5th of 10 Obvious Inaudibles: Hope

We need beacons of Hope.

In this time of unrest, natural disasters and tragedies, it’s easy to despair. Energy spirals down, darkness descends, and gloom suffocates our Spirit. We look to music to help us untangle and find our way back to a positive outlook. A way back to Hope.

Hope is simply this: the upward flow towards more energy and positivity. Hope is more than just a wish or desire, in that it requires both willpower and willingness on our part.

Sound conveys states of consciousness. Strong states of consciousness (anger and hatred, or hope and peace) come through loud and clear from the voice. The voice, in fact, betrays our consciousness all the time. (“What! I said ‘fine’! You don’t have to jump down my throat!”)

A single voice can whip up anger and hatred. A single voice can instill courage, compassion, and hope.

Musicians can be powerful beacons of Hope. Just as sound conveys states of consciousness, music can change consciousness. Music empowers, soothes, emboldens and calms.

But even more powerful is when the performer shares music not to enlarge their ego, but to offer Hope to the listener. Music can connect us into something bigger than ourselves, taking us out of despair and into calm, centered, energized positivity. When a performer taps into a larger reality, the audience can sense it. It’s the same as when someone speaks the Truth. There is a conviction that rings true. We recognize the genuine when we hear it.

So how do we as singers and instrumentalists infuse Hope into our music? By our own tangible experience. If we can’t feel Hope, then chances are the audience won’t get as much as they could.

Sharing genuine Hope takes work. It requires:

1. the willingness to immediately get up from performance stumbles. Hope doesn’t wait while we wallow.
2. a strong upward intention of energy and positivity. Not a wishy washy rose-colored outlook, but a strong upward focus of success.
3.  the vulnerability needed to broadcast a field of energy past the confines of our own egos.

You might not think that your attitude when you create sound matters.

But try this experiment to see for yourself:

1. Before you sing/play, center yourself for a few moments with some deep, even count breathing.
2. Muster as much genuine calm positivity as you can (just do what you can).
3. Sing/play a scale or a short inspiring beautiful melody, the simpler the better.
4. Return to center, notice your state of Hope.
5. Amplify whatever tiny Hope you find as you sing/play again.
6. Repeat and go as deep as you can into the tangible presence of Hope.
7. As you get more comfortable with the experience, bring in a trusted friend and see if they can perceive a change in your music, a change in their consciousness.
8. Share with your audience. You’ll be amazed how the simplest of performances can instill Hope into your listeners.

I’ll leave you with this new recording I just posted. Perhaps it will offer Hope as you listen: