from Presence. What was revealed was not just information, but direct invitations to wake up.
Our first three documentaries — Know ThySelf, The Mind Unveiled, and Liberation — form the Awakening Mind trilogy, a journey into the nature of consciousness and the truth of who we are.
With Liberation, we completed the trilogy, bringing its central message to its fullest expression. If the earlier films pointed toward the doorway, Liberation invites you to step fully through it. It may be that one word, one glance, one moment within these films ignites something within you that cannot be undone — what ancient texts have described as awakening “in the twinkling of an eye.”
And yet, the journey continues...
Our fourth documentary, Turiya: The Life and Teachings of Ramana Maharshi, brings us into the life and timeless wisdom of one of the most revered spiritual teachers of modern times. Through Ramana’s extraordinary awakening, his profound silence, and his direct teaching of Self-Inquiry — “Who am I?” — the film points beyond the mind and the illusion of separation to the eternal Self. At its heart is the liberating message that what we are seeking is already here, at the very core of our being.
Each film offers a unique doorway into the same timeless truth, and together they reflect our ongoing dedication to sharing the wisdom of awakening with the world.
This has been a sacred and deeply meaningful experience for all of us on the team. From the producers and writers to the camera crew, editors, tech support, and donors, we are humbled to be part of this unfolding journey and to share it with you.
We invite you to approach these films with a beginner’s mind — empty, open, and free of expectation. Let go of what you think you know and allow yourself to be touched by the ineffable. Whether this is your first encounter or your tenth revisit, each viewing offers something new.
If you feel moved by what you experience, please share these films with your friends and family. Your word-of-mouth may be the spark that lights the path for someone else.
And if you feel inspired to support the ongoing creation of these documentaries, you can do so by clicking the Donate option on this site. Your generosity helps us continue to bring these transmissions of awakening to the world.
Thank you for walking with us.
With deep love and gratitude,
Bill Free (Rishi)
Executive Producer, Awakening Mind Films
