A clever, perceptive, inspiring conversation, for those interested in India and its performing arts: for Indian music lovers, for Tabla lovers, for classical music lovers and Bhakti music lovers, Alok Verma delivers a master talk about different aspects to consider in Indian music and how to connect to it with authenticity, respect, love, enjoyment, understanding.

Manish Vyas interviews Alok Verma about key aspects along the path of learning, presenting and developing Indian music. Below we share some of the most significative thoughts expressed by Alok during this talk:

"This musical journey begins but never ends: any step we take is a learning curve"

"My teacher (Guru) had shown so much love towards my playing, and so was my love for the teacher - that's when the Guru Shishya Parampara (Guru discipline tradition) started"

"I have my Indian Tabla classical roots which has been kept intact - and anywhere I play I incorporate those elements into the music: the grooves may change but in the end, the foundation and the authenticity of the material is kept intact"

"I have seen some musicians who took a couple of lessons and perform... I admire their confidence, but having a couple of lessons, these musicians have not even surfaced, have not even touched down the authenticity of what is required to learn from a Guru"

“A Raga has a feel, which is needed to deliver that Raga”

"Whether it's a bhajan, a folk song or a Bollywood song, if you compose something in raga Bhairavi and you have that foundation (of Indian classical music,) it's going to sound absolutely brilliant"

"You have to learn from the person who belongs to the country or place of the tradition"

"The student-teacher relationship as a silent-communication ("silent presence and observation") is a must"

"Kirtan cannot be taught, just like I cannot teach you how to feel sadness, because it's an emotion -- it can only be felt"

"There is a fine line between holding an instrument and really knowing how to play it"

"It is a responsibility to pass on the right knowledge to the next generation; otherwise what I am spreading across is wrong or not part of the real essence of the learning; this would feel like doing some sort of fraud to the next generation"

"I teach traditional music. Transformation comes when the student has achieved a certain standard, but when you're learning, you need to follow the tradition"

“As a Tabla player, my feet are far away from the Tabla, if a slight touch happens, I would bow down to the instrument and I would pay respect to that. Having come from that background, to see someone sitting on the instrument and jumping on it, and then performing and singing Mantras is totally wrong to me – I would never appreciate that.”

“People who want to learn Indian music of any kind, have to find the source of those who are in the right state of that music – otherwise you wouldn’t know what is right and what is wrong. By reaching the right source, then you come to know what the real essence of this music is. Delivering Indian music, one needs to have respect and a discipline; giving justice to what is required”

“The chord system used to play Harmonium by western 'Mantra singers' did not exist in Indian music. So they sit down with 2 chords – how does that make them a singer and harmonium player?”

“If intentions are genuine, the first intention should be to go and learn from the right source"

From Gujarat, disciple of Divyang Vakil Ji, Alok Verma lives in UK since many years. He started the studies of Indian music with his dad as a small child. He's percussionist, Tabla, Dholak and Pakhawaj player, composer, multi-instrumentalist, singer and music teacher at one fot the best schools in London. THANK YOU! @alokvermamusic

As a kid, it was like a very natural process to grow into the atmosphere of Osho. It's like, I did not know anything else except that. It was quite a commitment in some way but really, as a kid, I did not know anything else, it was just like growing up in this... and it was perfect. And slowly-slowly everybody in the family became Sannyasin, but everybody had their voluntary decision.

Whatever it is in my life, it is thanks to Osho basically.

Musically, with Osho, it was a very good place to experiment many things and how to use the beauty and depth of Indian music into creating something different, something which has a purpose, something which has a utility, not just entertainment - and Indian music has that capacity.

Osho's teachings and his blessings and his guidance - everything shaped this life, not only for me, but for many.

Kirtan is a very-very simple but very profound way of connecting with the divine. In Kirtan you dissolve, your ego dissolves. There is no “I”, there is only “Divinity.”

It's a little bit like you are a statue of salt, and what happens when you enter the ocean? You become the ocean.

What I saw in the West in the people singing mantras is that actual element of India was missing there. It is very clear that when somebody is trying to represent a certain cultural element from a certain place, it must carry its authenticity - it must carry its authentic flavour, sound, taste, fragrance... because behind that there is a long tradition and a history, and a lot of thought put behind it.

It is about preserving this fire which has been burning since thousands of years.

Credits:

Podcast production, idea, audio, interview: Stories With Osho, YouTube channel: Divyadez HcO Watch whole interview 1 hour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbHVgwJ05OI -- Interviewers: Sufi Abheeru and Divya Aminah

Editing to short version 28': Vanesa Nau Video link: https://youtu.be/0GI5qOIf5jY

A Podcast about meeting Osho, years at the Puna Ahram, power of Indian Music, Kirtan, the Mantra-Movie, the importance of respecting the culture of India and any tradition, the blessings of the Master. www.manishvyas.com

"It is important to bring an understanding that Mantra is not just limited to a musical format which brings you to a 'nice space,' since this format does not release its full potential. Mantra is not only what makes you come into a nice space, but it is something which can also work practically on various dimensions of one's life."

