Shavasana Disco Review
I don’t think I can remember a time where I’ve optionally got up at 7.30am on a Sunday morning, but having attended Will Williams last amazing event ‘The Gathering’ I knew that this unusually early weekend start would be totally worth it. At his last event, Will had completely entranced the audience with his fusion of music, meditation and motivational speaking. For this event we were going to experience something completely different, traveling to the recording studios David Bowie had recorded some of his greatest hits in to experience them in a completely unique way, marking what would have been David Bowie’s 70th birthday.
Stepping into the iconic Olympic Studios, it struck me how calm the building felt, despite how already busy it was. Met with warm smiles from the coffee bar staff and friendly greetings from the event organises, the whole building seemed completely chilled. This easy Sunday energy carried through into the theatre, which we were guided into, seats almost completely full of an eclectic mix of Bowie fans and meditation lovers sat comfortably in plush sofa chairs. After a few minutes of gentle pleasantries with our neighbours, Will Williams came onto the stage and greeted us with his usual calm voice.
Explaining a bit about his personal history and the path he took to end up hosting these sessions, he touched upon the inspiration behind these events, an antidote to modern 21st century life which seeks to help find a balance between what will enrich us and what will burn us out. Having worked in the music industry for several years Shavasana Disco is the next in his series of innovating events, set to positively challenge the way we view both music and meditation. Will explained that this practice of meditating before listening to music, will help to heighten the sensory experience, it was something himself and his partner had in fact been doing at home for some time and this was their first public exploration of it. Describing it as a new way to consume music, Will commented that it once again presented music as a form of artwork, something that the introduction of the Internet had eroded over time.
After this introduction, sending us in to a completely relaxed state, Will embarked on a 20-minute mediation. It was this point I was again very aware of the chilled energy that had surrounded the morning. Having played part in the much larger scale ‘The Gathering’ where the group meditation consisted of hundreds of people, creating a kind of inspired and excited collective energy, this meditation felt a lot more relaxed, instantly feeling warm and connected to the room of fellow Bowie enthusiasts. Brought back into consciousness, there was a brief explanation that we were about to listen to the infamous diamond dogs and that we should let the feelings that come wash over and see where they went.
Although lasting for well over an hour, time flew by. Feelings went from that tingling excitement, to sadness for the loss of Bowie, to happiness, hearing songs that reminded me of my childhood…and a whole list of sensations in between. Nestled into my seat, I took some sneaky looks around the rest of the room to see what everyone else was experiencing and I could see that everyone was going through this musical journey with me, but with each song holding a different meaning to each individual. Whilst the lady to one side of me was having a bit of a chair boogie, the woman on the other side was crying, and a man on the other side of the room was stretching out, looking completely relaxed. Everyone’s reaction was linked to his or her own personal experience and therefor unique to them. Although partly due to the amazing sound system of the venue, I found that the meditation greatly improved my perception of the music and sound quality, hearing elements of the music I had never noticed before. Once the album had finished, Will spoke over the mic to thank us and say his goodbyes. In the same relaxed manner that surrounded the whole event, it was a very simple end to the amazing experience that proceeded, fitting perfectly with the whole vibe of the morning.
Despite the early Sunday morning start, Shavasana Disco was something completely different to anything I’d ever been to, and has opened my eyes to a different way of listening to music. A must do event for any music fan looking to experience music in a completely different way with an added spiritual connection.
Will Williams series of music fused mediation events continue to innovate and change the way in which we consume music. The next one will be Jimi Hendrix ‘Are you experienced’ 50th Anniversary Celebration. For more information click here – www.willwilliamsmeditation.co.uk/events/shavasana-disco
Written by Jordan Crowley
