July Newsletter
Dear Friends,
I hope you are having a beautiful summer wherever you are in the world. Even when life is challenging, which I know it has been for many of us, and it is in many places of the world; there is still so much beauty to behold and much to be thankful for. In times like this, the contrast can become even more vivid.
In the words of the poet Warsan Shire,
"i held an atlas in my lap
ran my fingers across the whole world
and whispered
where does it hurt?
it answered
everywhere
everywhere
everywhere."
And my dear friend recently reminded me of this quotation from Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan:
"Don't be concerned about being disloyal to your pain by being joyous".
So we hold joy and beauty in one hand, and pain and suffering in the other. It is a balancing act which leads onto an upcoming event I would like to share with you...
In mid- September at the turning of the Autumn Equinox, I am looking forward to collaborating again with my dear friend, Imogen, in the heart of Glastonbury for a weekend retreat The Heart of Equilibrium. Over these two days we will be sharing satsang, energy transmission, sound journeying, chanting and more on the theme of balance. This will be an invitation into stillness and deep reflection, to restore balance after the summer months, see what we would like to cherish and harvest, and what we would like to let go of as the leaves begin to wilt. To find balance between inner and outer, worldly and otherworldly, holding on and letting go...
Glastonbury itself is a place with many sacred sites and a rich mythology, and there will be plenty of time to explore the area alongside the retreat. Monday 22nd will be the equinox itself, which will be a popular time to gather on the Tor and watch the sunset as the light and dark come into balance. Please feel free to reach out to either of us directly if you have any questions about it, and we hope to see some of you there, for what we hope will be a deeply inspiring weekend. (Early bird tickets available). Link
Also- for those of you based in London - please keep your diary free and an eye out for a very special live concert on Thursday 4th September. Details on this will be coming soon! <3 
In other recent news, our Multi-faith concert Harmony & Understanding at the Centre for Whole Health in Bristol last month, was a heartfelt gathering. We had contributions of sacred song from Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Rastafarian traditions, and we were blessed with Palestinian folk songs sang by Jude Nasser. During this time with such division and violence in parts of the world, it was deeply moving to come together to listen to one another and find our common ground. Proceeds from the event went to the Abrahamic Reunion, who work together for peace in the holy land. A huge thank you to everyone involved! <3
Heart Strings at The Bennett Centre was also a beautiful evening featuring Chloe Butterworth on cello.
It was a pleasure to share music for a sold out evening of Poetry of the Mystics at the London School of Philosophy with my friend Tolga on saz and percussion.
& an honour to join my friend Oyu with my ode to the Shekhinah, for a special grieving ceremony she held with Ahu, at St Margaret's (Magdalene) chapel in Glastonbury. Reminding us of the importance of taking time to be attentive to our hearts and release grief. 
Thank you as always for your love and support!
With love,
Ruhiya