The first major benefit I noticed when I began meditating 22 years ago was that I started making progress much faster. I thought it was magic! But it turns out that as we meditate, we awaken the prefrontal lobes of
Musical Shifts of Consciousness
Last night I hosted a screening of a beloved movie, after which I experienced what is commonly called a “shift in consciousness”. I felt deep joy and connectedness, and my mind rose above worries for the future. All I wanted
The Thrill of Liberating Progress
We’ve all felt it—the moment we wake up into a new realm of sound production, technique, or level of mastery. A thrill from the core of our being that revitalizes and empowers our hope, and reminds us in a flash
Courageous Peace
I longed for a lasting experience of Peace. I found it in nature: at the coast and on the lakes, in mountains and forests. I found Peace in slow movements of Brahms’ Second Piano Concerto and Ravel’s Piano Concerto for
Music, Yoga, and the Divine Response
Live music & yoga: what incredible, dramatic impact they have on each other! I experienced this firsthand in February at the Northwest Yoga Conference. Then in March, I had the opportunity to collaborate with a yoga class, this time with a
Learn to Meditate Class Series
Join us in this 4 week class series (Tuesdays 7pm-8:30pm)Experience the benefits of meditation in your life—inner peace, health, and spiritual awakening. Ananda is one of the oldest and largest centers for meditation classes and training. Thousands of people from
The Concerto that Transformed my Meditation
Last Sunday I had the tremendous honor of performing the first movement of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with my Bodhi Trio and the Pacific University orchestra. When I perform repertoire I’ve known for decades, it’s easy to let the fingers do
Transforming Performance into Ceremony
Over the past 20 years, I’ve had the honor of directing Ananda choirs in deeply powerful performances of Christ Lives: an Oratorio, composed by Swami Kriyananda. Just a few days ago a friend likened the experience more to a ceremony than
The Heart Compactors
Fear. Egoic pride. Insecurity. Competition. Judgment. You may face these “heart compactors” daily while pursuing excellence in rehearsals, performances, and lessons. How do you prevent them from compounding the stress you already feel? Do you try to become impervious, protect
Giving the Gift of Love Through Music
I sat at the end of a quiet hallway at Randall Children’s Hospital and unpacked my cello for what seemed just a few passersby on the 4th floor unit. My idealism faded away—what good could my music truly do for