Sing and Heal

Every morning I get up at 6:00 am. After I get dressed I help Linda, then shuffle out to the cold living room and start a fire in the wood stove.

When the fire is roaring, I move on to the kitchen to do any necessary cleaning, make coffee, then whip up a little something for us to eat.

And almost every morning at some point, I hear a voice soaring out overtop all other sounds. 

I smile, because Linda is singing again. Just about every morning Linda sings. Lovely, joyous singing.

Yes, this is the same Linda that is dealing with the advanced stages of multiple sclerosis. This terrible disease has robbed her of almost everything. 

But she can still sing, and sing she does. 

Leonard Cohen told us to "ring the bells that still ring", and hearing Linda in the morning reminds me of that. 

She has left behind the things she can no longer do, and concentrates on what still works for her. What else can one do?

So she sings, sings, sings until I return to help her. I get her dressed, and manually transfer her to a wheelchair so we can get on with another day already ringing with potential.

I sing with her, if not first thing in the morning, definitely throughout the day. We both love to sing. We sing to each other, we sing to the world, we sing for the world.

Singing is enjoyable, but it is so much more than that. It is also therapeutic with many, many tested and proven benefits both psychological and physical, and it is free.

"A song a day keeps the doctors away". 

That's not really a thing since apples have already cornered that market, but it should be. My guess is singing is more healing than apples, and I love apples.

Remember, the saying is, "I'd like to teach the world to sing", not "I'd like to teach the world to eat apples."

The world needs healing in a bad way right now, and Linda could use a bit herself. So could I. Who couldn't? 

Singing is an important part of our simple health regime, and it can work for the planet, too. 

Linda could lead us all in group sing songs, on a regular basis. Just until things are better. For everyone everywhere.

She could do it from her bed, no problem.

What songs could we cover?

I nominate "You've Got A Friend" by Carole King. 

It was Carole's birthday yesterday, so perhaps we can also add "Happy Birthday" to our set list for her 79th.

“When you’re down and troubled

And you need some love and care

And nothing, nothing is going right

Close your eyes and think of me

And soon I will be there

To brighten up even your darkest night”

Not Cancelled

Blossoming flowers, like these snowdrops down the road, have NOT been cancelled.

Please be aware that the following have NOT been cancelled.



- the stars in the night sky (major show every cloud-free night)

- spring (I saw a coyote close to home yesterday - they are more visible this time of year as they look for potential mates, so coyote dating has obviously also not been cancelled.)

- Skyping with loved ones (we had a nice visit with Linda's mom today. Talk about social distancing - we were 5000 km apart. Totally safe.)

- cleaning the house (sorry)

- laughing (not the nervous kind, which has been cancelled)

- sleeping and napping (indulge yourself - sleep is a immune system booster)

- cooking yourself some yummy food (I recommend double chocolate chip cookies with toffee bits as a mood enhancer - hey, these are tough times)

- curling up with a good book (is that not a luxury these days?)

- singing (stage your own damn concerts... for yourself or a small group of people you know, or video it and post it to the internet)

- playing an instrument (nothing like live music, see above)

- blossoming flowers (I saw snowdrops down the road on a recent bike ride)

- this year's maple syrup (I see my neighbour's farm gate syrup stand is up and running - just drop your money in the jar and go)

- bird migrations (we saw our first wave of Robins today, also bald eagle, and red tailed hawk)

- having fun at home, in the yard, or alone in the wilderness (get creative, artistic, meditative)


Instead of what has been cancelled, take a look at all that is left, still running and moving forward as if nothing is happening. 

A person would do well to get lost in that for a while, now that self-isolation has given so many the gift of time (another thing that has not been cancelled).

Enjoy everything that has not been cancelled. There is lots to choose from.

Love Is The Only Engine Of Survival

"Like a bird on a wire

Like a drunk in the midnight choir

I have tried in my way to be free."

Multi-talented artist Leonard Cohen was born on September 21, 1934, in Montreal, Canada.  As if this week hasn't been emotional enough, Canada's Dylan passed away Monday at the age of 82.

Prolific to the end of his life (his most recent album was released three weeks ago), the singer/songwriter learned to play the guitar as a teenager, and as a young student, also wrote poetry and novels. 

