As I sit down to make my very first entry upon this virginal space, I find myself reflecting on my many years of playing, touring, teaching and counseling; not just piano, singing, songwriting and performance, but also in regards to many individuals spiritual and life paths. To some, these subjects may seem like completely different universes, but after 45 years of mostly quiet and committed inner work, that notion is simply not the case. One might focus on a musical path or a spiritual path or any path or process but ultimately, in essence, all paths merge into the One; it is just a matter of depth, awareness and the degree of our sincerity in “The Work.”
So when we find ourselves completely available; when we become open minded, open hearted and truly open armed to life in the always present moment; inviting, inclusive, receptive and willing to entertain the possibility that we may not know what we think we know, we then begin to “think higher” and “feel deeper.” For a musician or any artist, the creative process is a spiritual path, where we are invited to discover the fertile ground of our creative freedom in the “open stillness.”
What I continue to notice over the many years of my own teaching is that it is actually the fundamentals of the musical or spiritual teachings that are the most important, potent and impactful; that it is the basic elements of the teaching that hold the true power to help transform our lives.