Jhené Aiko: On Learning to Love Yourself and Making Peace a Priority

Jhené is fascinated by roots — tree roots and her own roots. Making music that's connected to her own history is a way for her to learn more about who she is. On this episode of On Purpose with Jay Shetty, Jay talks with Musician Jhené Aiko about how she finds peace in making music and how that music can be a source of peace for others. Jhené describes specific practices that have helped her connect both her peaceful side, and her wild side. You love On Purpose because it inspires your life. Have you tried Jay’s Genius workshops and meditations to access even deeper well-being? Learn more at https://shetty.cc/OnPurposeGenius See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Jay Shetty?

  This episode is brought to you by Mazda. Confidence isn't something Mazda finds, it's something they practise. That's the thinking behind every Mazda. With proactive safety features designed to help keep you more aware, more connected and more engaged with the road ahead. It's why Mazda has been named Consumer Reports' safest new car brand and has won more 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus Awards than any other car brand as of July 2026. Visit www.iihs.org to learn more. A lot can happen when an accident doesn't. Visit MazdaUSA.com to learn more. Consumer Reports does not endorse products or services. This episode is brought to you by AG1. Are you feeling September reset too?

• 0:45Jay Shetty?

  Shorter days, longer to-do lists, earlier alarms, all those routines you promised yourself you'd pick back up. It can feel like your whole life is recalibrating. And when everything around you is changing, it helps to have a few things you can rely on. AG1 Next Gen is one of those easy habits to keep. It's the clinically-backed, comprehensive daily health drink that supports your gut health, energy production, and foundational nutrition all in one scoop. AG1's ingredients are sourced from quality partners for absorption, potency, and nutrient density to deliver the foundational nutrition your body needs. And alongside a proper diet, AG1 Next Gen meets 94% of nutrient requirements

• 1:28Jay Shetty?

  and it's clinically shown to enrich the gut microbiome. For a limited time, save 20% on your first subscription order of AG1 Next Gen or AG1 Pro at drinkag1.com/onpurpose. That's drinkag1.com/onpurpose. This episode is brought to you by AG1. Are you feeling September reset too? Shorter days, longer to-do lists, earlier alarms, all those routines you promised yourself you'd pick back up. It can feel like your whole life is recalibrating. And when everything around you is changing, it helps to have a few things you can rely on. AG1 Next Gen is one of those easy habits to keep.

• 2:12Jay Shetty?

  It's the clinically backed, comprehensive daily health drink that supports your gut health, energy production, and foundational nutrition all in one scoop. AG1's ingredients are sourced from quality partners for absorption, potency, and nutrient density to deliver the foundational nutrition your body needs. And alongside a proper diet, AG1 Next Gen meets 94% of nutrient requirements and is clinically shown to enrich the gut microbiome. For a limited time, save 20% on your first subscription order of AG1 Next Gen or AG1 Pro at drinkag1.com/onpurpose. That's drinkag1.com/onpurpose.

• 2:58Speaker 01

  It was all kind of like a metaphor for me acknowledging all the different parts of myself that make me who I am and embracing my wildness.

• 3:18Jay Shetty?

  Hey everyone, welcome back to On Purpose, the number one health podcast in the world. Thanks to each and every single one of you that come back every week to listen, learn, and grow. Now, I'm really, really looking forward to this next conversation because it's with someone who's been pouring their heart into making music about meditation, making it an opportunity for revelation in our own lives and making it about healing. Today, I'm talking with Janae Aiko about the sound healing and creative intention she pours into her music. Janae is a six-time Grammy nominated R&B performer. And in addition to her music career, she's a Barnes and Noble bestselling author and mother.

• 4:02Jay Shetty?

  Her new album, Chalumbo, is absolutely phenomenal. It's a work of art and it's truly been the album of the year of helping people this year get through their struggle, their pain, and their challenges. And I'm so glad to have this conversation and share this space with her right now.

• 4:30Jay Shetty?

  So Janai, thank you so much for doing this.

• 4:32Speaker 01

  Thank you.

• 4:33Jay Shetty?

  And I'm so grateful.

• 4:34Speaker 01

  Thank you for having me.

• 4:35Jay Shetty?

  I'm so grateful to share this space with you.

• 4:37Speaker 01

  Thank you.

• 4:38Jay Shetty?

  Yeah.

• 4:38Speaker 01

  Same.

• 4:38Jay Shetty?

  I want to start with asking you, probably something totally random, but I saw the other day you posted something on Instagram, which is where we connected.

• 4:46Speaker 01

  Mm-hmm.

• 4:46Jay Shetty?

  And you posted adventure in your caption. And then you were like, what looked like next to an unearthed tree. Or it was like this crazy background. Can you tell us about what that place was?

• 4:58Speaker 01

  Yeah, so I was in Point Lobos, which is in Carmel. I think they call it the central coast. It's like up the California coast. And it was like a hiking trail. And literally, while I was walking, I was looking at the roots. And I've been like obsessed with roots lately. Like actual roots of trees. And my own personal roots as well. And I saw them coming out while we were walking on the trail. And they were so smooth and shiny and strong. And I was just like, wow. And then we just came upon this, like you said,

• 5:40Speaker 01

  it looked like a, almost like a tree had gotten like ripped from the ground and all the roots were exposed. And they were like, it was like a wall of roots. And so, yeah, that's what it was. And I just thought it looked really cool.

• 5:57Jay Shetty?

  It did. It looked amazing. I caught my eye straight away. And I couldn't wait to ask you about it because it looked like an incredible experience. And I'm more fascinated now because of what you just said of your fascination with roots. Tell us about both your fascination with the roots of trees, but then tell us about your own roots as well.

