When Deva Premal, Estrella Morente, Uyanga Bold, Chloe Pourmorady, a children’s choir, and a wealth of celebrated world musicians come together under renowned producer Yuval Ron’s direction to sing about the four “sublime states” — the Brahma-viharas (Metta, Karuna, Mudita, Upekkha) – the resulting album is sure to be extraordinary.
The Four Divine States of Mind album – and an exciting live-stream event today (7/18) – shares Buddhist concepts and soulful sacred music for cultivating higher virtues, meditation and helping to heal our wounded world. Two years in the making, the music was composed, arranged and produced by Yuval Ron and Executive Produced by Dr. Richard Gold, arriving at a time when we most need both new healing tools and ancient wisdom.
The album is available for pre-sale, scheduled to release in physical and digital formats by Metta Mindfulness Music on July 18, 2020. That evening, July 18th at 6:00 pm PDT, the Four Divine States of Mind, a Live Stream Album Release Party will celebrate the music and delve into the making of this timely musical gift. The event is FREE to the public on both YouTube and Facebook. A plethora of beautiful, uplifting video content is already available for streaming across many social media platforms.
Nyanaponika Thera of the Buddhist Publication Society, best described the modality on which the album is based, writing “the Brahma-viharas, (point to album page) the four “sublime states” – are considered to be the ideal social attitudes, the springs underlying the ideal modes of conduct towards living beings. They are the great removers of tension, the great peace-makers in social conflict, and the great healers of wounds suffered in the struggle of existence. A mind that has achieved meditative absorption induced by these sublime states will be pure, tranquil, firm, collected and free of coarse selfishness.”
The international talent contributing to the album includes music performed by beloved singers Deva Premal and Estrella Morente, as well as rising star vocalists Uyanga Bold, Chloe Pourmorady and the Blair Studio Singers children’s choir, conducted by KC Daugirdas, performing on all four tracks. One will hear inspired performances by Pandit Nayan Ghosh, Alam Khan, Adam Del Monte, Somnath Roy, Dennis Karmazyn, Jamie Papish, Elinor Sitrish and many more fine artists, playing instruments such as the sitar, sarod, oud, guitar, udu, gatam, ney, udu, keyboards, sutra, bell, and wooden sticks to name a few.
As in-depth as a summer study course, The Four Divine States of Mind webpage at Metta Mindfulness Music offers insights about the Brahma-viharas, as well as lyrics, suggested mantras, and multiple ways to practice the teachings. Access the insights and music links here: http://mettamindfulnessmusic.com/fourdivinestates.html
On July 18th, the Live-Stream Album Release Event will include a virtual Q&A session about the music and the teachings, interviews with Yuval Ron and Dr. Richard Gold of Metta Mindfulness Music, and virtual visits with the artists of this extraordinary international production. Access the event page here: yuvalronmusic.com/calendar/fds-release-party/