Full of appreciation. Able to be in my house with my youngest son Nic and my grandson while the wind blew and the snow fell. After breakfast we all went outside and tromped around the house.
I am happy, grateful and in my element in every way.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
At Home
Beautiful snow day today. The howling wind of the night had died down, the snow was deep and the whiteness of the landscape gentle on the eyes and mind. First thing when I got downstairs went on the sound table in my living room, bathing in vibroacoustic sound- very peaceful entrainment with the soothing music of Jean Philippe Rykiel and Lama Gyurme gently and deeply vibrating all of my cells.
Full of appreciation. Able to be in my house with my youngest son Nic and my grandson while the wind blew and the snow fell. After breakfast we all went outside and tromped around the house.
I am happy, grateful and in my element in every way.
Full of appreciation. Able to be in my house with my youngest son Nic and my grandson while the wind blew and the snow fell. After breakfast we all went outside and tromped around the house.
I am happy, grateful and in my element in every way.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Coming Together- Sound & Synchronicity
About 8 years ago I wandered into Bookman's Entertainment Center in Tucson, AZ which has a huge selection of used books. I went over to the DVD's and my eyes immediately landed on one called The Festival in the Desert. Turned out it was about a music festival in Mali that I had never heard of. I barely looked at. I just grabbed it and went and paid the $4 or whatever it was. I love African music and I knew in a heartbeat that it was going to be a great movie to show at my sound healing center. Every month we had a movie night and showed a different movie testifying in some way to the power of sound and music to connect, to create community and to heal.
This movie turned out to be about the power of music to bring people together in a war-torn country and celebrate their life and culture. The festival has been held every year in Timbuktu since 2002- up until 2012 when separatist rebels and Islamic militants seized control of Northern Mali.
I have not heard much in the mainstream about this festival. Two years ago Stephen Colbert had the band Tinariwen on his show who had been one of the organizers of the festival- that is as much as I have heard of them other than having one of their CD's (amazing!) and this wonderful DVD that I love.
Then about two weeks ago I was on an old friend's Facebook page checking out her movie picks (all of which looked like stuff I would love) and there was one called The Last Song Before the War. I clicked on it and lo and behold, it was about the most recent festival which has been moved to the southern city of Segou which has never been occupied by jihadists. I still have to order the DVD or the download so I haven't watched it yet but I was so excited to see it come across my screen and have now watched the trailer a couple of times, greatly anticipating seeing the film in the next couple of weeks.
Last week as some of you may know I participated in the Your Turn Challenge and was so excited by the energy that was created through blogging every day and connecting with a whole new community that was created in this period of 7 days. Through the process I felt a new energy and excitement and I knew that I wanted to keep up the momentum even though the "challenge" ended yesterday. A group of us have formed a Facebook page to stay connected with this community and I knew when I woke up today that I would at some point sit down and write. What was I going to write? I wanted to write about music, about community and about not allowing obstacles to stand in our way.
We have a huge blizzard bearing down on us and I had some things to complete and prepare in my home before I could get down to work. My son and grandson are both at my house so we can all be snowed in together, so I prepared food, stocked up the woodpile on the porch, various other things that needed to be done so we can be cozy and comfortable.
And THEN... I was preparing to build a fire in my wood stove, crumbling up the New York Times from last Sunday and I opened a page and staring me in the face was a full page article about the upcoming Festival on the Niger! I thought what an incredible thing- these people whose lives and limbs literally are threatened, their instruments and music studios set on fire and yet they do not allow this to stop them from doing what they love, what sustains them, feeds them emotionally and spiritually- a total expression of joy and unity. This is good. Music is life.
This movie turned out to be about the power of music to bring people together in a war-torn country and celebrate their life and culture. The festival has been held every year in Timbuktu since 2002- up until 2012 when separatist rebels and Islamic militants seized control of Northern Mali.
I have not heard much in the mainstream about this festival. Two years ago Stephen Colbert had the band Tinariwen on his show who had been one of the organizers of the festival- that is as much as I have heard of them other than having one of their CD's (amazing!) and this wonderful DVD that I love.
