In this interview I am joined by Nicki Wells, internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter and composer.

We learn about Nicki’s Himalayan upbringing in Dharmsala, India as part of the Sahaja Yoga group, a tradition of awakening that exposed Nicki to profound states of meditation as well as Indian classical music.

We go into depth about the Sahaja Yoga system, including its approach to kundalini energy, darshan, and spiritual evolution, as well as Nicki’s own spiritual epiphanies.

We explore Nicki’s career as a singer and composer, from collaborating with composer Nitin Sawhney and scoring for film and television, including Khyentse Norbu’s, also known as Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, 2013 film Vara - A Blessing.

We also discuss Nicki’s solo work, including her 2018 debut album Ocean, her 2019 album of spiritual songs entitled ‘Shloka’, and learn about the deep spirituality the permeates her performances and creative process.

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Video version:https://www.guruviking.com/ep-46-nicki-wells-spirit-and-song/

Audio version of this podcast also available on iTunes and Stitcher – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

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0:00 - Intro

1:00 - Nicki’s childhood in the Himalayas

4:32 - Childhood meditation in the Sahaja Yoga System

8:36 - Kundalini energy and transmission in Sahaja Yoga

15:27 - Moving to Australia and Nicki’s spiritual epiphany

21:15 - Facing hardship and challenge as a practice

23:59 - Nicki’s passion for evolution and growth

24:42 - Motivation for the business side of music

28:30 - Childhood exposure to Indian Classical Music

31:24 - Returning to the UK and launching her career

34:10 - Touring and collaborations with Nitin Sawhney

36:52 - Working on Khyentse Norbu’s 2013 film ‘Vara - A Blessing’

40:33 - The story behind the name ‘Turya’

43:51 - Creative process for the next album

45:14 - Nicki’s 2019 album of spiritual songs called ‘Shloka’

48:20 - Nicki sings and explains ‘Vishuddhi’

52:08 - We play and discuss ‘Rivers to Sea’

59:19 - We play and discuss ‘When It Goes Quiet’

1:03:57 - More about Nicki’s spiritual path and Sahaja yoga

1:07:50 - Stories of introducing others to Sahaja Yoga

1:10:17 - Subtle body awareness

1:11:07 - More about Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

1:12:26 - Nicki’s personal time with Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

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To find out more about Nicki Wells, visit:

- https://www.turyamusic.com

For Nicki’s Covid Calm series, visit:

- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHaSV06sze6EpZlsl_QEfAg

The meditation site Nicki mentioned is:

- www.wemeditate.co

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- www.guruviking.com

Intro and Outro Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James