Divine Inspiration: The Effect of Spirituality in Acting

The late 1960s were a time of experimentation with social values and leisure pursuits. Though leading British bands such the Beatles could thrive on their musical talent alone, they opted to explore and embrace the benefits of traditional Eastern teaching, particularly through Transcendental Meditation as professed by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi of northern India. The band’s creativity and productivity escalated during this point in their career and contributed to the movement against substance abuse and the promotion of Transcendental Meditation into Western audiences. In fact, George Harrison incorporated various aspects of Indian culture into his songwriting and his Hand Made film titles during the late 1970s. His lyrics reflected Hindu principles and were recorded using Indian style instruments. Some of these collaborations appeared during his work with the Beatles but also manifested independently with support of the Hare Krishna movement and an early form of the benefit concert; the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh with Ravi Shankar. Upon his death in 2001, his ashes were spread across the Ganges and Yamuna rivers of India in accordance with Hindu practice. In the same manner, how does an actor’s religious preference permeate into the performance, if not, his private or public life? Some performers to consider: Tom Cruise and his claim that the Church of Scientology helped him overcome dyslexia, Richard Gere practicing Buddhism and his subsequent endorsement of the Dalai Lama, followers of the Kabbalah Centre including notables such as Madonna, Demi Moore, Elizabeth Taylor, and Paris Hilton.