Psychomagic: A Healing Art

I absolutely loved this but if you don’t know the magical realism of brown-red people, have not devoured at least one of Jodorowsky's books nor appreciated at least one of his films, do not know what the Theosophical Society is, and reside outside of the esoteric art circles of Mexico, and Paris you will not understand Psychomagic  it is rooted in the Indigenous shamanism of Mexico, fulled  with magical realism, and branded by mister Alejandro Jodorowsky.

I absolutely loved this but if you don’t know the magical realism of brown-red people, have not devoured at least one of Jodorowsky's books nor appreciated at least one of his films, do not know what the Theosophical Society is, and reside outside of the esoteric art circles of Mexico, and Paris you will not understand Psychomagic  it is rooted in the Indigenous shamanism of Mexico, fulled  with magical realism, and branded by mister Alejandro Jodorowsky.

Jodorowsky is a truly remarkable human. Not only does his art move and heal others, but he himself embodies a rare, profound empathy—his mind and spirit are unlike any other. The Psychomagic practices may seem “odd” at first glance, yet each one carries deep meaning and transformative power. Even the gestures that appear superficial have profoundly helped those who were suffering. Jodorowsky proves that art can heal, and Psychomagic is living proof of this truth. Watching it is less about entertainment and more about experiencing the generosity of a uniquely compassionate mind.

I love Mr Jodorowsky—he is a genuinely special human, and he has moved me more deeply than words could ever describe.

**JODOROWSKY RANKED**

Jodorowsky is a truly remarkable human. Not only does his art move and heal others, but he himself embodies a rare, profound empathy—his mind and spirit are unlike any other. The Psychomagic practices may seem “odd” at first glance, yet each one carries deep meaning and transformative power. Even the gestures that appear superficial have profoundly helped those who were suffering. Jodorowsky proves that art can heal, and Psychomagic is living proof of this truth. Watching it is less about entertainment and more about experiencing the generosity of a uniquely compassionate mind.

I love Mr Jodorowsky—he is a genuinely special human, and he has moved me more deeply than words could ever describe.

**JODOROWSKY RANKED**

The movie feels more like an infomercial than a documentary. The rituals Jodorowsky comes up with are interesting and some of his patients benefit from participating in them but his method is still unconvincing because he doesn't allow the audience to spend enough time with his subjects. As the movie progressed, I began to ask myself questions like: Why doesn't Jodorowsky ever struggle to cure someone? Are there times where Psychomagic doesn't work? What are the limits of this practice? None of these questions are answered and we are left with a shallow image of Psychomagic.

Near the end of the movie, he introduces an old woman who is deeply depressed. She expresses her suffering beautifully. You immediately get a sense of the immensity of her pain and you can tell that she's been stewing in it for many many years, you can see it on her face, you can see it in her eyes, and you can hear it in her voice. It's quite sad. So, you really want Jodorowsky to help this woman. And, of course, he comes up with a plan to alleviate her pain. She is to water a nearby tree everyday for a few weeks. He tries to get her to rise above her existence and tells her that by making an offering to this ancient tree, their existences will be intertwined and she will continue to live on after death through this tree. The woman acts out the ritual, goes back home, hugs Jodorowsky, the end. She is unaffected. Jodorowsky doesn't check back in after a couple weeks to show us if her condition has improved after the conclusion of the treatment so we don't know what happens with her. I get the feeling that she wasn't cured. In this case, Jodorowsky doesn't show us the power of Psychomagic, he simply asks us to take it on faith. This is where he lost me. With the other patients, he takes us up high to outrageous places and then brings us back down to see how the conscious mind has been tamed by the subconscious. That is Psychomagic. When it comes to this woman, he refuses to bring us back down. Instead, he cuts away. What's the point of making a movie if you're unwilling to show the audience what happened? I'm conflicted, it feels like Jodorowsky is approaching these people honestly but he is dishonestly presenting these encounters to the audience.

The movie feels more like an infomercial than a documentary. The rituals Jodorowsky comes up with are interesting and some of his patients benefit from participating in them but his method is still unconvincing because he doesn't allow the audience to spend enough time with his subjects. As the movie progressed, I began to ask myself questions like: Why doesn't Jodorowsky ever struggle to cure someone? Are there times where Psychomagic doesn't work? What are the limits of this practice? None of these questions are answered and we are left with a shallow image of Psychomagic.

Near the end of the movie, he introduces an old woman who is deeply depressed. She expresses her suffering beautifully. You immediately get a sense of the immensity of her pain and you can tell that she's been stewing in it for many many years, you can see it on her face, you can see it in her eyes, and you can hear it in her voice. It's quite sad. So, you really want Jodorowsky to help this woman. And, of course, he comes up with a plan to alleviate her pain. She is to water a nearby tree everyday for a few weeks. He tries to get her to rise above her existence and tells her that by making an offering to this ancient tree, their existences will be intertwined and she will continue to live on after death through this tree. The woman acts out the ritual, goes back home, hugs Jodorowsky, the end. She is unaffected. Jodorowsky doesn't check back in after a couple weeks to show us if her condition has improved after the conclusion of the treatment so we don't know what happens with her. I get the feeling that she wasn't cured. In this case, Jodorowsky doesn't show us the power of Psychomagic, he simply asks us to take it on faith. This is where he lost me. With the other patients, he takes us up high to outrageous places and then brings us back down to see how the conscious mind has been tamed by the subconscious. That is Psychomagic. When it comes to this woman, he refuses to bring us back down. Instead, he cuts away. What's the point of making a movie if you're unwilling to show the audience what happened? I'm conflicted, it feels like Jodorowsky is approaching these people honestly but he is dishonestly presenting these encounters to the audience.