Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Being Me is All I Know

(Photos courtesy of Chris Duh.)

Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul. -Plato

This is my brother, Jeff.  He is a very talented musician.  When I took piano lessons growing up I'd practice for hours trying to play a piece of Bach, then I'd step away from the piano and a few seconds later would hear my brother playing the same song - by ear!  Ooh...that was so frustrating.

When he got his first guitar we could name any song, usually Nirvana or Tori Amos, and it didn't take long before he sounded them out and played us the songs in their entirety.  This is talent that you are just born with - yet one that needs to be practiced and focused on to manifest and grow.  Luckily, he has done that over the years and has become a wonderful singer/songwriter. 

My frustrations of his innate musical talent subsided years ago!  In fact, I couldn't be more proud and excited for him.  For the first time, we have "collaborated" on a piece of music.  I have to admit that I didn't do much, but I did hand over a few of the lyrics and then Jeff created (wrote, sang, played, and produced) a beautiful, inspirational, just-makes-you-feel-good kind of song.

Go stop by his website and listen to Be Free.  This is the theme song for my e-course, Inside Out: A Creative Adventure of Self-Discovery.  I feel so incredibly honored, excited, OVER-JOYED, that my brother put his heart into a song that means so much to me, too.  (We're also making a music video together!)


Years ago when I was feeling sad and confused I heard an inspirational yoga teacher say, "Don't die with your music still inside you."  Whoa.  That statement hit me right over the head.  I felt like my talents, my passions, my true nature, my authentic way of being, my music, were all trapped inside - I was keeping them hidden - as fear and self-doubt consumed me.  

But never again, will I keep my music inside, and hopefully that goes for you, too!  And this is why I created Inside Out, to share, to connect, and to grow with other beautiful people in search of setting their inner music free.  Because how sad for any of us to let even one more day go by without creating and FULLY LIVING a life we LOVE.

Which leads me to the winner of my Inside Out e-course give-away...

Congratulations to...Amy with Girl's Life blog!

For those of you who still want to become an Inside Out explorer, I'll be offering one more give-away this fall and will open registration towards the end of the year for the January, 2011 session.  Join my Free Spirit Knits Facebook Fan Page to be the first to learn the details.  (Thanks to each of you for your thoughtful comments.)

Now everyone, get over to Jeff's site, turn up the volume and get your dance on!

Your Personal Reflection:  Are you letting your inner music - your most authentic YOU - out to dance, play, breathe, and be?  

Open your heart and your soul will follow. -Jeff Kinney

9 comments:

  1. Oh my, beautiful and inspiring as always. I am taking those shaky steps to living more authentically and doing what I love. Boy does it feel so much better! You and your brother are truly inspiring. I'll be sure to check out your song. Thanks for sharing! Peace, Angela

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  2. I still need to find that authentic me and let her out... I believe it is like an excavation project. But for me, it is a gentle one, like when you are digging up dinosaur bones. It is a delicate, fragile, but consistent process. :)

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  3. Your wrote a lovely testimony about Jeff, and his wealth of talents. That song is fabulous and inspiring, as is your website. It makes a momma proud!

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  4. Yes I am Shannon, I am finding out more and more each day and thoroughly enjoying myself. I cannot believe how much I am excavating and finding out my real self. I am truly dancing, laughing, writing, drawing, everything I love to do, and learning more and more each day. It is such a wonderful freeing experience. Thank you Shannon for giving me the tools to really find out how much life has to offer and how I feel like a completely new person.Hope everything is going well for you, and will definitely enjoy listening to your brother. Iris.

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  5. thanks for all of your comments.

    angela-
    you are taking amazing steps towards living your most authentic life. i can tell by the wonderful things you share on your blog.

    gerri-
    i love that description! you are so right - it's all about the process. must be why i always thought digging up dinosaur bones would have been an fascinating job - i love the discovery!

    mom-
    you rock. thanks for reading my blog and taking the time to comment. i love you.

    iris-
    you are an inspiration to me. i SO love the life you are living.

    hugs to each of you.
    xoxo

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  6. Thank you again for such a cool opportunity to attend your e-course. I am THRILLED! I still can't believe I won. The universe has been shoving signs at me like this left and right, so I think it's about time I start listening. I think that will be the perfect way to start off 2011.

    Also, your brother/sister song collaboration is wonderful. What a thoughtful, fun song!

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  7. i love this song and i'm so thrilled to hear that he's made it into a full length song. he could go so many places with this piece!!

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  8. I'm going through a Thing at the moment, but I wouldn't have been there at all - yet - if I hadn't taken the time to unearth myself from under the crap that had snowed me under over the years. I've been living BOLD ever since taking Inside Out back in January & am undertaking things I never thought I'd be ready for! If all the dust settles in time (we're moving in November), I'd love to take I/O again for another reminder... You're amazing!!
    & I love the happy song :)

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  9. Oh Shannon, this is so beautiful and what lovely collaborative creations! That statement also hit me over the head. I have so much creative 'music' in me that needs to come out and blogging has been the beginning of that I feel, with the documenting of ideas and the connecting with like-minded others .

    I have just discovered this site: www.earthship.org and my latest idea is to build a sustainable dwelling like this for my old age (? - I'm a practical capricorn!) and to see it like a massive art project. I know I'm a little crazy but these are all the inspirations that have been bursting around inside me and they need to come out, maybe I need to do your course again!!
    I hope you are well.

    Love Amelia.x

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Thanks for sharing!