Kristin Hoffmann's Countdown To 30 Continues...
Unbelievably fun and a musical treat. Singer-songwriter Kristin Hoffman's "Countdown To 30" comes to a close. A little back story from an earlier post is that Kristin has her 30th birthday coming up on October 10th. She always like to do things to inspire herself on and around her birthday. She has decided to do something special for this birthday milestone and decided to enter into the next decade with a fun and creative musical challenge. For thirty days, which started September 10th, Kristin will write, record and produce a new song every day - finishing on her birhday!
Kristin is excited about this and for those of you who sign up, she will be sending a daily MP3 straight to your email box, along with lyrics and an explanation about the song and how it came about. Pretty cool huh? You can sign up for 30 songs for $30 and the money that she raises from this project will hopefully be enough to finish and package her next album on CD, "The Waking", which Kristin has been working on for a year now with friend and composer Michael Whalen.
October 9th will be her official COUNTDOWN TO 3Oth BIRTHDAY CONCERT at CAFFE VIVALDI @ 32 Jones Street in New York City from 9PM to Midnight.
We've been playing Kristin on the radio for a few years now and are excited to play a new song every day on the Hawaiian airwaves. We'll also be sharing some of the songs on our radio website and here on MOG.
*Let's check out the conclusion of Kristin's personal musical challenge. The tenth song from the second week that arrived just before midnight (cutting it close with a minute or two to spare) is called "Cayamo Blue" with lyrics and personal commentary from Kristin below:
Cayamo Blue
There's a melody on the wind
And a rhythm in my soul
There's a friend by my side
And a story being told
There's a freedom in my heart
As I raise up my sails
I am open from the start
As I let my voice wail
Chorus:
Cayamo!
I sail into the blue
I sail away with you
Cayamo!
Feel the sunlight on my face
As my dream is taking shape
Cayamo!
There's a glimmer in my eye
Like the laughter of a child
As I turn to wave goodbye
My spirit's going wild
As the music starts to play
I hear my favorite song
I open up my arms
And I start to sing along
Repeat Chorus:
Keep dancing through the night
Cayamo!
Like stars learning to shine…
Repeat Chorus:
You may be wondering, "What is Cayamo?!" Well, it is a musical cruise that happens every year...a ton of musicians and fans get on a big boat and sail out into the blue to enjoy what they love the most, music! Yesterday, I was sent a message from my friend Let, who went on Cayamo last year, saying that they are having a competition for the Cayamo theme song for this year. If you win, you perform during the sail away concert and have a good shot at landing another show on the cruise as well. I thought this sounded like quite a nice adventure, so I decided to go for it...not to mention that I love the sound of the word "Cayamo." So, as you listen, send some thoughts out to the universe of me playing in the middle of the ocean sometime next year!
Wow, this one took a long time! I am just squeezing in before midnight:) Sweet dreams Countdowners...
Hope to see some of you at my show tomorrow night!
Kristin
*Song from DAY #11 is titled "Align"
Align
Move into alignment, oh oh oh
Move into alignment, oh oh oh
Let go, let go, let go…
Everybody move into alignment
It's not so hard if you try it
Breathe…
Everybody move into alignment
It's not so hard if you try it
Breathe…
Everybody move into alignment
There's no need to define it
No, there's no need to define
There's no need to define
One step at a time
We align, we align, we align
One step at a time
For the past few years I've really been working on coming into alignment with myself and my purpose in this life. And, whatever your beliefs may be about why you are here on Earth, I think that being in alignment with yourself, whatever that may mean to you, is a good idea! Finding my own alignment has been quite a journey of soul searching and observation. I see signs everywhere, which help me to gauge when I am acting in alignment with my purpose and when I am not. Sometimes it is hard for me to accept the signs that I do see, especially when my ego has a different idea about what it wants me to be or do in life. Usually, when things feel like they are flowing naturally, it is a good sign of being in alignment. When something feels like a constant uphill battle, it would probably be a good idea to look deeper into why that is. Sometimes we keep fighting and fighting for something that we think we need to achieve or become, when really, it is very out of alignment with "who" we are. This is not to say that everything that takes time to develop is "out of alignment" with who you are. Here are some good questions to ask yourself to get an idea for your "alignment" level:
-Are you passionate about what you are working or focusing on?
-Are you having a fulfilling experience on a day to day basis?
-Do you have a sense of growth on the path you are choosing?
Or…
-Are you acting and doing out of competition?
-Did someone else tell you that you needed to be or do a certain thing to be considered "successful?"
-Are you acting out of fear of the future rather than focusing on the moment at hand?
Being in THIS moment and acting with awareness are the first, and in my mind most important, steps to being in alignment with yourself right now and always. Once you step into this moment, you will be able to take a better look at "who" you are and what your own unique path looks like.
As you listen to this song, focus on being in the now. Happy Aligning!
Much love and light,
Kristin
*Kristin's 12th day challenge brought the song "All Together Now!".
All Together Now!
Chorus:
Let's sing it out
All together now
Let's raise our voices high
'Cause no other time is a better time than now
This is the moment of our life
So many times life fees so lonely
Like you're the only one who cries
And then the fear, it tries to come on in
And paint you cloudy skies
So open up and let the sun shine
Oh, and know you're not alone
We've all felt the weight of a heavy mind
But it's time now to let go
Repeat Chorus:
So, the next time you start doubting
Just remember this song
And know your choice is in each moment
You can start to sing along
Repeat Chorus:
We can learn to shine
Just like one bright light
Repeat Chorus:
For a while now, I've wanted to make an album called "All Together Now." I was thinking about it today as I sat at my favorite café and suddenly thought that would be a good theme for today's song! Immediately when I think of the phrase "all together now," I feel a sense of unity and oneness…I hear voices talking together, singing, clapping, laughing. The mood is soulful and free. When I began to tap into this vision this-morning, a chorus came very quickly…it was simple and classic sounding. I got really excited and rushed home to start recording. Throughout the day, this song unraveled and revealed itself to me, and even though there is only one of me here, I think I tapped into a huge energy…I felt as if the whole world was here as I recorded, singing out from the heart! "This is the moment of our Life!" And yes, I do mean "our life"…even though we each have our own individual worlds, when we come together, we are members of one big life, one big light, moving with it's own form. I chose to say "this is the moment" rather than "these are the moments" because really, there is only now, this moment…everything else is only an idea of what will be. "Now" is your life.
