Introduction
Welcome! In this blog, I'll share a brief behind-the-lyrics of my latest single, 'Swallow Me,' released on June 20th this year. This song was a result of a pleasant mistake. The title 'Swallow Me' came to me in a flash of creativity while saving a sketchy demo. And from there, I discovered that it had less to do with consumption and more with our innate fear of change. Although the title sounds like you're about to witness 50 Shades of Gray on steroids (and admittedly a much more fun version), I chose a slightly different angle and one I hope resonates with you.
From a Quote to a Book to a Song
A few years ago, I came across a quote by Osho (the type that suspiciously speaks to you and makes you believe in conspiracy theories) that, unbeknownst to me at the time, would lead to the creation of Swallow Me.
The quote reads: "Love is like facing an abyss. That's why we're so afraid of it. We can face a body, face a face, but we're afraid of facing an abyss."
One experience that stood out after reading this quote, especially from the "facing the abyss" part, was looking into the eyes of someone for whom I had feverish feelings and feeling like I was falling into a bottomless void or some external force was consuming me. (No wonder why our pupils look like mini black holes). As such, I could never truly connect deeper to the point where anything resembling "being in the moment" became a pet peeve. Osho's comparison between love and an abyss was less of a beautiful hyperbole but a stark reality; I feared the present moment. That's not cool because life happens in the present.
If you focus on the known, you get the known. If you focus on the unknown, you create a possibility. - Joe Dispenza
But the cherry on top was finding one of Joe Dispenza's life-changing books, "Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself," followed by "Becoming Supernatural," where he articulates how we've been biologically and emotionally programmed to survive instead of create. Thus, many of us are in a constant fight or flight mode, reimagining the many ways something could go wrong, incapable of surrendering to the present moment. Being in survival mode 24/7 is in our DNA, but we're not doomed. He states that meditation is the first step to change from our programmed behaviors and ease into the unknown, present moment. That seemingly ungraspable thing is called now. It sounds simple, but it takes putting your phone away, which is the equivalent of holding your breath in today's world. But we can do it.
And this is how Swallow Me was born. I wanted to express being in the moment and falling in love. I'm putting my survival nature aside and entering the realm of the unknown, the realm of possibility; thus, swallow me. In layman's terms, it's about courage to do what you fear most by putting yourself aside and going for it (except jumping off a building or some crazy sh*t).
However, I prefer not to keep this just as an idea for a song. Hence, as much as possible, I practice being present daily by starting the day with meditation—the doorway to self-awareness. It's not easy at first and takes practice like anything, but the more you do it, the better you get.
Conclusion
Swallow Me is an invitation to dive into the unknown. Rather than control and predict with our egos, we surrender to the present moment and lead with our hearts. It's diving into uncertainty. Whether falling in love, starting a new chapter, or just doing your thing daily, this song is about not being afraid of what's next and truly living.
If you'd like more of these strange blogs (or music) and want to stay updated, please subscribe and follow me on social media! Check out the lyrics here.
The mind that always thinks in terms of purpose will be tense, because purpose can only be fulfilled in the future, never here and now. - Osho
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