Last week as some of you may know I participated in the Your Turn Challenge and was so excited by the energy that was created through blogging every day and connecting with a whole new community that was created in this period of 7 days. Through the process I felt a new energy and excitement and I knew that I wanted to keep up the momentum even though the "challenge" ended yesterday. A group of us have formed a Facebook page to stay connected with this community and I knew when I woke up today that I would at some point sit down and write. What was I going to write? I wanted to write about music, about community and about not allowing obstacles to stand in our way.
We have a huge blizzard bearing down on us and I had some things to complete and prepare in my home before I could get down to work. My son and grandson are both at my house so we can all be snowed in together, so I prepared food, stocked up the woodpile on the porch, various other things that needed to be done so we can be cozy and comfortable.
And THEN... I was preparing to build a fire in my wood stove, crumbling up the New York Times from last Sunday and I opened a page and staring me in the face was a full page article about the upcoming Festival on the Niger! I thought what an incredible thing- these people whose lives and limbs literally are threatened, their instruments and music studios set on fire and yet they do not allow this to stop them from doing what they love, what sustains them, feeds them emotionally and spiritually- a total expression of joy and unity. This is good. Music is life.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
The Greater Whole
Day 7- the last day of #YourTurnChallenge. Here we are and I am
really glad to be here. I have been looking forward all day to sitting
down and writing. And I am a bit sad that this is the last day. Honestly
I don’t know if anyone has read my posts. I do know that I have read
some wonderful, thought-provoking, sensitive, honest, inspiring posts by
others. One person said they felt it was a failure. How sad… And I so
disagree. No, that’s not the right way of saying it. Let me say that for
me it has not been a failure. It has been a great success on many
levels.
What am I taking away from this challenge? On a personal level I feel a certain sense of empowerment- the awareness that yes, I can commit to something and I can fulfill, I can complete on my commitment. I remember the day that I first started seriously contemplating it. I read about the challenge in an email and the first thing I did was forward it to my son Namdev who first turned me on to Seth Godin and said, “Have you seen this? I am thinking about it. You should do this!” Then I put it aside for a few days- but for whatever reason it stayed with me. I kept thinking about it and I went back to it a couple of times. I watched Winnie’s video and I really wanted to do it. There was something very compelling about it- maybe partly just the fact that I have a blog and I knew that I was not working it the way I really wanted to. This seemed like such a great way to get back into it and revitalize it and to move forward with the changes I have made in my life in the last 3 years.
But the truth is, I WAS SCARED. I kept not hitting that final link that said, “Yes, I’m in!” I was afraid I would fail. Bad enough to let myself down but to have to admit to others that I had failed, I wasn’t ready for that. At the same time there was a gnawing inside of me that said, “This is really important for me. I have to do this.” That grew into an awareness that the discomfort I would feel by NOT attempting it was going to be far greater than any discomfort I might feel by actually failing at it- and of course there was the possibility that I would succeed and that was kind of an exciting possibility. Maybe that sounds overly dramatic but the simple truth is that it felt somewhat daunting to me and I do not like not seeing things through to completion. I have done it too many times in the past, letting down myself and others and it is a big trigger for me.
So, finally, the day before it started I jumped in. I made the commitment, I hit the link and I was in. And it is Day 7. And I am here!
Beyond all of that personal drama, and most importantly, I feel like in the course of a week I have connected with a powerful community and I am loving that! It’s as though a new tapestry has been created and there is a thread, or many threads that run through and connect us all. It is interesting because it’s on somewhat of a nonphysical level. It’s not like a piece of visual art or a film where we have all created something and you can actually look at the whole picture and see the fullness of the creation and all of the different contributions. There are simply too many entries. (I am curious in fact how many there actually are, or will be by the end of this evening.) (And wouldn’t it be cool if they were made into a book so that we could actually hang out and read the entries over time and begin to get to know each other a little bit?!)
