Culture Club singer Boy George discussed his spirituality in an intimate interview published Wednesday.
The singer-songwriter was raised in the Catholic faith but says he embraced Buddhism a few years ago.
"I've been practising Nichiren Buddhism for about four years," he told Huffpost Live. "What it does is it gives me a period in the morning and in the evening to really focus on what I want to do, and how I want the day to go."
One of the main practices of Nichiren Buddhism is chanting mantras, primarily "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo," or "I devote myself to the Lotus Sutra."
"One of the most important things about chanting is that you're constantly praying for peace, and you're praying for the happiness of other people – even people that you're in conflict with," Boy George explained. "If there's anyone that you have a problem with, put them in your prayers. It's amazing what it does. It kind of dissipates any of that kind of negativity."
The Grammy Award-winner said that spiritual people have had a strong influence on his life through his 53 years.
"I've always been fascinated with spirituality, religion... I always say I'm Catholic in my complications, and Buddhist in my aspirations. I was raised a Catholic, so I have a Catholic sensibility..."
"Catholic guilt," host Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani interjected.
"All of that," Boy George said. "I had a strong Catholic upbringing, and I respect that. ...I think everybody is essentially looking for something bigger than themselves."
"And you think you've found it?" Modarressy-Tehrani asked.
"I think I'm closer than I've been," the pop singer affirmed. "I think we're all a work in progress; I think life is a work in progress. I think the important thing is to kind of focus on being happy and positive."
Culture Club reunited in May of this year, and are scheduled to perform in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Toronto, New York, and other cities in November. A UK tour is expected in December.
