Why does this seem so hard when it was easy yesterday in the car?
How long is this gonna take?
Do I sound ridiculous?
Was that "right"?
It probably sounded WONDERFUL but are you gonna believe that?
Receiving some bit of info and imbibing its truth, feeling it resonate
throughout your bones into the knowing of your being...well,
that's pretty rare. But it can be done!
Its worth a try! Right!?
Awww go on...Give it a go.....
"Your voice is beautiful."
(pretend I'm saying this to you personally, like, you know, right now).
"Your voice..........................is...............beeeeutiful."
(Okay, what'd your 'head' spit back at you about that?)
"Your face, when you're singing is like an Angel!"
(How about that one in?)
"Your soul is showing and your voice seems to be weaving you
back together in a whole
new way!"
(How'd that go down?)
"When you sing that note I..I just want to CRY its so...I don't know.....
Gorgeously YOU!" (Try THAT one on.)
My point is...(... on the top of my head?)
...no no no..MY POINT is that hearing, from someone else who is listening or watching, how
beautiful we are, never quite...lands.
If, on the off chance, it does, does it stick?
Do we integrate it into all the other information we've gathered about ourselves
allowing it, by its elevated nature, to UPLIFT all the other crap we've taken on as "true" and self-evident?
Do we take that ultra positive with us for the rest of our lives?
Do we count on it as Truth in a pinch? ("But officer, I am really beautiful and wonderful and
sing like an angel...!!") ("Honey, I am a really beautiful vibration and I actually Love you and you do not need to yell.")
etc etc...lol( I could make these up all DAY!)
For what its worth, no matter who you are or what
your behavior has been lately.....You voice is already beautiful.
It is not a "part"of you...
its YOU!
You are not a "part" of Oneness.
You are IT!
So when You sing, who is singing?
(What is singing?)
Whyyyyyy is this relevant?
Might this perspective get us to relax the "doing it RIGHT" fist of Technique and
sing in a more natural way? While at the same time
enjoying that we've got technique and can CHOOSE IT ANYTIME?
Even if we're scared, contracted or both?
I am REALLY good at this job...I see the results everyday
and its pretty darn gratifying!
I mean, I love just singing a song, getting paid, getting applause (oh the glory)
And this, this conversation we're having (well, I'm having, I have no idea if anyone is actually having it with me.)...
...is just a tad more fascinating.
Thanks for the comments all!
Go see Julie and Julia
if you haven't already...it is very sweet...pun intended.
This is Divy Nelson for
The Singers' Daily
AustinVoiceLessons.com
ciao for now
PS: comments on FACEBOOK are fine as well! and THANK YOUUUU!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Singing As Prayer
There are millions of people in hopeless situations at the moment. Of course, this may have always been true.
It is what we have been choosing for a very long time.
The real question is:
Am I consciously choosing happiness in any given moment?
A sign that things have changed is that this subject used to be regarded as
airy-fairy and way out. Now its considered common sense by most people,
that one can choose to be happy.
Unhappy people avoid singing because it reminds them of forgiveness, power,
kindness, allowance and redemption. For those few moments
they actually would be happy, or at least remember that choosing it is possible.
A major shift towards wholeness and enlightenment is understanding that happiness
is a choice. The test is when things are going really badly.
What do we usually
choose then?
What reasons and justifications have I historically put in place that dictate when I can
be happy? And how much happiness I deserve to feel? And for how long?
Sometimes singing is NOT what I feel like doing. But, for professional reasons I, of course,
do it anyway. I discovered that it healed almost all wounds.
Time, choice and prayer did the rest.
When singing is prayer Communion with all things can be perceived.
When singing is heart centered it heals the singer and anyone listening,
opening hearts and paving the way for
even more integration and the
Awareness of Oneness.
In this sense, what value does singing a song have?
Much love to you today
and everyday.
This is Divy Nelson for
The Singers' Daily
AustinVoiceLessons.com
It is what we have been choosing for a very long time.
The real question is:
Am I consciously choosing happiness in any given moment?
A sign that things have changed is that this subject used to be regarded as
airy-fairy and way out. Now its considered common sense by most people,
that one can choose to be happy.
Unhappy people avoid singing because it reminds them of forgiveness, power,
kindness, allowance and redemption. For those few moments
they actually would be happy, or at least remember that choosing it is possible.