I decided that this is going to be my official Birthday song!!! So, start practicing so you can all sing it at my party! Ha!
I'm so glad we're all together in this life! Thank you for sharing with me and allowing me to share with you!
Kristin
*DAY #13 of Kristin Hoffmann's Countdown To 30 resulted in this wonderful song titled "Autumn Equinox".
Autumn Equinox
Summer breezes, distant song
As days get shorter, nights grow long
Time has come for one last dance
For leaves to color Winter's bed
Chorus:
So light your candles
Spread the glow
To feed the seed
And help it grow
Beneath the Earth
A promise song
A shining Autumn Equinox
Ooh, ooh, ooh….
Repeat Chorus:
Today, the Autumn Equinox, is one of the 8 "power days" of the year. On this day, celestial energy comes into peak alignment, giving us a chance to re-tune with ourselves and the season. This day marks a balancing point…where we have equal amounts of day and night…from here, the daylight hours will wane. Traditionally, today is a celebration of the second harvest, a time of coming together with friends and family to give thanks for what we have. It is also a time to prepare for the Winter months ahead, where the idea of new life will be nurtured beneath the Earth and in the core of all of us. For this song, I returned to my classical roots, imagining people through the ages, out dancing and celebrating in the fields. I was also inspired by the memory of George Winston's CD, "Autumn," which was one of my favorites growing up, and which I felt really captured the energy of Fall and always filled me with inspiration and creativity!
So, on this first day of Fall, spend a moment and give thanks for all that you have grown and enjoyed this year. Then allow yourself to clear and let go of the old and make way for a new space, a new seed, which will find it's life in the next cycle of the seasons, in the next cycle of you.
Happy Autumn Equinox…I'm thankful for all of you!
Kristin
*Kristin finished up her second week with this song for the 14th day - "4th Corner"
4th Corner
I've made mistakes before
And I know that, it's true
But that's what life is for
And I love to be with you
Oh we play lost and found
Around and around
Yeah, we play lost and found
Around and around
'Cause it feels so good to find you
And be found
Chorus:
Meet you on the 4th corner in my dreams
I'll be humming this sweet little melody
Meet you on the 4th corner in my dreams
'Cause now I know that life aint what it seems
Life aint what it seems
Take it back one step, one step
I know that I can be a pain
Life used to stress me out
Now I take it day by day
Oh we play lost and found
Around and around
Yeah, we play lost and found
Around and around
'Cause it feels so good to find you
And be found
Repeat Chorus:
Back when I was first dating Agustin, who's now my husband, sometimes when we were going to sleep at night we would say how much we were going to miss each other while we were in dreamland. So, just like in waking life, where you agree on a meeting place with someone, we decided that we would meet up on "The 4th Corner" in dream world. I love the ambiguity of "The 4th Corner!" If you just think about it for a bit, it is a complete mind twister…sometimes leading you in a square, sometimes a squiggle…and not to mention we never established a starting place. But, somehow it all makes sense!
Enjoy! Tomorrow is the halfway point to 30! Yay!
Kristin
*Let's check out Kristin's 15th day challenge as she begins her third week. This song is called "Infinity"
Infinity
Choices scatter like dreams
Into a sky of Eternity
No longer black or white
Red or green
It's not as simple as it seems
Oh, did you let them lock you up?
Inside your own imagination box?
Preaching, "Choice is Free!"
Just like coffee or tea
Well, I'm the artist
The artist is me
And my palette paints…
Infinity,
Finally found, 'cause I can see
My own desires becoming me
Send me forward, set me free
Into Infinity
We're made of endless possibility
There's no more case for "you or me"
When we're dancing through Infinity
Would you fight for your right to choose
Between the numbers 1 and 2?
Until you're black and blue
Well that's exactly what they want from you
Well I'm the artist
The artist is me
And my palette paints…
Repeat Chorus:
No need to fight for the right to choose between "you or me"
That's not the truth of reality
No need to fight for the right to choose between "you or me"
That's just the trick of Polarity
Repeat Chorus:
No need to fight for the right to choose between "you or me"
That's not the truth of reality
No need to fight for the right to choose between "you or me"
That's just the trick of Polarity
No need to fight for the right to choose between "you or me"
That's not the truth, it's not the truth
Don't fight for the right to choose between "you or me"
It's just a power play of ol' 3D
"Infinity" explores the difference between "Polarity," which most of us have been trained to believe is actually "Choice" and true "Infinite Choice" and endless possibility. As humans, I believe most of us value "choice" as our most important asset, and really, I believe it is. Even if we feel like we have nothing else, we are free to choose. Unfortunately, because of the "polarity game" that is played everywhere we turn, we are not really utilizing our true potential of choice. From the time we are born, we experience the trick of polarities…to name a few:
-There are bad people and good people
-You're either rich or poor
-You're either ugly or pretty/fat or skinny
-You're a ketchup person or a mustard person
-You're a Republican or a Democrat
-You're creative or you're not
-You are a good parent or a bad parent
-You're a success or a failure
-You're straight or gay
-healthy or sick
-happy or depressed
-etc…on, and on, and on…
The truth is that we are always changing…we are not one thing or another. Polarities keep you very busy going back and forth, back and forth. Ask yourself the questions, who is this serving? Why? Most likely, not you! This system DOES serve anyone "selling" us anything, whether it be a product, politics, religion, a war, you name it…by narrowing down our perceived margin to two choices, they know that there will be huge groups of people going one way or the other.
