I had the pleasure and honor of interviewing Frederic Grenot, a New Age Music Composer who loves to create ambient, meditative, and introspective soundscapes sprinkled with mindfulness and mysticism. His music is inspirational and is excellent for meditation and energy healing. Read below to find out more information and to purchase his album, S.W.A.N. - Spiritual Wisdom Awakens Nature.

Can you tell me more about your album and what people can expect to experience when they hear it?  

FREDERIC: S.W.A.N. ~ Spiritual Wisdom Awakens Nature, captures a very personal spiritual development I have been experiencing since late last year.   While composing S.W.A.N, much meditation led me back to my heart, my nature, and my inter-being. My intention is for listeners to experience the same spiritual development  in offering the listener a soundscape to enter a self-reflective state of wakeful consciousness..  The album begins with two slow-enduring, meditative tracks: "Return to Nature" and "Letting Go" ~ paving the soundscape for a clear mind , thus engaging the listener for the remainder of the album with music expressing such concepts concerning "Rebirth" and "Self".  It is an album offering people a soundscape for deep reflection.  

Do you feel your music inspires others to be in the moment/present? 

FREDERIC: I do feel S.W.A.N. inspires us to be in the ever-living present moment.   S.W.A.N. welcomes the listener with holistic harps, heavenly choir, quiet strings, and calming bells.  S.W.A.N. helps soothe the self, non-self, the soul... our inter-being... our five aggregates...  S.W.A.N. helps the listener experience the essence of self-reflection, self- discovery, and self-realization from a spiritual perspective.  I usually tell people to listen to S.W.A.N. when they have a moment to simply listen.... to reflect... to let their mind experience the moment to the fullest extent.  I believe S.W.A.N. helps the listener capture the moment.   It is a very gentle and genuine piece of music offered with the underlying intention of love to help raise collective consciousness.

Is this music appropriate for someone to use during meditation?

FREDERIC: I believe S.W.A.N. offers a peaceful vibration suitable for meditation.  It seems to lean more toward wakeful or walking meditation.  One may choose to meditate listening to S.W.A.N. while focusing on the beauty of nature; while sitting or during a beautiful nature walk.  I prefer to listen early morning while enjoying coffee or tea.  I gaze at the trees, flowers, the sky, birds, clouds, leaves... feel the wind, listen to the babbling creek at the park.... meditate mindfully on all the aggregates of the Universe.  

What made you decide to produce this album?

FREDERIC: S.W.A.N. is a manifestation of the Universe. I am simply an aggregate, a component, and a vessel.  I had no preconception of the album.  Rick Batyr at Prana Sound Studio encouraged me to meditate, then compose.  I did not conceptualize the album.  In fact, the album title and song titles manifested once the album was complete.  I then meditated on each song and the names blossomed naturally.  I realized S.W.A.N. captured each and every moment of my spiritual development.  I shared with Rick my idea of presenting a beautiful swan on the album cover as a underlying spiritual message.... Spiritual Wisdom Awakens Nature.  We only awaken our nature, our inter-being, when we are spiritually aligned with the Universe and promote Oneness.  The album title manifested as a collaborative effort between Rick Batyr and myself.  The concept of S.W.A.N. manifested naturally... and it is a very personal story of my spiritual growth.  I felt such a concept was of appropriate substance to produce as my debut album.  

What is your favorite song on the album and why? 

FREDERIC: Letting Go is my favorite song on the album because I feel it imbues a deep sense of reflection of the Self, Non-Self, the Soul, the Five Aggregates..... or whatever the listener refers to as their inter-being.   It hugs our inter-being with warmth, light, and sincerity.  Letting Go reminds us to let go of ego and attachments.  Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh says, "Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness.  If, in our intent, we still cling to anything ~anger, anxiety, or possessions~ we cannot be free."  I feel Letting Go allows the listener to experience a wealth of emotion while enduring self-reflection and letting go of who or what they have always thought they were.  Letting Go allows the listener to embrace the moment of appreciating their inter-being. 

You can find more information about the healing music offered by Frederick Grenot on his website, http://www.fredgrenot.com. Also like and follow him on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/FredGrenotMusic and Google Plus, http://www.google.com/+FrederickGrenot. Purchase S.W.A.N. - Spiritual Wisdom Awakens Nature by clicking here.