Dear Friends!

I hope this finds all of you well as possible.

I'm writing to you to share a video of Summer's Spell for Cello and Loops, a piece that's meant to soothe. In these times, I've noticed it helps me to listen to music that's soft and healing, and I hope this fills that need for you. Later this year, We'll be releasing an album of this music co-created with my friend, pianist Wells Hanley.

I made this video as part of a fundraiser for Saving Wild Tigers, an organization that works to preserve the habitat and lives of tigers in India, home of the world's largest population of tigers in the wild, and the most viable population for the survival of the species.

If you feel moved, please make a donation however large or small here. The organization, founded by wonderful chant artist Nina Rao, gives all money directly to work in the field.

Please subscribe to my Youtube Channel thank you! Be safe and stay well. Love, Noah

Dear Friends,

I hope this finds you well.

In my last message to you, I wrote about the butterfly. Chaos Theory states that even our smallest actions influence the whole world. A butterfly flapping her wings in Brazil influences weather across the globe.  Strangely enough, I heard just after that Natalie Merchant's Butterfly has become available online. 

Butterfly is a beautiful album of Natalie's songs with strings. I was thrilled to be a part of this wonderful creation and to have a handful of solos on the album. Natalie is not only a great musician, but has a heart of gold and has long been active and visible in social causes. Her voice sounds as beautiful as ever.

The album can be streamed and downloaded on iTunes HERE or streamed on Spotify HERE. 

While you're on Spotify, please make sure and follow me there! I'm working on building a following there to help me get my own music out into the Big World. You can do that HERE.


Thanks so much for your support.
Stay well.

Noah

Ram Dass, author of Be Here Now

Dear Friends,

I hope this finds you as well as you can be. We are going through terrifying times, and everything we do to comfort one another, while taking the highest precautions in social distancing and otherwise, is good. I woke up this morning thinking about my teacher Ram Dass, which in itself I always find comforting. There was something about his presence that always made me relax, and that is still true. Just thinking of him and feeling him sets all my cells at ease. 

Ram Dass taught that when we we are in our souls, we experience the most profound relaxation of all.

When we enter that space through a meditation like RD's guided VIDEO here, we reunite with our own soul. We go from our thinking mind down into our heartspace and reach our own innate peace. Taking some time everyday to practice Loving Awareness can keep us grounded. It releases some stress from our situation and gives us a more relaxed perspective on everything that’s happening. This, and other forms of meditation and contemplation, show us a deeper reality.

In the midst of the present moment, so fraught with fear and suffering, one of Ram Dass’ favorite teaching stories came to mind, and I’ve been reflecting on it anew, so beautiful and real. This is not to minimize the gravity of what's happening or take a pollyanna attitude, but simply to open our minds to what may be possible.

It’s this one:

“There is a story of a farmer who had a horse that ran away.
His neighbor came by and said, “Oh, that’s terrible.”
The farmer said, “You never know.”
The next day the horse came back, and it was leading two other wild horses. The neighbor said, “That’s wonderful.”
And
the farmer said, “You never know.”
Later, his son was training one of the wild horses, and while riding the wild horse, he fell off and broke his leg.
The neighbor came by and said, “That’s terrible.”
The farmer said, “You never know.”
The Cossack army came through recruiting everybody, taking away all the able young men. They didn’t take the farmer’s son because he had a broken leg.
The neighbor came by and said, “That’s wonderful.”
And
the farmer said, “You never know.”
And so it goes.”

I love this story because it reminds me that from something “bad,” “good” things can happen, and if we can, its good to withhold judgement of any situation, acknowledging the tragedy, while leaving room for what good may still come. 

For example, right now the human race is suffering terribly and we naturally feel compassion for everyone. We recognize that all humans are basically the same, as the Dalai Lama so often points out, we all just want to be happy. We have similar wishes and are equally vulnerable. Perhaps this awareness can penetrate the world on some deeper level. That could be a silver lining, and provide a new understanding in the future, a basis for better cooperation and communication. Right now, we can recognize that all human beings are fundamentally the same, not divided by race or national borders. From outer space looking at the Earth, one can’t even see any such thing as borders. They’re completely made up! And, speaking of outer space, while humans are enduring this difficult time, our Mother Earth is enjoying a much needed rest from our usual activity. Have a look at these images of how worldwide pollution is being temporarily reduced. That’s good. https://tinyurl.com/ss537ov

So please love each other up while observing all social distancing, taking the utmost precautions, and be well everyone. Love....