"The documentary will open up on how much more Mantras have to give to people, provided that they have the right access to the information, proper understanding, proper guidance, proper practice."

www.manishvyas.com/movie

"Namaskar Friends, In this episode, we will try to get deeper into the world of Mantras with our esteemed guest, "Manish Vyas Ji". We will try to understand the importance of a Guru/Mentor in the life of a Musician, significance of a structured learning & many other aspects of Devotional music, Bhajans & all." Nipoon Joshi, Podcaster, Delhi, India @GISTTClips

WATCH FULL PODCAST WITH VIDEO : https://youtu.be/2T2VnXHpoR8?si=jHJTlNu17l7nZAnI

नमस्कार दोस्तों
इस एपिसोड में हम, मंत्र, शास्त्रीय संगीत, गुरु का संगीतज्ञ के जीवन में प्रभाव, ओशो के विषय पे हमारे आज के गेस्ट "मनीष व्यास जी" से चर्चा करेंग।

00:00 - Trailer
01:14 - Introduction
03:44 - Early Years of Guest's life in Gujarat
10:10 - Life in Osho Ashram
11:44 - Training under Ustad Allah Rakha Ji
13:00 - Ishta Devata & Moving to Switzerland
17:17 - Practices which Guest follows to keep the voice melodious.
18:39 - Distinguishing between throat Vs chest singing
20:47 - Ishta Devata as a guiding light
23:53 - Do Musicians belonging from a lineage or Gharana keep certain nuances of the craft secretive.
26:05 - Hindustani Classical Music going through variations in different regions of India
28:15 - Importance of starting Early in Classical Music
32:18 - Importance of studying Classical Music in Bharat
36:20 - Balancing tradition with Innovation
40:43 - Purpose with which many Foreigners pursue Indian Classical Music
46:41 - Power of Music to do wonders
50:24 - Life at Osho Ashram
54:54 - Memorable performance anecdotes and epiphanies
58:17 - Devotional Music as a Catharsis
1:04:28 - Any Regrets in life.
1:07:31 - Contributions of Visuals & storytelling in Music
1:09:39 - Guest's take on Sufism
1:17:46 - Guest's team
1:18:45 - What kind of opportunities you are looking forward to?
1:22:09 - How can creators & Music enthusiasts get in touch with you.
1:23:37 - Info on all the upcoming projects.

The tradition of Mantra is Mantra-Chanting, what is known as Mantra Japa, and Manish explains how to use it in "listening-meditation," which can be a very powerful technique to soothe the mind, remain attentive and integrate the energy within.

Mostly, as we know, we live on the level of 'body and mind' and most of the energy goes into dealing with issues on these fields. So if Mantra is used in the right way, it has the capacity to take us beyond the physicality and the mental planes, to come in contact with the real being. Here is where the potential of 'mantra listening' comes in.

If we observe ourselves, we can see that our whole struggle in our outer life is to 'become something' and that is very, very exhausting. A meditation technique using Mantra can simply bring us into a space of "just-being" and that's the highest outcome of Mantra meditation technique, involving energy awakening, energy rising and energy settling.

Sufi music provides a space to experience closeness with divinity and love, and Sufis have always been inclined towards the musical expressions of their poetries.

A warmhearted talk, where Manish describes his latest album, Salaam E Sufi, explaining how the Sufi path has inspired the seven tracks on his new CD along many years on his musical journey as composer: "Sufi songs have this flavor of Love, Ishq Haqiqi: the love affair with the Truth."

Sufism is a path of love, devotion and surrender. And when surrender happens, one journey ends and another journey begins: a journey of total trust, peace and freedom.

Sufi mystics wrote some amazing poetries down the centuries and down the ages, where they expressed their longing for dissolving into nothingness (dissolving of the ego) and these songs in "Salaam E Sufi" reflect the ideas inspired by the Sufis in a musical interpretation. These Sufi poetries are drenched with this kind of love and longing for the Supreme, that which is eternal.

"The only lasting beauty is the beauty of the heart." Rumi

Music at the beginning and end of the podcast, from the album "Salaam E Sufi".
www.manishvyas.com/sufi

#music #poetry #sufi #kabir #bulleshah #trust #bliss #innerjourney

“The highest goal of a Yoga practitioner should be to come to a level where one is maintaining one’s balance perfectly all the time. Ups and downs are part of life, situations are never in our hands, but how to deal with them is in our hands.”

