Credit: Danny ClinchJim James will perform at the David Lynch Foundation's Change Begins Within charity event tonight in New York City, which will raise money to provide Transcendental Meditation to those in need. The My Morning Jacket frontman will be joined at the event by former The Police frontman Sting, pop star Katy Perry, comedian Jerry Seinfeld and the foundation's founder, director David Lynch. James believes that the eclecticism of the lineup speaks to the far-reaching nature of the foundation's cause.
"I think David's work has reached so many people, such a broad spectrum," James tells ABC Radio. "I think he's a good connector of bringing people together and trying to spread as much word about TM as he can and get it into schools and prisons and people who need to learn it."
With such a unique lineup, James hopes you'll be able to see a few onstage collaborations at tonight's event. James has played at several David Lynch Foundation benefit concerts dating back to the 2009 event held at New York City's Radio City Music Hall, where he performed alongside folk legend Donovan. He first developed at interest in meditation after injuring himself falling off a stage, and he picked up TM after that 2009 show.
"I think one of the most beautiful things they teach you when you go to learn TM is how when one meditates and transcends, you're kind of at the same level of consciousness as any living being -- as a plant or a deer or another human -- once you turn off your mind and you reach that place," James explains.
As a musician, James has found that TM has become deeply ingrained in his art, and for him, "music is meditation."
"To me that's like the purest place that we all go when we're in the zone or we're in love, they call it The Force in Star Wars, whatever it is where the thinking you is gone and you're not thinking about your groceries or your bills or your problems," James says. "You're just in this zone, you're in this place, and for me that's music."
Of course, practicing TM has affected more than just James' approach to music.
"When I meditate, it opens up more room in my mind and makes me a more peaceful person," he tells ABC Radio. "It's almost like there's more energy to go around and I have more energy to dedicate to everything in my life, not just music, but just life itself."
The David Lynch Foundation's Change Begins Within benefit concert will be held tonight, November 4, at New York City's Carnegie Hall. Proceeds from the event will go toward the foundation's Meditate New York initiative to provide TM training to 10,000 New Yorkers, including at-risk youth and veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress.
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