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Duncan Sheik, '90s Rocker Turned Broadway Composer

Nov 2, 2016 45m 6s 14 insights
Duncan Sheik first made a name for himself in the mid-90s with the hit song, "Barely Breathing," and has since reinvented himself as a Broadway composer. He won two Tonys and a Grammy Award for music he composed for the smash Broadway hit, "Spring Awakening," and he also composed music for Broadway's "American Psycho." But when Sheik first started out, performing on stage made him very nervous and it wasn't until he was introduced to Nichiren Buddhism, which involves the practice of a form of mantra meditation, that he got over his fears.
Actionable Insights

1. Prioritize Self-Care for Panic Prevention

Practice preventive self-care by avoiding excessive coffee, getting enough sleep, and exercising to significantly reduce the likelihood of panic attacks.

2. Quit Cocaine to Prevent Panic

Quit cocaine use to prevent or significantly reduce panic attacks, as it can be a major exacerbating factor.

3. Practice Nichiren Buddhist Chanting Daily

Chant ‘Nam-myoho-renge-kyo’ aloud every morning and evening, for 15 minutes to an hour or longer, ideally with a gohonzon (mandala), to develop vocal control, overcome performance anxiety, and foster hope and creative energy.

4. Engage in Direct Spiritual Practice

Actively sit down and practice spiritual disciplines, rather than just intellectually studying them, to experience powerful, life-changing effects on your karma, mission, and destiny.

5. Intensify Chanting for Deeper Effect

Chant for longer durations, such as an hour, to achieve a more intense effect compared to shorter periods, potentially leading to increased hopefulness, creative energy, and excitement for future possibilities.

6. Focus Chanting on Value Creation

Utilize chanting practice as a method to focus on how to create value in the world, for yourself, your environment, and society, especially when pursuing artistic or professional goals.

7. Observe Desires Non-Judgmentally

Approach personal desires (e.g., for drugs, money, sex) by observing them calmly, kindly, compassionately, and non-judgmentally, aiming to understand their origin and allowing them to pass.

8. Cultivate a ‘Never Give Up’ Spirit

Engage in consistent spiritual practice to embody a ’never give up’ spirit, which can help overcome internal blocks and fulfill your inherent potential.

9. Clarify Desires for True Happiness

Through consistent spiritual practice, allow your desires to become clearer, helping you identify and pursue the things that genuinely bring you happiness, such as creating art that deeply affects others.

10. Utilize Rhythmic Chanting for Physiology

Engage in rhythmic chanting to positively impact physiological functions, including breathing, and improve the relationship between your brain, heart, and circulatory system.

11. Participate in Group Spiritual Practice

Join group spiritual practices, such as chanting with others, to experience a unique potency and a ‘cool experience’ that individual practice might not offer.

12. Transform Challenges into Deeper Practice

When facing intense personal challenges like rehab, view them as opportunities to return to and intensify your personal spiritual practice, even if traditional recovery methods don’t align with your beliefs.

13. Dedicate Time to Pure Creative Pursuits

Intentionally schedule dedicated time off from demanding commitments to engage in ‘pure’ creative pursuits, allowing for artistic expression free from the pressures of ‘homework’ or external obligations.

14. Integrate Meditation into Creative Process

Incorporate meditation into your routine as a significant part of your creative process to support and enhance your artistic endeavors.