May Newsletter
Dear Friends,
I hope this message finds you well and in good spirits!
We have had gorgeous sunny Spring weather here in the UK so I have been spending as much time outdoors as I can across Somerset. I recently visited the Avebury stone circle for the first time, which isn't too far from where I live. I feel very blessed to be able to visit these ancient relics which serve as reminders of the rich spiritual history of this place.
This land has formed the inspiration for my next album which I am about to start recording, inspired by my time living here. I've been thinking a lot in recent years about how time and place inspire music. Of course they do! The inspiration is in the air; it is held in the earth, the stones and the people, and we musicians can attune to it and seek to express as best as we can. I have also quite often found that I write a bit differently in different places, and that you can learn from a musical tradition so much more vividly by living in a place where that music is "in the air".
The Tboli people of the Philippines and the Temiar people of Malaysia, have a deep knowledge of this. There are sacred relationships between nature spirits, instruments, song pathways and dreams... they form close relationships with the nature spirits who teach them songs in their dreams. These relationships are so sacred that to not then share the song with the community can mean getting ill as a result of it. Thinking about this makes me ever more determined to record and share my album as soon as possible- lest I upset the spirits who have inspired the melodies and words given to me! :)
Thankfully there have been opportunities to share some of these songs in front of an audience. Last month I sang for a beautiful gathering of around 200 people in person and 100 live streamed online, as part of an Easter retreat. It was a wonderful chance to remember the divine, sit in the presence of my teacher, and share music with other musicians and lovers of God. 
Oyu and I also held a beautiful session of "Weaving voices of the Heart" at St Margaret's (Magdalene) chapel in Glastonbury..
& Mikail, Tim and I shared another Sufi Sound Journey, also at the chapel.
If you live in the Somerset are and missed these events - fret not! Or if you came before and would like to join us again :) We have a few events this week:
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Thursday 22nd May: 19:00- 20:00 Weaving Voices of The Heart as part of Wild Heart Wellbeing week, at Black Swan Arts, Frome. Book tickets here.
Sunday 25th May: 19:30 - 20:30 Sufi Sound Journey at St Margaret's (Magdalene) Chapel, Glastonbury. Book tickets here.
Friday 6th June: 19:00- 20:00 Heart Strings Great Hall, The Bennett Centre, Frome. Book tickets here.
Sunday 8th June: 14:00- 15:30 Multi-faith Concert for Peace Centre For Whole Health, Bristol (no booking required, but please RSVP to munira@inayatiyya.org.uk so we have an idea of numbers :)
Saturday 28th June: 19:00- 21:00 Poetry of the Mystics, London School of Philosophy. Book tickets here.
As mentioned, I am preparing now to record my second album, so I have decided not to organise any new events for the time being, (until the album is complete!) I will be available for private bookings for retreats, concerts and sound journeys; as well as 1:1 voice lessons online or in person. So please feel free to reach out if you wish to discuss. :)
Thank you as always for your love and support.
With love,
Ruhiya