the one rockstar move that’s going to connect you to flow

rockstarWhen I was a little girl and in a sad mood, I’d sit in my little attic-windowed room in our little white house in Chicago and make up songs to sing out the window.  This is what they did in Grease, Grease 2 and my favorite television show, Rags to Riches, which was like the 80’s version of Smash, with much much larger hair.  I just assumed that when one was emotional, you broke into song about it.  Obvi.

Clearly, this is why I majored in musical theatre in college.  But I always loved that about musicals: the idea being, the character’s feelings are so strong, so overflowing and immediate, they simply cannot be contained by mere action or dialougue.  The world is ending, the relationship going awry, the barricade is going up, and damn girl, it’s time to sang.

Music ups the level of our experience, whether it’s a restaurant setting a mood, or a nine-year-old being dramatic in her attic.

In terms of spiritual stuffs, one of the main problems that people come to me with, is that they don’t have a connection to their divine.  You can call that Personal Mojo, superpower spirit, Allah, J.C., Universal Force, that thing that is bigger than you are and is unnamable—that connective tissue of the Universe.

I don’t know how to talk to my divine.

There’s no connection there.

I don’t know what that means.

I don’t hear anything back.

I’m stuck, how can I shift things up?

Kirtan, which originated (did everything?) in India, is a call and response singing, usually in Sanskrit.  It’s become super popular in recent years, most notably via American Krishna Das, and raises levels of consciousness by using music as bhakti, or devotion. If you grew up in the States, I’m sure you have a couple of Ave Maria’s or Hava Nagila’s under your belt from some point in your life.  Same idea.  Sing to the Force.  The Force likes it.

If kirtan seems too intimidating and the Hava Nagila doesn’t conjure up Universal connection, but rather memories of Jodi Rothman turning down 7th grade advances after her Bat Mitzvah, well… how can we make this connection practical, modern and fun?

Ok, I want you to stay with me here because what I am going to suggest might sound a little kooky.  BUT- I don’t care how cool-for-school or how shy you might think you are, you have, at one point, burst into song, my friend.  You have.

You’ve exploded with love or excitement or a total sense of “I am frickin awesomesauce-ness” and burst into an uptempo or a ballad of “my life is so f***ing fantastic right now, it’s movie- musical good.”  It’s “Greased Lightening” good.

It’s like that moment in Jerry McGuire when Tom Cruise is SO super-psyched and keeps flipping the car radio channel until he finally lands upon: “And I’m FREE… free falling!”  And Cruise soars, singing at the top of his lungs, fist pounding the wheel.

“Since U Been Gone” : Perfect for feeling empowered after ending it with that douchebaggy guy who never scheduled a date ahead of time.

“Billie Jean is not my lover… She’s just a girl who thinks that–”
What’s that next line?  See, you know it.

“With or Without You.”  I don’t care if you’re a guy or girl, I will place money on the fact that you have played that at one point, on repeat, murmering the lyrics through tears of self-pity after a break up.  Maybe in 1992, maybe two weeks ago.

I went through a particularly deep spiritual phase a few years ago, and I found myself, like a total dork, eschewing the dating scene and instead singing love songs to my inner Big Daddy.  You know what though?  I was deliriously happy.  Annoyingly happy.  Always.

Most of the time I did this on my bike or in the shower, so it’s not like anyone knew what I was doing.  Even if they could hear me, they didn’t know to whom I was singing.

So, here is a very very simple trick to connecting to your Higher Flow.  Pick a love song.  If you don’t wanna sing, just keep it on your iPod.  Dedicate it not to your husband, girlfriend or 7th grade Jodi Rothman, but sing that sugar to your SOUL.

Whoa!  That’s hopelessly embarrassing and dumb, Mags,  I am not doing to do that!

But let me gently remind you, my love, you don’t have to tell anyone you’re doing this.  In fact, I’ll urge you not to.  Would most def keep it off the dating docket topic list.

The more we reach out to this Source, the more it nourishes us. 

The more it guides us, the more it takes over our lives until the moment that there is no separation at any moment.  When we’re in this Oneness, life is effortless, Technicolor, unable to be anywhere other than the present moment.  Totally equally accepting of muck, guck, and beauty, since there is no difference whatsoever.

Well, I hate to be captain obvious here, but if that’s not happening for you, it’s just ‘cause the connection is clogged.  Don’t just save it for Sunday service, sista.  Get all “Crazy in Love” up in your Divine self, once, twice, three times a Lady, and I PROMISE you, you will see a difference.

No one’s looking, go ahead.  Pick a song.  Set your iPhone/pod to it.  Play a coupla times today.  Notice the difference, for reals.

When you love the Universe.  It Loves you back.