In describing Cohen's work, singer Jennifer Warnes said, "Leonard acknowledges that the whole act of living contains immense amounts of sorrow and hopelessness and despair; and also passion, high hopes, and deep and eternal love." All his life he was true to the creative calling.

"I've seen the future, brother: it is murder."

In 1960, Cohen purchased a home on the Greek island of Hydra, attracted to the simple way of life on this picturesque island in the Mediterranean. With no cars and limited electricity, here he lived a quasi-reclusive lifestyle and focused on his art and his family.

As an artist that had creativity oozing from every pore, Cohen also did visual art – in particular, sketching and drawing which he had been interested in since a boy. Living on Hydra with his young children, Cohen often made drawing an important family activity around the kitchen table. 

If you don't become the ocean, you'll become seasick every day"

Much later the drawing that was his life was tragically torn to shreds by a close friend that helped manage his business affairs. Cohen's savings, retirement account, and the rights to some of his music were all gone. He was left penniless at almost 70 years old, his entire career's earnings missing. 

Rather than be defeated and bitter, Cohen responded to his situation with grace and equanimity. No doubt his 5 years of seclusion at the Mount Baldy Zen Center near Los Angeles helped him through his predicament successfully. 

"Take the only tree that's left and stuff it up the hole in your culture"

Throughout his life Cohen exuded a sense of calm and peace, even after being unable to recover any of the millions missing from his bank accounts. Unafraid of hard work, he picked himself up, dusted himself off, and got back to the business of creating beautiful things for the world.

His chosen name after being ordained as a Zen Buddhist monk means "silence", unusual for a guy whose words will continue to resonate far and loud into the future. Amidst his creative output there remained a rock-like steadfastness.

He triumphed, and before long had fully recovered financially. At the same time the singer was approaching 8 decades and he sensed that the end of his life was near. His lover from his time in Greece, and the mother of his children, died in July of this year, and he thought he might not be far behind.

Cohen's farewell letter to Marianne was read at her funeral, stating that "... our bodies are falling apart and I think I will follow you very soon. Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine." 

Three months later they would be holding hands once again. Good bye Mr. Cohen.

"Love is the only engine of survival."

A Revolution of Forgiveness and Love

Loving everything will change everything.

Our very existence is in peril. It is an easy time to dispense blame, and harbour resentment. We hate this person and that person - they are "part of the problem." Any plan or movement based on hate is doomed to produce more of the same, rather than the changes we need.

Some say, "People are destroying the world, and these people have addresses." Is the plan to go out in pitch fork mobs, round 'em up, and make 'em pay? In this scenario hating them is just punishment for their evil doing, and once they are collected up and punished to the full extent of the law, everything will be fine.

It is difficult not to hate perceived wrong doers. It almost feels automatic, which says a lot about our culture. It feels like you are doing something. And you are.

What we do by harbouring hate, and allowing resentment to reside in the heart, is hurt ourselves. It is eating poison and expecting your enemy to die. And if you want to reform your adversary, hate is hardly the tool to get that done.

Author Madame de Stael wrote, “To understand everything makes one tolerant, and to feel deeply inspires great kindness.” In other words, the more we know, the easier we forgive, and the kinder we are toward others. This is because the more we understand, the more we can see that the objects of our hate are mostly just like we are.

In their place, with their experience, would we do anything differently? We think we would, because they are "bad" and we are "good". But sit down with them, and find out they are actually quite human, maybe even nice. The neat boundaries of good vs bad start to get blurry.

If accusation and hate are the problems, then forgiveness and love are the solutions. That does not mean we can't dislike certain situations, but let's propose solutions that come from a different place, and maybe we will get different, more positive results.

We can only do that through practicing forgiveness and love until it becomes our natural default reaction to all situations and people.

Overcoming Resentment and Hate

• visualize the object of your hate. Send them love.
• think about the futility and harm that results from taking the poison of hate.
• real victories come from being understanding, even tempered and loving.
• don't like someone? Ponder their good points, something you admire about them.
• develop your patience, quick to listen, slow to judge.
• forgiveness allows us to enjoy a more pleasant world with less conflict and a more fulfilling experience of those around us.