• 6:14Speaker 01

  Yeah.

• 6:14Jay Shetty?

  And what formed you into who you are?

• 6:16Speaker 01

  So I don't, the past maybe three, four years, I have been studying my family history.

• 6:25Speaker 01

  And I feel like most of us sort of just, we only know what our parents and grandparents have told us. And you know, some families, they do have more information about, you know, the family and the roots and like where everyone comes from. But my family is from all over and I just remember hearing so many different things. That when I, you know, like I said, maybe four or five years ago, I was like, I really want to figure out for myself, you know, and really study this, um, my family history. And so I did the DNA thing on ancestry.com. And the results were like, what?

• 7:08Speaker 01

  Like, these are, you know, like, the results, basically, I didn't know a lot of that information. So within that site, they take you to different, um, records of the people in your family. And then it just keeps going deeper and deeper and deeper. And so those roots, I of course got super intrigued by. And I just felt more of myself. And seeing pictures of, you know, these relatives that I knew nothing about, you know? Even more so, they pull up people that share your DNA. And so they'll pull, you know, first cousin, second cousin, third cousin, fourth cousin, fifth, sixth. And you see these people and you get to message each other.

• 7:53Speaker 01

  And I don't know, it's just such a fulfilling feeling to connect with people that are your family that you didn't know about, you know? And just learn about family. And I think part of me feeling more grounded today is discovering that my roots are so deep and so widespread. And so now when I look at trees and I see the roots, I'm just like, oh, this is like, I'm a tree. And.

• 8:26Jay Shetty?

  Yeah, I love that. Yeah, it's such a grounding feeling.

• 8:30Speaker 01

  Yeah.

• 8:30Jay Shetty?

  It's such a centering feeling of realizing that your roots are ancient and old and you've survived and your family's like thrived for this long. And the amount it's got through, I remember doing the test too, the ancestry.com test. And I remember finding out I was 77% South Asian, which is what I expected. But then I saw that I was 1% Native American. And that for me was just, I didn't realize that there was any part of me that was from anywhere else. And I agree with you, when I started tracing it too, it's phenomenal to see how interconnected we all are. I don't know if you've heard about my, one of my teachers, one of my monk teachers always talks about the redwood forest and the redwood trees.

• 9:15Jay Shetty?

  And I don't know if you've heard about their roots. So their roots do something really interesting. You've just sparked this. Their roots do something really interesting. They don't grow down and far. They actually grow across and wide. And they intertwine with other trees. And so the other redwood trees that are like baby redwood trees, they tie up with the big redwood trees. And then all the trees share their nutrients through their roots across the whole network, which I think's

• 9:46Speaker 01

  That's amazing.

• 9:47Jay Shetty?

  Yeah, it's unbelievable. So, yeah, your fascination with roots is very, uh, it's very justified. There's, there's, there's, there's a lot to learn there. But I was speaking to you earlier when we were just chatting briefly before about how you've really been bringing this spiritual energy into your music. And, and I've really genuinely admired and had so many amazing meditative experiences listening to your work. Uh, and, and I want, I want to start with, where did your spiritual journey begin? Where did that journey for you kind of ignite? Before you even thought about bringing it to your music?

• 10:26Speaker 01

  My spiritual journey was ignited when I was, I think I was like four or five. Miyoko, do you remember when grandma passed away?

• 10:41Speaker 01

  Right, I was maybe like four or five, I think. Didn't get to spend that much time with her, but I fell in love with her immediately. She, um, this little Japanese lady, she used to let me play with her wrinkles.

• 10:57Speaker 01

  She didn't speak a lot, very quiet, very just like cute to me. She was like a kitten. And she passed away and I was just like, hmm? And I remember asking my dad, my dad, who is a pediatrician. He always would explain things to us in a very like science, scientifical way, is that the word? Yeah, scientific. Scientific, I'm sorry. That's cool. Let me say that again. He would always explain things to us in a scientific way. So he, I'm like, well, where did she go? And he's like, well, she went to sleep and she didn't wake back up.

• 11:42Speaker 01

  And I'm like, okay, so, and then what about like her body? And he was like, they burned her body. And so in my, in my mind, I'm like, they burned her body? Huh? You know, so I'm thinking of all of these things and at the same time, we were preparing for her funeral, which was a Buddhist funeral. And I guess that was my first, um, that was my first funeral for sure, but my first sort of spiritual, you know, um, encounter. And at the same time, my grandmother would take us to Sunday school, um, to a Christian church.

• 12:24Speaker 01

  And so I would hear about, you know, how, I would hear about praying and praying to Jesus and God. And so I was like, so, you know, I knew the story of Jesus and now I'm learning about Buddha. And I'm five and my grandmother has passed away and they said that she's burned, you know, they burned her body and, but I'm like, mm, but I don't think that she just went, you know, she's not gone. So just from that moment, I was like, almost even fascinated with death, you know, and like, okay, not even necessarily trying to figure it out, but just kind of like, yeah, fascinated is the word. And...

