"John Bush has a unique and inspired vision of the art of documentary film”
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS BOSTON
INTO THE HEART OF INDIA
is an immersive journey to ancient sites; a cultural portrait offering
an experience of openness and interconnection.
BODHGAYA
Experience a vast landscape with luminous paths, the inspired diversity of spiritual India from a western seeker’s point of view.
NANDA DEVI HIMALAYAS (25,643 ft)
Landscape and Scope
Traveling over 2,500 miles—from the snows of the Himalayas to the temple-dotted shores of India’s southern tip—INTO THE HEART OF INDIA offers a rare view of the nation’s sacred geography. The series becomes a cinematic pilgrimage, honoring the beauty of India’s spiritual diversity. What unfolds is a radiant tapestry of landscape, tradition, and the human heart.
Origins and Relevance
INTO THE HEART OF INDIA brings ancient wisdom into the rhythm of modern life, offering a journey that moves both inward and across sacred land. Yoga, meditation, and mindfulness—now embraced around the world—arose in India as paths not of escape, but of return. They lead one into presence, into stillness, into the quiet unfolding of the heart. This cinematic journey brings one to their source—to the forests, rivers, and temples where breath became prayer, movement became offering, and silence became knowing.
JOHN BUSH AMARNATH KASHMIR 1971
Seeker
In 1969, John Bush—an anti-war artist—left behind a restless America in search of something deeper than resistance: peace. Drawn to India, he found a world alive with spiritual depth and open-hearted welcome. For two years, he immersed himself in hatha yoga, bhakti devotion, and mindfulness meditation. Alongside other Western seekers, he lived and practiced within India’s revered pilgrimage centers under the direct guidance of his guru Neemkaroli Baba, later known to the world through Be Here Now.
Filmmaker Returns
Now, more than five decades later, John Bush returns—not only as a pilgrim, but as a respected filmmaker—still deeply connected to the sacred pulse of India. With two talented Indian film professionals and a spirit of gratitude he sets out on pilgrimage once again. The result is INTO THE HEART OF INDIA: a cinematic offering shaped by lived experience, cultural respect, and the quiet hope that these timeless traditions touch something vital in the viewer.
“As large as the universe is, so large is the space within the heart. Both heaven and earth are contained within it, both fire and air, sun and moon, lightning and stars.”
THE CHANDOGYA UPANISHAD
RADHA & krishna
“When a person responds to the joys and sorrows of others as If they were their own, they have attained the highest state of spiritual union.”
THE BHAGAVAD GITA
JOHN BUSH - DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
Every human being is born a pilgrim - on a unique, lifelong journey of the spirit.
INTO THE HEART OF INDIA is a six-part cinematic series exploring India’s sacred geography through the enduring tradition of pilgrimage. Filmed over a year, along with two Indian film professionals, this non-sectarian series offers an immersive portrait of a spiritual culture that is ancient yet vividly alive in the present. For thousands of years, pilgrims have walked these sacred paths, passing a quiet flame of devotion from one generation to the next. That living continuity has shaped a profound spiritual landscape - one that still resonates across India today.
This series uncovers universal truths embedded in India’s diverse spiritual heritage. While I am not affiliated with any religion, I have been deeply nourished by these traditions and feel compelled to share their relevance for today’s audiences. The intention is not to promote any belief system, but to open a window into the practice of pilgrimage that inspires connection, introspection, and unity.
THE RIVER GANGES
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT Continued
At the heart of Indian thought lies a profound paradox: nirvana and samsara - the divine and the delusional - existing both in the world and within each of us. Pilgrimage has long served as a transformative act to awaken and reconcile these aspects of being.
The series is not only a visual journey through sacred sites—it is a meditation on the timeless human search for meaning. Through the intimacy of pilgrims’ faces and the depth of India’s spiritual legacy, INTO THE HEART OF INDIA welcomes viewers to reflect on their own inner journey.
After all, one reason we go on pilgrimage is to remember that we are already on one - together.
