Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Maia! It is so inspiring—and encouraging. I hope that an opportunity will present itself so that I, too, can participate in such a workshop (which is, by the way, also one of my greatest fears haha).
I'm glad you found encouragement in this piece, Justyna. And I hope you get a chance to explore your connection to your own voice in just the right setting.
It really was a moment of profound joy, that's a great way to describe it. It feels like so long ago now (it WAS long ago!), but in some ways I can transport myself right back to that moment and feel how it shifted something so deeply. So happy it gave you what you needed today, Noha!
Your description of finding your voice in the singing circle, gave me a deeper understanding of “intimacy”.
I’ve only recently seen that I have only been “performing” vulnerability these last 60 years … (and have quite a few faux-finding-my-voice experiences, which of course withered into nothing.) I thought intimacy was a transaction, that required me to act vulnerable (EZ-PZ for we social fakers!) which would inspire another to respond in kind and together we would experience “intimacy”.
Your beautiful description of the dynamics of the singing circle, put things in right order. Finding your voice entails first letting go of every well-practiced voice that I have been …. and letting the Universe manifest, thru me, completely as She wishes (without ANY of my usual editorial input … rather sounds like meditation at its best!)
Yes, I really do think that at least 90% of transformation involves unlearning our old conditioning and assumptions. We have to learn to trust the place of being a beginner, and of not being 'perfect.' Everything can come from that place.
Thanks for this, Maia. It is so beautifully written and resonates deeply. Like you, I am writing a memoir--in my case, about my mother. I am also taking on online memoir workshop, and yesterday watched a video about how the heroine's journey (as envisioned by Jungian Maureen Murdock) differs from the hero's journey. A big part of it is trying to find achievement in a very male sense, then confronting many difficulties where everything we try to do fails, then hitting a crisis or bottom, then connecting with a feminine figure ("goddess") who helps us reincorporate the feminine and discover & honor our true nature. Very interesting how well this story happens to fit the pattern. Just thought I'd share that in case it's useful.
Thank you so much for these kind words, Liz, and reflections on your own journey into writing a memoir. That's interesting to consider how the 'heroine's journey' might have a different trajectory than the 'hero's journey.' Will chew on that!
Wow, Maia, just wow; this is wonderful. I so much enjoyed reading about you and your life experiences. You write about them so eloquently. This especially resonated: "I had not realized how much my life had been driven by external rules and other people's expectations.."
One big epiphany for me came on the day I stood on a rocky outcropping over a highway and thought about jumping. I was nineteen, in the Army, and totally miserable. I was suddenly overcome with the awareness that if I had the power to take my own life, then I had the power to do with my life as I liked; that nobody actually owned me or had the real power to determine my fate or happiness. I wrote about this in my essay, “Walking Away.” (An essay that I will rewrite some day because looking back over it, I feel that I took too long to get to the point 😊)
Thanks for asking, Maia. I love your “finding your voice” story!
Wow, that’s quite the story. I am not sure that I remember reading that one. That’s a very powerful tale of transformation so it sounds like it could be worth revisiting it, and re-working it if it moves you. And please do share it again.
Wow. There is so much here that I resonate with and just want to cheer for you, for that moment when your true voice emerged. I have yet to meet that moment in the song world, and so, so long to. I'll be sitting with this one for awhile. Thank you so much for sharing.
Maia, How brave of you. I would also have been terrified to stand up and sing in a circle, even a supportive one. I'm glad it was such a liberating experience for you.
It's such a scary time right now. I'm glad so many people are still using their voices to tell the truth.
Thank you for this Maia and thank you for introducing me to the work of Susan Osborn here -- there's something about her voice that can make me cry. I enjoyed this part of your story of your journey through music and its link to your oppression.
Yes, Susan was a very gifted singer and incredible human being.
Interesting, I don't really think of it as "my" oppression, or even oppression... we all go through so many layers of conditioning and expectations that have that effect of limiting what we think is possible.
Thanks for this Maia. I have my own story about finding my voice (it has a lot to do with writing), and I really appreciated reading yours. Voice is integral to a sense of self. We all have one, even if we don't know it! I'm glad you're using yours.
Yes, Emily, writing is definitely another way for me to find my voice! I realized after I published this post it could have gone off in some other directions too, including writing as a vehicle for finding our voice and expressing our truths. Glad you brought it into this!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Maia! It is so inspiring—and encouraging. I hope that an opportunity will present itself so that I, too, can participate in such a workshop (which is, by the way, also one of my greatest fears haha).
I'm glad you found encouragement in this piece, Justyna. And I hope you get a chance to explore your connection to your own voice in just the right setting.
🙏🏽
Thank you for writing about this moment of profound joy. I needed that and didn't even realize.
It really was a moment of profound joy, that's a great way to describe it. It feels like so long ago now (it WAS long ago!), but in some ways I can transport myself right back to that moment and feel how it shifted something so deeply. So happy it gave you what you needed today, Noha!