The truth of "free choice," which is our right, is that we have infinite choices to be made, and in every single moment we are constantly changing and growing as we make those choices. Take a new look at yourself. Maybe you always thought you were a business person, so you weren't at all creative…is this true or did someone "sell" that idea to you? A parent? A teacher? The guy at the computer store? Think of all the creative possibilities out there which you might very well be shutting out by putting a heavy label on yourself. Think of all the new possibilities available to you once you open up to the full spectrum of your potential. Yes, maybe as your job, you do business, but maybe now you can begin to explore photography or take that piano lesson that you've always had a hankering for.
When you see polarities, just take a step back and spend a minute observing all of your possible choices so that you can really choose what "you" want out of life, rather than another person or energy making that choice for you. I think you will quickly see how colorful life can be!
Sending you all infinite love!
Kristin
*Kristin's 16th song that she released is called "Shine".
Shine
There was a time when I was lost from me
I was a ship out floating on the endless sea
Couldn't find the beauty of the moment
I just kept on singing to another song
Then a sunset broke across the sky
Colors sang like angels
Chorus:
Go ahead and shine!
You'll get a little brighter everyday
Just spread your wings and fly
There's nothing else you need to do
But Live today
I hear voices everywhere I go
They try to take me down to meet my lowest low
Seems like people have a need for drama
Just to feet their egos like a Prima Donna
Why choose armor of a weaker mind
When light can take you higher?
Repeat Chorus:
Keep shining, keep finding your true self
Don't listen to no one else
Keep climbing, keep diving
Into your own mystery
Repeat Chorus:
This song actually arose out of a weekly writing/jam session that I was having with my friend Vin Scalia about a year and a half ago…so, I happily share the credit on this one! It was one of the first ideas we came up with and we developed the music over a few weeks of meeting up. I had the intention of working on the words and recording vocals for so long, but just never got around to it. Today, finally, was the day!
"Shine" is about taking your high road in life and choosing to live in your light. There are all kinds of heavy influences around us in life, sometimes just getting through a day can be super exhausting. Take a look around and notice the energies and people who support you and make you feel like you are shining, and then take note of those that bring you down and cause you to feel dull. It can feel difficult to clear out some of the energies that are clogging us and keeping us from our own light, but once we do, it can be a completely freeing experience! Just as it's important to clear space in your room, your house, your car and your desk every once in a while, it is also important to clear space in your life and in your mind. Allow yourself to shine in who you are…I think it is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself and to others.
Keep shining! I think I'm going to go shine into dreamland! I'm super sleepy…much love,
Kristin
*The 17th song is titled "Elemental" with lyrics and personal commentary from Kristen below:
Elemental
Today was a truly beautiful experience! A few weeks back I got an email from a friend, Vijay Shankar Mishra, who lives in Nepal, saying that he would be coming to New York in September and would I like to get together and create some music! Of course, I excitedly said yes! Even though I have never played with Vijay before, I have heard all about his amazing Sarod playing and singing. He grew up in India, studying music his whole life…he says that he learned much from his father, who is a very well known Sarod player, still living in India. In addition to Vijay's soulful playing, he is also a wonderful person, which makes it a joy to work with him.
So, today, Vijay and my friend Arpan showed up with a bunch of beautiful instruments. I had set up a whole recording studio in the main room of my apartment. My husband, Agustin joined us as well and we all sat down to play, sing and dive into a deep musical experience! Before we started playing, we decided that the theme of the song would be The Elements and the transformation/change of season. I feel like that song really captured that energy, hence the title, "Elemental." Enjoy diving into the trance like quality of this song…just let yourself wander…it really takes you on a journey!
Vijay Shankar Mishra: Sarod and Vocals
Arpan DeAngelo: Tambura
Augstin Espinosa: Percussion, Bells and Vocals
Kristin Hoffmann: Guitar and Vocals
Enjoy! Much love…Kristin
The 18th song is titled "The Morning Song" with lyrics and personal commentary from Kristen below:
The Morning Song
I've opened my eyes 10,000 times
10,000 times
And I could cry, each time
Oh, I could cry, cry
I've just got to keep on living
'Cause everyday's a new beginning
I've opened my eyes 10,000 times
Oooh, oooh, oooh…
"The Morning Song" was the first thing that came out when I pressed record this morning…literally right after I rolled out of bed, way too late, after my alarm not going off. I'm leaving to go to play a show in Mass today, so this one had to happen fast…and I was not moving so fast yet! You see, I am not naturally a morning person…actually waking up is one of the most difficult things for me. I love the feeling of staying in the bed, pressing the snooze button, and gradually coming back into this world. Sometimes I laugh and say, "How can it all be happening again?! Another day. I'm going to walk around, eat, talk to people, play some music…who knows…but another day!?" But, like in the song, everyday is a new beginning, and another important step in our path. So here I am…
Have a great day!
Kristin
The 19th song is titled "Nothing Stays The Same" with lyrics and personal commentary from Kristen below:
Nothing Stays the Same
It's time to set the horses free
To run under the moon
It's time to love the life in me
And see it through
Impossible to say
What happens day to day
It's out of your control
No point to live afraid
Chorus:
Nothing ever stays the same, the same
'Cause the nature of change is change
Just change
Rain comes to clean my soul
And wash away my sins
The deepest hiding places
Unsealed again
Innocence is born
Into an open palm
Ocean rushes in
And all my fears are gone
Repeat Chorus:
Oooh, Ooooh, Oooh…
Repeat Chorus:
"Nothing ever stays the same." We are all continuously changing and shifting, colliding and parting ways, diving and soaring, evolving. I think that this is one of the most beautiful parts of being…actually, change, in essence, is what "being" is. As we change, we learn, we build, we grow. Naturally, this whole process of changing is filled with many different experiences, feelings and emotions. It can be a painful experience to go through the more profound changes…I know we've all been there before. For that reason, I think, "change" has gotten a bit of a bad rep. How many times have I heard people say, "Oh, our relationship is going so well…I don't want it to change," or the flip side, "I don't like this part of him/her…I wish he/she would just change!" or…"Life is really rough right now, I'm going through a lot of change." Well, whether you are in the best space in a relationship or in the toughest of times, one thing is for certain, and that is that things are going to change. A lot of suffering actually comes from trying to hold back change and pretend that it is not occurring. You cannot keep the dynamic of a relationship or any experience in life the same all the time, and holding the expectation of one thing sets you up for automatic disappointment when things are going other than planned.
