Beauty and Truth Expressed
I had one of the most exquisite and challenging sessions in my career as a voice coach a few days ago. I have a standing appointment with one of my favorite clients three times a month. I was looking forward to our session as I usually do. She has a beautiful voice and her specialty is rhythm and blues.
As our session began, she asked if we could talk because she was having a very difficult time processing the horrific events that we all witnessed these past few weeks. I won't go into any detail because of my commitment to creating a safe space of confidentiality in my studio but I can say it has been feeling like a pressure cooker here in New York City. All of my clients and friends have been experiencing varying degrees of pain, shame, guilt, fear, frustration and RAGE. I am navigating my own feelings of heartbreak and shock. I continue to ask myself what can I do? So what I can do right now is pray for peace and the strength to keep visualizing Dr. King's Dream unfold into reality.
So, as I listened to my dear client pour out her stories and feelings and fears, I realized that even with my vast experience and the many tools I've been taught as a life coach, there was absolutely no fixing this. So I was quiet. I surrounded her with love and light. But she started to become more and more agitated and before I knew it....she broke into song. It was as though the spoken word just wasn't enough so she had to sing!
Now, before I continue the story, please join me in a "sidebar". We all have seen those musicals where the action starts to escalate and before you know it, the actor breaks into song. I don't know about you, but I have always found that a bit annoying. Don't get me wrong, I love the songs and sometimes I've been that actor on the stage breaking into song. But when you're watching, it just seems to stop all the action and certainly in no way seems natural. In fact, I remember one of my coaches at Juilliard telling me that the reason Mozart arias are so difficult is because Herr Mozart was annoyed he had to stop the action of his operas to give the Soprano an aria. I can imagine him saying: [insert German accent] "HA! You vant an Aria?!...Take zat!” Cut to Soprano singing more runs and trills and octave leaps in one aria than she has in her whole singing life. Hehehe! Here ends the "sidebar.”
So, back to our story...I watched my client put her entire self, heart and soul into that song. All the emotions that speaking couldn't release exploded into Beauty and Truth expressed through song. That device of spoken word breaking into song that I had seen a hundred times on the stage was really happening before my eyes!! It was the most compelling "performance" I've ever seen.
I put performance in quotes because it was more an unfolding of all that is Divine in the human spirit. The vocal challenges we had worked on in the session before disappeared because it was pure soul expression. I felt as if I was hearing the song for the first time. When it was over I realized I was weeping. I felt guilty to have witnessed this expression alone. I wanted the entire world to hear it -- our world needs to hear it. So I have asked her to record it. When she does I will share it with you on my website themagneticvoice.com.
I'm happy to report we ended the session laughing.
So, as we navigate these ever changing and challenging times, remember...I am here with you...quietly listening, holding safe space, surrounding you with love and light, and if necessary, carrying your dreams and visions for you until you can pick them up again.
Quote of the Day:
“And the world will be better for this
That one man scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To fight the unbeatable foe
To reach the unreachable star.”
