Rinzai monk Kanho Yakushiji—who once went viral with his rendition of the Heart Sutra—has no problem combining music and monastic life.

On his 85th birthday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama released a record combining music and Buddhist teachings. How did we get here?

The musician discusses how meditation inspired his new album, Mystic Familiar, the music of Philip Glass and John Cage, and what happens before you’re born.