• 13:07Speaker 01

  Loss as well, just, you know,

• 13:12Speaker 01

  always trying to figure out what different feelings mean. And I remember, I remember, sorry to jump back, but I remember when she passed, I think one day after, because we, our whole family would have to get together and practice,

• 13:31Speaker 01

  like the ceremony with, for the offering of the incense and everything. And one day we were all doing that, and I remember I went outside and I saw like

• 13:42Speaker 01

  butterflies flying around and I was like talking to the sky. Like I literally remember being this little baby and like out loud saying like, you know, talking to God and saying, you know, you can bring my grandmother back, like it's okay, I won't be scared like if she falls from the sky, blah, blah, blah, blah. And then I saw two butterflies go by and I was kind of like, when they flew by, I looked up

• 14:10Speaker 01

  in the window and my cousin, my older cousin was looking at me, talking to myself. And so I was like, okay, but then I saw the butterflies and it's something about that moment kind of made me feel like, okay, she's here, you know, she didn't have to like drop out of the sky type of thing. And just from that moment on, every,

• 14:32Speaker 01

  I don't know, I've always been

• 14:36Speaker 01

  contemplative, you know, I've always, when I was little even, I'm the youngest of five or I grew up in a household of five older, I mean, four older siblings. So it was really loud and most of that time I would just be like observing and just, you know, trying to figure things out or just staring at things and just like, I feel like really I was like meditating on them now that I think about it. But yeah, so it really started at that moment.

• 15:21Jay Shetty?

  When was it where you started to realize this connection between your spiritual interest in music? Was that always there from the beginning of when you started your music journey? Or was that more when you felt a certain level of personal growth and personal confidence in what you were finding?

• 15:41Speaker 01

  When I first started my musical journey, I was 12, going on 13. And it was just fun. It was, you know, I was traveling and, you know, just meeting new people. And it was just more so fun for me. I didn't really start to incorporate my own personal story into my music until I started going through my first little heartbreaks, you know? And then when I had my daughter, by that time, I had been through a few things. And I was really focused on

• 16:25Speaker 01

  putting my real story and my personal story into the music. And, you know, as you get older, you know, the more things that you go through. So obviously, having my daughter was a spiritual experience. So I started, you know, making songs about that and just my love for her. And then when my brother passed in 2012, that was like a, that was probably like the most pivotal moment in my life, but also in my, you know, music. Because I had so much to express and it was such a...

• 17:05Speaker 01

  You know, I don't know, I don't know the word. It was like a, it was, it was, it was soul changing. You know what I mean? It was something that really reworked my whole being and my whole perception of life and, you know, family and love and all of these things. And so as I started trying to figure out my emotions and how I felt about losing the closest person to me, I started, you know, like self-medicating and trying to escape and like trying to forget about it. And then obviously I'm like really small and I'm also just really sensitive.

• 17:50Speaker 01

  And so that took a toll on me for sure, like mentally, physically, spiritually. And having a daughter and watching as she got older, it was, you know, I, I recognized the responsibility of having, you know, a, a whole human being that I was really solely responsible for, you know? And so feeling physically and mentally now all there because of what, how I had been trying to heal myself with these substances,

• 18:28Speaker 01

  I realized, okay, that's probably not the best way to get through this. And so, you know, throughout my life, I've read books about meditation and I've, you know, tried it and all these things. But once I got to that point where I really was like, okay, this is like a life or death situation, then I really, really got into it. And, you know, my music is just a reflection of me and what I'm going through at that time. And so, you know, for the past several years, that's what I've been going through, you know? Trying to heal and just evolve and ascend and, you know, be my...

• 19:14Speaker 01

  Be the highest form of myself.

• 19:17Jay Shetty?

  This episode is brought to you by Amtrak. You know that feeling when you're already tired and you haven't even gotten there yet? That's where Amtrak comes in. Leave the driving behind and settle into a comfortable seat with plenty of room to stretch out. Catch up on work with wifi, grab a snack at the cafe car, or just sit back and enjoy your favorite podcast. Choose a cellar or northeast regional and get there without the stress of getting there. Visit amtrak.com to plan your next trip.

• 19:49Jay Shetty?

  This episode is brought to you by Indeed. I know how important every hire is for a business. If you need to make the right hire, this is a job for sponsored jobs. Indeed sponsored jobs helps find quality candidates when you need the most. You can reach who you need based on whatever criteria you're looking for, like skills, certifications, or location. In fact, people are finding quality hires on Indeed right now. In the minute I've been talking to you, companies like yours made 27 hires on Indeed, according to Indeed data worldwide. Spend less time searching and more time actually interviewing candidates who check all your boxes. Listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/podcast.

• 20:32Jay Shetty?

  That's indeed.com/podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Need to hire? This is a job for Indeed sponsored jobs.

• 20:41Speaker 02

  Your heart can tell you a lot about your health. Apple Watch Series 12 measures your heart rate every five seconds with the most accurate heart rate sensing and wearable. So your vitals app, now with heart rate variability, can tell you when something is off. And your readiness score can let you know when to rest and when to push. Hear the story in every heartbeat with Apple Watch Series 12. The features described are for wellness purposes only and not for medical use. iPhone 11 or later required. Based on Apple conducted study of heart rate accuracy, August 2026. Visit apple.com slash apple watch series 12.

• 21:15Jay Shetty?

  I want to be honest with you that sitting here, listening to you is it's transforming internally for me. Like, it's wonderful to hear you think through and hear about reflecting on pivotal moments in your life, because none of them sound easy. And you're going through them so young. And so to hear you actually share them in this way, I'm hoping that everyone who's listening and watching right now is feeling the same way, that they're feeling like they can reflect on their own life and find how these moments have made them stronger, or made them more reflective, or more meditative, or more introspective. Because, as you said, all of these things that are happening

• 22:00Jay Shetty?

  are just trying to help us learn something and help us find something more about ourselves.

• 22:05Speaker 01

  Right.

• 22:06Jay Shetty?

