Friday, January 29, 2010

Guitared and Feathered




The one thing that can be counted on in life is the unexpected. A sudden re-direction or unseen option becomes a clear front runner for the new now that was not part of the plan. This is one particular reason why I don't like plans too much. I do believe they offer some value to certain individuals like say ...Wayne Gretzky who was born with his skates on (not sure how his mom handled that?). In such a situation you would want to get off to a fast start and keep your stick on the ice... in this case a plan gets you where you want to go, knowing the destination, the journey unfolds.

I must say that during inspired moments I too know such a certainty within myself. And yet it has a newness that is uniquely mine. Sure, my life path is influenced by many others who have blazed a trail for my emergence, and yet I find myself constantly redefining what it means to be me, and to offer this expression to the world. It always comes back to a drive for authenticity, and the compass for that is an internal knowing that each of us possess, as we feel our way through life and how open we have been with our experience of it. When it feels good and empowered, exciting and clean, it means you got it right.

So when we found ourselves in the space between the worlds, sitting on the group W bench in the customs office at the US border last week, I quietly payed attention to my non-attachment to any particular outcome. Yes we had packed a whole lot of crap into the van and had just moved out of our house and opted for temporary storage instead, not to mention the 5:30am wake-up and subsequent millisecond miss of the ferry to the mainland... But hey this was the next thing and I was fine with it. So we waited in the lounge as our young US escort went through our things.

Shortly thereafter he came back into the office and slowly lifted his black gloved hand above the counter... "Do you know what this is?" holding up the dried and lacquered head of a poppy that my friend had just given me as part of my eclectic instrument collection.
I replied easily "It's a shaker".
He giggled but was less amused... "In the eyes of the US government?" he added.

Well suffice to say we are not on America's most wanted list, but I'm a little pissed I lost that little gem. He did however add "I can see what you are up to there, and it does have a smooth sound".

Hilarious. At any rate he had let us through except for some CD's that I always have with me, which he suggested I take to the broker and have them do some of their special paperwork to make them legit to carry in. Turns out that we just needed to spend some time talking with a wider range of border patrol and really get a feel for the community...
Our option was to just drive back into Canada and mail them home. So we did, and then started all over again. Not quite what I was hoping for, but interesting none the less. Unfortunately there was a shift change while we were out, and this round was serviced by the men with serious faces.

So we waited again, and waited, this time for over an hour, until he called us over as he held up Missy's macaw feather wand. Unbeknownst to us, macaws are on the endangered list and apparently bringing feathers back into the US that we had originally received there was cause enough to bring in the expert from the department of fish and wildlife. Man I was starting to feel like a star with all this special attention! Anyway he made us fill out an import form for the feathers and also an abalone shell we have for smudging (also from the US). Then we assumed alright shows over and time to get on with our journey.

Well not so fast. "Yes", our fine officer friend said, "we will let you in, but without your work related items". We of course said "well what items?"
"Related to this!" As he again did the black glove thing, up from under the counter. (they must practice that move?) And held up one of my business cards. "No guitars and feathers".

I must say he did a fine job and had due cause for concern. Irony is that we were not even working this trip. So we decided to head home to re-group and reassess after such a 180 degree turn. On the way back into Canada it hit me, we were just guitared and feathered! Just like ancient times, just a little less permanent.

Little gold nuggets everywhere, even in such a shit storm. Thing is that all is perfect at all times, it just takes a bit of perspective widening to get it in some situations. This turn gave us a chance to examine some of our shadows around being stationary right now and to put energy in some of the things we were neglecting. The best gem though, is to know that wherever we are is exactly where we need to be.

I've started to plan a special CD release show in Nanaimo at the Church @the Old Quarter. This has been a dream of mine for a few years and I realized that the time is NOW. I'm working on the cover for "Welcome to the Main Event" and my "plan" : ) is to have the show around my birthday in early May or late April. Plus more Move Freely, Live Deeply which has quite the buzz around it these days! This year is the launch after all!

Love and Blessings
Chief ME
(in charge of being myself)

Friday, January 15, 2010

The Launch












A mystery has crossed the line
And we no longer struggle to see
What was once a dream is now
A fabric of dimensions beyond the prelude.

The journey into authenticity is well under way and it is emerging as a new form of currency, the movement of flow, and energy without effort, a tapping into the river of right relation. In this new home we have the courage to answer the calling of ourselves, to begin the listening to the guidance of our wholeness.

It has been a few weeks since I’ve written you. I have taken a period of isolation to finish the 3rd album in my trilogy of solo creations, “Welcome to the Main Event”. I’ve just had the first few listens through the whole thing, and it is quite a journey. Upon completing it I realized that it was the culmination of this trilogy of albums I have done since 2006. It is long, deep, vulnerable, smooth and celebratory. The album ends with a song written spontaneously as I sang through the new year with some of my closest friends on Gabriola, and recorded on new years day. This was an experience I will always cherish very deeply… It was like we opened a portal into the Launch of 2010 and rode it right through the shift, celebrating on the other side. It was so beautiful.

This brought such completion to our last ten years here on Gabriola and a huge clarity of the energy which we are amidst creating for this coming year. It feels like the foundation is strong enough to hold the incredible amount of joy and wonder we are going to step into this year. I wish so deeply that you will join us on this mission, this launch into your authentic glory.

Imagine for an instant that everyone began choosing based on their, excitement, their hearts desire and deepest longing. Imagine that they valued the call of their inner voice above the pressures of fear and uncertainty. Imagine the absolute pandemonium of joy and wonder that would multiply beyond our wildest dreams, the magic of honesty, clarity and unique individual brilliance guiding us together in a new dimension of coexistence.

I’ve been imagining it so much it appears to be just that. A deep well of precious gifts for all that dare take the responsibility to accept them. A synchronistic sharing of humanity between family and friends, fathers and sons, mothers and their emerging daughter goddesses, and the amazing gratitude that flows from such miracles.
We are changing the game.

Missy and I continue to accelerate down the road of our chosen awesomeness into the next phase of our life adventure. We wish that yours be even more inspiring and may your many ripples create huge waves that crash onto the shores of our connected yearning.

Follow your excitement!
Chief ME (in charge of being myself)