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General Buddhism => General Buddhism => Topic started by: icy on February 06, 2014, 10:17:10 PM
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British pop star Boy George clashed with a guest at a New York hotel on Wednesday over a complaint about his Buddhist chanting.
February 6, 2014 | 7:26am EST
The Culture Club singer returned to the Eastern religion in 2012 after first becoming interested in it in the 1980s and he credits its practise of chanting with helping him straighten his life out after struggling with drug addiction.
However, a fellow guest at his hotel was not so enamoured with the sounds and reportedly complained that the noise from the singer’s room was causing a disturbance.
Taking to his Twitter.com account, the Karma Chameleon hitmaker writes in a series of posts, “I just got told off for chanting too loud in my hotel room! Ha! Oops!… I think the person who moaned has just had breakfast delivered! I might ring and say ‘Keep it down! I can smell bacon! Lol (laugh out loud)!”
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It's funny that some things,like chanting a mantra, are 'unpleasant and unbearable noise' to one person but ' sound that calms the mind' to another. I believe it's not the sound itself, but the troubled and disturbed mind that interprets the sound of mantra chanting as unwelcome noise.
It's true what Boy George says about the whiff of bacon coming from the hotel guest who had complained about his chanting mantras too loudly.The smell of bacon can be obnoxious to others, and upsetting to vegetarians to whom bacon is the flesh of a being that had been killed to satisfy someone's taste-buds.
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Well, it is quite a funny story. And i am truly happy to know that Boy George had finally straighten his life back with Buddhism. I am not saying that the other religion is not as good but as a Buddhist we know what we can achieve with Buddhism if we practices seriously and consistently. And ultimately we believed the law of nature, the cause and effect which is karma. Example, look at Boy George now as to compare with him 3 years ago physically, isn't this the prove of cause and effect? The cause of having a rich diet without exercise, the effect is definitely unhealthy and becoming a fat person. Very logical.
As for the guest, may his Buddha seeds may blossom very soon.
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Its good news to read that Buddhism have steered another strayed soul back onto the correct path in life. Very true to nature that in this article, something that brings hope and comfort to one might cause irritation and disturbance to another. I like Boy George's response to the complainant on the odor of his breakfast food causing a disturbance to his sense of smell.
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Haha that's hilarious!!! And glad to see BoyGeorge taking it on with such grace and laughter :) I would have expected a rather more diva-ish response from him. But surprisingly not and I'm quite sure this must have been the good that came out of his Buddhist chants hehe.
Good on you BG, and I must say you do look absolutely fabulous! In fact more beautiful than you did before in your hay days ;) Cos now you are beautiful inside and out :) :) :)
Boy George - Boy George: Buddhism has kept me sober
by Bang Showbiz | 08 September 2013
[url]http://www.contactmusic.com/story/boy-george-buddhism-has-kept-me-sober_3854991[/url] ([url]http://www.contactmusic.com/story/boy-george-buddhism-has-kept-me-sober_3854991[/url])
Boy George has credited his new-found belief in Buddhism for helping him stay sober and clean of drugs.
Boy George says Buddhism has helped him stay sober.
The 'Do You Really Want to Hurt Me' hitmaker has struggled with drug addiction throughout his life but he claims his recent commitment to the Eastern religion - which aims to end followers' suffering through the elimination of ignorance and desire - has stopped him from relapsing.
Quizzed on whether he misses drugs, the 52-year-old musician said: ''No. No. I really took that to the ultimate conclusion. The last time I was out doing what we call 'research' I was thoroughly miserable but I couldn't stop myself. This is the curse of being an addict - you do something that's thoroughly unpleasant and you keep doing it. The difference between now and then is I know I'm an addict now.
''I went back to Buddhism last year. I messed around with it in the 80s - it was cosmetic then - but I'm really into it now. Chanting is all about polishing your mirror. What do you want to be? I feel like I'm out of chances; people have forgiven me so much, I can't let them down again.''
([url]http://images.contactmusic.com/newsimages/boy_george_663542.jpg[/url])
The former Culture Club star also reveals he was incredibly inquisitive as a child and constantly questioned his parents - leading the way for his famed boisterous nature when he became famous.
George - who is releasing his first new album of original material for 18 years, 'This Is What I Do', in October - told Q magazine: ''When I was really young, I was very quiet, very self-contained. Then, around the age of eight, it all went to hell. I always wanted to know why I couldn't do something - why I couldn't smoke, why I couldn't swear. I was always told to butt out of adult conversations and mind my own business. From the age of nine to about five years ago, I was out of control. The good news is I've finally grown up. I'm a much nicer kid now.''
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Wow, I find this amazingly amusing, yet worrying. Having worked in the hospitality industry some years ago, Buddhist chanting was definitely not on the top 10 list of complaints about the room next door in a hotel.....
Who knows, maybe Boy George was chanting loudly. Lord knows when I do my practices everyday, I find myself getting louder and louder. lol. In any case kudos.....
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It is good to see more and more people are turning to Buddhism to resolve their issues.. it goes to show that Buddhism is a good tool for relieving peoples suffering. I wish Boy George can be consistent in his practice and set a good example for many to follow.
What he said made sense.. many people started knowing Buddhism in their early days, and kind of brush it aside, thinking it is something mystical.. but only later found out that it is through consistent practice which we can achieve ultimate happiness...