🥰🥰🥰
Susan mentored of and inspired the director of a choir I was in. She came out and performed at one of our concerts. Amazing.
I miss singing.
Small world!
Maybe it’s time to start singing again, John?
I quit choir for a while and then COVID stopped me going back. I need to find another outlet!
Your description of finding your voice in the singing circle, gave me a deeper understanding of “intimacy”.
I’ve only recently seen that I have only been “performing” vulnerability these last 60 years … (and have quite a few faux-finding-my-voice experiences, which of course withered into nothing.) I thought intimacy was a transaction, that required me to act vulnerable (EZ-PZ for we social fakers!) which would inspire another to respond in kind and together we would experience “intimacy”.
Your beautiful description of the dynamics of the singing circle, put things in right order. Finding your voice entails first letting go of every well-practiced voice that I have been …. and letting the Universe manifest, thru me, completely as She wishes (without ANY of my usual editorial input … rather sounds like meditation at its best!)
What a wonderful gift that Susan has given us!!
Yes, I really do think that at least 90% of transformation involves unlearning our old conditioning and assumptions. We have to learn to trust the place of being a beginner, and of not being 'perfect.' Everything can come from that place.
Thanks for this, Maia. It is so beautifully written and resonates deeply. Like you, I am writing a memoir--in my case, about my mother. I am also taking on online memoir workshop, and yesterday watched a video about how the heroine's journey (as envisioned by Jungian Maureen Murdock) differs from the hero's journey. A big part of it is trying to find achievement in a very male sense, then confronting many difficulties where everything we try to do fails, then hitting a crisis or bottom, then connecting with a feminine figure ("goddess") who helps us reincorporate the feminine and discover & honor our true nature. Very interesting how well this story happens to fit the pattern. Just thought I'd share that in case it's useful.
Thank you so much for these kind words, Liz, and reflections on your own journey into writing a memoir. That's interesting to consider how the 'heroine's journey' might have a different trajectory than the 'hero's journey.' Will chew on that!
Wow, Maia, just wow; this is wonderful. I so much enjoyed reading about you and your life experiences. You write about them so eloquently. This especially resonated: "I had not realized how much my life had been driven by external rules and other people's expectations.."
I really appreciating the encouraging nudge you gave me to write something autobiographical, Don!
Have you had a moment like that in your life? Maybe not necessarily in music but in another way!
One big epiphany for me came on the day I stood on a rocky outcropping over a highway and thought about jumping. I was nineteen, in the Army, and totally miserable. I was suddenly overcome with the awareness that if I had the power to take my own life, then I had the power to do with my life as I liked; that nobody actually owned me or had the real power to determine my fate or happiness. I wrote about this in my essay, “Walking Away.” (An essay that I will rewrite some day because looking back over it, I feel that I took too long to get to the point 😊)
Thanks for asking, Maia. I love your “finding your voice” story!
Wow, that’s quite the story. I am not sure that I remember reading that one. That’s a very powerful tale of transformation so it sounds like it could be worth revisiting it, and re-working it if it moves you. And please do share it again.
Wow. There is so much here that I resonate with and just want to cheer for you, for that moment when your true voice emerged. I have yet to meet that moment in the song world, and so, so long to. I'll be sitting with this one for awhile. Thank you so much for sharing.
May you find that moment, Anne-Marie!
Maia, How brave of you. I would also have been terrified to stand up and sing in a circle, even a supportive one. I'm glad it was such a liberating experience for you.
It's such a scary time right now. I'm glad so many people are still using their voices to tell the truth.
Yes, when I see other people taking a risk and speaking out, it gives me more courage too. We inter-are, as Thich Nhat Hanh would say.
May we lift voices,
to say ‘yes,’ ‘no’ and ‘enough.’
And also, to sing.
...
May our voices, joined,
become votes for good, justice.
A virtuous vision.
that is beautiful, Marisol!
Maia found her voice.
Sings, writes for liberation.
Deep bow as thank you.
Thank you for this Maia and thank you for introducing me to the work of Susan Osborn here -- there's something about her voice that can make me cry. I enjoyed this part of your story of your journey through music and its link to your oppression.
Yes, Susan was a very gifted singer and incredible human being.
Interesting, I don't really think of it as "my" oppression, or even oppression... we all go through so many layers of conditioning and expectations that have that effect of limiting what we think is possible.
"Conditioning" is a better word...
Thanks for this Maia. I have my own story about finding my voice (it has a lot to do with writing), and I really appreciated reading yours. Voice is integral to a sense of self. We all have one, even if we don't know it! I'm glad you're using yours.
Yes, Emily, writing is definitely another way for me to find my voice! I realized after I published this post it could have gone off in some other directions too, including writing as a vehicle for finding our voice and expressing our truths. Glad you brought it into this!