George Harrison: Authentic Pioneer

Reflections on Seeing Scorsese’s Documentary “Living in the Material World”

By Julia D. Stege, MFA      

 “Blessed is he whose fame does not outshine his truth.”  ~ Rabindranath Tagore (One of George Harrison’s favorite poems, read by wife Olivia while accepting her husband’s induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame)

George Harrison was always my favorite Beatle, but he was more than a rock star to me. Looking back it’s difficult to measure the impact George had on my life. As a teenager, I listened endlessly to George’s musical poetry and contemplated the nature of humanity and God. He was the first to introduce me to spirituality. His songs helped me to see beyond the illusion of material reality and into the realm of the divine. 

While watching Martin Scorsese’s new HBO documentary on Harrison’s life called “Living in the Material World” I was reminded of George’s deep mysticism and the courage with which he brought his message to the world.

In the film there’s a clip where George says he thought a lot about whether or not to release his song My Sweet Lord which exposes Harrison’s yearning for oneness with God and extolls his belief that all religions are one.

“I thought a lot of people were going to really hate me because people fear the unknown. I felt like I was putting my neck out on the chopping block. But at the same time I thought ‘Nobody’s saying it …why should I be untrue to myself?’ I came to believe in the importance that if you feel something strong enough, then you should say it.”

Harrison’s courage was rewarded with a #1 single and the satisfaction that millions were being introduced to spirituality through his music. Conformity rarely comes with such rewards.

Harrison’s Example Can Inspire Spiritpreneurs

Many of my clients who are spiritually oriented entrepreneurs fear that marketing their businesses requires a degree of inauthenticity. They fear if they are ‘too honest” they might receive negative feedback by those not ready for their message.

Like George, many of us have worried that we’d get flack for being visionaries, for seeing the world differently, and for insisting on something more real than material accumulation for its own sake. George risked his rock-star status by staying true to his spiritual principles.

Many of us have feared we might lose our businesses if we follow our passion. But I believe the opposite is true. In a world where conscious entrepreneurship is on the rise, millions are seeking an alternative to unconscious materialism. Your unique offering could be the alternative those millions are seeking right now!

On the eve of the 10^th anniversary of his death, let’s be inspired by George Harrison’s pioneering spirit and share our true hearts authentically with the world. Our websites, ezines, blogs, social networks and community gatherings offer us a platform from which to share what is most important to us and to experience the bliss of attracting a following of like-minded, like-hearted fans. Let’s allow our passion to inspire ingenuity and transformation. The world desires, and deserves, nothing less.