Jay Shetty & Jahnavi ON How to Create Inner Calm

In this On Purpose episode, Jay Shetty's guest is his long-time friend, Jahnavi Harrison. Harrison is a devotional singer, writer, and artist whose music has become a refuge for those searching for spiritual grounding. Recently nominated for a Grammy, she has spent her life exploring the power of mantra and sacred sound to help people reconnect with their inner lives.

Can ancient sound vibrations truly serve as a bridge between our chaotic modern lives and a profound sense of inner peace?

In this On Purpose episode, Jay Shetty's guest is his long-time friend, Jahnavi Harrison. Harrison is a devotional singer, writer, and artist whose music has become a refuge for those searching for spiritual grounding. Recently nominated for a Grammy, she has spent her life exploring the power of mantra and sacred sound to help people reconnect with their inner lives.

Jahnavi Harrison spoke about the struggles of integrating her identity in a secular world after growing up in a unique spiritual community. She also opened up about purpose and how service to others is the ultimate remedy for feeling lost.

Two Decades of Friendship

Jahnavi Harrison and Jay Shetty's friendship is rooted in two decades of shared spiritual practice and a mutual desire to serve others. They met in their spiritual community in London when they were both in college. Jay would speak, and she would lead the mantra meditations. They also toured England together, hosting events meant to give the participants a tangible spiritual experience.

Harrison noted that both she and Jay have always been service-oriented and focused on what they could offer the world rather than what they could gain. During the pandemic, she lived with Jay Shetty and his wife, and helped create a space for their community to find peace during a global crisis. She even sees her Grammy nomination as a collective endeavor, rather than a personal trophy, because, in her view, it belongs to all the hands, hearts, and minds that have supported her journey.

Reverence for Nature

A lasting memory from Jahnavi Harrison's childhood is the rural landscape outside of London, where she grew up. Despite being close to the city, she lived in an area of protected farmland and forests; she recalls cycling through fields of bright yellow rapeseed and mustard flowers, feeling fully consumed by the vibrant colors. She told Jay Shetty that her upbringing close to nature made her connect more deeply with it.

Even today, she calls herself a tree nerd, constantly seeking out nature whenever she travels. To her, being close to nature is a spiritual necessity; it helps her ground herself and allows her soul to breathe. She likes learning about the trees and environments she visits, and is constantly curious about the world, but also has a deep respect for it, a mindset that also reflects in her music.

Her Parents' Daughter

Harrison's parents were truth seekers, and they went on a personal odyssey in the 1960s and 70s to find meaning and purpose. They raised her with the values they developed during this time; they both committed to a life of devotion and service, straying from the conventional path everyone expected them to follow.

Jahnavi Harrison told Jay Shetty that she inherited her parents' genuine care for people; they remember names and care deeply about the lives of everyone they encounter in their community. However, she finds it hard to bring the same level of attention to her many interactions in today's internet and social media-dominated world, but she is determined to remain inspired by her parents' example. She understood from them that spiritual life is not just about meditation, but about how we treat our fellow human beings.

Facing Other Realities

Jahnavi studied at Bhaktivedanta Manor until the age of ten, a temple school set on 80 acres of beautiful countryside. The environment was idyllic, featuring cows, a lake, and a curriculum that integrated singing, drama, and the study of the Bhagavad Gita alongside national standards. To her, it was normal to learn Sanskrit songs and discuss deep philosophical topics like the soul and reincarnation from a very young age.

Yet, when she transitioned to a regular school at ten, Harrison had a harsh awakening. She realized that her background made her seem weird in the new environment; people weren't used to her unusual name, her vegetarianism, or her complete obliviousness to pop culture. Harrison admitted that she felt extremely vulnerable and shy, and often wanted to disappear.

The time she spent in a regular school was difficult for Harrison; she described it to Jay Shetty as a period of sensory and cultural overload. But, at the same time, it marked the beginning of a long journey toward integrating her spiritual heritage with the wider world.

The Advantages and Downsides of Being Different

During her teenage years, Harrison felt as though she had to live two separate lives. She shared with Jay Shetty the experience of having to put on her secular school uniform and becoming a different person altogether. Because she felt a split between her spiritual and secular lives, Harrison found it extremely difficult to accommodate both realities, and she developed stomach issues and headaches, caused by constant anxiety.

It's not uncommon to experience bodily reactions for people transitioning out of spiritual immersion, Jay Shetty noted; he felt similar when he left the monastery as an adult. Harrison finally began to integrate in her late teens, when she took agency over her education; she chose to learn alongside older students and prepared for university. Getting into college was a life-altering experience because, for the first time, being different was seen as a strength rather than something to feel ashamed about.

