I wrote my song The G.O.P. to introduce myself (The Guru of Peace) to the world and to invite everyone on this planet to join my Hang Loose Peace Movement. In the song, the two lines, “Love is my game, peace is my train. Climb aboard now, say goodbye to your pain,” sum up who I am and my wishes for the world. But there is a whole lot more behind the creation of this song and all that had to transpire before it could be created and become a life-changing anthem for peace. The realization that was required for me to become “The G.O.P.” and write this hit song, actually happened several decades ago. Let me explain…
In 1981, I was 27 years old, married, owned a successful fitness club, was in fantastic shape, was sponsoring and competing in drug-free bodybuilding shows, had my own line of nutritional supplements, and I was extremely healthy. Sound like a dream come true? It wasn’t. While it seemed like I was living the dream, in reality, I was very unhappy, and I wanted to know why.
In spite of realizing a fitness dream come true, I felt hollow inside. Like something was missing. You ever feel like that? You know, that feeling you get when everything is going right, but your happiness went left? My marriage, friends, relationships, and life seemed shallow. I was having some fun, but nothing seemed real. Nothing had a real meaning. Feeling unhappy bothered me so much, one day I decided to take a long deep look into my life. My friend, that decision was the best decision I have ever made. To share this story, I have to step back in time for a few minutes…
I was introduced to meditation in 1972 during my second year of college. That fall, I watched the movie, Kung Fu, which is a classic tale about a man named Kwai Chang Caine who had become an orphan in China, had nowhere to go, and was basically adopted by the monks at the famed Shaolin Temple where he learned the art of Kung Fu. Part of Kwai Chang’s training included meditation, which was something I was not familiar with. I had never seen anyone sitting on the floor, legs crossed, eyes closed, doing nothing for an extended period of time. But seeing Kwai Chang and the other monks sitting so peacefully, sparked a deep interest inside of me that sent me on an inward journey that eventually resulted in discovering the ultimate truth.
In the spring of 1980, after meditating off and on for nearly a decade, I read a book titled, The Three Pillars of Zen that lit a fire under me to discover who I am. To discover the ultimate truth, I upped my game and made daily mediation a top priority in my life. One year later, in 1981, while sitting quietly on my back patio in deep meditation, I suddenly “woke up” from a lifetime of daydreaming. This awakening is called enlightenment and that experience instantly turned my life upside down in a very wonderful way. My awakening in 1981, was also the first step toward me becoming The G.O.P. (Guru of Peace).
(What just happened here? You said you wanted to know why you were unhappy and then you went into talking about how you’re enlightened but still never explained why. Then you married me. There’s like 32 years in between unaccounted for. I’m left wondering what the heck happened.)
I consider San Diego my hometown because that’s where I lived for most of my life. I love southern California. The air, the Mexican food, the emphasis on fitness, the health food stores, surfing, sunshine, and four seasons that were dominated by weather that seems to always be sunny and 72. In 2011, I married, Beth, the woman of my dreams, and left my hometown of San Diego for a new adventure in Palm Beach, Florida to start a new life with my new bride.
My first year in the Palm Beach area was rough. I missed my homeland terribly, to the point it made me physically sick. But deep inside I knew I had come to south Florida for a purpose, but I did not know what my purpose was in this new land. I felt like a fish out of water and really struggled to adapt to the flat terrain, high humidity, hot summers, small waves, and lack of “real” Mexican food. It wasn’t until late 2019 that God revealed His vision to me and it became crystal clear why I had left my homeland of San Diego and come to south Florida.
Most of my adult life, as a professional I have taught weight loss, nutrition, sports nutrition, and bodybuilding to millions through TV, my website, books, fitness clubs, and seminars. I did not feel that same calling in south Florida. Not at all. San Diego was where I was famous as “The Diet Guru.” In the Palm Beach area, I was nobody. Being nobody, though, set the stage for me to become “somebody new.” In south Florida, I retired from my old identity and gave birth to my new identity as The Guru of Peace.
(How did you get to that epiphany? What happened? You just instantly decided I’m going to change? I’m left wondering these things. By the way, part of your story of how you became the G.O.P. is how you were so super strict with everything in health, wellness, diet and life, that you had become out of touch with the world in your San Diego bubble. When you and I connected, I helped you lighten up and loosen up so that you could relax and relate to the world. Sometimes the answer in life is the opposite of what we are taught and think. You become more chill, relaxed and fun in your new way of life, thanks to your wife and your new hometown in south Florida. Where it’s 5 o’clock somewhere!)
During all the years I lived in San Diego, I rarely every talked about my spiritual awakening. I did not feel it was time to share my experience or become a spiritual guru who helped others awaken from delusion. It wasn’t until many decades later that I felt the inner calling to become a spiritual guru and begin pointing the way for others to awaken. In San Diego, I lived in a bubble. Nearly everyone in the beach communities of North County San Diego (where I lived) was into health and fitness, but this did not represent the rest of the world. Moving to the Palm Beach area opened my eyes to how most of the rest of the world lives. It isn’t good or bad. It is just different with less awareness about peace, love, recycling, health foods, and spiritual consciousness. In south Florida, it felt like I had stepped back in time to the 1950s.