I think that if we can start to embrace the whole process of change and see the learning experience that it has to offer us in every moment, we can begin to have a different outlook on life. If you're in a difficult experience or time, know that for some reason you need to experience it and that it will pass. If you are in a period of pure bliss, be super grateful for the good times and don't grab at them…just let life flow. As you flow with change…change will flow with you!
Enjoy your night all you changing beings! Talk tomorrow,
Kristin
*The 20th composition is a song titled "If You Feel Like Dancing" with lyrics and personal commentary from Kristen below:
If You Feel Like Dancing
Oh, if you feel like dancing, move your body
Just dance, just dance
And if you feel like singing, raise your voice
And just sing, no regrets
And if you feel like loving, open up
And just love, just love
And if you feel like living, be here now
And just live, no regrets
Chorus:
I say hey yeh hey yeh yeh
I say hey yeh hey yeh yeh
If you feel like walking, take a step
And move on, just move on
And if you feel like laughing, let it out
And just laugh, no regrets
And if you feel like growing, find your path
And just grow, just grow
And if you feel like knowing, look inside
And just know, just know
Repeat Chorus:
Oh if you feel like playing, let it go
And just play, just play
And if you feel like shining, be a star
And just shine, no regrets
Oh if you feel like dreaming, close your eyes
And just dream, just dream
And if you feel like clapping, find the ryhthem
And clap, just clap
Repeat Chorus:
Today, I felt like I had a bit of a writer's block for a while…I tried a bunch of different song possibilities and nothing was seeming to work. In the afternoon, I met a guy who was getting a tattoo that said, "Live with no regrets." I started to ponder that thought for a while and suddenly the simple, but profound message began to work it's way into my song of the day. Just live, be in the moment, express who you are and let yourself be free…no regrets about being you. This is a feeling that I think we all yearn for, but getting in the groove can be difficult, as we build all sorts of barriers around us, and keep ourselves from our true nature. Often we feel like we need to be perfect at what we do, so we don't express ourselves in areas where we feel we might not live up to our own expectations, or others expectations of us. Well, here's your chance to give yourself a break! As you listen to this song, take a moment, and just "be," whatever that means to you. Spend a few minutes dancing, singing, dreaming, relaxing, laughing…just enjoy!
I feel like dancing!
Kristin
*The 21st song is titled "Nizhoni" (Ni-sho-ne) with lyrics and personal commentary from Kristen below:
Nizhoni
Sing with the Earth, don't stop now
Sing out your sacred song
(4 times)
Sing with the Sky, don't stop now
Sing out your sacred song
(4 times)
Chorus:
Nizhoni, Nizhoni, Nizhoni, Nizhoni
Sing with the Sun, don't stop now
Sing out your sacred song (2 times)
Sing with the Moon, don't stop now
Sing out your sacred song (2 times)
Repeat Chorus:
Mitakuyapi Owas'in (4 times)
Repeat Chorus:
Sing with the Earth don't stop now
Sing out your sacred song
Sing with the Earth don't stop now
Sing out your sacred song
A little over 11 years ago, as I was finishing my senior year of high school, I went out to spend about 10 days on a Navajo reservation in Arizona with one of my best friends at the time, Heidi. We stayed with an old couple...they lived out in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. There was no electricity, no running water...you rose with the sun and went to bed as the sun went down. It was a simple, but beautiful life. The elder man was a medicine man. He taught us how to collect certain herbs for tea and allowed us to be a part of a private healing ceremony. The elder woman made beautiful jewelry and weavings. Heidi and I spent our days there helping them to plant their crops for the year, with old fashioned hoes...we also herded the sheep each day! There were herding dogs who watched the sheep wherever they went. One of the herding dogs had recently had puppies, and I fell madly in love with one! My love was pretty obvious, and one day when going out to find the sheep with the elder man, he turned to me and said, with his beautiful song-like accent, "So, do you want the puppy?" And that was that! I began searching for a name and asked my Navajo friend Marvin for some words. When he said the word for "beautiful", or as he put it, "Beauty's Way," I just loved the sound..."Nizhoni." The pronunciation is Ni-sho-ne. And in that moment, my new herding dog/coyote was named! She is such a special spirit and we have had such a deep connection since day one. She is getting pretty old now and I know that sometime in the not so distant future, it will be her time to move on. With this song, I send out my gratitude for the love and friendship she has shown me, as well as for the deeper significance of her being in my life...she is a constant reminder of the Navajo Spirit and profound way of life.
At the end of our time on the reservation, the elder woman asked us each for a phrase that we felt was true to our hearts. She then spent a couple days creating beautiful weavings for us, using our phrases. I chose, "Sing With the Earth"...and it is still hanging up in my old bedroom at my parent's house. It definitely still feels like a powerful mantra for me today.
Just about two weeks ago, a new friend ended and email by saying, "Mitakuyapi Owas'in." He said it meant "We are All Related" in Sioux Dakota. I thought this was beautiful and so true...we ARE all related...all connected. I decided it was a perfect sentiment to include in this song.
So, now, I have woven a new creation, influenced by various meaningful times, moments, creatures, people, tribes, and sentiments that have come into my life. I think it all works...it's all "Nizhoni."
Time for sleep! Sweet dreams!
Kristin
*Here now is song #22 titled "Just BEE!" with lyrics and personal commentary from Kristen below:
Just BEE!
