The unexpected 2009 death of pre-eminent pop music icon Michael Jackson sent shock waves around the world, affecting fans, admirers, and critics alike. Jackson's music inspired millions in virtually every nation on Earth, and despite a troubled personal life, his positive message of hope and triumph against adversity will live on in his musical and cultural legacy.
Michael Jackson's songs and interviews often contained what many perceive to be spiritual themes. Although Jackson was raised as a Jehovah's Witness, he often seemed to reach beyond that tradition and embrace a more "universal" flavor of spirituality. In many ways, the ideas Jackson expressed are similar to those found in the traditions of Buddhism and Taoism.
One With Everything - Michael Jackson's Creative Consciousness
In a piece called "The Dance," from the inlay sleeve of his 1991 album Dangerous, Jackson writes:
"Consciousness expresses itself through creation. This world we live in is the dance of the Creator. Dancers come and go in the twinkling of an eye but the dance lives on. On many an occasion when I am dancing, I have felt touched by something sacred. In those moments, I felt my spirit soar and become one with everything that exists. I become the stars and the moon. I become the lover and the beloved. I become the victor and the vanquished. I become the master and the slave. I become the singer and the song. I become the knower and the known. I keep on dancing and then, it is the eternal dance of creation. The Creator and the creation merge into one wholeness of joy. I keep on dancing — until there is only ... the dance."
The flavor of Jackson's writing here is unmistakably Eastern. Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism all point to this fundamental "oneness" experience in very similar terms. In these traditions, one is taught to identify with the creative essence of life to the point that one's own identity merges with this universal creativity. Although it is unclear whether Jackson had any significant background in Eastern spiritual philosophy, the passage above is almost indistinguishable from similar writings by authors such as Alan Watts, who helped popularize these concepts in the West.
Michael Jackson's View on the Creative Process
In a similar vein, Jackson expressed his thoughts on the source of his prodigious creativity in a 1983 Rolling Stone interview:
"I wake up from dreams and go, 'Wow, put this down on paper.' The whole thing is strange. You hear the words, everything is right there in front of your face. And you say to yourself, 'I'm sorry, I just didn't write this. It's there already.' That's why I hate to take credit for the songs I've written. I feel that somewhere, someplace, it's been done and I'm just a courier bringing it into the world. I really believe that."
In many Eastern spiritual traditions, individual creativity is seen as a process of accessing the universal creative principle which exists within all places and times. Jackson's approach to the creative process is consistent with these traditions, and reflects a belief that the source of individual creativity is not oneself, but the greater reality beyond, of which one is merely an aspect.
Healing the World - Michael Jackson as Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, the concept of the Bodhisattva is an important element of the spiritual tradition. The Bodhisattva is an enlightened being who has chosen to remain among the people of the world in order to cultivate wisdom and compassion.
While it would be difficult to argue that Jackson, a complicated man who seems to have had little experience with such Buddhist concepts, could be called a "enlightened being" in the traditional sense, it is nonetheless true that much of his music did express values many Buddhists would readily embrace.
For example, these lyrics from Can You Feel It, a song on 1980's Triumph album, are a call for compassion and mutual understanding:
All the colors of the world should be / Loving each other wholeheartedly / Yes, it's alright. / Take my message to your brother and tell him twice, / Spread the word and try to teach the man / Who's hating his brother when hate won't do, / When we're all the same, / 'Cause the blood inside me is inside of you.
Similarly, the following lyrics from Heal The World (Dangerous, 1991) convey a similar message:
Heal the world, make it a better place, / For you and for me and the entire human race, / There are people dying, but if you care enough for the living, / Make a better place for you and for me.
Finally, who can forget We Are The World, which united famous recording artists of all genres and backgrounds in an effort to relieve human misery in the world's poorest regions?
Michael Jackson's Legacy
Although his personal life and career were repeatedly marred by complex and sometimes disturbing elements, Jackson's music often embodied a message of hope and compassion - a message which reached many millions of people around the world.
While Jackson is unlikely to be considered a Bodhisattva in the traditional Buddhist sense, his life and his irrepressible creativity suggest a connection with the sort of universal spiritual values celebrated not only in Eastern traditions, but in the hearts and minds of people everywhere.
James Quirk - I have been studying and practicing Eastern and Western philosophy on an independent basis for over ten years, with an emphasis on ...
Join the Conversation