  And so, when I hear you say that it was that moment where meditation became more real for you, what else do you think happened at that moment that you feel like at such a young age, you've been able to develop that curiosity, but also resilience and that strength of who you are?

• 22:24Speaker 01

  I think a very pivotal moment in my life was, and I don't even remember, I think I was just in a bookstore and I liked, I was probably in the astrology section, and right across from it was the eastern religion. And I saw a Tikhon book, Pieces Every Step. And at that point, I was probably like seventeen or eighteen. And I think I just liked, I just liked, I just liked that, you know, that title. And I read it probably in two or three days. And when I was younger, I used to read books like that,

• 23:07Speaker 01

  but at that age, seventeen, I wasn't reading books, you know, especially in two or three days. And it was so simple, so poetic. And I applied it immediately. And I just, I just felt, I just felt good, you know? I felt good, I felt happy.

• 23:30Speaker 01

  And from there on, I would always get his new books and give them to people. And I think with meditation...

• 23:41Speaker 01

  It was the same thing. When I felt how it made me feel, then I was like, okay, this is something that I want to exercise. I want to practice this because I can feel, you know, physically, mentally, spiritually, everything. I just feel better, you know? And the reason why, I know we were probably going to talk about him, but this is just on my mind right now. The reason why I love Thich Nhat Hanh. Shout out to Julian for teaching me how to pronounce it correctly. I hope I said it right.

• 24:19Jay Shetty?

  You did.

• 24:20Speaker 01

  He states things so simply that anyone can understand. And the beautiful stories he tells to arrive to the lesson that he's teaching, it just makes it so much more impactful for me. And I love his meditations as well. They're so simple, you know? The red light meditation. Take that moment to breathe into your belly. Things like that that have helped me practice more of a meditation as more of a way of living

• 25:02Speaker 01

  and not just like meditate every day for this amount of time. It's more like breathing through every moment, difficult or not, you know? And, you know, it's something that I'm not perfect at or the best at, or even maybe even in the top, you know, percentage of people that are great at it. But it's something that, like I said, as I get older and things get even more real, it comes in handy for sure.

• 25:35Jay Shetty?

  Can you share with our listeners the red light meditation so that they understand it more and then they can apply it too?

• 25:40Speaker 01

  Okay, so Thich Nhat Hanh says, "Instead of viewing it like you're in traffic, you have to understand that you are the traffic."

• 25:51Speaker 01

  The red light meditation is every time you arrive at a red light, you come home to yourself. You take that red light as a bell of mindfulness to, you know, send to yourself instead of viewing it as, oh, this red light is making me late and letting it frustrate you. It's more, it's a moment to take for yourself and just breathe. That's how I take it.

• 26:20Jay Shetty?

  Yeah, that's wonderful. That's, I, I, I share, we definitely share a love for Thich Nhat Hanh in a special way. I think he's absolutely phenomenal and the books that he's written, the work that he's done. And that example is a perfect synopsis of why he's so powerful, because it takes a very simple concept and something that we all deal with on a daily basis and turns it from how we usually view it to something that's so much more profound and meaningful for each and every one of us. And I think that's almost like what, what all of us need to become is every day we need to be able to take these very ordinary daily things and turn them into these extraordinary experiences rather than the other way around.

• 27:06Jay Shetty?

  And so, yeah, thank you for sharing that. I love that. I, I hope everyone's gonna try that, especially in LA traffic. I love driving too, so I feel, I'm, you know, when you said that, I was like, I feel the same way. I can go on a long drive for hours and just feel completely, you know, satisfied and fulfilled and hit as many red lights as I have to.

• 27:26Speaker 01

  Yes, exactly.

• 27:28Jay Shetty?

  I love that. So, so it seems like you've just, and, and I loved what you said then. By the way, there's no one who's the perfect meditator or, you know, we're, we're all learning and working and figuring it out. And, and what I love about meditation is that when you feel you've reached a level, there's just another level and, and there's just always this continuous awakening. And I want to talk about how you've put so much. Intention into your creative expression because you're not just making music, you're actually creating art to help people heal. And, and when I view your, and I'm, I'm, I want my invite next time. I'm telling you that right now.

• 28:09Jay Shetty?

  I'm, I'm putting it on the record, but I was watching this video on YouTube and anyone who's listening or watching right now, you can go and check it out. It was your experience, you, you designed an immersive experience, Wisdom LA.

• 28:24Speaker 01

  Yes.

• 28:24Jay Shetty?

  And I loved it because you had everyone like lying down and, and looking up and these absolutely phenomenal designs that looked like the inside of someone's mind. And then you were playing the sound bowl and the harp and chanting and, and, and singing. And I was just like, wow, like this is a healing experience. Tell us about how, how you came to create that and feel that that was how you wanted to share it.

• 28:54Speaker 01

  Yes, that was a dream come true that hopefully I can take on tour sooner than later. When I was, probably around the same time I started reading Thich Nhat Hanh, there is a store that my father loves. That's, it's not there anymore, huh? In Santa Monica, but they have, you know, lots of sound bowls and it's like a spiritual, you know, new age store. And there was a Tibetan singing bowl. I picked it up, started playing it. I was just like, oh my God, this is the best feeling ever. Literally like I loved the feeling

• 29:34Speaker 01

  of my wrists going in a circle and obviously loved the sound and how it was making me feel. So I bought one and then I kept buying them and I would just, you know, play them when I was feeling away or just when I was bored even, just because I loved how they sound and how they make me feel. And fast forward to maybe five years ago, my friend Chrissy sent me a picture.