People are walking in circles
Cell phones are ring ringing
Pushing and shoving through doorways
Sirens are sing singing
Open up, open your eyes
The flowers are calling us, to their light
It's time that we tend the hive
Chorus:
Just Bee
Let's fly over Manhattan tonight
Let's help each other out
And make this a sweet kind of life
Honey, you're my heaven
And I am learning how
To just Bee
Look all around you for a moment
Just feel how the wind's blowing
Carrying life in his pockets
The future of our growing
Cycles turn, cycles take their turn
And so can we
I am part of you
Oh and you are part of me…so
Repeat Chorus:
Into colors, we are soaring
With one motion, moving forward
Carrying the sweetest nectar
As we fly, all together
Feel the buzz of light within you
Harmonizing all that we do
Sending out our highest vision
Strengthened by our oneness mission
Repeat Chorus:
This morning I had an early meeting at Union Square, right across from the farmers market. I walked through the market on my way, but suddenly had to stop when I saw a honey stand with a whole hive of bees! They were incased in a special way so that the bee keeper could bring them to the market and people could see how the bees go about making honey and tending the comb. It was fascinating! They all work together and seem to have such a system and vision. After looking at the bees for a minute, I noticed a few newspaper articles that the bee keeper man, named David Graves, had out on display. Over the years he actually began to place hives on the rooftops of different buildings here in Manhattan and began going from building to building, collecting the honey! The articles said that at first people were reluctant to host hives on top of their buildings, but soon, once people realized that the bees were not there to do any harm, but to go about their own beezness, a few building owners warmed up to the idea and the NYC honey business was born!
I thought about the bees making honey and working together, here in urban NYC…I think it is a great example and metaphor for us urban dwelling humans too! Often, we spend a lot of time running around the city, stressing out in our own worlds. We forget the beautiful lesson of the bees. If we can bring some bee energy into our life and begin to step back and see a larger picture, where we are all working together for a greater cause, we can begin to taste the true sweetness that life has to offer! Just BEE!
Buzzzzzzzzzz,
Kristin
*Here now is song #23 titled "T.I.M.E. (Temporal Interpretation of Mental Experience)" with lyrics and personal commentary from Kristen below:
T.I.M.E (Temporal Interpretation of Mental Experience)
The lover's dream is dead
Take a good look
This is the real thing
Circles play a game
You think it's the end
But it's the beginning
Chorus:
Time keeps me running around
Time keeps me running around
Time keeps me running around
Time keeps me running…
Time keeps me running around
Seconds pass me by
Don't even touch the moments of life
Into my illusion
Wrapped in a baby blanket of confusion
Repeat Chorus:
Crawl into my womb
Find a warm place
I'm gonna see you through
To the other side
Give me a reason
Give me a reason to hide
Repeat Chorus:
What is TIME? This is a question that I am often found contemplating. Time is present in every one of our lives. We most likely all have different ways of looking at it or approaching it, but it is one of the main factors of the 3D world as we are all perceiving and experiencing our waking life in a linear fashion.
This song explores a mental state, which I believe almost all of us have felt at one point, where we feel like we are controlled by time. I have definitely been there on many occasions in my life…running to meetings, having deadlines, aging etc. In NYC especially, people seem to be completely obsessed with time. Common sayings that we are used to hearing in our culture are: "Time is running out," "I don't have any more time for that," "I had a dream, but there's not enough time in my life to work and make a living as well as follow it…"
Well, I know one thing from my own experience with time, and that is when I allow it to run my life I am not happy, I don't actually get more things accomplished, and I usually hit a point where I end up wanting to hide from the world, and myself, for a while.
So, how can we avoid getting in this mindset? For me, the answer has been to completely live in the NOW, as much as I can. In the now, time does not exist. You are where you are at that moment…that moment is the whole. Of course, living completely in the now is quite difficult, but if you set your intention and bring yourself back to the now every time you feel yourself wandering back into Time's territory, you'll begin to have a new relationship with the 3D world. Practices like meditation, yoga, playing music, or anything else which opens your awareness, can help align you with the now.
I know this song is pretty intense, both sonically and lyrically. I think it really captures the feeling of time energy, and I hope that by exploring that energy in it's fullness, it will help people to identify that state within themselves. In my mind, the first step in growing beyond something is to be able to identify the frequency of what it is.
I truly believe that our higher self's experience is timeless and completely expansive. There are no limits. No tasks that need to be achieved in certain little blocks. Growth happens in a perfect way, exactly when it is supposed to and we are the "Experiencers" of our own perfection. So, try taking your watch off…move with your own awareness…see how it feels…and when TIME tries to put you back in that box, you'll have the tools to open the door and walk out.
Timeless love and growth!
Kristin
*As her birthday approaches we present Song #24 titled "Fortune" with lyrics and personal commentary from Kristen below:
Fortune
The price of greatness is responsibility
Our mistakes show us what we need to learn
You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist
We are made to persist. That's how we find out who we are
And just remember…
Chorus:
The first and only love is self love
The first and only love is self love
A clean conscience is a good pillow
And the dream is within you
A warm smile is a testament to a generous nature
Respect for others is peace…
Respect for yourself is happiness
And happy life is right in front of you
So just remember…
Repeat Chorus:
Our perception and attitude toward any situation
Will determine the outcome
There is but one cause of human failure
And that is man's lack of faith in his true self
The beauty of life is to experience yourself
The first and only love is self love
"Fortune" was a super fun song to create and experience! It all started this-morning over breakfast with my friend Ruth. In conversation, she casually started talking about a fortune that she got recently in a fortune cookie. Suddenly, my creative brain was triggered! "That's it!" I said. "I will go get a bunch of fortune cookies and open them up to create today's song!" So after breakfast, I headed home and picked up a whole bag of fortune cookies from the local Chinese restaurant…they gave me 25, to be exact! When I got home, Agustin and I played a great fortune game, selecting one cookie at a time that we were particularly drawn to. Sometimes we'd ask specific questions before picking the next cookie. It was so much fun and I completely recommend this experience! After opening all 25 fortunes, I began to arrange them, looking for a story to emerge. After a bit of contemplating, I found an order that was working, but there still seemed like a few missing pieces to the puzzle. It was then that I got an email from Ruth, saying that she had also picked up fortune cookies on the way home…she, oddly enough, had 25 as well! One of her fortunes read, "The first and only love is self love." Immediately, I knew that was my chorus. I can imagine how some people might really disagree with this statement, but I happen to believe that it is the total truth. In my mind, love cannot exist in ANY form of our experience if we do not first hold it within ourselves. When we find the deepest kind of love for ourselves, and when we realize that we ARE love, then, and only then, can we begin to share the brilliance of our lovelight with others. There are many actions and relationships which are mistaken for love, but are in truth quite opposite expressions in disguise: Need, Jealousy, Control, Lust, Greed etc, are some common examples. And, most often, I find when we are acting from these places under the guise of "Love," it almost always points directly to a lack of self-love. When we live from a lack of self-love we are continuously searching for others to "give" us what we feel we are missing…and this is an endless and frustrating search.
