George Harrison, most notably remembered as one of The Beatles, gained quite a following because of his spiritual practice and beliefs. Gary Tillery in his 2011 book, “Working Class Mystic: A Spiritual Biography of George Harrison,” writes about the April evening when George was suddenly overwhelmed by emotion so profound that he was quoted as saying, “I felt in love, not with anything or anybody in particular, but with everything. Everything was perfect, in a perfect light, and I had an overwhelming desire to go around the club telling everybody how much I loved them — people I had never seen before.”
Tilley calls George a “working-class mystic” because of his ability to relate to not only gurus and yogis, but also the everyday people of Liverpool and the world. George, in his own way, had found a spiritual path that would lead him from India around the globe and back. But was he a mystic?
“Mystic” is a term that seems sort of foreign today. I mean, aren’t mystics people from long ago that led super saintly lives. How could a rock star be a mystic?
Let’s look at where the word came from and its meaning. Mystic is derived from the Latin mysticus, meaning “secret rites.” In Greek, mystikos means “connected to the mysteries.” The Oxford dictionary defines a mystic as “a person who seeks by contemplation and self-surrender to obtain unity with or absorption into the Deity or the absolute, or who believes in the spiritual apprehension of truths that are beyond the intellect.”
A mystic, therefore, is someone that dives deeply into their own being to find the Divine, or someone who practices sacred rites, which connect to the mysteries of their religion or belief system. Many people believe that one must be born a mystic. Others believe mystics evolved through devotion and enlightenment. Whether by birth or development through time, George’s mysticism — that is to say his ability to connect to the mysteries around him — provided him fertile fields in which to harvest his music.
Like a shooting star flying straight into space, George seemed to have it all, however, his life was not a bed of roses. In addition to the traps of sex, drugs and alcohol found throughout the music industry, George had to come to terms with loss of privacy, attacks on himself and his family, and tragedies that touched the lives of many he loved. Whether he was born a mystic is immaterial. What is important to remember is that searching for the truth within oneself comes at a cost — the demons must be dealt with and George, like the rest of us, had his share.
George Harrison was a devotee of Krishna, one of the Hindu avatars for the Supreme Being. This devotion produced a visible change in him, which even those close to him could see. This change caused some to back away, afraid of who George had become. In the song, “Light That Has Lighted the World,” George seems to recognize this: “So hard to move on/When you’re down in a hole/Where there’s so little chance/to experience soul/I’m grateful to anyone/that is happy or ‘free’/for giving me hope/while I’m looking to see/The light that has lighted the world.”
Through his spiritual journey, George was experiencing the joy of connection to Spirit. Divine connection graces us with strength that endures devastating hardships, graces us with the ability to see beyond the obvious and graces us with Love that knows no boundaries.
Through his music, George’s connection to the Divine can be felt and heard. For instance, when we listen to him and his friends in the Traveling Wilburys play the “End of the Line,” it is not difficult to see Spirit shining through: ‘… Even if you’re old and gray…/you still got something to say…/remember to live and let live…/ the best you can do is forgive.”
“The best you can do is forgive!” Now, those are true words of wisdom. However, this message is far from new. Mystics from other faiths have said the same. For instance, Buddhism teaches, “Judge not they neighbor … never is hate diminished by hatred. It is only diminished by love — this is an eternal law.” In Islam we find, “Forgive thy servant 70 times a day.” And, in the Tao we learn, “Recompense injury with kindness.”
George wasn’t telling us anything new. What George did was recreate this message in a way that was fresh and current. He infused the songs he wrote with the messages that he valued most — unconditional love, forgiveness and peace.
George, the working-class mystic, would tell you, “Little darling, it’s been a long, cold, lonely winter. … It feels like years since it’s been here, (but) Here comes the sun … and I say, it’s all right.”
The Rev. Linda M. Rhinehart Neas is an ordained interfaith minister. She often fills the pulpit in local churches. She maintains an international, online ministry through Facebook (facebook.com/revlindaneas.) She lives in South Deerfield with her beloved, Roger, in their “Enchanted Cottage.”