It is so interesting because I haven’t really read very many posts- a few each day- but I have been amazed by them- some people who are really excellent writers, others who are just writing from their heart in a very open and real way, but what I feel is that we are all in this together and a meaningful connection has made on a level that is very powerful. We all took this challenge and we each made a specific commitment and intention, that we would take this on not just whenever we were ready but on a specific series of days. We started together and have gone on together step by step, day by day.
Intention is so powerful and it occurs to me in this moment that when my commitment began to waver perhaps it was then your commitment, our commitment as a group, that gave me the surge of energy- that reminded me, out of the blue last night, when I was into the last half hour of “Kill Bill” (yes I really was!) that I suddenly said, Oh my god- I haven’t blogged today! I have to pause this right now and do it! Maybe that was what carried me. I don’t know.
I have such a strong sense that the whole is so much greater than the sum of its parts. We all did this together. We all contributed whatever we contributed and we all got whatever we got. I can’t shake the feeling of this energetic thread that is running through it/us all that has connected us, that has created a community that I am excited to be a part of. I understand the feeling of connection to those people whose posts I have read or who somehow I have connected with on Twitter through the Your Turn Challenge but what I am really surprised by is my sense of connection to everyone who has participated in this challenge- that is what really blows my mind. The truth is that I have gotten far more out of this than I could have imagined. Thank you Winnie Kao!
What am I taking away from this challenge? On a personal level I feel a certain sense of empowerment- the awareness that yes, I can commit to something and I can fulfill, I can complete on my commitment. I remember the day that I first started seriously contemplating it. I read about the challenge in an email and the first thing I did was forward it to my son Namdev who first turned me on to Seth Godin and said, “Have you seen this? I am thinking about it. You should do this!” Then I put it aside for a few days- but for whatever reason it stayed with me. I kept thinking about it and I went back to it a couple of times. I watched Winnie’s video and I really wanted to do it. There was something very compelling about it- maybe partly just the fact that I have a blog and I knew that I was not working it the way I really wanted to. This seemed like such a great way to get back into it and revitalize it and to move forward with the changes I have made in my life in the last 3 years.
But the truth is, I WAS SCARED. I kept not hitting that final link that said, “Yes, I’m in!” I was afraid I would fail. Bad enough to let myself down but to have to admit to others that I had failed, I wasn’t ready for that. At the same time there was a gnawing inside of me that said, “This is really important for me. I have to do this.” That grew into an awareness that the discomfort I would feel by NOT attempting it was going to be far greater than any discomfort I might feel by actually failing at it- and of course there was the possibility that I would succeed and that was kind of an exciting possibility. Maybe that sounds overly dramatic but the simple truth is that it felt somewhat daunting to me and I do not like not seeing things through to completion. I have done it too many times in the past, letting down myself and others and it is a big trigger for me.
So, finally, the day before it started I jumped in. I made the commitment, I hit the link and I was in. And it is Day 7. And I am here!
Beyond all of that personal drama, and most importantly, I feel like in the course of a week I have connected with a powerful community and I am loving that! It’s as though a new tapestry has been created and there is a thread, or many threads that run through and connect us all. It is interesting because it’s on somewhat of a nonphysical level. It’s not like a piece of visual art or a film where we have all created something and you can actually look at the whole picture and see the fullness of the creation and all of the different contributions. There are simply too many entries. (I am curious in fact how many there actually are, or will be by the end of this evening.) (And wouldn’t it be cool if they were made into a book so that we could actually hang out and read the entries over time and begin to get to know each other a little bit?!)
It is so interesting because I haven’t really read very many posts- a few each day- but I have been amazed by them- some people who are really excellent writers, others who are just writing from their heart in a very open and real way, but what I feel is that we are all in this together and a meaningful connection has made on a level that is very powerful. We all took this challenge and we each made a specific commitment and intention, that we would take this on not just whenever we were ready but on a specific series of days. We started together and have gone on together step by step, day by day.
