Change is Good

It’s been awhile since I’ve written a blog but I feel it’s time to share my journey again. I’ve moved up into the hills of Mount Baker, nurturing my heart and my family, making music and honoring the changing of seasons.  Life has become so simple in a lot of ways. And a little more challenging in a few ways as well.  The simplicity comes from a peaceful heart, feeling supported and loved. The challenges come from living off the grid and not having a road to our home. But it’s sooooooooooo worth it to live in the woods, to be surrounded by nature and the few neighbors who know country living is where it’s at.  I’ve learned so much more about Native edibles of the NW, we truly are blessed to live in such a rich environment. My two favorite newbies are Huckleberries (which make the best pancakes and even better Huckleberry Vodka) and Siberian Miners Lettuce (which has a delicate flavor and beautiful flower).  I spend most days building trails to move our firewood to the shed, reading books to my girls, and sitting in the hottest woodstove sauna around. Of course, our cabin has instruments hanging from every wall so there’s always some new sound to create. My favorite days are when close friends join us for dinner, a sauna, an evening of musical magic. And even though I care deeply about what is going on with the world at large, it feels good to unplug from the chaos and focus on the beauty in front of me. I don’t take for granted the clean drinking water, the unpolluted river we swim in, the organic home grown food that constantly comes our way. What a blessing to be alive right now and to find the bliss within. There is so much love for us here if only we have the eyes to see.

The Challenge

I have a deep love for finding songs to perform that are out of the main loop, songs that ring sweet freedom and express the human struggle. One of my newest favorites is off an album by Vance Gilbert called Unfamiliar Moon, the song is Your Brighter Day. I recently learned another one off this same album, Unfamiliar Moon. There’s something about the rhythm and delivery of Your Brighter Day that draws me to integrate this song into my set list. But as I listen to this song over and over, trying to dissect the chords and recreate his rhythmic strum, I cannot figure it out! It would be so much easier if I could just call him up and say “what are the chords?”

The Challenge of a musician is to grow, to expand on the capabilities, the structures, the insight into melody and form. I know I’m drawn to songs to help me as a songwriter-performer and this song is definitely a challenge for me!  Until I can perform it for you, here’s the lovely lyrics. And look up Vance Gilbert, he’s an incredible songwriter that I had the pleasure of seeing perform at The Mount Baker Theatre when he opened for George Carlin!

“Your Brighter Day” by Vance Gilbert

Its the ache in your arms
When you reach high above you
Its the crack in your voice
On a tune that you sing
Its your song of survival
That at first may be hard to hear
Bless its arrival
And the peace that it brings

The shining of the sun
Is so much sweeter when you have to
Dance around whats in the way
Of your brighter day

Its the things that you wished you’d said
That you just had to swallow
Now they make you feel hollow
Right Down to your core
For each lost opportunity
There’ll be somebody new who needs
A vacation from sorrow
Heres your chance to even the score

Mistrust any fool
Whod just hand it to you
Run quickly should he smile and say
Heres your brighter day

Your brighter day
When you feel old and faded
Your brighter day
When youre intimidated
Your brighter day
Go get illuminated
Go on – take it

Now the truth is a wicked thing
And it may leave you broken
To twist in the wind
Like a shirt on a line
It will change you forever
And just when youve had enough
And you cry up to heaven
For what seems like your last time

May the clouds rearrange
In your stratosphere
And quietly step out of the way
Of your brighter day

Credits:

Vance Gilbert:  Vocal,  guitar

New Year Change

As the New Year approaches, there is an opportunity to recognize what is serving our lives and what is not. There is an opportunity to shed those outmoded belief systems and patterns so that the new ways of being can be found.

My youngest just turned 3 and in these short years, I’ve learned such a valuable lesson from her. Happiness is in the moment.

My New Years resolution is to enjoy my moments as much as possible, to remember that I create my responses to the world, to tread lightly on the Earth, and focus on kindness and connection with my fellow human family.

