Dalai Lama Celebrates 85th Birthday With Debut Album, "Inner World"

Yesterday, The Dalai Lama released a unique album of mantras and teachings set to music, entitled Inner World. Released to honor his 85th birthday celebrations on July 6th, the album is be a great dedication to the decades of his vision and work for world peace and educating the heart.

When asked why he accepted the request to make the album, he answered, “The very purpose of my life is to serve as much as I can.” He also added, “Music can help people in a way that I can’t.”

The origins of Inner World began in 2015, when one of the project’s co-executive producers and a longtime student of The Dalai Lama, Junelle Kunin, wrote to him requesting his participation, by fervently explaining her feelings that an album would help people particularly who struggle with emotional stress. After reading her letter, his response was enthusiastic, saying, “This will benefit many people!”

She and her husband Abraham Kunin, both from New Zealand, spent the next five years working with a small team to bring the project to life. The Dalai Lama’s recordings have been thread through music produced by Abraham and performed on thirty-plus instruments by himself and a cast of collaborators from around the world, including a special guest performance from Anoushka Shankar on “Ama La.” The composer integrated the live performances with artful programming and production, building a peaceful bedrock for these mantras.

Listen below.