10 Best Spiritual Documentaries Streaming on Gaia
Challenges abound today, both individually and collectively. As a result, many people continue to search for answers, guidance, or information to help them cope, grow, and transcend. Spiritual documentaries are a beneficial resource to help with this, showing us more and more about the universe and our role within it. Use them to expand your awareness, heal from emotional trauma, and change your life for the better. To help begin or continue on your journey, Gaia offers a vast collection of spiritual documentaries and films to choose from.
As an on-demand streaming service, Gaia offers subscribers the largest resource found online today for consciousness-expanding video content. The platform shares informative and creative films, original shows, and yoga and meditation classes.
Wherever you are in your journey or starting one, these resources are helpful and even life-transforming. Below is a list of the ten best titles to check out today.
The best spiritual documentaries include:
Must Watch Top 10 List
Although different topics and documentaries will attract different individuals, the following list of the 10 best spiritual documentaries on Gaia will set you on a path to discovery. Get started on these must-watch films today and see where it leads you next.
1. Chasing the Present
Searching for a way out of crippling anxiety, panic attacks, and fear, successful entrepreneur James Sebastiano decides to embark on a worldwide, life-changing journey of self-discovery and documents what he finds in his film, Chasing the Present.
Along the way, he listens to thought leaders from a variety of backgrounds, becoming immersed in plant medicine and meditation. This documentary includes interviews with experts including Zelda Hall (psychotherapist), Graham Hancock (journalist), Alex Grey (artist), and Gary Weber (meditation and yoga teacher).
Sebastiano finds that no one is immune to mental health issues and anxiety while discovering that true happiness and beauty lies in the struggle inherent to the human condition. A Best Documentary winner at the Chelsea Film Festival, Chasing the Present is one of the best documentaries on spiritual awakening.
Year Released: 2019
Length: 1 hour, 33 minutes
Director: Mark Waters
2. Becoming Nobody
Becoming Nobody encompasses the life and teachings of Harvard professor Richard Alpert, who later became known as the spiritual guru Ram Dass, presented in stories, archival footage, and engaging interviews with director Jamie Catto. Ram Dass explains how the majority of human beings are born into the “somebody” type of training and that choosing to become nobody instead will release you from the overarching demands of the ego and lead to ultimate freedom.
Ram Dass bridges the gap between Eastern and Western philosophies, sharing his discoveries of truth and wisdom learned during his travels throughout India. In this documentary, he reveals how disguises and old roles become much like a prison to us. To free ourselves, we must move past these definitions of who we are or are meant to be.
Release Date: 2019
Length: 1 hour, 22 minutes
Director: Jamie Catto
3. Awake: The Life of Yogananda
Discover how the concept of spiritual living and the practice of yoga came to America in the 1920s with the arrival of Paramahansa Yogananda, and learn how influential his teachings still are today. Yogananda was the first to bring Eastern teachings into the West and provided an inspiring example of how all people can live with authenticity and purpose.
Throughout the film, you’ll explore the teachings by the author of the spiritual classic Autobiography of a Yogi, accompanied by interviews with yoga teachers, students, and scientists. You’ll hear from spiritual thought leaders, including Deepak Chopra, Ravi Shankar, and Krishna Da. You’ll also hear from physicist and Harvard Professor Dr. Anita Goel, as well as modern-day followers of Yogananda’s teachings, such as musician George Harrison. Within these interviews, you’ll gain an understanding of the profound impact his teachings have had and continue to have today for any spiritual seeker.
Year Released: 2014
Length: 1 hour, 27 minutes
Directors: Paola de Florio and Lisa Leeman
4. Finding Joe
Mythologist, philosopher, and American author Joseph Campbell coined the concept of “the hero’s journey,” depicting an archetype found deep within all stories. In this inspiring and uplifting spiritual documentary, writer, producer, and director Patrick Takaya Solomon examines Campbell’s life and work by showcasing the wisdom of notable names, including Deepak Chopra, Rashida Jones, Robin Sharma, and many others.
