I am so blessed that music has graced my life in the deep and profound way that it has.
As a chronically shy child, it gave me a voice. As an insecure teenager it gave me confidence and a purpose, and now as a creative person it gives me a form of focused expression and a vocation. Throughout my 20's, being a mum with limited support and tight finances my hours and hours of practicing and song writing served as a form of entertainment and therapy, and before I was being paid in dollars for my services, singing provided me with the exchange of learning, travelling, fine dining and many, many good times with great people from all around the world along the way. When I was younger, and felt like I was less worthy than others for one reason or another, music gave me a sense of grace and value that enabled me to keep my head held high. It gave me a reason to stand up straight and breathe deeply. Once when I lost all hope music reminded me of miracles and magic. Another time when I felt caged, music gave me wings and demanded that I spread them wide and take flight. As an extroverted introvert it has given me an easy way to experience a beautiful and fun connection with others. I think the most important thing music gives me is a strong sense that I have something to contribute. It gives me a sense of value. It gives me roots and a connection to my ancestors that I will never meet in the flesh, but I find them there, in the spirit of songs, in the movement of the breath in my body transforming into sound, in the universal emotions expressed in rhythms and melodies. Whenever I feel that my emotions are too big for me, music provides more than enough room for me to express myself, and the vastness of space within the boundless realms of music never fails to make my state of unease feel small, insignificant and even invisible. Music has nurtured me, soothed me, uplifted me and blessed me. It has saved me time and time again and it has let me tap into the essence of who I really am, freely showing me the depth of my soul, the length of my shadows, the truth behind my insecurities and the extent of my intellect. Like a devotee, I have followed the calling of music as it winds me along a life path that has allowed me to look into my self and out at the world through eyes of love. It has taught me to face my darkest fears, and through song I dare to see my authentic self stripped back to the soul. It's there in the heart of music that I have experienced my own unique connection to God.
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Have you ever heard a song that has made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up on end, or given you the goose bumps, or brought you to tears? If so then you have already tapped into, and experienced the magic of music at it’s depths. Have you ever watched someone singing with all their heart and soul and felt a wave of happiness rush over you because you can feel how good singing feels to THEM? Sometimes, even when we hear a person singing out of tune, we still enjoy watching and listening to them, because they are so in the moment with what they are doing. I think leaving the experience of musical magic just to the brave and the professionals is a crying shame, and so far removed from the ancient traditions of many cultures, where singing was an intregal part of everyday peoples everyday lives. People used their voices and bodies in musical ways to connect with the sacred cycles of life and to celebrate. I'd love it if we still did this today! Everyday music for everyday people. We should all enjoy the benefits of a good old sing-a-long once in a while! If you knew, due to your physical limitations you could never be a professional athlete, would that mean that when it came to physical activity and sports you would then only ever sit on the sidelines and watch the pros? Would it mean you should stop going for those beneficial bike rides and beach walks? Would you stop playing on that social sports team that has become one of the highlights of your week? Of course not! But for a lot of people singing is surrounded in fear, and has been put totally on the sidelines as something that should be left to those lucky enough to have been supposedly born with great voices. We’ve all heard the stories about a person who loved to sing as a child, but they were told to "Be quiet!" or that they didn’t have a nice voice, or that they weren’t a good singer and so they stopped and formed negative ideas about their singing abilities and never tried to sing again. Maybe that person is you?! Sometimes it only takes one look of disapproval from a loved one or authoritative figure to halt a joyful singer into musical silence. These days in our fast-paced busy lives we are encouraged to take some time for ourselves, to meditate, to reconnect with our Spirit, to do Yoga and basically, to slow down a bit, but we humans are more hungry than ever to taste and experience life with all our senses. We seem to want to see, taste, hear, feel and smell our way through the day from the moment we rise to the moment we sleep. These are face-paced, busy times we're living in right? Don't get me wrong. I love to meditate, but for some of us, sitting in the lotus position listening to a recording of waterfalls isn’t quite what we need sometimes to get us out of our monkey minds. We still want to DO something to relax. Singing offers a beautiful, free, healthy form of escapism, expression and relaxation. It can be done by anybody of any age, fitness level, any status and any other boxes we make to stuff humans into. Singing breaks the soul free from restrictions, restraints, can transform stressed energy trapped inside the body and can release and express experiences so they don’t need to fester inside of you causing dis-ease and disharmony. I’m in love with music, and I am on a quest to help others experience the bliss of musical healing through using their voices and singing. I’m not a medical professional, a counsellor or a trained therapist but I've seen first hand the positive effects music can have on a persons well being, as a musician, mother, teacher, writer and entrepreneur who has consistently used music in my healing path for as long as I can remember. I have over twenty years of singing and songwriting experience. I perform as a professional musician and I am a singing teacher who has worked with people from age 8 to 80. I have witnessed the joy music can bring into a persons life and I believe this is a gift that can be given to all. I want to share with you some fun and easy ways to bring the magic and joy of music, writing and singing into your life and whether you're an aspiring professional like myself or you just want a new hobby like some of my students, you will surely get something out of the content I will be sharing with you here. |
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