See that YOU ARE LOVE. Nurture this understanding within you. You will then have so much to give and be able to receive from a place of freedom and light!
Sending you all good Fortune!
Kristin
*Important subject matter is the twenty-fifth song titled "Hotel Rwanda (Men and War)" with lyrics and personal commentary from Kristen below:
Hotel Rwanda (Men and War)
Knives against the moon
A blood orange cocoon
Of huddled flowers and little hands
Victims of The Spring
The flow of man
That never seems to end
Or understand
Then through the night
A star shown brave
From a hotel window
To guide them in
Then through the night
In shining armor gave
Life like a mother
Where no love had been
Thank God there's still a few good Men
Today I came across a poem I had written right after watching the movie "Hotel Rwanda" a couple of years ago. I totally had forgotten that I had written it, but the minute I found it again, it brought back memories of how powerful the film was for me. If you have not seen the movie, it covers the story of a man, Paul Rusesabagina, who bravely, and peacefully, saved 1,268 people at Mille Collines Hotel during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, which killed 1,000,000 people in 100 days, including hundreds of thousands of women and children.
Even though this song covers the Rwanda story in particular, I think that there is a much deeper and broader theme below the surface, which applies to many other situations, including the war that we are currently involved in. Now, I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea with what I'm going to say…I love men, know many amazing men, and do not want to make any general statements about men. However, I have observed time and time again, that the energy of war, which is carried out in countless ways throughout our lives and history, stems from a very animalist, testosterone driven, male quality. When you watch bucks, or any other dueling males, battling it out in nature movies, it pretty quickly shows us where the "nature of war" is coming from. This "nature of war," as I'm choosing to call it here, manifests itself in many different ways. Over time, it gets so covered up in layers of issues that we no longer see the animalistic root of the energy.
Unfortunately, I see in much of our culture that men are still encouraged to embrace a "brute" nature, and are made to feel less than "manly" if they choose to live by a code of peace. AND, I find that as women continue to move towards true equal rights with men in our country, they are also made to feel that they need to take on this same "brute" quality and be willing to fight it out to be in positions of power and to be considered equal. Sports, commercials, TV, magazines etc, continuously push men to identify with a "dueling nature" rather than an evolved sense of living harmoniously and working and sharing with each other. They also encourage women to feel affirmed, more desired, and more beautiful by men "fighting" for them…and by women choosing to hold and maintain this belief, it completes and re-creates a cycle of aggression. I believe that we, as Humans, living in the 21st century, are ready to embrace a much "higher way of life." We have the tools and information that we need to get beyond our "male" or "femaleness" and think and live as souls.
I just want to take this moment to commend all you guys out there who are living in a peaceful, loving, sharing and openly communicative way. I know that can be hard in our society. I also want to encourage any women reading this to support the men in your life who are making this choice…this is a very important step in the equation. As we all work and communicate together, we are creating a powerfully harmonious present and future;
"The AGE of MAN KIND!"
Peace and light,
Kristin
*Song number twenty-six is titled "Claim My Prize" with lyrics and personal commentary from Kristin below:
Claim My Prize
I always thought that
I had a hard path
That I was down and out
To be an "artist"
I had to struggle
And many things did not work out
Now, I see that I made it all up inside myself
I turn to the sun and receive my wealth
Chorus:
Finally I can claim my prize
And it's not gonna slip away
Finally I know, I know it's mine
And I can step up to the plate
Finally I am free to receive my light
Now that I can claim my prize
My arms are open
My feet are planted
Firm in who I know I am
I have a vision
I'm in the moment
Dreams are manifesting
Now I know that I hold the key inside of me
I'm ready to be all I can be
Repeat Chorus:
I claim my prize
And now I know I deserve it
Who are we not to be all we can be
You only hurt yourself and everybody else
By not knowing your own worth
So go on and claim your prize!
The other night I went to a party/digital art exhibition in the East Village. We didn't even get there until 12:30, so things were already winding down. I was sitting in the back of the bar, when the host went up on the stage and said that they still had 3 cool prizes left and that we all were going to play a little game to determine who the prizes would go to. The game was one I think we all know well, "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot!" He explained that seeing that there were so many people it would require a bit of honesty. Everyone put their hands in the air. The first two rounds went well…I was still in. The host asked all of us left in the game to come up to the front of the stage. I went up with about 15 people. After one round, there were 4 of us left. I was excited and having a lot of fun. The host called out again and the four of us played our hands, literally! It was perfect because 3 of us all got the winning play of "rock" and one girl called it wrong and was out. As the host began to hand out the prizes, a guy to my right, who had also won the game turned to me to "declare his winning secret." Suddenly the host was in front of us with the remaining two prizes. He asked the guy, "do you want a gift certificate to Triple Five Soul or a coffee mug?" Of course the guy chose the cool gift certificate. I thought that the coffee mug was going to me, as I was the last one left who had won, however, suddenly the host turned around and gave the coffee mug to the girl who had gotten the answer wrong. Not only that, but she also asked for the tote bag that all the prizes had been in and he happily tossed it to her. So, long story short, I was left feeling very confused and I quietly went back to my seat in the back of the room without ever saying a word to the effect that I had also won.
