I also created a soundscape at haveli baroodkhana for the second time in my life, this time in the historic basement of the haveli where extraordinary people like Faiz, Allama Iqbal, M Jinnah and so many others have sat and shared stories. With a co facilitator, together we did a chord cutting meditation. ( if only chords were that easy to cut.) powerful stuff nevertheless. I felt everyone participating in that event was already somewhat somewhere in their healing journey, and that’s what I like about individuals that they are constantly witnessing their presence, their behaviour and emotions that drive it. Not afraid to explore the inner world. The inner landscape and also to open your eyes and be awake in this waking life.
The vibrations from this bowl travel through the reflexology points under your feet to all the way to the top of your head. 25 inches in diameter in size, etched by artisans from nepal, I use this bowl in sound bath, for relaxation and meditation. It makes the whole body harmoniously resonate to it. #meditation #yoga #soundbath #energy #bioenergetics #reflexolofy
I feel so proud and happy to receive a wonderful testimonial by my client. “Hello Usman. How’ve you been?
I’ve been waiting to be in the right head space to write this, which is why it has taken this long.
My two sessions with you were incredibly helpful, mostly in bringing to surface a lot of suppressed emotions. It didn’t take long to feel that the monkey brain was gradually loosening it’s grip on the rest of me. Once the calm set in, it was easier to feel life unfolding at a very different level of consciousness. No epiphanies, no secrets of the universe revealed- just the experience of self at a different level, one of sounds and vibrations. I don’t want to use big words to describe it, cause that would be the monkey brain trying to lay a claim over the heart, mind and the body, and the life that experiences itself through it. The truth is it wasn’t until it was over that I could think of any words or adjectives to describe the experience. It’s a place of life, of existing that should have come to me effortlessly. The fact that it doesn’t, at least as of now, makes this a reassuring place in my memory to ground myself amidst confusion and chaos. And that means a lot . Thanks for being a wonderful and a very patient guide throughout.”
SOUND HEALING SESSION - LIVE AT HARVEST RETREAT - 13-17 May 2026 - Gilgit-Baltistan
Dhayan with Usman is based on raag Durga, participants will chant excerpts from Heer waris shah, with emphasis on the major fourth for heart chakra.
We will also do Sitali and pranayama breath work on 7 beat rupak taal.
One on one soundhealing session includes frequency response test and elemental pathway diagnosis to determine the relationship between your body and the natural world around it.
#pakistan #harvestfestivalpk #explore #fyp #soundhealing
For me, Birir and Ranbur kalasha villages are a different country altogether; different languages, different food, different climate, different everything. The designs, scale patterns, motifs on which the local artisans work with wood is beyond my comprehension. Everybody knows where everybody lives, everybody seems to know where the healing herbs and fauna grow, The retreat that I’m offering in end July will hopefully cover all aspects of my recce that I’ve already done in this terrain, along with some meditations, yoga and slackline with my friend @hariskhan09 , more instructors better the adventure, so if you are an energy worker and want to join us on this adventure, LETS GO! ( catchphrase I’ve learnt from@my genZ friends, LETS GO!) my long time partner in chitrali adventures @ishfaqahmadtg from @hindukushtopsadventure will be cohosting this adventure. 24-31july.
In 2022, I took a few people to Ranbur an ancient kalasha village for a mindfulness retreat, it’s been 4 years since that guided journey. And I’m planning another 7 day retreat, this is NOT a commercial money making venture and will be very affordable for another small group. Focus will be on engaging with the culture respectfully, fostering connection with the culture and environment. My meditations and soundscapes are never just for the group that I take and I invited the locals to join “scanning your body for discomfort” meditation, A long time kalasha friend commented, ‘Usman Bhai, that’s the way we pray.’ So this post in a way is my first invitation to those who would like to experience animism . More details coming soon
Find a door, turn the key and walk out of this.
I have come to the end of the road with myself, I always feel like a guest, hobo, never the host. When I go out to visit my best friend, when I go to yoga studios or meditation centres to setup my soundscape or goto coffee shops, even jam with a band. Before I die, I need to build myself a home, where I can invite my friends. Share my music with them, share my sacred space with them. But I can’t. I don’t know a halal nor a haram way of making a house in this economy.I devote so much of myself for others, I have to put in a lot of effort to creatively connect with other beings. The world is not my oyster. I’m just renting this oyster and paying heavily with my soul and resources and a force is stopping me from moving forward. A wall, I don’t see any doors that can open toward physical intimacy with anyone. There is naivety in romance, romance itself is an unrealistic expectation. I truly have gratitude and joy for people who let me in their home, it also triggers my sensitive heart that I can’t reciprocate the kindness. I do tarot readings sometimes, but the real signs we receive are in our everyday life. And yesterday I played sitar for a book launch of a book called “Bandish” which means to tie, or to block or bound. And that is a sign I’ve received from the universe that yes there is something in the way of me moving forward.
سنت کے سنگ سنگیت ہے- I met Tara Bir Ji in nepal in 2018. and did a three week long workshop in learning sitarkhani gutt in bheempilasi. The years 2023-2025, were extremely disappointing for me, musically., I had a falling out with a lot of people. There were people coming up to me and saying to my face, we have to chose between you or your ex wife to be friends with ( freaking smugs) . They would chose my ex naturally for better worldly connections. And because of the smugness of a few people I was getting angry and annoyed and hating and hurting, and I lost meaningful platonic connections because of that attitude. My Ustaad @ashrafsharifkhan sahab could see I’m making errors of judgement one after another, and I got left behind and left out from very important training sessions. In January 2025 Tara Bir ji randomly called me up to know how I’m doing, and we talked and talked for maybe 3 hours. We talked about philosophy, arts, classical music, life,death and the meaning behind everything. He spoke of interfaith harmony. That we can all learn valuable lessons from all the religions and theologies, and ofcourse our practice., I played the gutt he had taught me for him and added a palta that I had come up with jamming randomly with a hand-pan player this conversation really helped me. Indeed if you sit with the true saint, half your problems are solved instantly. Just by their gentle presence. Thank you for that one video call. I felt seen . .
Raza Kazim 1930-2026
I have quit smoking again. But this time in celebration of the world’s coolest smoker.
He lit his cigarettes in the most classical etiquettes, the softest voice and eyes to see right through your bullshit.( musically)
Something inside me needs to change. Asha bhosle died, and then today I read about Raza the one who smoked like my own dad did with grace like you are spending your best time with yourself when you smoke, the only person you please is yourself, when you smoke you spend sacred breaths with yourself. , you, your god and cigarettes. Raza sahab. god give highest ranks in jannat, to Raza Kazim. If this post reaches him in heaven, he is going to light a cigarette, About 20 years ago, I remember when I found about the life of service he has given to classical music and string instruments, I had to meet him, he had created a new type of veena. He is a legend.
Last hour, this ramzan I facilitated soundscapes for ambiance hotel cafe in Lahore, it was a challenge to disconnect from the chaos of the war and the world, the hour before the body is fed, we changed that chaos in to a reminder of gratitude, of presence. The senses were sharper and the mind clearer. I used sound of gongs, singing bowls and tuning forks to bring calm to nervous system. Using only sound, vibration and resonance. No breathing exercises like we are about to give birth. Attendees listened not with ears but with their body. I hope these moments of presence can leave an echo