Taking it a step further and centering in on Campbell’s “follow your bliss” advice, interviews with skateboarder Tony Hawk, drummer Mick Fleetwood, and pro-surfer Laird Hamilton provide more insight into the hero’s journey and what it means for them.
Overall, Finding Joe is an inspirational film that reveals the journey we all must take in order to discover our purpose.
Year Released: 2011
Length: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Director: Patrick Takaya Solomon
5. What the BLEEP Do We Know!?
The What the BLEEP Do We Know!? film is one of the most successful spiritual documentaries of all time.
At the center of the story is Amanda (Marlee Martin), a neuroscientist whose life seemingly begins to unravel after the death of a friend. As she enters into the unexpected quantum field that hides behind what is considered reality, Amanda struggles with her newfound spiritual abilities and the true nature of reality.
Mystics and scientists, share ideas and wisdom on quantum physics, quantum mechanics, neurology, evolutionary thought, and spirituality, all leading to an interwoven conclusion explaining how all things are connected. A combination of story, inspiring animations, and visuals, this film elicits an Alice in Wonderland effect that will leave you thinking.
Year Released: 2004
Length: 1 hour, 48 minutes
Directors: Mark Vicente, Betsy Chasse, William Arntz
6. I AM
In an attempt to understand what is so wrong with this world and what can be done about it, successful filmmaker and comedian Tom Shadyac embarks on a journey for answers by seeking out spiritual and intellectual leaders across the globe. He shares eye-opening discussions with philosophers, religious leaders, scientists, and more, finding answers about the nature of humanity, the escalating attachment to materialism, and the important role of human connection.
Those he interviews include historian and playwright Howard Zinn, intention author Lynne McTaggart, linguistics professor Noam Chomsky, evolutionary biologist Elisabet Sahtouris, geneticist David Suzuki, and South African Anglican Bishop and Theologian Desmond Tutu.
Year Released: 2011
Length: 1 hour, 17 minutes
Director: Tom Shadyac
7. Unlocking the Secret
Returning to the law of attraction many learned about in Rhonda Byrne’s successful book and movie, The Secret, this documentary film digs in deeper.
Follow along as three college students embark on a journey to investigate the truth behind the law of attraction phenomenon and experience what they unexpectedly discover along the way. You’ll hear from compelling religious, scientific, and spiritual leaders as they share what makes the law of attraction work, why it sometimes fails to work, and ways to avoid mistakes so that you can use it to the fullest.
From understanding how negative thoughts and limiting beliefs influence your subconscious to the impact of positive thoughts on your life, this film shares what you can do to improve the outcomes.
Year Released: 2008
Run time: 58 minutes
Director: David Priest
8. The Reality of Truth
Could ancient wisdom and spiritual practices be the solution to today’s modern problems? Find out as you join the journey to explore the myths surrounding reality in this documentary guided by Mike Zapolin and Michelle Rodriguez.
Explore the relationship between religion, spirituality, and the healing potential of plant medicines such as Ayahuasca, which is used by ancient cultures throughout the world. You’ll also hear from spiritual leaders, including Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, Ram Dass, Bruce Lipton, Michael Beckwith, and more. The Reality of Truth was the winner of the Van Gogh Award at the 2016 Amsterdam Film Festival and continues to be one of the most thought-provoking documentaries streaming online today.
Year Released: 2016
Length: 1 hour, 9 minutes
Director: Laurent Levy and Mike Zapolin
9. Yogic Paths
In this docuseries, Gaia takes you on a trip across India, exploring mystical landscapes and ashrams while providing insight into various yoga traditions through unprecedented conversations with spiritual leaders.
These interviews will speak to your heart and provide encouragement to pursue your own journey of self-discovery, helping you go beyond the physical and ordinary to guide you to true freedom.
Year Released: 2017
Length: Varies
Producer: Tatyanna Wright
10. Kalachakra: The Enlightenment
Kalachakra, or “the wheel of time,” is the highest initiation within Tibetan Buddhism. This secretive ceremony, often led by the Dalai Lama, is rarely filmed, which makes this documentary an important addition to the available spiritual resources today.