A major shift towards wholeness and enlightenment is understanding that happiness
is a choice. The test is when things are going really badly.
What do we usually
choose then?
What reasons and justifications have I historically put in place that dictate when I can
be happy? And how much happiness I deserve to feel? And for how long?
Sometimes singing is NOT what I feel like doing. But, for professional reasons I, of course,
do it anyway. I discovered that it healed almost all wounds.
Time, choice and prayer did the rest.
When singing is prayer Communion with all things can be perceived.
When singing is heart centered it heals the singer and anyone listening,
opening hearts and paving the way for
even more integration and the
Awareness of Oneness.
In this sense, what value does singing a song have?
Much love to you today
and everyday.
This is Divy Nelson for
The Singers' Daily
AustinVoiceLessons.com
Monday, August 10, 2009
Sing For Life cuz Life Is Singing!
Technically, Life is vibration. The sound we hear cannot be seen!
But it coalesces into form and matter and we call it physical Life.
Our bodies are like tuning forks that vibrate and resonate along with what we think and expose them to.
Its obviously important that we choose people, environments, jobs ("songs") that really nourish us.
The Vibration that we choose, that symphony as a thematic masterpiece, becomes our lives
and our experiences in it!
And isn't it funny how radically our sympathetic preferences for vibration
change over time as we evolve??
I mean, what I HAD TO HEAR everyday when I was a teenager I don't listen to much at all now.
When I do I love it! But it doesn't excite and sustain me
(or my body) for very long. My priorities have changed.
What I really want to experience is different now...and seems to be changing daily!
As a professional singer desiring to make a substantial living I would sing whatever was put in front of me
and did quite well. But there came a point when using my amazing vibration
to sell alcohol or cigarettes or whatever I didn't personally use myself became
a burden. The money was great! But it began to feel dishonoring of me as a vibration to vibrate along and sing
about things that didn't matter to me...even for a great paycheck!
Crazy, I know, but there you have it!
IF you have a song you are going to sing live, one that you love, but some of the lyrics
don't quite fit your perspective and your vibrational preferences:
CHANGE 'EM!
And if you are singing something that is not comfortable for you
either don't sing it or just have fun
not caring about, and not allowing your vibration to be affected by
that song.
Or is that a monumental compromise?
If I let myself get away with little compromises does that lead to
bigger and more substantial ones?
When in my life do I simply STOP
compromising my vibration?
At the very least I give myself the luxury to
never sing a song I don't like...
But I will not sing the theme from Cats:
"Mooooon liiight. All alone inthe laaaamp liiiight..."
The melody is CRAZY and its too hard.
(It doesn't show me off even tho I have the range!)
ANyhuuu this blog entry is a bit pithy and can be an analogy
for Life in General (if there is any such thing).
But try this:
Wherever you are, look around right now.
What you see is the result of your singing a song,
speaking words with underlying intentions that
created your current view.
Do you like what you see?
Do you want to change it?
Do you want to add something to the
Song of Your Life?
Just don't stop singing...
since you are part and parcel
as Life itself singing SOMETHING
will be easier and less effort then resisting
this grand symphony.
Much love and energy to you this week from
The Singers' Daily (which is weekly at this point)
check out AusitnVoiceLessons.com
This is Divy...
Ciao for now
But it coalesces into form and matter and we call it physical Life.
Our bodies are like tuning forks that vibrate and resonate along with what we think and expose them to.
Its obviously important that we choose people, environments, jobs ("songs") that really nourish us.
The Vibration that we choose, that symphony as a thematic masterpiece, becomes our lives
and our experiences in it!
And isn't it funny how radically our sympathetic preferences for vibration
change over time as we evolve??
I mean, what I HAD TO HEAR everyday when I was a teenager I don't listen to much at all now.
When I do I love it! But it doesn't excite and sustain me
(or my body) for very long. My priorities have changed.
What I really want to experience is different now...and seems to be changing daily!
As a professional singer desiring to make a substantial living I would sing whatever was put in front of me
and did quite well. But there came a point when using my amazing vibration
to sell alcohol or cigarettes or whatever I didn't personally use myself became
a burden. The money was great! But it began to feel dishonoring of me as a vibration to vibrate along and sing
about things that didn't matter to me...even for a great paycheck!
Crazy, I know, but there you have it!
IF you have a song you are going to sing live, one that you love, but some of the lyrics
don't quite fit your perspective and your vibrational preferences:
CHANGE 'EM!
