This is How to Use Spirituality To Help You with Confidence and Self-Doubt!

In this podcast episode, Jahnavi Harrison shares an intimate conversation about her journey blending spirituality with music, addressing challenges around confidence and self-doubt. The discussion explores how devotional music and mantra chanting serve as healing practices, the contrast between spiritual upbringing and mainstream education, and how faith evolves through doubt and crisis. Jahnavi also reflects on the role of service, identity, and intention in living a purposeful life.

The Role of Devotional Music and Mantra

Jahnavi describes devotional mantra music as distinct from popular music by its sacredness, focus, and intention. Mantras are repeated sacred phrases meant to purify the heart and mind through sound vibration, like the repeated cycles of a washing machine cleansing clothes. Unlike typical music which may seek to entertain or express personal emotions, mantra music connects people to a sacred inner space and is often communal and celebratory. Jahnavi shares how this practice initially attracted her with its intoxicating quality and that through years of participation and teaching globally, she has witnessed how its healing power brings peace and spiritual grounding to many.

Childhood and Spiritual Upbringing

Growing up in a spiritual community outside London gave Jahnavi an upbringing deeply infused with prayer, chanting, and connection to nature. Attending a temple school where they learned sacred texts like the Bhagavad Gita alongside the national curriculum shaped her identity early on. However, she also faced difficulties transitioning to conventional schools, feeling vulnerable and different due to her distinct cultural and spiritual background. She describes wearing different "masks" in the temple and school environments, struggling with social acceptance and sensory overload, leading to anxiety and a period of homeschooling.

Navigating Identity and Integration

Jahnavi talks candidly about the challenge of merging two seemingly opposing worlds—the spiritual community she grew up in and the wider society outside it. As a teenager, she felt like a "baby bird kicked out of the nest," lacking confidence to fully express her beliefs and identity in the conventional school environment. It took time and self-agency to regain her footing in education and life. Finding balance involved gradually embracing her dharma (purpose) and recognizing the importance of protecting it as a guiding compass through uncertainty.

Musical Passion and Artistic Evolution

Although Jahnavi was always creatively inclined—recording spontaneous songs on cassette tapes as a child and playing the violin—she did not initially view music as a career path. Her mastery developed organically, particularly when she brought her violin and voice into devotional music settings, which led to touring and recording. She reflects on moments of doubt common to creative careers, emphasizing that pursuing artistry professionally requires faith and courage without guarantees. Jahnavi also shares how she has expanded beyond traditional chant to include original songs, blending personal prayer and vulnerability with sacred music.

Experiences of Doubt, Faith, and Spiritual Complexity

The podcast deeply explores Jahnavi's relationship with faith, especially during times of crisis when previously unwavering beliefs felt to evaporate. She compares this to losing the lines in a coloring book, where identity becomes fluid and uncertain. During these phases, she found prayer—particularly spontaneous, personal prayer in her native language—helped her reconnect. Jahnavi highlights the evolving nature of faith as non-binary and paradoxical, resisting simple answers and requiring openness to complexity. She emphasizes that spirituality is not about perfection but a courageous, ongoing effort often marked by setbacks and growth.

The Importance of Service

Central to Jahnavi's understanding of spiritual life is a commitment to service. She describes service as a protective state of being that provides meaning and grounding amid feelings of lostness. Identifying as "servant of the servant" encourages humility and continual seeking of ways to contribute beyond ego or status. Through service, she finds alignment and lessens comparative feelings, enabling a clearer connection to her unique purpose. This ethos also informs how she approaches leadership and public presence, balancing visibility with a heart-centered intention.

Spirituality, Community, and Misconceptions

Jahnavi addresses common misconceptions about spiritual people, noting that the expectation of perfection or omniscience can alienate others and create unrealistic standards. She stresses that spiritual practitioners have doubts, desires, and failings just like anyone else. The podcast also touches on the importance of cultivating inclusive and safe spiritual spaces that welcome questioning and diverse experiences rather than imposing rigid beliefs or judgment.

Advice on Confidence and Handling Opinions

Reflecting on personal growth, Jahnavi shares how learning not to give undue weight to others' opinions was transformative. She outlines a mindful approach to listening that weighs character, care, competence, and consistency differently depending on context. This framework helps discern whose advice is trustworthy and when it is appropriate to set boundaries around external influence. Trusting one's intuition and inner guidance is essential for confidence, especially when pursuing unconventional paths like devotional music.

Prayer and Communication with the Divine

Encouraging listeners to engage in prayer, Jahnavi explains that talking to God is primarily about intention rather than form. She advocates for spontaneous, authentic communication with the divine as a practice accessible to all, even outside formal religious contexts. Prayer, in her experience, creates a profound connection to a sacred inner space, allowing expression of deep sentiments otherwise difficult to access.

Overcoming Nervousness in Chanting and Singing

Jahnavi acknowledges that many people feel nervous about singing or chanting aloud in group settings. She encourages participants to start gently, even singing internally if they prefer, emphasizing the collective and empowering nature of shared sound. Many of her retreat attendees have experienced transformation—overcoming fear and self-consciousness—finding freedom and joy in voice as a means of spiritual expression and healing.

The Intersection of Modern Life and Spirituality

Throughout the conversation, Jahnavi reflects on the tensions of sustaining spiritual integrity in contemporary society, whether entering the workforce, negotiating cultural differences, or managing visibility in leadership roles. She suggests that knowing one's unique dharma reduces envy and comparison, empowering individuals to follow their authentic path with greater ease and balance.

Making Spirituality Accessible and Inclusive

Finally, Jahnavi discusses how she strives to create welcoming spaces in her workshops and performances, recognizing that people from various backgrounds may encounter spirituality with judgment or trauma. Her approach emphasizes inclusivity, openness, and service, making the practice of mantra and devotional music an accessible tool for grounding, healing, and connection in today's diverse world.