The story begins with a woman who suffers the loss of a sister early in life and, once older, begins to question what purpose her life has in this world. Set in the vibrant location of Dharamsala, India, the woman, as well as three individuals with differing backgrounds, begin to face their fears as the transformational power of the initiation and spiritual experience approaches. During the ritual, they each enter into an unknown and ancient dimension, which will change them forever.
Year Released: 2017
Length: 1 hour, 24 minutes
Director: Natalie Fuchs
Start Your Spiritual Journey with Gaia
On your journey of self-discovery and personal growth, spiritual movies can be beneficial by providing new ways of looking at reality and learning how to live a more meaningful life.
With access to Gaia’s streaming service, you can choose from our Spiritual Growth collection of videos and watch them at your own pace.
About the Author
Name Numerology: What Your Name Says About You
Your name has been with you from the beginning: you hear it, sign it, respond to it, and carry it through every stage of your life. Rarely, however, do you stop to look at it closely. Numerology proposes exactly that: observing it not only as a form of identification, but as a key that can reveal aspects of your deeper identity.
In this article, we explore what your name reveals about you, which main numbers arise from it, and how to calculate them step by step.
Table of Contents
- Numerology and Its Relationship With Names
- The Three Main Numbers of Your Name
- How to Calculate the Numbers of Your Name Step by Step
- What Name Numerology Is For
Numerology and Its Relationship With Names
Numerology begins with a very ancient idea: that numbers are not only used to measure or count, but also hold a meaning of their own. Each digit, from 1 to 9, is associated with a set of specific qualities. The name is one of the elements this discipline uses as the basis for its interpretation, because it turns something as everyday as your letters into a symbolic key to who you are.
To arrive at that meaning, it starts from a simple principle: each letter corresponds to a number. In this way, your full name stops being only a set of sounds and becomes a sequence of digits that can be added together and interpreted. That sequence, once deciphered, begins to speak about your way of being.
There is something particular about working with the name: you did not choose it yourself, it was given to you at birth and, over time, became inseparable from who you are. Numerology uses it as a starting point to talk about you. What it offers, ultimately, is one more language for knowing yourself.
In the episode Numerology from the series The Other Side, available on Gaia, numbers are explored as a symbolic language for better understanding personal experience. There, numerology is presented not as a form of divination, but as a tool for observing who you are, how you show up in the world, and what patterns appear on your path.
The Three Main Numbers of Your Name
When working with the full name, there are three numbers that are considered especially important: the Destiny or Expression Number, the Soul Urge Number, and the Personality Number. Each one is calculated using a different part of the name and reveals a specific dimension of your way of being.
It may help to think of them as three levels of interpretation. One speaks of your visible potential, another of your inner motivation, and another of the image you project. They do not compete with each other: they complement one another.
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The Destiny or Expression Number
The Destiny Number, also called the Expression Number, is calculated by adding all the letters of the full name. It is one of the broadest numbers in the analysis because it takes the entirety of the name into account, not just one part.
It is related to your talents, abilities, and personal resources. It speaks of the way you tend to act, create, solve, build, or communicate when you express your potential with greater clarity.
It does not indicate a fixed destiny or a series of inevitable events. Rather, it points to the tools you have available to move forward on your path and the way you can develop what is already within you.
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The Soul Urge Number
The Soul Urge Number is calculated only with the vowels of the full name. In numerology, vowels are associated with a person’s innermost dimension: what they desire, value, and need in order to feel aligned.
This number can help you recognize what truly moves you, even when you do not express it in an obvious way. Sometimes it appears in quiet decisions: a choice that may seem illogical from the outside, but feels necessary within.
It can also reveal tensions between what you deeply want and what you do out of habit, obligation, or external expectation. That is why it is often a very useful number for reviewing motivations, relationships, and important decisions.
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The Personality Number
The Personality Number is obtained from the consonants of the full name. Unlike the Soul Urge Number, it does not focus on what you feel inside, but on the way you show yourself to the outside world.
This number describes the first impression you can create, the type of energy you communicate, and certain traits that others often perceive easily. Depending on the result, it can speak of a more reserved, firm, sensitive, creative, practical, or expansive image.