However, I did really win, as in that moment in the back of the room, trying to piece together what had happened, I realized a truly valuable bit of information about myself. I realized that what had just happened was a main theme in my life. I tend to take things 99% of the way there, I have a great time and I do the best I can…then there is often this key moment where some little thing will happen to disrupt the flow of all that I've worked for…and then I don't speak up for myself or follow through with what I need to do to repair the situation. I've watched this happen with two record deals and countless other parts of my world. It's easy to put the blame on other people or outside elements, but I now see that the common theme is ME. So, the question is why? Well, after much thought and observation, I saw that there were some underlying beliefs that were creating my disappointments. First and foremost, I was not valuing myself and somehow thought that I would not be as good of a person if I were to claim success and abundance. I thought that I would be seen as a better artist if I was struggling and in survival mode. I think I also held a fear that I would not know how to handle my own success and wealth. So time and time again…I did not claim my prize, not with my energy, my thoughts, or my actions.
Today is a new day! Thank goodness, we can choose in any moment, right now to shift our thought patterns and change the cycles that we have become so accustomed to. With this song, I reaffirm the beauty, light, creativity, love, passion, strength, peace, wealth, success, and abundance within myself and I say openly to all of you and to the world, "Here I am! I Claim My Prize!" We truly help people and the world by being the best that we each can be and by shining that light of self knowing out to inspire others to also be who they are. There is absolutely nothing shameful about this. It is our mission.
I think that a perfect quote to sum up this whole concept is this well known and truly powerful paragraph, written by Marianne Williamson, from her book, "Return to Love." Ironically, it has become famous as something that Nelson Mandela supposedly said in one of his main speeches. Everyone thinks that he wrote it, when he didn't! Maybe I should send this song to Marianne too!!! Ha! Anyway, I think the sentiment is beautiful:
"Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'who am I to be so brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are we not to be? You are a child of God: Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
~Marianne Williamson
OK, my friends…off to bed. Need some good sleep…I've been running on creativity lately, but some real dreamtime would be good!
Big love,
Kristin
*Song number twenty-seven is titled "ManifestNation" with lyrics and personal commentary from Kristin below:
ManifestNation
Chorus:
We can be a ManifestNation
Our visions do create
We can be a ManifestNation
Building something truly great
Who are you waiting for
To give you the answers?
And make your life a breeze
Look around, be honest
We've become a collective
Of minds that are asleep
Each of us, creative is
But the sheep are jumping off the cliff
Oh…
Repeat Chorus:
I see a picture of
All our minds rising up
To set forth a new state of "free"
Trust in your power
To set into motion
The movement of wisdom and peace
Real change happens to be
When each of us begins to see
Oh…
Repeat Chorus:
ManifestNation
It all starts Now
I came up with the concept of "ManifestNation" a while back, when I had the idea to create a web community of people who wanted to come together and put out positive thoughts and manifest them into the world. I still think it would be very powerful, and inspirational for all involved…maybe this song will be a good beginning! If this idea sparks interest in anyone, let me know. Anyway, I figured that this would be an appropriate concept to write about in light of the upcoming election. Now, don't let what I just said confuse you. This song is by no means about politics…and I really don't want to get into any political discussions (I stopped watching and reading any news a few years back for a very clear reason, and my life has been much better off since). This song is about something much bigger…something that we have forgotten as a country, or maybe we have not yet learned. That is that our minds and our actions add up to create a "Whole Consciousness." Our Nation is made up of millions of thinking and creating parts…Us! Unfortunately, I see that there is a huge level of people who have decided to go along with a program, dull their minds, follow what is fed to them, which is usually full of complete drama and fear. Fear and Doubt are the biggest enemies of one's mind and actions and the people at large in our country seem to be suffering from a Huge Fear Picture. This kind of a situation is advantageous to those in control of the power, as people follow blindly, scared to do anything else or think for themselves.
In my mind, the best thing that we as individuals can do to create overall positive change is to develop ourselves. The first and most powerful way that we can develop ourselves is with our THOUGHTS. Are you generating your own thoughts? Or, have you turned off your own mind and are you on playback? The way we think becomes the way we do. When we are thinking in a positive, strong, loving, calm and aware way, our actions follow that path. When we are thinking in a stressed out, fear based and dramatic way, our actions also follow those energies. All of our thoughts and actions added up create the environment that we live in. Look around. What do you see? What is the current state of our Nation, our Environment? How can you start now to quit the super addictive habit of supporting lower frequencies with your thoughts and actions and adopt a new and more evolved and "YOU" way of thinking and being?
I would venture to say that if each one of us begins to think and act from him/herself, even 1% more that we are doing now, including myself, a majorly beautiful shift will occur in our environment and we will be having a much more pleasing experience than our current one. So, it all starts here! We are the ManifestNation! Each one of us has something remarkable and unique to share and send out into the world…and you need no permission from anyone but yourself…so start manifesting!