“It’s not about where your dreams take you, it’s where you take your dreams.

And if you can see the big picture, you’ll realize it’s the little things.

It’s the love you bring, the song you sing to brighten the day

that gives light to life and gives hope for another day.” ~Along the Way, upcoming album!

I Must Shine

I am the Full Moon Rising.
And like the light penetrating even
those shameful corners we’ve tried to avoid,
my glow shows the beautiful face
of every lonely stranger.
I am not alone.
I am One because All is One
and like the moon’s unavoidable reflection
of Sun’s Ray,
I Must Shine.

There is never Nothing Happening

If you’ve ever read “Way of the Peaceful Warrior” then you know Socrates always had great statements to help bring Dan into the moment. One of those statements are “There is never Nothing Happening”.  I have used this as a tool many times to find the deeper subtle magic that is playing out in the simple moments, the quiet gestures, the dance of energy that plays through form.

With all the changes happening in my life and around me, I like to keep a clear perspective that we are drawn to change for a reason. I like to believe that there is a grand design which we are all a part of.  At the same time, we co-create this grand design with our input and interactions with our environment.

I awoke this morning after the best night’s sleep, feeling the pure potential that is waiting to be expressed in the day.  After turning on the sauna, I curled back under my bed and gave thanks for all that is happening.  Neale Donald Walsch states that all Change is change for the better, and I must agree.  It’s easy for me to relate to this perspective because I’m always looking forward and when something happens in my life that feels “unfair” or “painful” I search until I find the beauty of the lesson.

So What is Happening? I’ve come to realize my relationship to the world is much more connected than I have been living and my excuse for holding back has been my fear of hurting others. I know that I’m here to uplift others and myself.  I’ve committed to taking care of myself so that I can support those in my life on their journeys. Daily exercise, quiet time, tea, letting go of unhealthy patterns, being kinder than necessary, gentle truth, all are helping me support my inner world.

As we walk through our day, we can take daily tasks and go through the motion without feeling connected or we can choose to see the magic, the subtle energy that supports all of life. I choose to live grandly, and remember that there is Never Nothing Happening.

“What are you afraid of? Boldness changes everything.

Take the leap, find the courage, oh what a feeling!”

It’s not easy finding motivation within myself on dark, cold days. There’s no man overhead breathing down my neck, no alarm clock pushing me into the day. How do I continue to push ahead when the coffee doesn’t provide a kick and my enthusiasm wanes with the wind current?

Since I left Nama, I’ve been focusing on feeding those passions I enjoy, creatively imagining money pouring in through these outlets of enjoyment. But I awoke this morning with a total disinterest in leaving the bed.

It’s a challenge as an indie artist with a “no-budget” plan. As a performer, I’m constantly trying to find ways of exposing my music, promoting sales, advertising on FB and other free services. From updating my website to putting promo kits together, from managing CD duplication and scheduling  to showing up on stage with my full presence, this Indie business is hard work! But those of us who work this hard at being an artist, the joy is in the creation, in the sharing. So I plug along, promoting and playing, printing and planning to bring you the art that is within.

And this isn’t my only endeavor. I’ve also started a Misty Flowers Boutique on Etsy to share my hats, flowers and other goodies!

I’m off to procrastinate!

“It’s not about where your dreams take you but where you take your dreams.”

Life is Change

In my short 30 years I’ve seen a lot change. I’m sure by the time I die I will have seen So Much More. I realize that the only constant in life is change and it’s in riding the wave that we allow ourselves to grow and feel the freedom of living. If we are afraid of change, we grasp and cling to things that are impermanent and when they change, we suffer.

Two great changes in my life in the recent past: letting go of a dream that I had put so much energy into and my dear buddy, Cheech the dog, died. Both of these changes were out of my control (as life is!) and I’m re-membering once again that life is change, no way around it. So, how do we embrace change?

“Keep it simple, live simply with the rhythm of change.”