Being The Hero In Your OWN Journey
At this writing, I am preparing to launch the 55th year of Vocal Awareness.
One principle that has remained constant throughout the decades is: The Journey Is Never Outward, Rather, Always And Only Inward Toward Discovery Of The Deeper Self.
Just before Christmas, we lost one of the more important global thought leaders of our time—Richard Alpert, more widely known as Baba Ram Dass. His seminal book was Be Here Now published in 1971, which in part spoke about his journey of Self discovery and how to live and be in the moment. Here is Page 2 in its entirety:
“Consciousness=energy=love=awareness=light=wisdom=beauty=truth=purity. It’s all the SAME. Any trip you want to take leads to the SAME place.”
Over three decades ago, we lost another seminal thought leader—Joseph Campbell.
His PBS series “The Power of Myth” first broadcast in 1988 and subsequent book of the same name has influenced the last two generations of artists, global leaders and others. One of Professor Campbell’s key themes was “The Hero’s Journey.” Through mythological, religious and psychological archetypes, he laid the framework for exploring many aspects of the human experience.
Vocal Awareness honors the brilliant insights, teaching and years of dedication of these two profound men, but differs depending on how you look at it—subtly (but not trivially) or substantially.
In Vocal Awareness I do not merely teach about consciousness or awareness; rather, I teach Conscious Awareness. Our goal is to truly be in the moment as fully aware as possible. This is achieved in many ways such as embodying ourselves in Stature, using one of the techniques of this training to achieve this state. Another is through the quality of our breathing. For in Vocal Awareness, a breath is not only physical but also emotionally and spiritually connected to what I refer to as the Deeper Self. So we do not simply ‘take a breath,’ we allow a slow, silent conscious loving breath and enjoy it while we do so. Both of these ‘simple’ techniques enable us to not only shift our behavior from unconscious and habitual to consciously aware and mindful while shifting fundamental patterns as well. A basic thesis in Vocal Awareness is we are not our behaviors. Clearly as human beings we all have our own unconscious patterns reflected in our daily behavior. But to achieve what is truly possible and not merely settle for what is, we must shift our behavior. Vocal Awareness is a ‘Being’ work but we have to do it to be it. As in Ram Dass’s teaching, we are striving to simply be who we are.
Joseph Campbell used mythology and global archetypes to help us understand the human condition and the common themes woven throughout history. In Vocal Awareness, I want us to be the hero in our own journeys, not in the mythology of our journey. I want us to recognize on a daily basis the heroic actions from the seemingly most banal, for example, committing yourself to looking someone in the eye which in part reflects self-confidence to clearly significant—securing the promotion you had been seeking for so long.
Embarking upon this new decade, be inspired to make a difference because you are here—first for your Self. As the renown 20th Century choreographer Martha Graham said to an equally great choreographer Agnes De Mille, “There is only one of you in all time, and if you block it, the world will not have it…” As you achieve your Personal Sovereignty, you create an opportunity to become more than perhaps you ever thought possible. Imagine where that might take you, the contribution and differences you might make in your life, and in the lives of others.
As I said at the outset, the Journey is never outward, rather always and only inward toward discovery of the Deeper Self.
Enjoy the Journey! Have a glorious 2020 and beyond.
-Arthur