Love and light,
Kristin
*Song number twenty-eight is titled "Two Of Us" with lyrics and personal commentary from Kristin below:
Two of Us
Open your heart
Open your mind
Open the gift you have inside
No one can take us down this time
It's just the two of us
Follow your voice
Follow your breath
Follow the hum inside my chest
We are the guides that know us best
It's just the two of us
Chorus:
So Wake up
I'll be right her to find you
Wake up
I am dreaming beside you
Wake up
This is the hour
This is the day
This is our moment taking place
Look at the glow upon my face
'Cause it's just the two of us
Breathe in your life
Take it all in
All of these places that we've been
Finding their resting place again
It's just the two of us
Repeat Chorus:
Into the other side
I'm in and out of timeless dreaming
Feeling your peaceful eye
A soft protection right there with me
Battles of the mind
Unwinding in a new dimension
A lavender sky surrounds us
Lifting towards a true ascension
Repeat Chorus:
This-morning I woke up with this song in my head. However, I was feeling exhausted, so I went and got my guitar and brought it into the bed. Pretty quickly I figured out the chords and melody and strummed through the whole song a few times. "Cool," I thought, "I've already got my song idea for the day!" I put the guitar to the side and lay back down. It was truly painful to think of getting out of the bed at that point! I feel like I'm a marathon runner in the last mile of the run and part of me is so excited to get to the finish line and the other part wants to sit right down and pass out! It was then, as the sun came streaming inside the window, that I decided to go back to sleep and just allow myself to sleep without feeling like I had to go do anything. No worries of time or priorities, just my own permission to get the rest I needed and regenerate…all would get done, no worries. Agustin was with me and I went into the most beautiful space of vivid dreaming on the other side. I felt like any and all confusions were working their way out…all was taken care of. A few times, I woke up and saw him watching me…it was such a good feeling. There's nothing like the feeling of protected sleep, if you know what I mean. I think it goes back to being a baby and feeling that constant loving eye of awareness watching out for you and making sure that everything is all good. After quite a long dreamland healing session, I finally woke up at 3PM! I felt so aware and awake, like new. So, I decided that the simple theme of what I had just experienced would be the lyrics for my song today.
The chorus, "Wake Up…" is actually referring to waking up in the Dreamworld and into deeper parts of yourself. It's one person talking to another saying, "You are free to go into your peacefulness completely, I'm right here with you and nothing will disturb your journey." You can see it however you like, of course, but that's my interpretation.
I decided to keep the instrumentation simple on this one, just stereo guitars and vocals. I wanted to capture that early morning feeling that I experienced, of strumming the guitar on the edge of sleep.
Hope you enjoy! And, next time you feel like you need some more sleep and want to rejuvenate, remember this song, and give yourself that gift.
xoxo,
Kristin
*Song number twenty-nine is titled "May We All Find Our Place" with lyrics and personal commentary from Kristin below:
May We All Find Our Place
May we all find a warm place to call our home
May we all find our smile and our inner glow
That will carry us through nights out in the cold
May we all find our place in this world
May we all find our dream and learn to fly
May we all feel life glimmer in our eyes
Even when only we know our gift inside
May we all find our place in this world
May we all find our way through this labyrinth
May we all find our strength in the aftermath
When all that is left is the truth of us
May we all find our place in this world
May we all find our place in this world
May we all find our place in this world
This song was inspired by two different stories of life paths that were shared with me in the past week. Today, they somehow both weaved their way into one song.
A while back, a family came, with my friend Kari, to one of my shows with their child who had been adopted from an orphanage in Siberia; his name was Nikolai. They also adopted his younger brother Sergie. Life at the orphanage, where these boys spent their first years of life, was extremely challenging. Probably most of us have never even touched on this kind of "challenging," and hopefully will never. One experience, which completely shocked me, was hearing of how the children were woken up early in the morning every day and brought out barefoot, wearing only their underwear, into the snow, to run and do exercises. I can't even imagine… Coming to America was also challenging. Imagine not speaking a language and suddenly being in a new family and having to go to school every day, when you have never had any prior education. Also, learning to open your heart to emotions, like love, when you have not experienced it in your life before. All of the things that we take for granted were completely new and unknown. These boys were truly on a journey to "find their place in this world."
Last week, my friend, Colin, told me of a family member, named Rich Pease, who was facing the end of his life. He shared with me many things about Rich, how he loved nature and animals, especially eagles, and how he loved sitting, listening to music; classics like Amazing Grace. Rich had apparently been a pretty tough guy for most of his life, but as he began facing the other side, he started opening up to the much gentler and emotional sides of himself. The simple beauties of life began to bring tears to his eyes. I love the image of this man truly "finding his place in the world" at such an unexpected time. I received a message the other day saying that Rich had passed on.
So, this song is dedicated to Nikolai and Sergie as well as to the children at the orphanage in Siberia, who are still searching for "their place." It is also dedicated to the life of Richard Pease and all those who loved him. May he now be the eagle soaring to find his new place in the Afterlife…guided by this melody. And to every other soul who is searching…"May You Find Your Place In This World."
All my love,
Kristin
*The last song from this wonderful and challenging project is titled "Voila! C'est tout! Merci, Merci, Merci!" with lyrics and personal commentary from Kristin below:
Voila! C'est tout! Merci, Merci, Merci!!!
These actually are the only words to this song! French for, "There you go! That's everything! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!" This was a little joke that started when I was in France over the summer finishing my sound healing certification. Agustin didn't speak French, but he did know a few common words, and he started pretending that he would have full conversations using those words! Soon, it became our favorite silly thing to do and we added on gestures: for instance, when we were talking in "Our French" we had to pretend that we had big moustaches, and we would make little twirling movements, like we were making them beautiful! A couple of our "real French friends" caught onto our little game and thought it was hilarious! So, they also started to do our movements and soon, a little "Voila! C'est tout! Merci, Merci, Merci" custom emerged.
So, I decided this was the perfect way to end the Countdown, with a little fun! So start twirling your moustaches, and if you really have one all the better, and sing along! Thank you soooooo much for joining me on this 30 day adventure through song. It has been one of the most powerful experiences of my life. You all had so much to do with this journey and kept me going with your comments and great energy all the way! So I say a huge "Thank You" to you all!
I think most of you are on my mailing list…if not, I would be most honored to have you join me at my musical birthday party tonight at Caffe Vivaldi, from 9PM-Midnight. Details are on my website. It is the final Countdown! And then my 30s begin for real!
Biggest Love and Light! Voila, C'est tout, Merci, Merci, Merci!
Kristin
PS…check out the photos. Both from France. I had so much fun riding the carousel that I decided to go with that theme for this ending song!
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Labels: Countdown To 30, Hawaii, Kristin Hoffmann, Maui, Michael Whalen, pop, rock, singer-songwriter, The Time Machine radio show, The Waking
posted by The Time Machine @ 6:36 AM
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