The Tao of Music, by Dr. John M. Ortiz, is about using music to change your life for the better. Dr. Ortiz uses behavioral, cognitive, and affective psychological techniques incorporated with toning, chanting, affirmations, and visualization to help you deal with issues such as chronic pain, lack of self-esteem, depression, anger and more.
He offers "Musical Menus" of carefully selected songs and melodies, reflective of specific emotional states that you can use to progress from identifying your pain to healing it."
The Tao of Music
Thanks to this and other books by Dr. Ortiz we can learn more about the healing power of music. Then as parents, caregivers, and educators, we will be that much more equipped to empower our children and give them the tools to lead healthy fulfilled lives.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
The double magic of children and music
I attended a workshop this week which addressed the topic of blogs and bloggers, and this being one, I was duly attentive, pencil poised, eager to learn more.
"If you decide to start a blog," the presenter intoned "first be sure that you have something of worth to write about. And be prepared to post regularly and consistently!!"
I squirmed a bit at that. No way have I been consistent with my blog here. Will anybody really be interested in my thoughts and opinions on the subject of children's
music and how passionately I feel about its place in our everyday world?
What could be more worthwhile than the double magic of children and music? The possibilities are endless!
So with sincere gratitude to you dear reader, and with a promise to be consistent, I hereby resolve to post regularly. Join me! Share your thoughts on music for/with children---how important is it, or is it just purely for fun?
"If you decide to start a blog," the presenter intoned "first be sure that you have something of worth to write about. And be prepared to post regularly and consistently!!"
I squirmed a bit at that. No way have I been consistent with my blog here. Will anybody really be interested in my thoughts and opinions on the subject of children's
music and how passionately I feel about its place in our everyday world?
What could be more worthwhile than the double magic of children and music? The possibilities are endless!
So with sincere gratitude to you dear reader, and with a promise to be consistent, I hereby resolve to post regularly. Join me! Share your thoughts on music for/with children---how important is it, or is it just purely for fun?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Libraries and shopping local
Big shout-outs to our local libraries and all the local businesses who make our lives easier and more enjoyable!!
I so appreciate all the independent stores who make our CDs available and make shopping such a pleasure.
And what a joy it is to visit the library! I love to read and I love to sing, and I get to do both at libraries. Watch for the next family music event there!
Visit the library often, and whenever possible shop local! :D
I so appreciate all the independent stores who make our CDs available and make shopping such a pleasure.
And what a joy it is to visit the library! I love to read and I love to sing, and I get to do both at libraries. Watch for the next family music event there!
Visit the library often, and whenever possible shop local! :D
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Notes from the "Good Teaching" Conference
Just back from presenting my workshop "We All Sing with the Same Voice". About a 1,000 teachers and other leaders in education attended the CA Teaching Association's annual regional conference in Northern CA. this weekend. What an excellent opportunity to re-charge the spirit and catch up on the latest ideas, tools, and techniques for providing children with the best possible classroom experiences.
I was delighted to meet with fellow teachers and offer them ideas and material for incorporating more music---specifically group singing---into the daily round. What greater gift can we give a child than to foster a life-long love and appreciation for our most natural and human of expressions: giving voice to the joy of music with which we're each born?
Based on the comments from teachers, both at the conference and after their return to the classroom, singing with their students greatly enhances the learning environment, the receptivity of the kids, and the energy of the whole class.
One expert in the field I quoted most often was Dr. John M. Ortiz, author of Nurturing Your Child with Music. I highly recommend his book for an abundance of ideas on including music in your "daily dance of life".
The message I most wanted to impart was this: That we are each and all of us singers; that there is no such thing as a bad singer; and to not give our children the notion that there is even such a thing as a bad singer.
I was delighted to meet with fellow teachers and offer them ideas and material for incorporating more music---specifically group singing---into the daily round. What greater gift can we give a child than to foster a life-long love and appreciation for our most natural and human of expressions: giving voice to the joy of music with which we're each born?
Based on the comments from teachers, both at the conference and after their return to the classroom, singing with their students greatly enhances the learning environment, the receptivity of the kids, and the energy of the whole class.
One expert in the field I quoted most often was Dr. John M. Ortiz, author of Nurturing Your Child with Music. I highly recommend his book for an abundance of ideas on including music in your "daily dance of life".
The message I most wanted to impart was this: That we are each and all of us singers; that there is no such thing as a bad singer; and to not give our children the notion that there is even such a thing as a bad singer.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
My first KEET TV video!
How can you make more time for music in your children's daily lives?
Asked by our local PBS station's "Ready to Learn" director to share some ideas on this topic, I've just made a video, with a professional video producer, (aka my husband) that is the pilot for our new series called "My Everyday Music". Here's some of what I shared:
"We are all natural music-makers and music is meant to be a part of our daily lives. Children naturally love singing and discovering new ways to have fun with words, sound, rhythm and movement.
If you don’t consider yourself a singer, think again. Now is the time to give yourself back the gift of singing. If you can talk, you can sing. Sing with your child every chance you get. Let them know that everyone is a singer, and that there’s no such thing as a bad singer. Sing your child’s name, sing simple phrases, sing that you love them!
Instead of reading a book, try singing it! You don’t need any special training to make music. There are lots of books with many ideas for having fun exploring music with your child. Find them at your local library or favorite bookstore."
For more ideas go to my website at lisamonetmusic.com
Happy singing together!
Lisa
Asked by our local PBS station's "Ready to Learn" director to share some ideas on this topic, I've just made a video, with a professional video producer, (aka my husband) that is the pilot for our new series called "My Everyday Music". Here's some of what I shared:
"We are all natural music-makers and music is meant to be a part of our daily lives. Children naturally love singing and discovering new ways to have fun with words, sound, rhythm and movement.
If you don’t consider yourself a singer, think again. Now is the time to give yourself back the gift of singing. If you can talk, you can sing. Sing with your child every chance you get. Let them know that everyone is a singer, and that there’s no such thing as a bad singer. Sing your child’s name, sing simple phrases, sing that you love them!
Instead of reading a book, try singing it! You don’t need any special training to make music. There are lots of books with many ideas for having fun exploring music with your child. Find them at your local library or favorite bookstore."
For more ideas go to my website at lisamonetmusic.com
Happy singing together!
Lisa
Saturday, January 16, 2010
"Sing in the New Year!"
Performing at KEET's "Sing in the New Year" event @ Main Library in Eureka. Would love to see you there! http://co.humboldt.ca.us/library/
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Clean Slate
At organizebythemonth.com via Twitter's @jlscissors, I found some great tips to help me in my resolution to be clutter-free:
"I love January...it’s a new year and another chance for a new beginning. That’s what New Year’s Resolutions are all about. A clean slate to try again to make our lives better. It’s another chance to get it right this time.
...one resolution is to have my paperwork more organized and get rid of more paper clutter....
So what are your New Years Resolutions? If organizing your home is one of them then stick around for lots of tips to help you move forward."
(Another resolution is to find out how to add internet links here on my blog!)
"I love January...it’s a new year and another chance for a new beginning. That’s what New Year’s Resolutions are all about. A clean slate to try again to make our lives better. It’s another chance to get it right this time.
...one resolution is to have my paperwork more organized and get rid of more paper clutter....
So what are your New Years Resolutions? If organizing your home is one of them then stick around for lots of tips to help you move forward."
(Another resolution is to find out how to add internet links here on my blog!)