• 30:02Speaker 01

  Of this woman with all of these really pretty crystal bowls. And I was like, what? Like, what are these? Because I've seen the big white crystal bowls, but I had never seen them like so iridescent and just like in all these colors and sizes. And so I looked it up and I found the company. And at the same time, you know, have been working on music. And I guess even my album before Chalumbo, I wanted to incorporate more acoustic instruments. You know, live drums, live flute, live. And I would collect these instruments from like different festivals and different places that I would travel.

• 30:47Speaker 01

  Because I just felt like you could feel them more than, you know, computer sounds. And so, so I'm already incorporating those into the music. And then now I find these bowls. And I'm just like, duh, like this is, this is what I have to. They're, they're so easy for me to play. And I thought they were easy for everyone to play, but I've actually seen, you know, or have friends try and they're like, uh. And I'm like, oh, my God, maybe this is my instrument, you know? And so, of course, yes, I'm gonna put it in the music. So people would always come up to me and let me know, share stories

• 31:32Speaker 01

  about how my music helped them get through something or helped them, you know, make a decision or just, you know, all of these things that felt so much more than just someone saying, oh, like, you're a great singer or, oh, you're so pretty or whatever. It would always be, you know, we were like, a lot of times end up crying together because we, you know, their stories are so like touching to me. And they're always, they'll always say, your, your music really helped me. And when I'm creating the music, it's really just to get through, you know, what I'm going through and helping me, you know, express myself and transform whatever the feeling is into some type of art. And it's a release for me.

• 32:17Speaker 01

  So I started to realize that the reason why I'm so compelled to share that is because.

• 32:25Speaker 01

  I think the purp- my purpose, or one of my purposes is to help people deal, you know, to, to, and heal, you know, deal and heal. When I discovered these crystal sound bowls and started playing them and then seeing how beautiful they were, I knew I wanted to incorporate it into my live shows. I started having these, this idea of like, a lot of people listen to other, a lot of other types of music to like distract themselves, but that is no solution, you know, to distract yourself. So I'm like, if I can give people experiences like this and music like this that, you know, you, maybe you do wanna just put it on to forget about what you're going

• 33:09Speaker 01

  through or whatever, but when you're listening, there's that intention there and that real healing in there that is really gonna resonate within your body and your spirit and actually help, you know, and help center you or ground you or, you know, whatever it is really that you turned on the song for, that's what, it's gonna, it's gonna help. And so, yeah, I think that answers that.

• 33:36Jay Shetty?

  It does, it does, it does beautifully. It's, uh, yeah, I, I recommend everyone go and watch the video and try and imagine you're in the experience. This episode is brought to you by Vinted. Value can be found anywhere, even in the clothes sitting untouched in our closets. That's where Vinted comes in. Vinted is a secondhand marketplace app where you can sell clothes you no longer want and get more value out of them. Whether you're running out of space, moving, or simply updating your wardrobe. Listing items is a quick and simple process, and once something sells, Vinted creates a prepaid shipping label for you. And the best part, there are no seller fees, so you keep what you earn. It's a simple way to clear out your closet, be less wasteful,

• 34:19Jay Shetty?

  and maybe make some extra money along the way. And if you've been thinking about a wardrobe refresh, this can make it feel a little more worthwhile. You're not just letting go of clothes, you're getting more value from what you already have. Give your clothes a second life with Vinted. Download the Vinted app. App for free to start selling with no seller fees. So you keep every dollar you earn. This episode is brought to you by State Farm. We talk a lot about intentional decision making, and that extends to the practical stuff too, like making sure your coverage actually works for your life. State Farm is there to meet you where you are, and they know how sweet it is to feel good about your decisions. Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with a personal price plan.

• 35:02Jay Shetty?

  Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state. This episode is brought to you by Wayfair. Home should be a place that feels like a sanctuary, a space that truly reflects who you are, but it can be challenging to balance style, budget and endless options. I was looking to create a dedicated calm space for my morning meditation and reading, but I was struggling to find pieces that felt grounding but could also stand up to daily use. I went on Wayfair and found a beautiful, solid wood accent chair and a bookshelf. Now that corner is my favorite place to anchor my day. The quality is incredible, it's built to last, and it completely shifted the energy of the room.

• 35:48Jay Shetty?

  Plus, you can shop with Wayfair Verified, where product specialists carefully vet items for quality and functionality, so you can shop with more confidence. And if putting it all together sounds like a headache, Wayfair can handle delivery, installation and assembly. Join Wayfair Rewards today to get 5% back on every purchase and start saving on your next home upgrade. Head to wayfair.com to shop all things home. That's W A Y F A I R dot com. Wayfair, every style, every home.

• 36:20Jay Shetty?

  When I started coming across mantra and frequency and vibration in these conversations around how healing could take place through music and through words and through language.

• 36:34Jay Shetty?

  Now, I can't sing to save my life. So I've always deeply prayed and wanted for incredibly talented musicians to hopefully one day use their platform to do that. Because I just think that music's the most powerful thing in the world. And as you said, it's, it can just be a distraction or it can truly be something that deeply touches the heart and heals the heart even more than just touching. And, and to see you do it is just extremely hope giving for me. And, and, and by the, and it's different for different people. Like, and this sounds totally random and strange. But like for me, growing up, listening to rap music was extremely healing.

• 37:15Jay Shetty?

  Because for me, being able to listen to someone who had a tougher experience than I did, but giving me the permission to be able to express how I felt. And so I would sit and write poetry or spoken word when I was younger. Again, I can't sing, but I would, I would write and I would share and I would think. And I think even now, when I journal or when I wrote my book or even when I do the podcast, for me, language is so powerful and words is so powerful. And when you put that to music or you put that to sound, it's, it's out of this world. And so, yeah, I felt like that was a universal experience that you were putting people into. There was, there's also the other one that I've used of yours before, which was the, the one that was for triggers.

