I have always had difficulty relating to the word tough. As a boy full of sensitive feelings, I never gravitated to fighting or dangerous stunts. The risk of hurt was not worth the effort to be daring with my body
Becoming Tough

I have always had difficulty relating to the word tough. As a boy full of sensitive feelings, I never gravitated to fighting or dangerous stunts. The risk of hurt was not worth the effort to be daring with my body
Three weeks ago I faced the lifelong fear of being completely alone. I finally hit rock bottom. And then a week later as I came out of sedation for a hernia repair surgery, I knew that my life had just
Hi. My name is David. I’ve been meditating for 25 years, and I have anxiety. The low-level, disguisable, hide-it-behind-my-ego anxiety that slowly eats away at well-being. Background radio static in my energy that subtly influences my words and actions. When
This was one of the most fulfilling performances of my life. Ruth is an exquisite musician whose spirit soars through her voice. Such a joy to be in musical conversation in such a sacred space.
What do you hear in your own voice or those close to you? What pain can you recognize and address? What can you admit to, what can you let go of?
It was a nightmare dream. I had loaned my cello to a student, and they brought it back to me broken to bits. I mourned over the broken scroll and cracked top, wailing at the misfortune. Right before I bolted
At 2pm I was given last-minute tickets for the Portland Timbers soccer game that would start at 4:30. I grabbed my neighbor (who played and coached for 40 years) and off we went. As a kid, I was inspired by
Is anyone else having week after week of new growth and understanding? Inner discoveries continue unabated. This week I performed online at a ceilidh with a group of new and old dear European friends. I realized by the presence with
I never thought life would turn this way. After leaving my marriage, I didn’t think there was more to come. The afternoon after finishing my AnandaCello album, I received very strong guidance to step back from the Ananda spiritual community,
The tear rolled gently down my cheek as I lay on the couch, listening to Vladimir Martynov’s The Beatitudes played by the Kronos Quartet. The beauty and purity of the song was just too much for the loss I was feeling.
In the space of the next month, I will be performing onstage with the Oregon Symphony (Mahler Symphony No. 2! complete with masked chorus!), at Pacific University and The Old Church with Kevin Lefohn, the violinist from the Bodhi Trio,
Two nights ago, my Zoom window opened to an ICU unit in Hyderabad, India. A middle-aged woman lay on the bed, her breathing shallow and quick, eyes peacefully closed. Supplemental oxygen went into her nose, under sedation. She was to
As a teacher, my desire is to pass along the inspiration I feel, the knowledge I’ve gained. As I venture day by day into the gift of getting to know my true Self, I’m often challenged with how to present
It’s a simple word that opens up possibility. It’s a major part of inquiry based learning. It opens up the inner experience, which is key for developing an inside-out approach to whatever we do. The word is… There it is.
A sine wave, that is! Happy New Year everyone!! I’m giving talks next weekend for the Recharge: Health Global Retreat, and have been preparing by researching more on the healing power of music. One of the most intriguing things I’ve
I put on my clunky oversized snow boots and slopped through the frozen slush. Everything was canceled, and I needed to move my body. My mind needed a break, and my heart yearned for completeness, and as I trudged along,
I was invited to arrange and perform the Star Spangled Banner for a Portland Trailblazers basketball game on St. Valentine’s Day with Carin Miller, principal bassoonist for the Oregon Symphony. Being the day that it was, I wondered how could
Many of us have endured teachers and conductors (maybe even family and friends) who used subtle or overt shaming to motivate or change. If you feel brave enough to share, I’m gathering examples that perhaps were meant to be harmless,
I lay on the massage table, ready for change. Ever since I was a teenager, my right thumb has given me problems while holding the bow, and 2 weeks ago I finally put it together – I broke my right
My friend lay face up on the pad in front of me for a sound healing session, seeking to ease the dark pit of grief from her mother’s passing. I told her that I had no magic notes to make