John Lennon's music becomes a meditation series: understand why

Last Wednesday, the 1st, John Lennon announced the release of nine meditation mixes, which are actually alternative versions of the former Beatle's classic peace and love track, "Mind Games," from 1973.

The series is the result of a partnership with the Lumenate , which aims to help its users meditate. The new tracks, ranging from five to 33 minutes, promise to be an immersive experience.

“Each of the nine meditation mixes has been combined with a unique and deeply immersive light sequence, using carefully selected flickering frequencies to accompany the mind- and mood-altering sound. These unique, mind-altering sequences elevate the musical journey, deepen the sense of relaxation, and allow users to see, hear, and feel the music like never before,” says a statement published on John Lennon .

Different processing techniques were applied to the original tapes, and additional instrumentation was included by producer Sean Ono Lennon , the youngest son of the legendary Beatle.

“My father was known to be interested in meditation. I remember trying out the 'scintillation machine' he kept in his room, which is what first introduced me to the idea of stroboscopic brainwave induction,” Sean recounts.

John's widow, Yoko Ono , also commented on the news: "John was trying to convey the message that we all play mind games. But if we can play mind games, why not create a positive future with it—to be a positive mind game?" she said.

The new mixes are now available in the Lumenate app.

John Lennon and his history with meditation.

Lennon 's history with meditation began in the latter half of the 1960s, when the Beatles, especially George Harrison , began exploring Eastern spirituality. Harrison was influenced by Ravi Shankar , an Indian composer and musician, and by Indian philosophy, leading the Fab Four to experiment with transcendental meditation and other spiritual practices.

In 1967, the quartet traveled to Wales for a spiritual retreat with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi , a renowned Indian guru who taught transcendental meditation. It was during this retreat that the group began to take the practice more seriously.

The experience of meditation had a significant impact on the musician's life, influencing his lyrics and his approach to life. He continued practicing meditation throughout his life, becoming an advocate for the benefits of meditation for the mind and spirit.