What Is Mantra Music?

Jahnavi Harrison explained the essence of mantra music. A mantra is a sacred word or phrase that often refers to the Supreme Being and is repeated as a form of meditation. She compared the repetition of mantras to a washing machine cycle: the more the dirty clothes are spun, the cleaner they get; similarly, the sacred sound vibration purifies the heart and mind.

There is a difference between devotional and popular music, Harrison explained. She told Jay Shetty that the main differentiation is the intention. While mainstream music might focus on self-expression or entertainment, mantra music is fundamentally an act of prayer designed to connect the listener to the sacred space within. According to Harrison, this type of music carries a special quality that offers a sense of familiarity and homecoming to the soul, transcending cultural boundaries.

Choosing the Less Traveled Road

Harrison has always been an artistic person; as a child, she used to record herself telling stories on a Casio keyboard, but she never really saw herself as a singer because she was naturally introverted. She studied English and Creative Writing in university, but the month before graduation, she was offered an opportunity to tour the world with a mantra music group, and she took it.

Jahnavi Harrison told Jay Shetty that the violin served as a substitute for her voice during temple meditation, and she kept this practice for years. On this tour, she finally embraced music as her primary vocation. It wasn't a smooth ride, she admitted. It took faith and courage to accept her new path. She told Jay Shetty that she often questioned her life choices and whether a traditional job would be a more sensible alternative.

This type of music spoke to Harrison's soul, and soon all her doubts dissipated; she continued to improve her craft over the years and fully embraced her vocation. Jay Shetty highlights that when adopting a creative path, it's crucial to evolve from mere passion to proficiency to succeed.

Let the Music Flow

Singing in front of a public is no easy endeavor; Harrison told Jay Shetty that her shy nature initially made her apprehensive about her singing. Now, she teaches participants at her concerts and retreats that kirtan (the practice of call-and-response chanting) is an empowering collective experience and encourages them to find freedom by letting their voices out. But she reassured the audience that there is also an option to sing internally if the outward expression feels too daunting.

Harrison told Jay Shetty that people often turn to her music during life's most significant transitions, such as studying for exams, during times of illness, or even at weddings. She believes that the power of sacred sound lies in the fact that no common language is required for it to be universally effective. Jahnavi Harrison aims to provide a sense of shelter and comfort to her listeners; by allowing herself to be a vessel for this purifying sound, she helps others access a state of deep connection, far greater than ourselves.

Faith Can Be Messy

Despite being raised in a spiritual community and practicing mantra, Harrison experienced a crisis of faith. At some point in her life, her faith seemed to evaporate, and she was left disoriented and lost. It was a period of powerful introspection, which led her to discover a more personal and spontaneous form of prayer. Harrison told Jay Shetty that she began speaking to the Divine in her native language, English, rather than Sanskrit; this shift allowed the light to seep back in during the dark period of doubt.

Many believe that spiritual people have all the answers and never make mistakes, but this is a misconception, Jay Shetty stressed. The journey of faith is not linear; it mainly looks like three steps forward, ten steps back, Harrison added. This is why you must give yourself grace and be patient with your flaws as you discover your spirituality.

For Harrison, being open and vulnerable was the key to her music. She allowed herself to search her path, and this journey led to the creation of her original tune. She told Jay Shetty that her songs provide a connection point for others navigating their own spiritual struggles.

Servant of the Servant

Harrison told Jay Shetty that her philosophy of service stands at the core of her endeavors. Whenever she feels lost, she asks herself if she is being of service. She believes that focusing on giving to others prevents one from being totally consumed by one's own problems.

The Sanskrit concept of Das Anu Das, which translates to "servant of the servant," embodies her philosophy; unlike the negative connotation of the word "servant" in a secular world, spiritual communities embrace the idea of helping one another. To Harrison, this is a profound identity that keeps people constantly looking for ways to contribute.

Being a servant is more about mindset than formal role. Jay Shetty explained that anyone, regardless of socioeconomic status, can embody this spirit. Harrison initially struggled to see herself as a leader, but she is gradually learning to embrace her role as a broadcaster of sacred sound. She believes it's crucial to find connection and speak to Divinity, either in a mundane context, such as while driving, or through ancient music, to access deep human emotions.

More From Jay Shetty

Listen to the entire On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast episode “Jahnavi: How to Create Inner Calm When Life Feels Overwhelming (THIS Simple Daily Practice When Your Mind Won't Stop!)” now in the iTunes store or on Spotify. For more inspirational stories and messages like this, check out Jay’s website at jayshetty.me.