Sahil Jagtiani, a renowned singer and musician, has been meditating for almost 16 years now.Sahil believes that meditation for him is like oxygen—something he cannot do without. It is from meditation that he gets ideas for his songs, and from meditation also comes rest, after a long toiling day at work. In his experience, which follows, Sahil takes us through his journey as a musician and meditator.
I Believe Meditation Complements Music
I have been meditating for quite some time now and I have noticed with meditation how the quality of my music has evolved over the years.Meditation to me is the silence that manifests in the form of my music. I believe both these soul-stirring experiences complement each other.
Firstly, because when I meditate my music comes from a space where there is complete silence and peace, which gives it a lot of depth.
Also, after a long day at work, music helps me find peaceinstantly. No matter how scattered my mind might be at that moment, when I listen to a particular form of music, it relaxes my mind and takes me into a meditative state. It just happens. I don’t need to make an effort. And it is blissful!
Meditation Inspires My Music
Meditation at all times has inspired my music: creativity wise and performance wise.
When I am in meditation, sometimes a sound, a phrase, or a particular note might come to me,which I develop into a song. This is the creative aspect. Most of my well-known songs, such as Gurudev, Parmeshwaram, Om Namoh Narayana, and Guru Avtar, are inspired by silence.
Also, while recording songs, I’ve noticed that many a timesthere wasn’t a need to retake! The recording went perfectly! Meditation leads your performance to perfection.
In cases when I am not getting the song right, I found the patience and the extra intellectual capacity to handle intricate details. These intricacies are like a jigsaw puzzle and meditation has helped me put the pieces together with ease.
That’s the power of meditation:whatever you want to have, you get it. If you are a scientist, you will get a wonderful theorem from that space; if you are a musician, you will get melodious music; and if you are a singer, you’ll get the perfect song. That meditative space is the hub of all creativity.
Meditating To Music
Meditate to music? Yes,I do! The album Om,which I have put together in Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s voice with sublime music in the background, is one track I choose to meditate to. It is perfect for yoga and relaxation. Other than that, Sacred Chants of Shiva, Vishnu Sahastranama (Sanskrit verses or shlokas) and Rudra Pooja are tracks I’d happily meditate to. These are the four albums that I think are very good for facilitating meditation. Listening to these, my meditation goes to another level altogether.
Redefining The Musical Experience Through Meditation
Meditation has given me the confidence and the creative skills to write better lyrics. It has helped me become a music director and studio engineer. I found myself much more productive in music after I started meditating regularly. I was inspired to write heartfelt music; not just music that was popular, but music that would make people say, “Wow, now that’s an experience!”
