How I got this body: Mason Jennings, 34, musician

As Minnesota singer/songwriter Mason Jennings travels the country performing tunes from his latest album, "Blood of Man," he doesn't leave his yoga mat and meditation practice behind. The folksy pop artist finds creativity, peace and gratitude from a consistent practice. In advance of his Minneapolis show Nov. 22 at First Avenue, Jennings talked about his love of the Boundary Waters, the hum of the Earth and learning meditation from a woman who helped teach the Beatles.

Q What kind of routine do you keep with yoga and meditation while touring?

A For the last five years I've done transcendental meditation every day. I wake up in the morning and do 20 minutes of sitting meditation with my mantra, and in the afternoons I try to find a place somewhere private at the club or theater we're at to do another 20 minutes. At least twice a week I try to find a Bikram yoga studio on the road. It's made a huge difference. Meditation was the first thing I got into. I had a lot of panic attacks and anxiety on the road, changing cities every night. I couldn't figure out how to get that under control, but I wanted to do it without medication or drugs. I was introduced to my meditation teacher Nancy DeHerrera -- she was a liaison between the Beatles, Donovan and the Maharishi -- and it was a massive change for me. Suddenly I wasn't having panic attacks, and I felt really centered. I found a great sense of peace and a sense of a higher power.

Q And when you're back in Minnesota?

A That's one of my favorite things when I get home -- I can't wait to get back to my favorite yoga studios and practice more. At home I try to go as much as I can, maybe five days a week.

Q What difference have meditation and yoga practice made in your life?

A Personally I have a lot more faith in a higher power, though I can't explain that, but every time I practice meditation I feel a sense of peace and bliss. When you feel that, it changes your life right way. When I started meditation I didn't have any more anxiety issues, and when I started doing yoga I felt so much better. I haven't been sick this year, I've felt really strong and healthy and good. Professionally, I can sing a lot better now that I'm doing yoga and I have more lung capacity. I also feel more able to take risks and experiment with my work, because I feel like I can handle it physically.

Q You traveled to Patagonia recently to work on music for the upcoming documentary, "180 Degrees South." What was it like to practice meditation there?

A It was amazing. Anytime you can be somewhere away from all the cell phone interference and electronics, you can actually hear the Earth hum.

Q You've said people need to stay inspired by life and keep a sense of wonder. How do you do that?

A For sure, meditation and yoga keep me in that state. As soon as you start to meditate, you start feeling grateful -- it's the first feeling that comes into your heart. Also with yoga it's interesting because you don't ever get "good" at it, it's not a competition -- you're just always trying to get more in tune with your body. Engaging in this beautiful practice keeps a sense of wonder for me. As an artist I try to treat everything as art -- find creativity in everything and have that sense of play and fun.

Q Where in Minnesota do you feel the most contemplative, insightful or creative?

A For me it's the Boundary Waters, going up there and hanging out in the North Woods. That's a magical place, I think. There's nowhere else I've been that's like that in this world. I feel really lucky that we live so close to that area. Anywhere in Minnesota -- I'm forever fascinated with that place. When I go all over the country, every state has a certain vibe. You come to Minnesota, and there's this confluence of energy. I get really inspired when I'm there.