Creating Music from Plants: Helen Anahita Wilson’s Approach to Healing

The connection between nature and human wellbeing has long been celebrated in various cultures. From forest bathing in Japan to medicinal plants used in ancient healing, nature has provided solace and support to humanity for millennia. Dominated by technology and living in concrete jungles, finding ways to reconnect with the natural world has never been more vital—especially for those undergoing significant health challenges.

Helen Anahita Wilson, a composer, musician, and cancer survivor, has found a unique way to bridge the gap between nature and healing through her music. Drawing from her personal experience with cancer and her background in Indian classical music, she has created music that is not just a work of art but also a therapeutic tool for people undergoing medical treatment. Her latest album, inspired by plants and their medicinal properties, is an extraordinary example of how art, science, and nature can intertwine to enhance wellbeing.

The Noise of Healing: A Catalyst for Change

Hospitals are often thought of as places of silence and calm, but for patients undergoing treatment, the reality is often quite the opposite. The constant hum and beeping of machines, the click of IV drips, and the cacophony of overlapping sounds can be overwhelming—especially when paired with the natural anxiety of facing a medical crisis.

“When you’re in the ward, it can be incredibly noisy,” Helen reflects. “The machines are constantly whirring and beeping. If there’s more than one machine, the sounds clash, creating this constant backdrop of hospital noise. It’s not helpful when you’re already feeling anxious about your treatment.”

It was in this environment that she began imagining a way to transform the experience. During her own chemotherapy—a gruelling process involving a cocktail of drugs administered over nine to ten hours—she conceived the idea of creating music that matched the duration of a typical treatment session.

This wasn’t just any music; it was deeply connected to the very drugs she was being given. Many chemotherapy drugs are derived from plants, a fact that struck Helen as profoundly poetic. “What about writing music that’s made from the same plants that these drugs are derived from?” she wondered.

Collaboration with Nature and Science

To bring her idea to life, Helen collaborated with Maggie’s Cancer Centers, known for their beautiful therapeutic gardens designed to support patients emotionally and physically. 

Helen began creating music using bioelectric data collected from plants used in cancer treatments, such as the Madagascar periwinkle and the yew tree. The Madagascar periwinkle, for instance, has played a significant role in transforming the survival rates for childhood leukemia, increasing them from 10% to 90%.

Through specialised technology, including contact microphones and biodata recorders, Helen was able to capture the bioelectric signals and subtle movements within these plants. These signals became the foundation of her compositions. “Some plants produce rhythmic, varied data perfect for creating melodies,” she explains, “while others, like the yew tree, provide a steady, dependable stream of data that can form the harmonic base of a piece.”

The result is a deeply immersive 45-minute composition that mirrors the natural world’s complexity while offering a soothing and healing soundscape for listeners.

Music as Therapy: A Global Impact

Initially released on Bandcamp, Helen’s music quickly gained attention. Patients at Maggie’s Cancer Centers began using it during their treatments, finding solace and connection in its calming tones. Encouraged by the positive feedback, she partnered with the record company Platoon to release the album on all major streaming platforms, making it accessible to a global audience.

The response has been overwhelming. Helen regularly receives heartfelt messages from listeners worldwide, describing how the music has helped them through their own treatment journeys. One particularly moving story comes from a Buddhist monk in California who, after being diagnosed with a brain tumor, found solace in the music. Having spent decades tending to the monastery garden, the monk felt disconnected from nature while in the hospital. Helen’s music became a lifeline, reconnecting him to the natural world he so cherished.

These stories underscore the universal power of music to heal and connect, even across great distances and diverse experiences.

A Composer’s Journey

For Helen, this project was not just about helping others but also about processing her own cancer experience. Diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, she was thrust into treatment almost immediately after her diagnosis. The speed and intensity of her journey left little time to process what was happening.

“I was supposed to be in India, researching and performing for my PhD in Indian classical music,” she recalls. “Instead, I found myself in a hospital ward, enduring some of the most challenging moments of my life.”

The experience was transformative, but not in the clichéd way often portrayed in narratives about illness. “I’m always reluctant to say that cancer was some kind of blessing or that it gave me this amazing perspective,” she admits. “I’d much rather have gone to India. But if you can create something meaningful from the experience, something that might help others, then why not?”

For Helen, creating music became a way to reclaim agency after months of passively enduring treatment. By engaging with the plants used in her chemotherapy and transforming their properties into sound, she found a creative outlet to process her journey and give back to others.

The Science and Spirit of Sound

Helen’s work is not just about creating music; it’s about honouring the plants and their medicinal qualities. “It’s about engaging with the plants with deep respect for their properties and trying to imbue the music with that.”

This holistic approach extends to her exploration of other sound-based projects. Helen is currently working on a sleep album using plants like jasmine, gardenia, and chamomile, incorporating binaural beats and genetic codes to create calming compositions. Binaural beats—a technique involving two slightly different frequencies played in each ear to stimulate the brain—are particularly effective for relaxation and focus.

Helen is also embarking on a new project exploring the sounds of the human body. Drawing from archival recordings of respiratory and digestive systems, she hopes to reconnect people with the auditory language of their own bodies—a practice once central to medical diagnosis.

“We’ve become such visual creatures,” Helen reflects. “But our lives begin and end in a purely auditory environment. Before birth, we hear our mother’s heartbeat and voice. At the end of life, hearing is often the last sense to leave us. There’s so much to explore in the world of sound.”

Music as a Universal Connector

One of the most compelling aspects of Helen’s work is its universality. Music, especially when rooted in nature, transcends cultural and linguistic barriers. Whether it’s a monk in California, a patient in Japan, or a listener in Kuwait, Helen’s compositions have the power to create connections across the globe.

Her orchestral training provides her with a unique perspective, allowing her to think of plants as an ensemble. “Some plants are like soloists, while others are like the dependable players in the background,” she explains. This metaphor highlights the intricate relationships between the elements of her compositions and underscores the depth of thought behind her work.

Looking Ahead

Helen’s journey is far from over. As she continues to explore the intersection of music, nature, and healing, her work serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of creativity in navigating life’s challenges.

Whether it’s through her current projects or future endeavours, Helen Anahita Wilson is carving out a new space where music, science, and nature converge—a space where healing and art become one, and where listeners are invited to reconnect with the world around them in profound and meaningful ways.

As we navigate our increasingly disconnected lives, Helen’s work offers hope and a call to return to the natural rhythms of life, one note at a time.

DISCOVER: helenanahitawilson.com