• 38:00Jay Shetty?

  And, and that's another great example of how you're creating stuff that's very specific for people. Tell us about, tell us about why you created that one and where that one came from.

• 38:09Speaker 01

  So, working on my album, which just means I'm living life and creating music at the same time. I was going through a period of time where I felt very triggered. When I was at the peak of feeling triggered, I recorded a song called Triggered. And it was a freestyle and I was just kind of just like, let it all out. And immediately after, I felt, you know, a release and I felt calm and...

• 38:43Speaker 01

  I was working with my sound bowls at the time as well. And I'm like, I'm gonna do a mantra or a song. We call it modern mantra.

• 38:54Jay Shetty?

  Yeah.

• 38:55Speaker 01

  That can hopefully help people not reach that point of feeling enraged or chaotic or, you know, out of control. Because I know for me, I can create a song when I'm feeling like that. But, you know, other people need other outlets. Or a lot of the times, they will turn to music. And so that was, yeah, that was the cooldown of feeling triggered or the, you know. Or for me, yeah, it was, it was more like a, my intention was to have it be, when you feel triggered, turn this on. And I use it for myself too, like I still do, like on the plane and stuff like that. When if I just need to calm down for anything. I'm like, oh, this, this actually is working.

• 39:39Speaker 01

  Cause I got with my sound bowl teacher, Jerelyn, and picked bowls that were very intentional. You know, picked notes and alchemies of the bowls that were really gonna aid in how it resonates within everyone that listens to it, so.

• 39:55Jay Shetty?

  Yeah, no, it works. It's awesome. Like I said, I've, I've used it, I've shared it with people. I, I, I think it's beautiful. And again, if you're listening or watching, we'll put the links to all of this that I'm recommending, because I'd love for you to use it. And I'd love for you to share with Janae and I on Instagram, how you're finding it. Because I think these are just really powerful tools. Like, we always need something. I, I often say to people, like, when you're hungry, you don't panic because you know if you eat that you'll be satisfied. But when we're anxious, or when we're triggered, or when we're nervous, or when we're stressed, we just create more panic because we haven't yet found the tool, the substance, the mindset that satiates that hunger.

• 40:38Jay Shetty?

  And so, but we have to view it the same. There's, there's no need to panic. It's about finding that, it's about finding that connection of, of what activity or mindset can help, help with that.

• 40:56Jay Shetty?

  Kind of circling back to you talking about your roots and obviously this album being called Chilombo, which is your name, your second name, your surname, your family name. It's interesting that we started talking about roots.

• 41:12Speaker 01

  Right.

• 41:12Jay Shetty?

  And you can see that in your work again of going that. Tell us about the importance of using that name and why that was so symbolic for you right now.

• 41:22Speaker 01

  So, my father chose the name Chilombo for himself when he was in his twenties, I believe. And growing up, I don't remember when I learned that, but it was pretty early. And I don't know, it made me feel like disconnected from it. And then being in school, people would not really make fun of it, but they couldn't pronounce it. And so it was kind of just always annoying to me. And I always would say, I can't wait to get married so I could change my last name. But as I got older, I really started to love it and love how it sounds and love how it looks.

• 42:06Speaker 01

  And I started asking my dad more questions about why he chose that name. And he has lots of different breakdowns of why he chose the name, the spelling, everything. And then doing my own research, I found out it was a word and I believe it's pronounced Chichua. Chilombo means wild beast in that language. And I was like, oh, that's cool. I like that. I like that. And so for me, it was all kind of like a metaphor for me, like accepting myself and really acknowledging all the different parts of myself that make me who I am and embracing my wildness.

• 42:52Speaker 01

  And embracing all that I am. Whether people don't understand it, whether they can't pronounce it, whether they think that I'm not really connected to that last name because it's not, you know, because my father chose it himself. So yeah, that was me just embracing all that I am. And the fact that it means wild beasts, I loved because I love dragons. I was born in 1988, which is the year of the dragon. And just dragons are like, cool, obviously. So I was like-

• 43:29Jay Shetty?

  I always wanted to be in the year of the dragon. I'm 1987, so I just missed out.

• 43:35Speaker 01

  Almost. But no, I just, I think it's a beautiful creature, but it can be destructive, but it's also graceful. And I'm just like, yes, I feel like I'm all of these things. And I feel like Chalumbo represents all of these things. And I feel like the album also represents all of these things. It's not just me pretending to be perfect and, you know, I'm this healing, this healer. You know, it's like I'm going through these real things and I'm dealing with them and I'm practicing how to heal. And it's just, you know, all of that coming together is Chalumbo.

• 44:12Jay Shetty?

  That's a beautiful definition. I love that.

• 44:14Speaker 01

  Thanks.

• 44:15Jay Shetty?

  Yeah, it's, it's, uh, yeah, it's so interesting because I guess we live in a world of

• 44:22Jay Shetty?

  chosen names as well, whether people are actors or musicians or, you know, and the fact that your father chose a name. It's, it is, it is almost powerful to come up with our own names and our own identities or because so often we don't feel connected.

• 44:39Speaker 01

  Right.

• 44:40Jay Shetty?

  Or we don't have a vision or a-

• 44:44Jay Shetty?