My new family also shook a few branches on my health-nut tree. They were typical Americans, eating regular food but also a steady stream of junk food, including Dr. Peppers, cookies, brownies, fried foods, and fast food—all of which had dropped from my life decades prior. My wife, Beth (Mrs. Hippie), enlightened me to the fact that most people eat like they eat, and in all honesty, I could not relate to that. But being exposed to the reality of how most folks live opened my eyes and sparked something deep inside that told me it was time to start teaching, not about health and fitness, but about finding peace no matter how you eat, believe, or live.
So in the summer of 2019, my heart yielded to my spiritual calling and I became The Guru of Peace. In 2020, when I was working on my song Magic Bus for my album, Hang Loose, one of the verses needed to rhyme with “tea,” so I created an acronym for The Guru of Peace (which rhymed with tea), and I became The G.O.P.
(From my song, Magic Bus)
Windows are chopped
Body’s been dropped
The inside is chilled like iced tea
New shoes and socks
This ride really rocks
Custom made for the G.O.P.
As we finished work on my album Hang Loose, I felt there was a song that was missing from the lineup. My album was already heavily laced with my hit songs, Freedom, Rockstar, Magic Bus, Who Am I?, Hang Loose, and Yippee Ki Yay. But I needed one more song to be the anchor for the album. I needed a song that was my calling card and was an invitation for people to Hang Loose and join my Peace Movement. I needed to reintroduce myself (Jay Robb) to the world as the Guru of Peace, so I wrote the song, The G.O.P.
In 2020, America was struggling through a very confusing pandemic, an election year, lockdowns, talk downs, rioting, a corrupt news media, global uncertainty, anger, and fear. With all that was “goin’ down in 2020,” you might comfortably say planet Earth could use a good old-fashioned peace and love revival akin to what America experienced way back in the 1960s. Seeing the fear in the eyes of millions of Americans, I knew I was in the right place at the right time. Everything I had been working on for the past three decades of my life all came together in 2020 and my Peace Movement was launched as I officially became The G.O.P. and leader of this long-overdue movement.
My song The G.O.P. tells who I am and invites everyone to join my Peace Movement by hitchin’ a “ride on my peace train” For your enjoyment and to clarify the meaning of my song, the lyrics are below:
THE G.O.P.
By Jay Robb, “The G.O.P.”
Headed out East from Californi-a
Left my hometown and the streets of LA
Most of my life, where I been chillin’
Runnin’ my business, makin’ a killin’
Lotsa sunshine, chicks in drop tops
Movie stars, fame……shootin’ botox
Cribbin’ in the hills, stayin’ in motion
Playin’ with her mountains……ridin’ on her ocean
Left that state, kickin’ n screamin’
Never got enough of that, California dreamin’
Went to go chill, in the Sunshine State
Hearin’ me now, it’s gotta be fate…
CHORUS
‘Cause ya know…
I’m the Guru of Peace
Enlightened, oh yeah, got peace in my pocket
When I come to your town, get ready to rock it!
Time to join hands, with the man on a mission
Overhaul your mind and your inner transmission
Always lovin’ life, livin’ carefree
Ride my Peace Train, I’m the G.O.P.
Always lovin’ life, livin’ carefree
Ride my Peace Train, I’m the G.O.P.
Lookin’ for a Guru, to help you transition?
Tired of your life, want a remission?
Thirsty for peace, love, and affection
Vote for me now, to win the election
Love is my game, peace is my train
Climb aboard now, say goodbye to your pain
Ain’t no spoof and I ain’t no liar
Find your purpose now, set your soul on fire
Rockin’ your Casbah, what I do
Join my tribe, and my inner who’s who
Enjoy your life and sign a new lease
Makin’ every day, all about peace…
CHORUS
‘Cause ya know…
I’m the Guru of Peace
Enlightened, oh yeah, got peace in my pocket
When I come to your town, get ready to rock it!
Time to join hands, with the man on a mission
Overhaul your mind and your inner transmission
Always lovin’ life, livin’ carefree
Ride my Peace Train, I’m the G.O.P.
Always lovin’ life, livin’ carefree
Ride my Peace Train, I’m the G.O.P.
Need more love, chakras feel nippy
Come travel inward I’m a die-hard Hippie
This ain’t weird, but it may sound funny
Your net worth isn’t based on money
Find true love, in all the right places
Time to play your handful of aces
Live your life, in the real here and now
Peace is your motto and your new cash cow
Does your life, need some rearrangin’
Peace and love and a whole lotta changin’
Don’t hold back, it’s time to let go
Come hang loose and go with the flow…
Don’t hold back, it’s time to let go
Come hang loose and go with the flow…
CHORUS
‘Cause ya know…
I’m the Guru of Peace
Enlightened, oh yeah, got peace in my pocket
When I come to your town, get ready to rock it!
Time to join hands, with the man on a mission
Overhaul your mind and your inner transmission
Always lovin’ life, livin’ carefree
Ride my Peace Train, I’m the G.O.P.
Always lovin’ life, livin’ carefree
Ride my Peace Train, I’m the G.O.P.
