Ramona M. Wis “By contentment, supreme joy is gained” Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra II.42 Writing about gratitude and contentment as we near Thanksgiving is not particularly original. Yet, this year, it may be more challenging than ever to be grateful or content when so much of our lives has been upended. At the outset, let me say […]
Wellness
The Conductor as Yogi: A Meditation for Singers
Ramona M. Wis We are nearing the end of a year that will forever remain in our minds, our hearts, and our personal narratives. A year that, when we look back, will be that slowly unfolding “moment” where we dug deep, fought a relentless pandemic, considered serious questions and made important decisions, found new skills and […]
The Friday Principle
By Mark Lawley One Friday many years ago I was going about my teaching with extra enthusiasm and zest. I moved from class to class, from lesson to lesson, with a heightened sense of exuberance! All of a sudden I paused to consider why I was so energized. I came to the realization that the […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Action as Agency
By Ramona M. Wis Rise Up! There shall never be another season of silence. Deepen your sympathy, then convert it to action. Pray every single second of your life, not on your knees but with your work. Think your best thoughts, Speak your best words, Do your best work. There is so much yet to […]
The Conductor as Yogi: For the Future
By Ramona M. Wis Planting trees early in spring, we make a place for birds to sing in time to come. How do we know? They are singing here now. There is no other guarantee that singing will ever be. ~ Wendell Berry I recently came upon these words of Wendell Berry’s poem, “For the Future,” […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Between Earth and Sky
By Ramona M. Wis Earth and Sky. Two deeply embedded experiences in our lives, embedded since we took our first breaths. Images, sensibilities, metaphors, and even the gravitational pull of Earth and Sky show up in our everyday life: in our speech, our actions (or lack of action), and our sense of felt wellness, of “being […]