Intention is so powerful and it occurs to me in this moment that when my commitment began to waver perhaps it was then your commitment, our commitment as a group, that gave me the surge of energy- that reminded me, out of the blue last night, when I was into the last half hour of “Kill Bill” (yes I really was!) that I suddenly said, Oh my god- I haven’t blogged today! I have to pause this right now and do it! Maybe that was what carried me. I don’t know.
I have such a strong sense that the whole is so much greater than the sum of its parts. We all did this together. We all contributed whatever we contributed and we all got whatever we got. I can’t shake the feeling of this energetic thread that is running through it/us all that has connected us, that has created a community that I am excited to be a part of. I understand the feeling of connection to those people whose posts I have read or who somehow I have connected with on Twitter through the Your Turn Challenge but what I am really surprised by is my sense of connection to everyone who has participated in this challenge- that is what really blows my mind. The truth is that I have gotten far more out of this than I could have imagined. Thank you Winnie Kao!
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Surprise, Surprise!
So, today's nudge on #yourturnchallenge- "tell us about a time when
you surprised yourself." Today, right now, sitting down to write this
blog and get it posted by midnight!!! I have barely a half hour to get
it in under the wire. Internet was down for two days and I had to do
yesterday's post on my iPhone. As I discussed yesterday, consistency is
not my best friend. I am trying really hard to befriend it though!
Day #6 of Your Turn Challenge. It slipped my mind completely until 15 minutes ago- this is so good for me!
There are a few things, a very few things that I have done from start to finish. My two biggest accomplishments- going to 12-Step meetings every day for two years about 25 years ago which changed my life. A year after I got into recovery I began reading A Course in Miracles- a text of over 600 pages, a workbook with 365 lessons- each to be done daily for a year, and a third volume- a manual for teachers. I never thought when I picked up that book that I could possibly reach the end. I did. NA/AA changed my life. A Course in Miracles changed my mind. And as the Course says, "... by changing his mind, he has changed the most powerful device that was ever given him for change."
So I have actually surprised myself by my ability to follow through and accomplish some pretty big things in my life. I could actually go on from there but the clock is ticking! I do find it sort of funny though as I look at these fairly big challenges I faced in my life- like getting clean and sober- that I was apprehensive about whether I really had it in me to blog consistently 7 days in a row. Well, here it is Day 6 and I have surprised myself! Thank you for the challenge to show up for myself.
Day #6 of Your Turn Challenge. It slipped my mind completely until 15 minutes ago- this is so good for me!
There are a few things, a very few things that I have done from start to finish. My two biggest accomplishments- going to 12-Step meetings every day for two years about 25 years ago which changed my life. A year after I got into recovery I began reading A Course in Miracles- a text of over 600 pages, a workbook with 365 lessons- each to be done daily for a year, and a third volume- a manual for teachers. I never thought when I picked up that book that I could possibly reach the end. I did. NA/AA changed my life. A Course in Miracles changed my mind. And as the Course says, "... by changing his mind, he has changed the most powerful device that was ever given him for change."
So I have actually surprised myself by my ability to follow through and accomplish some pretty big things in my life. I could actually go on from there but the clock is ticking! I do find it sort of funny though as I look at these fairly big challenges I faced in my life- like getting clean and sober- that I was apprehensive about whether I really had it in me to blog consistently 7 days in a row. Well, here it is Day 6 and I have surprised myself! Thank you for the challenge to show up for myself.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Moving Forward! (Shift Happens)
By Rosie Warburton
Okay, this is a really interesting challenge today- my internet is down and I am writing on my iPhone! Editing will be sparse. That being said, stuck in the quagmire of a nonfunctional internet server, how to get unstuck and move forward? Work with what you've got, right?
The truth is that there was no way I was going to allow this little glitch to cause me to fail today. To some people blogging every day may be a no-brainer. I am not one of those people to whom discipline and consistency come naturally. So, maybe the easiest way to become unstuck is not to allow yourself to get stuck in the first place. Does that statement sound like a cop-out? Not sure. It could be but that's kind of where I'm at right now. If I don't get stuck I don't need to dig myself out.