And if you are singing something that is not comfortable for you
either don't sing it or just have fun
not caring about, and not allowing your vibration to be affected by
that song.
Or is that a monumental compromise?
If I let myself get away with little compromises does that lead to
bigger and more substantial ones?
When in my life do I simply STOP
compromising my vibration?
At the very least I give myself the luxury to
never sing a song I don't like...
But I will not sing the theme from Cats:
"Mooooon liiight. All alone inthe laaaamp liiiight..."
The melody is CRAZY and its too hard.
(It doesn't show me off even tho I have the range!)
ANyhuuu this blog entry is a bit pithy and can be an analogy
for Life in General (if there is any such thing).
But try this:
Wherever you are, look around right now.
What you see is the result of your singing a song,
speaking words with underlying intentions that
created your current view.
Do you like what you see?
Do you want to change it?
Do you want to add something to the
Song of Your Life?
Just don't stop singing...
since you are part and parcel
as Life itself singing SOMETHING
will be easier and less effort then resisting
this grand symphony.
Much love and energy to you this week from
The Singers' Daily (which is weekly at this point)
check out AusitnVoiceLessons.com
This is Divy...
Ciao for now
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Singing Gives Soooo Much Pleasure
Pleasure. Pleasure?
Pleasure:positive mental state arising from complex perception, writing or reading, accomplishment, recognition, service, indeed through any imaginable activity.
Well, I could give it a few more analogies.... ;-)
But what I have experienced, all my life, is that...
...it is quite literally a pleasure to sing.
It is, unto itself and as an action, engrossing and fulfilling.
Why would we deny ourselves that particular pleasure?
Well....there are as many reasons as there are people.
I've heard SO many reasons to not do it and so many deeply held and secret desires TO do it.
(While everybody watches!) Hmmmmmmmm...very interesting.
At this point I am facilitating (making it easier) for anyone who would like that pleasure in their lives.
And that is, in itself...a pleasure.
An honor, really.
I know I've said that before in this blog but that sentiment lives in me so strongly.
Sooooooooo my point today would be to give yourself as much pleasure, of ALL kinds, as you can. And not to leave out SINGING for pleasure. Performing for pleasure. Getting loads of applause for pleasure. Earning money while singing for pleasure!Wearing WAY COOL outfits onstage for pleasure!
Getting all the cute guys and girls to notice you....for pleasure!
Being in the spotlight by choice...for pleasure...etc etc
Life can be a pleasure.
Just being in it can be be flowing and relaxing and wonderful...when we let it be.
Singing, daily, reminds me to take pleasure in life. No matter what!!
Take pleasure in your day today.
Just for fun!
This is the
Pleasure Addled Chanteuse,
Divy Nelson
for
The Singers' Daily at
AustinVoiceLessons.com
hugs n kisses
Pleasure:positive mental state arising from complex perception, writing or reading, accomplishment, recognition, service, indeed through any imaginable activity.
Well, I could give it a few more analogies.... ;-)
But what I have experienced, all my life, is that...
...it is quite literally a pleasure to sing.
It is, unto itself and as an action, engrossing and fulfilling.
Why would we deny ourselves that particular pleasure?
Well....there are as many reasons as there are people.
I've heard SO many reasons to not do it and so many deeply held and secret desires TO do it.
(While everybody watches!) Hmmmmmmmm...very interesting.
At this point I am facilitating (making it easier) for anyone who would like that pleasure in their lives.
And that is, in itself...a pleasure.
An honor, really.
I know I've said that before in this blog but that sentiment lives in me so strongly.
Sooooooooo my point today would be to give yourself as much pleasure, of ALL kinds, as you can. And not to leave out SINGING for pleasure. Performing for pleasure. Getting loads of applause for pleasure. Earning money while singing for pleasure!Wearing WAY COOL outfits onstage for pleasure!
Getting all the cute guys and girls to notice you....for pleasure!
Being in the spotlight by choice...for pleasure...etc etc
Life can be a pleasure.
Just being in it can be be flowing and relaxing and wonderful...when we let it be.
Singing, daily, reminds me to take pleasure in life. No matter what!!
Take pleasure in your day today.
Just for fun!
This is the
Pleasure Addled Chanteuse,
Divy Nelson
for
The Singers' Daily at
AustinVoiceLessons.com
hugs n kisses
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
"What SECRET OPINION Do You Have About Your Voice?"