  Or a symbol for who we are. And it's almost like getting closer to that is such a powerful thing. Like as we've realized that icons and symbols and visuals are so important in our lives, whether it's as simple as an emoji or whether it's a real, you know, it's a real emblem of who we stand for and what we are. Like, but we see mascots, we see that visualizing of who we are everywhere. And sometimes the only visual we don't have is of us.

• 45:10Speaker 01

  Facts.

• 45:11Jay Shetty?

  And yeah, it's, it's, it's nice to hear that definition of chilombo.

• 45:15Speaker 01

  We also came up with, um, me and my dad, who I've gotten closer to as an adult.

• 45:24Speaker 01

  We came up with our own little breakdown of it. So Chi is life, energy, force.

• 45:31Speaker 01

  What comes after Chi? L, so love. The L is for love. Om, the sound of the universe. B, which comes from the foot in Egyptian hieroglyph, hieroglyphics?

• 45:51Speaker 01

  Egyptian hieroglyphics. B, which comes from the foot in Egyptian hieroglyphics,

• 46:02Speaker 01

  is the base, foundation. And then O is everything and nothing, all encompassing.

• 46:09Jay Shetty?

  Circle of life.

• 46:10Speaker 01

  Yes, circle of life. And so that's how we broke down chilombo.

• 46:19Jay Shetty?

  What do you think is a message that the universe has had for you over and over again that you've been learning?

• 46:29Speaker 01

  Surrender.

• 46:33Speaker 01

  Let go. Probably, yeah. Which, same thing, but let go. And I'm constantly, because that's constantly in my head, but I don't think it's in my, I think it's coming from the universe.

• 46:51Speaker 01

  Let go and love, love. It definitely has an O in it. Let go or love.

• 47:04Speaker 01

  Just be.

• 47:07Speaker 01

  I think, I think that I get a lot of messages from the universe. One thing that I used to do when I was younger that I didn't understand was probably considered now a meditation is I would sit in the sun, because it felt good, and just breathe. And every time after maybe five minutes, I would start getting these

• 47:40Speaker 01

  very clear. In my head, they were just like one-liners. You know, it would be like,

• 47:51Speaker 01

  like little quotes.

• 47:52Jay Shetty?

  Yeah.

• 47:52Speaker 01

  And I would be like, what? You know, it might just, it didn't feel like I was thinking of them. It just felt like they were coming to me. And it's something that I still do now that just feel like little downloads from the universe, from the sun, from just the atmosphere. I don't know.

• 48:09Speaker 01

  So, yeah. When I do that and when I'm really there in that moment breathing, it's just very clear messages that I usually write down. I used to tweet them at one point when I was younger. And then I

• 48:27Speaker 01

  felt like I couldn't give it away. As soon as I got it, I had to like

• 48:32Jay Shetty?

  Hmm, process it.

• 48:33Speaker 01

  Process it and meditate on it and really understand what does that mean? And so now I do that a lot more. I still write them down for myself, but yeah.

• 48:44Jay Shetty?

  Yeah, I love that. You, when I'm, when I'm hearing you speak today, like, I feel like, and obviously this has taken work, but you feel very in touch with your intuition and your like inner voice. Tell us about that journey, because I think a lot of people who listen sometimes struggle with like, well, I don't know whether this is really my intuition or whether it's my ego or whether it's my inner voice or actually is it just my mind that's just? How, yeah, tell us a bit about how you clarify the difference between the two for yourself and how you've become closer to your intuition.

• 49:16Speaker 01

  Yeah, I think that is more of a recent development within myself.

• 49:25Speaker 01

  I think naturally when I was younger.

• 49:29Speaker 01

  Like, you know, in like grade school, it was my intuition and I knew it. But as I got older and more jaded by life, I, the voices grew and it was, they multiplied. And I just felt like, oh my God, I'm crazy, you know? And then in the line of work that I do, I just had started to, started to get a lot of anxiety about things and just really doubt myself.

• 49:58Speaker 01

  And I feel like people close to me recognize it. And my friend Felicia, who, um, she's amazing. She actually has, well, yeah, okay. My friend, I always go on like a, go off topic. My friend Felicia, we were-

• 50:21Jay Shetty?

  That's what podcasts are for. You could, you could go as many tangents as you like. We're not, yeah.

• 50:26Speaker 01

  Yeah, my, okay, so we, me and my two friends, Ari and Felicia, we decided to go on a trip to the Esalen Institute. Have you heard of that?

• 50:36Jay Shetty?

  I have. I haven't been there.

• 50:38Speaker 01

  It's amazing. A little retreat. And she got me this book called, I think this, I think I remember the name of the book, Silencing Your Inner Critic. Because she was doing my makeup at the time and, you know, it would always, she would see me so stressed before shows or after shows and I would be like, how was it? Like, oh, I felt like you, yeah. You know, I would just be like so frustrated. And she, she, we never talked about it. She just like gave me that book. So I'm like, oh, okay, you see that I'm dealing with something right now.

• 51:13Speaker 01

  And really, that book had so many great points and really helped me realize that I'm not these voices. I'm the observer of these, yeah, I'm, I'm, I'm listening. I'm not the, I'm not them, you know? And so from that point on of reading that book, I started listening to my thoughts differently and saying, okay, hi, okay, that's fine. But, you know, you, you don't decide, you know, who I am or how I feel. And-

• 51:49Speaker 01

  Reading more books that are, you know, just started yours.

• 51:56Speaker 01

  You're familiar with Dr. Joe Dispenza?

• 51:58Jay Shetty?

  Yes, he's been on the podcast too.

• 52:00Speaker 01

  Oh, amazing, amazing.