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I grew up listening to Boy George's music. It is great to know that Boy George had sought for refuge in Dharma! His recovery from drug addiction is proof of his faith in Dharma. Boy George will definitely lead a better life than before. Looking forward to his latest album release.
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I was in the UK when Boy George's hit went up to the Top of the Pops. So British. His hit songs were funky then but Boy George's singing career did not take off much since then due to his drug habits. When he said he dabbled into Buddhism in the 1980s, I guess something in Buddhism got stuck in his mind and now returns to seek the truth of himself again. So glad he did turned around, lost weight, healthy living and living a new chapter in his life. It would be great if he release his new album soon and looking forward to them.
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Karma Chameleon was one of my favorite song. Now you all knows my age. LOL.
Anyhow, I rejoice for Boy George. I pray that he keeps it up and do not be the "Chameleon" that he used to be. Buddhism is about peace and if we practice well, we will find peace not just for this life but also for future lives as well.
Also, it will serve Buddhism well and therefore all sentient beings if famous people like Boy George were to transform and lead happy lives and be a shining beacon for Buddhism. It will inspire more to practice Buddhism.
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Boy George is truly amazing, and I love it how he shares with the world about his experience, how his practice has helped him to overcome his negative habits of the past, and on top of that, he is able to maintain and not fall back to these negative habits.
It really is commendable... it is only when someone have hit rock bottom just like Boy George had, he went through so much bad press, he suffered tremendously... and now that he is back on track, a new person... because he have gone through so much and successfully triumph over it, his words have the power to inspire people. I'm sure many people that are going through a situation that is similar or almost similar would be really inspired and wish to try out this route that he have taken... as it obviously proved to work lol!
How strange that some people would go as far as to complain about the sound of chanting... ignorance is truly a scary thing.. and how karma can blind us so deeply that when good things come our way, we reject and complain about it. It is nice however, to see how Boy George handled the situation with just a small sarcasm, light hearten and with a comic expression lol! He truly is a changed man, the previous Boy George... I wonder what that situation would turn out to be, not something nice for sure haha...
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It is not fair for us to pass judgement based on the hotel guest's complaint. We were not there to actually witness the chanting; for all we know the guest was just too senstive to any loud noises. Boy George being a musician may have chanted a wee bit too loud for that guest's liking and he lodged his complaint.
But whatever it is, it was a complaint because of the level of the chanting, NOT because it was Buddhist chanting.
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It is a shame that some people find the calming nature of chanting as disturbing noise! Surely the workings of karma when something as beneficial as chanting can be seen/heard as the opposite. Oh my!
On a lighter note, I am glad Boy George took in in stride and even joked about it on Twitter... the Boy George of before would have gone ballistic! It seems to me the chanting is working!!! :)
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The complains made on Boy George's chanting in the hotel room etc are all just petty matters. The general guideline for chanting (especially in a big group) is to have sound (ie not chant in silence) but the sound/tone should not disturb others around you. I am sure some seeds of Dharma would have been planted in the neighbour's mind and one day with the correct conditions the seeds will open up to benefit this person.
Its also great to know that Boy George is such a keen Buddhist practitioner .
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Boy George has come a long way and it's great to know that he is reconnected back to Buddhism again after a short spell dabbling in Buddhism way back in the 80's. He is a transformed person now; spiritually and physically. It's funny how some people find chanting disturbing and annoying to the extend of making a complaint. But it's good that Boy George took it lightly and even twitted in a humorous way.
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I am really happy that Boy George got a hold of his life and realised that there is something out there much better and worth his effort and time. It did say in the article that the noise was a bit too loud, maybe Boy George was too excited chanting and he forgot he is in a hotel.. 8)
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When going astray through popularity and into drugs and finally realised that Dharma and Buddhism is the best thing that comes to him, it shows his faith in his practice. At least he is leading a healthy lifestyle than before. Hope this will inspire more people to be like him now.
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Why being told off for chanting something nice? Boy George had come a long way really and it is good to see his life being back to the straight line. Must have been Buddhism that made him a transformed person.
Boy George is amazing because he shares about his experience, how his practice has helped him to overcome his negative habits of the past, and on top of that, he is able to maintain and not fall back to these negative habits. Anyhow, we are happy for Boy George. hope that he will keep up with his practice and be liberated from suffering.
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Boy George is blessed to continue his Buddhist practice and clean up his unhealthy lifestyle. Not many people, especially celebrities, live to tell this story. Look at Whitney Houston. She's been struggling to kick out her substance addiction. Unfortunately, she did make it. She didn't have enough merits to overcome her negative karma.
I've seen some of Boy George's recent video interviews. He looked and sounded very grounded, focused and alert. He is definitely more wise, having gone through so much all these years. It's very inspiring to hear people like him come out of the mess they were in and start all over again, ever brighter and stronger. Boy George stated that Buddhism gave him the strength to be back. Kudos!
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Buddhist chanting has been used by a number of famous people to transform their lives, most notably Tina Turner. She is also a longtime Buddhist, having begun her practice in the 1970s while struggling to end an abusive relationship with musician Ike Turner. It is so wonderful that she is at peace with her lifenow and has been positively changed by her faith (Buddhism).
When one is chanting, breathing is slow and refined, resulting to thoughts and emotions are calmed, hence clear states of awareness are naturally experienced. The influence of meditative calmness on the mind and body nurtures the positive effects. It is not only meritorious action but very therapeutic too.