Giving Voice to Spirit

Deity Yoga Meditation, can non Buddhist belief systems be as successful?

So my proposed casual experiment is to determine if one can practice Deity Yoga Meditations with another belief system. No blind studies or any of that, just anecdotal findings. So try the meditation and just let me know if you see a difference in Short term in visuospatial perception. Here is a bit more information.

visuospatial: (per dictionary.org)
Pertaining to perception of the spatial relationships among objects within the field of vision.
Of or relating to visual perception of spatial relationships among objects.
Of, relating to, or being thought processes that involve visual and spatial awareness.

My understanding of the original meditation is that you visualize Buddha in your minds eye with the entourage that might usually accompany him. You see this gathering in great detail and then move to a spiritual place where you become comfortable merging with the Buddha. By accomplishing the merging, you accept the Divine within yourself and carry it into everyday life to guide you.

This feels like a very powerful mediation without any other intentions.

But back to my purposed experiment. Why must it be a meditation for Buddhist only? Can we use it for other faiths? And if so, how successfully?

But how might you envision your Source of Divine? If it is God, then maybe visualize archangels, saints, or prophets. For the Goddess, maybe see Her manifestation with attending pantheon. For Great Spirit, maybe see the nature kingdom divas and spirit guides. As I mentioned in the last post, if your Source is more abstracted without a persona, then bank on that abstraction and create a vision of maybe sound, color, sensations, music, shapes, whatever to support it.

If you would join me, set aside 20 minutes a day to do this meditation. Then go about you days activities. Maybe 2 or 3 hours later review your activities. Are you aware of a change in then s in terms of use of short term memory? For me that would be, did I spend as much time as usual looking for things I have put down, like keys, the reference paper I was just using, etc.

During the day seems most beneficial time to experiment, since the review period is what will give us our "data".

I would be delighted if you would share this proposal with those you feel might be interested. And I look forward to hearing form you and you thoughts and outcome with this little experiment.

Raise your voice to Spirit

With Blessings

KiP

Can Meditation Really Improve your Short Term Memory?

A study published in Psychological Science reported that it can, if it is a form of yoga called Deity Yoga. 

Straight form the journal of the Association for Psychological Science, 20 minutes of this imagery focused yoga practice can dramatically improve visuospatial abilities. 

How many of us could benefit form the practice of Deity Yoga?

But I will side track just a bit here. Now, as many of you know, I no longer like to "claim" ailments. That practice seems to enhance their presence and consequences in my life. Yet, denial can truly be deadly. So I strive for a balance of the acknowledgment of a health condition and then supporting its release, physically, mentally, especially emotionally and spiritually. I believe that is why I no longer have fibromyalgia. Yeah, it did take me a few years to comprehend and apply my approach there.

So the new condition I am confronted with is probable long term carbon monoxide exposure. Circumstantial evidence and physical symptoms support the probability, as well as the observation of friends upon more acute exposure. That came to a head on March 23rd.

My lethargic and apathetic behavior have shifted in these last weeks, and my retention of readings for classes has greatly improved. I love walking again, something I dreaded several months ago.

Ok, so what does this have to do with the Deity meditation? 

Well, the one thing I still really struggle with is short term memory. "I just had my keys in my hand, where did I put them?" I mean often it is really short term. There is clearly more healing to be done and I have been open to finding ways to support the process.

Voila!

Deity Yoga employs highly refined techniques of creative imagination, visualization, and photism in order to self-identify with the divine form and qualities of a particular deity as the union of method or skillfull means and wisdom. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama says, "In brief, the body of a Buddha is attained through meditating on it".

While this is a traditional Buddhist practice, can it be applied across the cosmos to all belief systems? 

Different from the more common Open Presence meditation where focusing on anything is discouraged, Deity Meditation asks you to clearly see in your minds eye an image/concept of the Divine and with complete entourage and merge with that Divinity. 

I am approaching the practice with an expanded view, and suggest that we use our own imagery/concept of our Divine Source/ Deity/ God/ Goddess/ Spirit Beings, and their entourage and visualize ourselves merging with that Divinity. Now this can be a challenge if you do not associate a persona with your Divine Source. But I see no reason that you can't visualize a clear abstraction with all supporting concepts in attendance, abstracted as well. You could use color, sound, music, sensations, well your imagination is the only limitation.

It is too early for me to see long term effects, but I will report at a later date.

I welcome fellow experimenter. Can this practice be applied to your Spiritual Path?

Let me know if you find this practice useful. I would love to hear from you all.

Blessings from Voice to Spirit

 KiP

"Food Fight" and another not so funny video

Just got this via the Natural Solutions Foundations. It is hysterical--maybe pun intended.

Food Fight

While that was a funny take on our history, this one is not so funny expose on our present situation.  It is a slow download, but worth the time.

Making a Killing

If you are intrigued by any of this the following links can provide more information

Blessings

KiP 

www.GlobalHealthFreedom.org    www.HealthFreedomUSA.org 

www.NaturalSolutionsFoundation.org   www.Organics4U.org 

www.NaturalSolutionsMarketplace.org

www.NaturalSolutionsMedia.tv

Master Throat Singer, Nikolay Oorzhak

Acknowledging that healing practices require certain discipline, I was not expecting this one to be so physical. 

Our first requirement was to set ourselves in motion, literally. We were to sit away from the backs of our chairs and keep ourselves in constant motion using the sacrum, base of the spine as the point of origin. Nikolay ask us to keep this posture at all times for it keeps us alert and lively leading to better health and well being. While that is the posture I find I have while writing this, I found it hard to keep it all day, and it will take much practice to carry it into the rest of my life.

