For me, Wellness means practicing selfcare so that I may experience life feeling rooted, grounded in the here and now, and centered in mind, body, heart and soul. So that I can meet moments of joy and sadness, laughter and loss, clarity and confusion with my whole self.
Life can sometimes feel as if it is tossing and turning us around – challenging this quality of centeredness with stimulation coming at us in a myriad of ways. It can be overwhelming, discouraging, and even debilitating at times. As human beings, the capacity for resilience and restoration is in our DNA. We can behave in ways that guide us to create shift in our physical, emotional and intellectual states.
Today in our hyper-stimulated culture, there are many practices that offer us an opportunity to return to our center and nurture ourselves. Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Kung, spending time in nature, and meditation to name just a few. It is my belief that singing, especially singing with others, is a practice which can lead us to experience joy, strength and peace. Singing is good for us as we move energy through our minds, hearts and bodies in the act of self-expression. Singing is good for us as it connects us to others and builds community. And, according to Merita Gunter, one of my teachers, “Singing means to learn to love …. all this is very far removed from perfection, but rather allowing for human vulnerability in the search for one’s voice.”
To facilitate this practice of group singing, I offer a number of “Sing Your Spirit” workshops in my studio and in larger community venues.
- “Sing Your Spirit: Stepping Into Your Light”
- “Sing Your Spirit: Lessons in Mindfulness in Community Music Making”
- “Sing Your Spirit: Walking with Light in the Darkness”
- “Sing Your Spirit: Playing for Presence: Intro to Music Improvisation”
- “Sing Your Sprit for Seniors”
- “Sing Your Spirit in Poetry and Song”
- “Sing Your Spirit: Voice Lessons – Yes I Can Learn to Sing”
“Sing Your Spirit” gatherings can be theme based and/or customized to meet the needs of a particular group as part of celebrating an event or meeting a challenging moment. I draw from a large repertoire of music including Oldies, Folk, Country, Spirituals, Showtunes, Rounds, Patriotic and new and original songs. In some workshops there are elements of improvisation and songwriting as well.
My intention is to facilitate and embrace the creativity in all of us.
“I don’t sing because I’m happy,
I’m happy because I sing.”
– The New Yorker
“Music and rhythm find their way into the
secret places of the soul.”
– Plato