Then there is the consideration, if one is really and truly feeling stuck, of changing one's perception. Am I really stuck or am I just beating myself up and not looking at the positive actions- the small things- that I am in fact doing that are benefitting myself, others, my work, my health, whatever.
And then there is the third possibility. I'm stuck. No matter what I do it seems there are just too many obstacles, challenges, barriers, dead air, dead weight. What now? Stop. Ask yourself, why am I doing this? What is it for? Is there a message here? Is it really me who is stuck or is there something going on energetically that maybe has nothing to do with me? If it is me- I am in a rut- well, how can I change what I am doing? Is there ONE thing I could change, one simple thing I could do differently.
Sometimes just exploring the questions is enough to create a shift. There always the question as to whether the obstacles are internal or external and these are very important questions. Is it something I have any control over? Does being stuck mean I wait it out til the energy shifts, or is the waiting a symptom of being stuck?
Making lists can be hugely helpful. For example, what are ten things I could be doing to help promote my business? What are ten things I could be doing to make myself feel better? What are ten things I could be doing to help someone else? What are ten ways this project could be beneficial to others? What are the obstacles to getting this project off the ground? What are all the positive things I am already doing?
When you're stuck you need to ask the right questions. I have often found that when I begin asking the right questions and then writing down the answers, whether it's journaling, writing lists, whatever, that it short circuits the tape loops and frees up a lot of energy. It allows me to either see the positive steps I am taking or that I need to take to make a shift and then... Shift happens!
Okay, this is a really interesting challenge today- my internet is down and I am writing on my iPhone! Editing will be sparse. That being said, stuck in the quagmire of a nonfunctional internet server, how to get unstuck and move forward? Work with what you've got, right?
The truth is that there was no way I was going to allow this little glitch to cause me to fail today. To some people blogging every day may be a no-brainer. I am not one of those people to whom discipline and consistency come naturally. So, maybe the easiest way to become unstuck is not to allow yourself to get stuck in the first place. Does that statement sound like a cop-out? Not sure. It could be but that's kind of where I'm at right now. If I don't get stuck I don't need to dig myself out.
Then there is the consideration, if one is really and truly feeling stuck, of changing one's perception. Am I really stuck or am I just beating myself up and not looking at the positive actions- the small things- that I am in fact doing that are benefitting myself, others, my work, my health, whatever.
And then there is the third possibility. I'm stuck. No matter what I do it seems there are just too many obstacles, challenges, barriers, dead air, dead weight. What now? Stop. Ask yourself, why am I doing this? What is it for? Is there a message here? Is it really me who is stuck or is there something going on energetically that maybe has nothing to do with me? If it is me- I am in a rut- well, how can I change what I am doing? Is there ONE thing I could change, one simple thing I could do differently.
Sometimes just exploring the questions is enough to create a shift. There always the question as to whether the obstacles are internal or external and these are very important questions. Is it something I have any control over? Does being stuck mean I wait it out til the energy shifts, or is the waiting a symptom of being stuck?
Making lists can be hugely helpful. For example, what are ten things I could be doing to help promote my business? What are ten things I could be doing to make myself feel better? What are ten things I could be doing to help someone else? What are ten ways this project could be beneficial to others? What are the obstacles to getting this project off the ground? What are all the positive things I am already doing?
When you're stuck you need to ask the right questions. I have often found that when I begin asking the right questions and then writing down the answers, whether it's journaling, writing lists, whatever, that it short circuits the tape loops and frees up a lot of energy. It allows me to either see the positive steps I am taking or that I need to take to make a shift and then... Shift happens!
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Doing What I Love
I am doing what I do best today. Loving music. Appreciating...
because if I didn't it would be hard to get through this day. Feeling
like I am underwater and a pain in my side... the dregs of a flu...
tired of it. And so- I am listening to Tom Ze and I strongly encourage
you to do it too! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZLzWlU0mB0
One of the things I love doing most as a sound therapist is helping people to explore music, sound and frequency and discover what those sounds are that really turn you on. And to listen deeply, to notice where you feel those sounds and how they make you feel... Not just "good". Grounded? Expansive? Excited? Nostalgic?