We are admonished as children to sit still and stop fidgeting, how does that curtail our eventual health? Yet, I can envision an "unenlightened" teacher being totally frustrated by a sea of youngsters in constant motion. 

As for the singing, I got the idea, but it will take much more practice before I can hope to find that magic place where the incredible melody comes through like a delicate flute. Sometimes I would stop practicing and just listen to him and his interpreter, Vladislav Matrenitsky sing. A healing experience in itself.

Later

KiP

Tuvan Throat Singer: Nikolay Oorzhak

All day workshop today, and I'm really looking forward to the experience...So no conference news yet.

But I wanted to note that I have posted a page on Alan Howarth and RA Music. Enjoy and stop by to see the Sound Bubble at the conference in the La Fonda.

See you there.

KiP

http://voicetospirit.typepad.com/giving_voice_to_spirit/ra-music-the-of-the-ancients-becomes-music-of-the-future.html

International Sound Healing Conference is happening this weekend

As I prepare for the International Sound Healing Conference this weekend, here in Santa Fe, I've been reviewing my notes from past conferences here and in San Francisco. I'm looking forward to seeing friends, familiar faces, and international presenters. 

At the first conference I attended Christine Stevens and Arthur Harvey inspired me to go to a Remo HealthRhythms workshop. I gained wonderful insight into structured practices for health care and well being.

Don Campbell's work is always exciting to hear about. You remember, he created the Mozart Effect CDs among many others. I look forward to hearing the newest.

And there just isn't a voice to compare with Tom Kenyon.

Alan Howarth, I should have my article about you and RA Music posted by the end of the week. 

I'll try to keep you all posted on events, but I know from experience, I'm like a kid in a candy store. Making time to slow down and write can be impossible.

Until then,

Blessing

KiP Walker

"From Grief and Joy We Sing", a documentary of song in the lives of the Q’eros of Peru

Was privileged to attend a private showing of a beautiful documentary of the singing rituals of the Q'eros of Peru. To these people, living in high remote areas of the Andes, song is an essential part of their daily lives as well as their sacred celebrations. As one woman said, if we don't sing then we are like ghosts.

"This video seeks to document Q’eros’ musical rituals for the Q’eros community, to educate a larger audience (Perú and beyond) about Andean musical rituals, and ultimately to promote respect for indigenous cultures." 

"From Grief and Joy We Sing" is a beautiful and well composed documentary, made from footage shot by Holly Wissler during her field research for a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from The Florida State University, 2003 to 2007.

Learn more about the documentary, Holly Wissler, and The Mountain Fund and purchase the DVD for yourself.

Blessings

KiP

Stop the FDA Globalization Act of 2008!!

With years of corporate efforts trying to erase  "Little Businesses" this FDA Globalization Act of 2008 (read Big Business and Pharmaceutical Act) saddens more than surprises me. While in the video below, Donna Maria Johnson is speaking for the independent beauty business, this could be a death knell for all small business that haven't yet been regulated out of the market...Where have all the small flour mills gone? Or how about small dairies?

If you value your right to choice, 

act now 

before another potential nail is added to the coffins of small business!

1. Watch the video below for more information. 
2. Read the actual legislation at FDA Globalization Act of 2008. 
3. Sign the petition by leaving a secure comment at Indie Business Blog 
4. Notify for YOUR members of Congress that this is an unacceptable piece of legislation. 

       

We Must all act or we will all loose our rights of choice

Blessings 

KiP

KiP on BBSRadio Podcast Wed April 16

I am looking forward to being on Internet Radio Ordinary Miracles hosted by Matt Kramer and Jan Cercone. Tune in April 16, at 10 pm Mountain Time (9 Pacific, 12 Easten) on BBSRadio.

The web site reads:

Living life from a new perspective... from ordinary to the extraordinary.
Living in the Light.....moment by moment

Sound Healing with the Voice Blessings KiP
Jan is a Voice Bio practitioner
Matt is a Voice Mapping Practitioner
Healing our Relationships
Matt is a mediator, listener
Jan is a empath, healer
Spirituality and everyday miracles
Jan assists people to align with the divine
Matt lives what he teaches…compassionate consciousness

I'll be talking about my path as a Sound Healing Facilitator and my CD, "I raise this Voice to Spirit".

So tune in and let me know your response.

To Jan Cercone, In Appreciation

This weekend, the International Sound Healing Conference has come to Santa Fe. Well this conference is always in Santa Fe, but a fabulous array of researchers, pioneers, and practitioners have come to town. And every day of the conference has given me amazing gifts.

In May at the World Sound Healing Conference in San Francisco, I briefly visited with a singer, healer, Jan Cercone, and bought her delightful CD, As Above.....So Below, Streaming Light and Tone. We reconnected here in Snta Fe on a deeper level and shared our current work. Today Jan was a presenter, Using the Voice as a Focused Healing Tool. In addition to sharing some terrific vocal tools, she invited several other singers to share their particular styles of using voice to heal with the attendees. Along with Susan Hale and others, I am deeply honored that I was given the opportunity to Sing Spirit. Indeed, "I Raise This Voice to Spirit".

After the session several people shared their appreciation for the songs. Sherri Roberts, a massage therapist, Subtle Energies Body Work, Stokesdale, NC, related her experience of my singing.  "Your song opened my heart chakra and I began to cry. My healing journey has been to work on opening to heart energy. The singing evoked that love and compassion that lives in my heart."

And that was just one of many marvelous experiences that I have had so far, and there are two more days!

Blessings on your journey, KiP