Posted February 11, 2019
JBFC Mixtapes, Vol. 13: The Meditative Life
by JBFC Marketing Associate Paige Grand Pré
JBFC Mixtapes is a new initiative from the Burns to highlight the music—from soundtracks to scores—that makes the cinematic experience so special. Vol. 13 comes from JBFC Marketing Associate Paige Grand Pré, who compiled a playlist inspired by our annual series The Meditative Life: Consciousness, Meaning, and Connection to help you relax, find peace, increase self-awareness, embrace change, and pursue growth. Listen to the playlist below or save it in Spotify to listen later, then join us for The Meditative Life at the JBFC through Mar. 7!
- “Within You, Without You” by The Beatles – Inspired by From Shock to Awe, Feb. 10: Get ready to tune in, turn on, drop out, and explode with this classic George Harrison tune that acutely highlights the impact of eastern musicians like Ravi Shankar on The Beatles.
- “Sun it Rises” by Fleet Foxes – Inspired by Iyengar: The Man, Yoga, and the Student’s Journey, Feb. 21: A beautiful, melodic song that provides the perfect accompaniment to the next sun salutation sequence in your yoga practice.
- “The World at Large” by Modest Mouse – Inspired by our Awakening Compassion event on Feb. 19, which includes the film Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring: Running the gamut from starting over to feeling inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, this juggernaut from Modest Mouse effortlessly conveys the beautiful and often paradoxical nature of the human experience.
- “Death with Dignity” by Sufjan Stevens – Inspired by Exit Music, Feb. 28: This song—and the entire Sufjan Stevens album Carrie and Lowell (2015) in general—perfectly encapsulate the complexity involved in death, loss, and grief without sacrificing an ounce of artistry in the process. An empathetic choice for anyone struggling to cope with the loss of a loved one.
- “Re: Stacks” by Bon Iver – Inspired by Zen for Nothing, Mar. 7: Featuring the lyric “everything that happens is from now on,” this is one of the most mournful songs about moving on ever produced. Embrace loss—be it of life, love, or otherwise—and the process of grieving with this gorgeously heartbreaking track.
- “The Temptation of Adam” by Josh Ritter – Inspired by Mantra, Mar. 4: This somber love song uses the story of a couple waiting out the nuclear apocalypse in a missile silo to balance enthusiasm for the present with a fear of what the future might hold. It demonstrates how political and public issues can impact the personal—an issue we all struggle with in our highly-connected world, where the news can seem overwhelming at times.
- “Foreigner’s God” by Hozier – Inspired by Tibet: The Trail of Light, Feb. 14: Juxtaposing the intangible beauty of ecstatic religious rituals against individual sentiments of passion and grief, this song centers on the intersection of the spiritual and secular, asking: What makes something holy? What makes a belief valid? How do you convey a belief or faith that is completely impossible to express in words?
- “I Shall Not Walk Alone” by Ben Harper – Inspired by Tibet: The Trail of Light, Feb. 14: Whether you believe in a higher power or not, Ben Harper’s slow guitar ballad expresses gratitude for those who carry us through difficult times, be they earthly or heavenly.
- “Eve, the Apple of My Eye” by Bell X1 – Inspired by Zen for Nothing, Mar. 7: As with Josh Ritter’s “The Temptation of Adam,” this song uses religious allegories to express sentiments of love, loss, despair, and betrayal. A beautiful consideration of whether it’s better to be blissfully ignorant or painfully aware of your emotions.
- “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac – Inspired by Mantra, Mar. 4: The first single from Rumours (1977), an album “written by, for, and about people cheating on each other” (according to comedian John Mulaney), “Go Your Own Way” embraces the reality of growing apart from someone and reckoning with the reality that love is not always enough to prevent change, growth, or separation—for better or for worse.
- “Everything is Everything” by Lauryn Hill – Inspired by our Awakening Compassion event on Feb. 19, which includes the film Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring: With lyrics like “What is meant to be, will be/After winter, must come spring/Change, it comes eventually,” this track from the epochal Lauryn Hill album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) embraces unexpected change, encouraging us to dive headfirst into whatever throws life our way. After all, “nothing is infinite—not even loss” (-Finn Butler).
- “Rains in Asia” by Jump Little Children – Inspired by Ear Yoga: Think With Your Ears, Mar. 3: Tender yet upbeat all at once, this song highlights the shared experiences that connect all of humanity, emphasizing the ways in which—even in distant corners of the globe—all humans experience the same emotional trials and tribulations.
- “Yoga” by Janelle Monae – Inspired by On Yoga: The Architecture of Peace, Feb. 24: Although it features a decidedly different vibe than the rest of the songs on this playlist, there’s no better way to close out this playlist and celebrate the sensuality of yoga than with this absolute banger from the ever-evolving Janelle Monae.
JBFC series The Meditative Life runs Feb. 5-Mar. 7. The Meditative Life is made possible by The Gail Wagner Shenkman Fund and is presented in partnership with The Garrison Institute and the Westchester Buddhist Center.
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