Inspiration in a sacred place - Did the message of world peace originate from Ise Forest?
John Lennon’s signature song “Imagine” shocked the world in 1971. A certain “foreign myth” surrounding the creation of the song has been quietly whispered about. The setting is Ise City, Mie Prefecture, Japan. Ise Shrine, where the gods are said to reside. In the sacred area deep in the forest, Lennon received a divine revelation along with marijuana – this urban legend has been passed down secretly among music fans and spiritual enthusiasts.
"The Beatle Attracted to Japan" - John and Eastern Thought
It is widely known that John Lennon was deeply attracted to Japanese culture and Eastern thought. Influenced by his wife Yoko Ono, his work is infused with Zen and Taoism. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, he traveled to India and became immersed in the exploration of mindfulness and spirituality.
According to one theory, he secretly visited Ise Shrine around 1970.
A forbidden ritual? -- "Liberation in the sacred realm"
According to an urban legend, John stayed near the Outer Shrine of Ise Jingu, and in the middle of the night, he sneaked into a deserted area of the shrine and secretly smoked marijuana. The feeling of “oneness with the universe” he felt on the banks of the Isuzu River at that time led to the lyrics of “Imagine.”
“Imagine there’s no heaven / It’s easy if you try…”
The lyrics express a utopian idea that transcends religion and borders. Some believe that this idea resonates in some way with the Shinto concepts of “selflessness,” “coexistence,” and “purification.”
Fiction or truth? The phantom of a sacred place passed down through the generations
Of course, there is no clear evidence for these stories. Ise Shrine is generally off-limits to the public at night, and stories such as a foreign artist smoking marijuana were extremely sensational, given the social situation at the time.
However, it may be that the mystique of John Lennon as a person and the spiritual brilliance of Imagine have created the soil in which such a legend could be born.
Music and Sacred Places: What Lies Behind the "Creation"
John Lennon’s creations are often said to have been dialogues with the “God within.” Even if the story of Ise Shrine was not true, it is certain that he was inspired by Eastern spiritual culture and threw the weapon of “imagination” at the world.
And today too, someone walking through Ise Forest is softly humming “Imagine” – as if the melody is seeping into the wind.