Acknowledging your voice is like acknowledging your self.
It's your vibrational signature!
Do you like the instrument you use to speak with?
Does it sound good to you when you hear it played back on a recording?
What is your secret opinion of your voice?
What is a secret opinion you have about yourself?
What have you decided you should NEVER do with your voice?
What would you really like to do?
Speaking up and 'showing up', in life, are proactively similar.
Many people, after taking voice, show up more and are 'seen' differently.
They are risking being heard for the first time in their lives.
Not only on stage or in a classroom but everywhere!
It generally pays off in cuter dates, bigger paychecks, more sales, being able to write clearly and more social influence.
When you work the voice you magnetize the tuning fork of the body.
You then attract so much more!
The sound of your voice does it for you.
What SECRET OPINION do you have of your voice?
Let me know and I'll help you with that as best I can.
This is Divy Nelson
AustinVoiceLessons.com
for
The Singers' Daily
((answer some of those questions n I'll write back to you!))
It's your vibrational signature!
Do you like the instrument you use to speak with?
Does it sound good to you when you hear it played back on a recording?
What is your secret opinion of your voice?
What is a secret opinion you have about yourself?
What have you decided you should NEVER do with your voice?
What would you really like to do?
Speaking up and 'showing up', in life, are proactively similar.
Many people, after taking voice, show up more and are 'seen' differently.
They are risking being heard for the first time in their lives.
Not only on stage or in a classroom but everywhere!
It generally pays off in cuter dates, bigger paychecks, more sales, being able to write clearly and more social influence.
When you work the voice you magnetize the tuning fork of the body.
You then attract so much more!
The sound of your voice does it for you.
What SECRET OPINION do you have of your voice?
Let me know and I'll help you with that as best I can.
This is Divy Nelson
AustinVoiceLessons.com
for
The Singers' Daily
((answer some of those questions n I'll write back to you!))
Monday, July 13, 2009
The Entire Family
Re-educating families is part of my job. In this big city whole families, from all over the globe, arrive together on the first session if they are dropping off a child or teen. Its quite a celebration!
The technique I created (The Six Point Vocal WAV Method) is very athletic and the exercises can be loud and non-traditional.
So the entire family needs to support the student. Whether that's Mom or Dad or one of the children.
Those are some LOUD and FUNNY noises (along with the usual, recognizable scales and songs)
Much Kindness is required....and no joking around! No answering back through the bedroom door or calling out moo-ing sounds from the backyard! You gotta work with me people!!
Nothing that isn't totally obviously innocent support!
You can tell I am ADAMANT ABOUT THIS.
And people from ANY culture get it. And feel safe and secure because of it.
I will protect them from each other if I have to. With much glee and eye winking.
Everyone gets it.
So, I retrain families to respond with support and tremendous positivity.
I prepare the student as well.
Asking them to stand up for themselves and their voice.
Asking them to protect this vulnerable process until they feel confident.
Or at least until they can come back from dumb questions with snappy answers.
Or better yet educated answers that are about technical voice
and why they sounding the way they do at present.
The pulling apart process is awkward at first. Old speech pattern habits
coming apart at the seams can sound funny and even the
speaking voice begins its transformation.
So, in summery, today was a really great day.
I am finding my way to retrain, or just explain to them what is required for
someone in the family to really learn how to sing.
Today they were from India, Japan and Germany.
(Though I suspect the Germans have been here a few generations!!)
I love my job.
Gratitude for you and your beautiful voice.
Get it working! You may really need it!
Check out AustinVoiceLessons.com
If you read this blog regularly and get someone into my studio
I'll send you some FREE stuff (cd's)
This is Divy for
The Singers' Daily
Stay cool in this heat, all you Texans!
The technique I created (The Six Point Vocal WAV Method) is very athletic and the exercises can be loud and non-traditional.
So the entire family needs to support the student. Whether that's Mom or Dad or one of the children.
Those are some LOUD and FUNNY noises (along with the usual, recognizable scales and songs)
Much Kindness is required....and no joking around! No answering back through the bedroom door or calling out moo-ing sounds from the backyard! You gotta work with me people!!
Nothing that isn't totally obviously innocent support!
You can tell I am ADAMANT ABOUT THIS.
And people from ANY culture get it. And feel safe and secure because of it.
