MindTravel’s mission is to move people to greater purpose

It's interesting to think that we—me and everyone listening to Hidary's meditations—are participating in some sort of collective healing in a time that's at once intensely painful and has the power to be a stepping stone to a more inclusive future.

Transcendence is exactly what happens for some people. Sarah Puil, a senior vice president at an experiential branding agency in San Francisco, went to a MindTravel event for the first time six weeks after having a child with her husband.

It felt like a moving meditation; an opportunity to slow down and fully engage with the senses. But unlike meditating solo, which forces you look within, this felt more like an invitation to gaze out at the collective.

The kinetic experience of walking — sometimes, at Hidary’s request, in slow motion — mingles with the soundtrack and the external surroundings. “There’s something about that physical movement which gets the whole system integrated,” he says.

The pandemic not only inspired Murray Hidary’s ‘Distanced Together,’ it gave him time to write it. The pianist and composer talks about his massive sonic installation at Mass MoCA and this weekend’s upcoming performances.

These meditations are far from typical. MindTravel offers immersive experiences in a variety of unforgettable settings, occasionally pushing you out of your comfort zone in the name of inner peace.

MindTravel’s silent experiences are all centered around music, nature and mindfulness. They host immersive ‘silent’ concerts on the beach: live music is played through special headphones to an audience lying down staring at the stars, creating an experience that’s at once individual and collective (think silent disco, but mindful).

The scene: More than 500 attendees were splayed out on the sand, at sunset, all wearing “silent disco”-style wireless headphones rimmed with aqua lights. As it got darker, a perfectly shaped half-moon illuminated the sea. Audience members shifted their bodies during the concert, the mass of glowing headphones mimicking the ocean’s surface, rippling with choppy waves followed by patches of calm.

Finding solace in sound, Hidary created an immersive music experience called MindTravel. The multi-disciplinary artist has been on a mission to share the healing power of music ever since.

I recently got the chance to see the spellbinding performance MindTravel at the Frost Planetarium, and it made a lasting impression on my soul. Through this extraordinary and uplifting fusion of music, visual art, and mindfulness, an immersive journey that went beyond the bounds of conventional entertainment was produced.

Okay, so this date might not involve a ton of talking, but there’s something cool about donning a pair of headphones at the same time and listening to the captivating live-piano compositions played by Murray Hidary. This meditative experience travels through the city—from the Frost Planetarium to the sands of South Beach—and there’s even a session where you get to float in a pool while listening.