From the time I was a kid, music and singing have been a powerful staple in my life. Whether it’s performing or listening, singing bedtime songs to my kids (and now grandkiddos), or participating in sound healing events as an adult, music of some form or another has always been a one of my go-to mind/body/spirit “therapies”.
My mom loves to sing so that was definitely a big influence, and while my dad “couldn’t carry a tune in a basket” (his words!), he was an enthusiastic audience member for all of our performances and had music playing every night at home. To this day, I can recognize a ton of classical and Big Band pieces, but have no idea who the composer or band was cuz I just absorbed them through osmosis!
I sang in choirs and musicals from the time I was seven — Carnival, Hansel and Gretel (I was the witch!), Unsinkable Molly Brown were a few. And since moving to NYC almost 50(!) years ago, I’ve sung in a bunch of choruses… NY Choral Society, Central City Chorus and for the last 14 years, with the wonderful women’s chorus, the SoHarmoniums — that’s a group of us in the photo above (our next concert is Dec. 16th).
So it was definitely no surprise to learn about the health benefits of singing — I’ve been experiencing them my whole life. If you need convincing, check out the Sing Up Foundation for all the latest research.
And of course, along the way, I’ve discovered all kinds of other delightful forms of SOUND to alternately heal, energize, inspire, and sooth myself as the spirit moves me. My path has obviously been in the direction of singing and vocalizing, but my 3 brothers and I all learned instruments as well. Our house was definitely more music-related than sports-focused!
How this Full Moon can support your exploration of sound
The upcoming Pisces/Virgo Full Moon on September 17th is a wonderful time to begin your own acoustical exploration. Pisces is ruled by the planet Neptune which is known, among other things, as the “celestial musician” — a perfect energy to get your creative juices flowing as you listen to or create music of your own.
And the Sun has been in Virgo since August 22nd, igniting our impulse to upgrade our health routines and take extra good care ourselves on every level, mentally, physically, emotionally, and spirituality. In fact, that was the theme for our Virgo New Moon SisterCircle at the Wellness Universe on September 3rd — “Embracing Sacred SELF- Centeredness”… you can still embrace that energy by listening to the recording HERE.
Then, be sure to join us for my Pisces/Virgo Full Moon TeleMeditation on Tuesday, September 17th at Noon ET — click HERE for dial-in details. And if you miss it, contact me and I’ll send you the recording, or look for it on Facebook & Instagram).
So, big surprise, I’m sharing a bunch of my favorite “acoustical delights” in my Deb’s Picks this month (with a few other random offerings). Hopefully they’ll motivate you to deepen or re-connect with some of your favorites, too.
I “discovered” the power of chanting at the same time I was introduced to the Divine Feminine 30 years ago… in fact, they’re one of the things that have endeared me to Her! Chants are basically vocal meditations and they’ve been practiced in cultures around the world for millennia. I’ve collected hundreds of them since then, weaving them into my workshops, SisterCircles (both live and virtual), and now closing almost all of my #InnerGoddessTeam videos (see the sidebar) with them. I highlighted a ton of “Goddess chants” in my Spiritual Practices blog in May at the Wellness Universe, and coming in November, I’ll share a bunch of my favorite Sanskrit chants. And I have a long list of chanting CDs and mp3s from different artists that you can sing along to — just email me. They’re the perfect Piscean self-care practice!
This is for all of you who insist you can’t sing, or who say “I don’t have a musical bone in my body”! I can’t even remember when in the last month this powerful little video came on to my radar. Sara Jackson is a coach who teaches somatic (body-related) tools an techniques to release trauma, grief, anxiety and other strong emotions from the nervous system. Definitely check her website to learn more about her own healing journey, then click HERE to learn these 5 simple sounds to bring yourself back into balance — it’s literally 35 seconds!
- SOUND BATH — DRUMMING, GONGS, & SINGING BOWLS
If you’ve ever participated in a “sound bath”, you know the power of immersing yourself in this non-verbal, musical sound. Depending on the pitch and volume, you can literally feel the tones vibrating deep in your body… for me it’s sometime other-worldly. And if you’ve never experienced one, I guarantee you’ll find one somewhere nearby — just Google it! Franck Raharinosy offers one in NYC that I’ve have experienced personally and he has an Sound bath coming up on Thurs., September 19th at the Tibet House. Check out his website to learn more about sound healing in general, too.
- EPIC JOY RETREAT & CONFERENCE, 10/23–Sat., 10/26; Las Vegas
What do you get when you combine wonderful speakers (including ME!), a beautiful location (the Tuscany Retreat Center), and JOY? My dream retreat! It’s been exactly a year since I was introduced to Joyely®, and its commitment to increasing the level of JQ — Joy Intelligence — on the planet continues to inspire me. We’re inviting mental health professionals, healthcare workers, nurses, teachers, directors, managers, business leaders to join us to experience EPIC JOY — to rejuvenate, recharge, and reconnect with your innate source of joy. The three days will be filled with experiences designed to push your boundaries so you can transform your personal and professional lives. Click on the picture to register, and let me know if you’re coming!
- SOME OF DEB’S LATEST GREATEST FAVORITES!
Well, actually my “favorites” would fill several months of Deb’s Picks. But these are a few recent discoveries:
1) W.I.T.C.H., by Devon Cole – a catch-y feminist romp, exalting a Woman In Total Control of Herself. I’ve played it sooo many times, along with 9M others, too! Click HERE and you’ll be hooked, too.
2) The Age of Worry by Madison Cunningham — this feels like a particularly potent message for these times, and this rendition of John Mayer’s beautiful song is my favorite… actually heard it for the first time when I was doing a Peleton online yoga class!
3) Luce Ireland — I stumbled on her Instagram page and LOVE her. She’s got a huge following on TIkTok as well. Definitely check both places and look particularly for her posts when she sings a song in several different styles… brilliant!
I hope some of these Picks have reignited your connection to your favorite “sounds” — I’d love to hear about them. And as always, if you have any events or resources to share in future Deb’s Picks, let me know!.
With early Fall blessings,
Deborah