• 52:03Speaker 01

  Becoming Supernatural, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. Just practicing, because I was, once again, realizing that

• 52:16Speaker 01

  the habit of listening to these voices in my head and letting them control how I feel about myself and how I move daily. I was mindful enough to see that it was not the best, you know. It wasn't the best practice. So now I just practice, you know, the right things. Now I practice doing things that I feel like are best for me and my development as a person.

• 52:51Speaker 01

  More audiobooks in the car opposed to music or no music.

• 52:58Jay Shetty?

  Silence.

• 52:59Speaker 01

  Yeah, silence.

• 53:00Jay Shetty?

  I drive in silence all the time.

• 53:01Speaker 01

  There's never really silence, also, I realize. There's always something.

• 53:09Jay Shetty?

  We usually end every episode with something called the final five. This is a fast five round, which means every answer is either one word or one sentence maximum.

• 53:23Speaker 01

  One word or one sentence.

• 53:24Jay Shetty?

  Correct.

• 53:25Speaker 01

  Okay.

• 53:26Jay Shetty?

  You ready?

• 53:28Speaker 01

  Yes.

• 53:29Jay Shetty?

  Today, Aiko, this is your fast five. The first question is, what has helped your mental health this year?

• 53:37Speaker 01

  Sleep.

• 53:39Jay Shetty?

  Second question, how do you personally refuel after pouring your heart into an album?

• 53:45Speaker 01

  Sleep.

• 53:47Jay Shetty?

  Sleep again?

• 53:50Jay Shetty?

  Third question. What's the biggest lesson you've learned in the last 12 months?

• 53:54Speaker 01

  Through difficult situations, when my energy feels all tangled up inside of me, is rather than try to get through it with that anxious energy to slow down and to breathe through those moments.

• 54:16Jay Shetty?

  Question number four. What's something that you are confident about that others may disagree with you on?

• 54:24Speaker 01

  There's nothing cuter, nothing more precious or magnificent as a cat.

• 54:35Jay Shetty?

  I always wanted a little cub, like always, so.

• 54:38Speaker 01

  Get a cat?

• 54:39Jay Shetty?

  Yeah.

• 54:40Speaker 01

  Just get a cat?

• 54:41Jay Shetty?

  Yeah.

• 54:42Speaker 01

  Probably a cat.

• 54:44Jay Shetty?

  All right, fifth and final question. If you could create one law that the whole world had to follow, what would it be?

• 54:52Speaker 01

  Share your food, share your home, share your ideas, share everything. And it'll be always an exchange and no one would go without.

• 55:05Jay Shetty?

  That's a beautiful answer, very unique. We've never had anyone say that. That's awesome.

• 55:12Jay Shetty?

  Everyone, Janai Aiko, Chalumba, the album. Please, please, please go and check out all the links that we're gonna put into the bio here. Janai, thank you so much for doing this.

• 55:21Speaker 01

  Thank you for having me.

• 55:22Jay Shetty?

  This was so beautiful, so special.

• 55:24Speaker 01

  Thank you.

• 55:25Jay Shetty?

  I hope it's the start of a lifelong friendship. I look forward to it. And I'm so deeply grateful to have had you on the show. Everyone who's been listening or watching back at home, or whether you're at the gym, or whether you're walking, or you're walking your cat or your dog, please, please, please tag me and Janai on Instagram and share what resonated with you, what connected with you. What is it that she mentioned that you're going to practice or try out in your life? We'd love to hear, we'd love to see that. And again, I'll see you next week on On Purpose. Thank you again, Janai.

• 55:53Speaker 01

  Thank you. Thank you so much.

• 56:05Jay Shetty?

  This podcast was produced by Dust Light Productions. Our executive producer from Dust Light is Misha Youssef. Our senior producer is Juliana Bradley. Our associate producer is Jacqueline Castillo. Valentino Rivera is our engineer. Our music is from Blue Dot Sessions. And special thanks to Rachel Garcia, the Dust Light Development and Operations Coordinator.

• 57:05Speaker 03

  Now, more than ever, we need someone on our side. But Rob Whitman? Whitman's votes drove up costs, cut Medicaid, and risked 350,000 Virginians' healthcare to pay for tax breaks for himself and his donors. He's not on our side. Shannon Taylor will fight corruption, cut taxes, and bring down costs. This November, vote for Shannon Taylor. She's for us. Paid for by HMP, theHouseMajorityPac.com. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

• 57:34Speaker 04

  You're smart, right? You should get paid up to two days early. With Ally's early direct deposit, you can better manage your funds and have money for when life is actually happening. So go ahead. Make Wednesday the new Friday. Level up Thursday's date night and be ready when those tickets go on sale Friday. Ally: Banking built for life today. Ally Bank, Member FDIC.

• 58:00Speaker 05

  Mr. President, my company foreme of the explosion on our rig.

• 58:04Speaker 03

  On October 2nd.

• 58:05Speaker 05

  Causing massive water displacement and triggering a tsunami. They all heap the blame on me.

• 58:10Speaker 03

  Tom Cruise is.

• 58:11Speaker 05

  Digger got us into this mess. And Digger's gonna dig us out.

• 58:15Speaker 03

  From the director of Birdman and The Revenant.

• 58:17Speaker 05

  What would happen if I stopped drilling? You stop, you freeze to death, that's what.

• 58:21Speaker 03

  With great power comes great deniability.

• 58:24Speaker 05

  I'm not the first daddy.

• 58:26Speaker 03

  Digger. See the trailer online. Only if he is October 2nd. Rated R. Under 17. Not a minute without parent.