I will protect them from each other if I have to. With much glee and eye winking.
Everyone gets it.
So, I retrain families to respond with support and tremendous positivity.
I prepare the student as well.
Asking them to stand up for themselves and their voice.
Asking them to protect this vulnerable process until they feel confident.
Or at least until they can come back from dumb questions with snappy answers.
Or better yet educated answers that are about technical voice
and why they sounding the way they do at present.
The pulling apart process is awkward at first. Old speech pattern habits
coming apart at the seams can sound funny and even the
speaking voice begins its transformation.
So, in summery, today was a really great day.
I am finding my way to retrain, or just explain to them what is required for
someone in the family to really learn how to sing.
Today they were from India, Japan and Germany.
(Though I suspect the Germans have been here a few generations!!)
I love my job.
Gratitude for you and your beautiful voice.
Get it working! You may really need it!
Check out AustinVoiceLessons.com
If you read this blog regularly and get someone into my studio
I'll send you some FREE stuff (cd's)
This is Divy for
The Singers' Daily
Stay cool in this heat, all you Texans!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Singing Is Natural: Learning To Sing Can Be As Well!!
If no one told you not to, you'd be singing. If you'd seen other people in your family singing, like as not, you'd be as well!
Why?
Its fun, fulfilling, sexy and performing for other people ROCKS! So...if its such a natural thing how come more people don't feel comfortable doing it? Even in the shower?
Well (said Dr.Divy, clearing her professional throat...) I believe everyone WILL!
Eventually.
Its one of the most natural expressions of being alive. Birds do it, bees humm it...
even educated fleas...etc etc
If you were left to your own devices creatively and were raised around really relaxed, relatively enlightened usually positive people you'd have learned to sing easily.
People even learn under stress and duress!
They're just not that happy when they're off stage. Can be a problem.
Anyway, every problem I've ever had the honor of helping to"fix" has come down to some habitual
contraction. And once relaxed and all atrophy aside (vocally muscling up) everyone learns to sing quite well!
Now, they may have some residual vocal side effects from being vocally contracted for however many years,
but they learn to relax and get stronger and they love it.
What if you'd been instructed to sit in a straight backed chair for 35 years?
When u finally stood up what do you think you and your body might go through?
What if you'd been denying yourself swimming? What's it like to learn later in life? What do you go through?
And if you're a kid (or know one) and you are strong and flexible and willing to learn how long do you think
learning to sing might take you?
((I've had kids grasp the basics and use their new voice naturally in a matter of HOURS!))
When you relax your fist what's left? An open palm, a helping hand, a lift up, a great handshake, a high five and a pat on the head for doing your rehearsal CD just like I asked!!
ITS WORKING!!!
Love you all and thanks for reading
The SIngers' Daily
This is Divy Nelson
AustinVoiceLessons.com
Why?
Its fun, fulfilling, sexy and performing for other people ROCKS! So...if its such a natural thing how come more people don't feel comfortable doing it? Even in the shower?
Well (said Dr.Divy, clearing her professional throat...) I believe everyone WILL!
Eventually.
Its one of the most natural expressions of being alive. Birds do it, bees humm it...
even educated fleas...etc etc
If you were left to your own devices creatively and were raised around really relaxed, relatively enlightened usually positive people you'd have learned to sing easily.
People even learn under stress and duress!
They're just not that happy when they're off stage. Can be a problem.
Anyway, every problem I've ever had the honor of helping to"fix" has come down to some habitual
contraction. And once relaxed and all atrophy aside (vocally muscling up) everyone learns to sing quite well!
Now, they may have some residual vocal side effects from being vocally contracted for however many years,
but they learn to relax and get stronger and they love it.
What if you'd been instructed to sit in a straight backed chair for 35 years?
When u finally stood up what do you think you and your body might go through?
What if you'd been denying yourself swimming? What's it like to learn later in life? What do you go through?
And if you're a kid (or know one) and you are strong and flexible and willing to learn how long do you think
learning to sing might take you?
((I've had kids grasp the basics and use their new voice naturally in a matter of HOURS!))
When you relax your fist what's left? An open palm, a helping hand, a lift up, a great handshake, a high five and a pat on the head for doing your rehearsal CD just like I asked!!
ITS WORKING!!!
Love you all and thanks for reading
The SIngers' Daily
This is Divy Nelson
AustinVoiceLessons.com
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