Music has been a savior for me many different times in my life. Today is one of those times.
One of the things I love doing most as a sound therapist is helping people to explore music, sound and frequency and discover what those sounds are that really turn you on. And to listen deeply, to notice where you feel those sounds and how they make you feel... Not just "good". Grounded? Expansive? Excited? Nostalgic?
Music has been a savior for me many different times in my life. Today is one of those times.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Start to Finish
Yesterday and the day before I woke up with #yourturnchallenge at the
forefront of my mind. Today? Somewhere else! Didn’t even remember for
probably a good half hour that I had made a commitment to blog every day
for 7 days. I felt stumped. What can I write about? I made a little
video of gonging and posted it on Facebook- that is another commitment I
made to myself- to post frequent sound healing videos. Okay, truth is I
said I would make and post one every day- but I missed the second day!
So in my quandary I went to the daily questions: “Tell us about something that you think should be improved.” Looking out there in the world there is just too much stuff- and for the most part it’s really my perception of the world that could be vastly improved so I decided not to go there. The obvious answer for me today, in looking around at all the projects I have started and am partway through, is my ability to see things through from start to finish.
At this moment I have a flyer that needs to be updated. I have a brochure that needs to be completed. I have a bookshelf half emptied that needs to be moved when I finish emptying it- I started about 3 weeks ago. I have relocated and need to set up a class and some sound healing events at a venue that is close by- the rent is so cheap that it’s basically a no-brainer. I am supposed to be practicing music every day- I don’t. Oh, and three days ago I said I would blog on a daily basis and already I almost forgot all about it!
This is a little more like true confessions than I can bear. The point is I get really excited about life, about new projects and possibilities, about practice, about learning, about teaching and healing but I am constantly distracted and moving from one thing to the next without completing the one I started.
I’m not sure what the key is here. What does it take to create discipline and consistency in one’s life, one’s work, one’s practice? Or beyond that, to achieve mastery? Dedication? That’s not enough- there is no question in my mind that I am dedicated to my work and to my spiritual path as well, and for that matter that I am good at what I do. But yes, there is so much room for improvement. There is a quote in A Course in Miracles that simply says, “Your good intentions are not enough.” Sad but apparently true.
So, what will happen if I choose one thing- blogging, for example (!)- and I do it every day? Taking one step. And seeing if one step leads to another… and another…
So in my quandary I went to the daily questions: “Tell us about something that you think should be improved.” Looking out there in the world there is just too much stuff- and for the most part it’s really my perception of the world that could be vastly improved so I decided not to go there. The obvious answer for me today, in looking around at all the projects I have started and am partway through, is my ability to see things through from start to finish.
At this moment I have a flyer that needs to be updated. I have a brochure that needs to be completed. I have a bookshelf half emptied that needs to be moved when I finish emptying it- I started about 3 weeks ago. I have relocated and need to set up a class and some sound healing events at a venue that is close by- the rent is so cheap that it’s basically a no-brainer. I am supposed to be practicing music every day- I don’t. Oh, and three days ago I said I would blog on a daily basis and already I almost forgot all about it!
This is a little more like true confessions than I can bear. The point is I get really excited about life, about new projects and possibilities, about practice, about learning, about teaching and healing but I am constantly distracted and moving from one thing to the next without completing the one I started.
I’m not sure what the key is here. What does it take to create discipline and consistency in one’s life, one’s work, one’s practice? Or beyond that, to achieve mastery? Dedication? That’s not enough- there is no question in my mind that I am dedicated to my work and to my spiritual path as well, and for that matter that I am good at what I do. But yes, there is so much room for improvement. There is a quote in A Course in Miracles that simply says, “Your good intentions are not enough.” Sad but apparently true.
So, what will happen if I choose one thing- blogging, for example (!)- and I do it every day? Taking one step. And seeing if one step leads to another… and another…
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