If your revolution is a "fight" or "war" against someone or something, count me out. If your revolution does not include joyful playing, dancing and singing, count me out.

If your revolution is not coming from a place of forgiveness and love, again, I'm out.

Consume Like No One's Watching

Yesterday I had a little solo jam session and sang like no one was listening. I got lost in it. Accompanying myself on guitar I belted out tune after tune like I never have before. The music flowed, bliss followed. It was liberating.

My experience made me think of a popular quote that recommends we do things as if no one was around, relieved of all potential negative social pressures. It made me wonder how people would do things differently if unafraid of being bludgeoned by the hammer of groupthink.

What if we did everything like no one was watching? Would we dress differently? Would we go to work less? Be creative more? Would we travel as much? Would we consume less?

A recent study shows how seeing the "visible assets" (stuff) of others can affect our own consumption habits. Unsurprisingly, conspicuous consumption can be contagious. Once infected, one feels great social pressure to consume, even if a huge debt load and bankruptcy is the result.

The research showed that people feel compelled to increase their own spending when they see physical evidence of exorbitant spending by neighbours with newly acquired wealth. Rather than looking on their neighbours situation as a precautionary tale, we try to "keep up". For a variety of reasons, that is harder to do these days.

Never mind the Jones', most people today are finding it challenge enough to keep up with the Simpsons. But liberation and bliss are only one decision away, and that decision is to consume like no one is watching.

What Jones'? They aren't real, but subtle and not-so-subtle consumer arm twisting definitely is, from grade school to the adults in your very neighbourhood.

Be forewarned - the pressure is massive and opting out of the material competition has always been difficult. In 1899 Thorstein Veblen, American economist and sociologist, stated in The Theory of The Leisure Class that “the failure to consume in due quantity and quality becomes a mark of inferiority and demerit. This applies particularly to food, drinks, narcotics, shelter and feasting”.

Conversely, the rewards are great.  Liberate yourself like no one's watching.

Sing Your Way To Health

Sufism encourages singing as a form of worship. 

 "I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think." 

- Rumi

Linda and I usually sing every day. Sometimes that manifests as lengthy melodic conversations about what to have for supper sung to popular melodies. At other times we get out the guitar and sing our favourite artists, or make up our own spur of the moment tunes complete with mostly nonsensical lyrics.

Singing is a primal urge that promotes health. Perhaps Primal Scream Therapy would have been more successful had it been Primal Sing Therapy. Singing is good for the soul, and lots of other things.

Unfortunately, most of us have been told by someone that we "can't sing". To compound the tragedy, we come to believe this to be true, perhaps never to sing comfortably again. But the truth is, we all possess a simple, natural ability to sing.

Music teacher Nikki Slade believes singing is something everyone can benefit from and says "We are all in an orchestra on this planet."

Failing to join this orchestra in order to provide an outlet for our natural urge to sing can leave us unfulfilled. At the very least it is an isolating experience, and most who think they don't possess the ability consider it a sad thing.

"Sounds can influence brain wave frequencies and promote well-being." 

- Encyclopedia of Entertainment

Whoever told us we could not sing was wrong. It is an ability that can be trained and improved by anyone with the interest, although perhaps not to the level that you will be noted for your golden vocal chords. Or maybe you will, if that is what you really want.

Better than fame or riches, singing can bring you better health.

Health Benefits of Singing

• Reduce stress and improve mood
• Lower blood pressure
• Boost the immune system
• Improve breathing
• Reduce perceived pain
• Improve sense of rhythm
• Promote learning
• Forge pleasant memories
• Promote communal bonding
• Provide comfort
• Motivate and empower

"There are hidden reserves of strength and hope, and indeed happiness, that singing somehow spontaneously helps people to find. It may be this is one of the ways in which mind and body are interrelated." 

- Dr. Larry Culliford

If you are understandably shy at first, take baby steps and try a bit of humming. I hum a lot as I go about my daily routine - for me it is something that grounds me in the now. It is difficult to think of anything else except what you are doing while humming or singing. It is a happy place.

Whether in the shower alone, or around the supper table with your family, try belting out a tune. It is possible to learn to sing proficiently and use sound to promote harmonious healthfulness.