These are the words of Dr. Hansaji Yogendra, director of the Yoga Institute in Mumbai. She’s a mentor and role model to millions of lives and has conducted more than fifty thousand powerful sessions on yog, wellness and mental health.

We were fortunate enough to meet her in person whole working on the ongoing documentary project about Mantra. In this podcast, we present a talk where we discussed subjects related to Yoga and Mantra, and the aspects involved in both practices. We present here part of this short but powerful conversation, and the clear vision of a great wise referent who is highly experienced and is able to express the key aspects involved along the path of yoga, answering questions such as what should be the highest goal of a yoga practitioner.

Some quotes of Hansaji:

“Every yoga teacher should aim at having mastery over their minds.”

“What we are teaching, every human should learn, because it’s the foundation of life, on which then you build whatever you want to build; but the life formation has to be strong.”

“In the west, yoga has become very commercial, having as aim to earn money. Technology of yoga (asana, pranayama, etc.) has become very popular, but they are not yogis, because they are dealing only with their bodies.”

“For inner peace, for spirituality, the world is looking at India; people come to India due to soul-pain.”

“When the student is ready, the whole nature will help to move ahead in life.”

Short Reference: Hansa Yogendra (born 1947) is an Indian yoga guru, author, researcher and media personality. She is director of The Yoga Institute in Mumbai, founded by her father-in-law Shri Yogendra. It is a government recognized non-profit organization and the oldest organized yoga center in the world, founded in 1918. She was presenter of the television series Yoga for Better Living, aired in 1980s. She is the chair of the Yoga Certification Committee and President of the International Board of Yoga, and Vice President of the Indian Yoga Association.

A conversation with a being who lifts and illuminates others around him.

Bruno Wildhaber was born in Interlaken, Switzerland and studied and lived many years in the US. He’s a doctor, writer, teacher, public talker, life coach… and, as he says, a “lifelong learner.”

Bruno’s vision, direction, work and dream is to create a healthy community where everyone is ok and in balance within the first circle: “just oneself,” uncontaminated from outer inputs and acquired conditionings – then, that inner harmony from the first circle will create ripples and expand throughout all the outer circles (family, friends, work, school, society…) into the whole universe, creating naturally peace and harmony.

It’s interesting to see how different paths can lead to the purification of the mind. We hear this talk, and realize that so many earnest paths conduct to the same destination, to the search of truth, to the highest realization, to the place where one is not affected any more by the yin and yan of life, simply remaining in the middle, in the balance point.

Bruno’s path has been that of learning through experience, hardship, observation, reflection, investigation, discrimination, analysis, self-inquiry. It probably started when he had to experience many challenges in early life, which gave him a vision of what not to give energy to, what to discard from one’s life, what futile and inmature stuff not to apprehend from the outer world, what not to take, what to let go. This led him to a life of introspection and a sincere practice of ‘being with oneself’, as he refers to the first circle, which, as a consequence gave birth to a new vision, to the manifestation of the sadguru - inner guru, inner wisdom - in life. He says pain has been a great teacher, but the power of the re-birth from darkness to light, together with the right understanding, brings along the best possible version of oneself; by trusting and being taken to higher energetic realms, where there is more light and consequently peace.

All this self inner work led him to be able to help people later in life. After having worked on the field of medicine and body-mind healing, Bruno diverted his time and focus to the study and comprehension of the human psyche, which he currently shares with people through his work, his books, talks and personal consultations.

It was a pleasure to be able to interview Bruno; he is a true inspiration for all those who access his work or are able to connect with him through his publications.

Quotes from the interview:

“Premature degeneration within the body begins with something that confuses the system.”

“If one has emotional and mental issues, then, there’s a friction in the expression of one’s spiritual self, which manifests as disease.”

“Every single person has an antena going from oneself to the universal intelligence, where all information – present, past, future – is available to us.”

“The light only can enter you through your scars, through your pain.”

“Only outside the circle of confidence can we grow. Inside the circle of confidence, you will stagnate – you will be comfortable but you won’t grow.”

“Why don’t we learn to love to learn?” (about the education system)

“We have a one-sided educational system.”

“The school teacher was a perfect mentor for me: how not to teach, how not to be with children…”

“The smallest thing holds back the greatest force.”

“We have to create alchemy again.”

“There is value in suffering.”

“The truth is that you are alone.”

“Understand the laws of nature and follow them.”

Bruno Wildhaber: www.brunowild.com

Published books:

Hashashin (2018)

Ein Hemd allein fliegt in Richtung Wolkenwelt (2022)

Upcoming books:

Bells

Blood