Knowing it does not mean adjusting your behavior to be more pleasing to others. It helps you observe whether the way you are perceived matches what you feel you are, or whether there is something in the way you express yourself that you could refine in order to relate with greater authenticity.
How to Calculate the Numbers of Your Name Step by Step
To calculate these numbers, you first need to convert each letter into its corresponding value according to the Pythagorean table. Then you make different sums depending on the number you want to obtain: all the letters for the Destiny or Expression Number, only the vowels for the Soul Urge Number, and only the consonants for the Personality Number.
The process is simple, but it is best to do it calmly. Write your full name, separate vowels and consonants, and check each letter before adding. In names with accents or special characters, the base letter is usually used for numerological calculations.
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The Pythagorean Table Letter by Letter
The Pythagorean table assigns a number from 1 to 9 to each letter of the alphabet. The full correspondence is as follows:
- 1: A, J, S
- 2: B, K, T
- 3: C, L, U
- 4: D, M, V
- 5: E, N, W
- 6: F, O, X
- 7: G, P, Y
- 8: H, Q, Z
- 9: I, R
With this table, you can convert any name into a numerical sequence. Then, you only have to add and reduce the result until you obtain a number from 1 to 9, unless a master number appears: 11, 22, or 33.
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Practical Example With a Full Name
Let’s take the name Olivia Carter as an example. First, each letter is replaced by its numerical value:
O (6) + L (3) + I (9) + V (4) + I (9) + A (1) + C (3) + A (1) + R (9) + T (2) + E (5) + R (9)
The total sum is:
6 + 3 + 9 + 4 + 9 + 1 + 3 + 1 + 9 + 2 + 5 + 9 = 61
6 + 1 = 7
In this case, the Destiny or Expression Number is 7.
To calculate the Soul Urge Number, only the vowels are taken:
O (6) + I (9) + I (9) + A (1) + A (1) + E (5) = 31
3 + 1 = 4
The Soul Urge Number is 4.
To calculate the Personality Number, only the consonants are taken:
L (3) + V (4) + C (3) + R (9) + T (2) + R (9) = 30
3 + 0 = 3
The Personality Number is 3. In this way, the same name offers three different readings: one about the potential for expression, another about inner motivation, and another about the image projected toward others.
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What to Do With Master Numbers (11, 22, and 33)
Master numbers in numerology are 11, 22, and 33. When a sum reaches one of these results, it is not reduced further. That is, if by adding the letters you obtain 11, you do not turn it into 2; if you obtain 22, you do not turn it into 4; and if you obtain 33, you do not turn it into 6.
These numbers are interpreted as vibrations of greater symbolic intensity. This means they may indicate a broader potential, but also more demanding challenges when it comes to integrating that energy into everyday life. They do not indicate that a person is “better” or “more advanced”; they simply require a more careful reading.
It is also useful to remember that each master number contains the base of its reduction: 11 is linked to 2, 22 to 4, and 33 to 6. That is why, when interpreting them, both their elevated qualities and their simpler, everyday expressions are observed.
What Name Numerology Is For
Knowing the numbers that arise from your full name can be a form of self-knowledge. This does not mean that every description will match you exactly, or that you should adjust yourself to a fixed interpretation. It works more like a mirror: it shows you certain tendencies so you can observe them, question them, and understand yourself better.
This reading can help you distinguish between what moves you inside, what you express through your actions, and what others perceive in you. Perhaps you discover that your Soul Urge Number points to a need for stability, while your Personality Number projects a much more changeable or restless image. That difference can give you clues as to why others sometimes expect an energy from you that does not always match what you truly need.
It can also be useful when making decisions. You can ask yourself: Does this respond to what truly moves me? Does it allow me to use my abilities? Does the way I am presenting myself reflect what I want to communicate? The answers do not depend only on a number, but the calculation can give you a concrete reference point from which to look more honestly.
As with the birth chart, numerology does not replace your discernment or fully define who you are. It offers a symbolic language for looking at your experience from another angle. Used with discernment, it can help you recognize patterns, organize inner questions, and make decisions that are more aligned with who you are, not only with what others expect to see in you.
