B's Notebook

From now on there’s going to be two parts of my life: pre August 29 and post Aug 29. Yesterday, August 29, 2010 was the first time I ever performed my own songs and sang in front of a crowd. My whole life has been a build up to performance. My style as a music student has been to practice everything in private until there was nothing else to do except perform. Well, that time is now.

I am at the point where I just have to get out there and be in front of others to build my confidence and my stage performance. The biggest lesson I learned from my first time was that my mind needs to stay focused on the words I am singing and forget about the people watching. I realized that to be a professional is to have a clear mental idea of the words and phrase to be sung, whereas when I went up there I was paying too much attention to the group outside of me and wasn’t focused wholly on everything I was trying to do. It caused me to flub a few vocal and guitar parts, but oh well, I am pleased with my first time out.

I performed two songs. First I read a poem while playing my guitar, and then I sang one of my songs called Wild Life.

Anyway, now is forever post August 29, and that means that I am now a developing performer rather than just a guy who practices. For years I have wondered what this day would be like and when it would arrive. I have long thought that once I reach this point then I am very close to mastery. Things are only going to get better.

Most of us feel it is right to help those who are homeless, but there are still a few who believe that the homeless should be left to help themselves. In order be clear on why we help we must ask, Why is it right to help the homeless?

Helping the homeless is right because it is a compassionate act, and compassion is a virtue of the highest order. To help the homeless is to demonstrate a concern for the welfare of others without judging them or blaming them for their circumstances. Compassion doesn’t blame a victim but seeks to offer assistance no matter what the situation.

To help others when they are down is a model of good behavior that inspires others. This leads to possibly other acts of kindness. Because of the simple truth that in order to be happy, harmful acts should be minimized and helpful acts should be maximized, we can say that helping the homeless out of compassion is an act that would benefit, not only the individual, but all of society.

Those who believe that the homeless should help themselves might object to offering help because they believe it may cause a dependency, or that leaving people on their own may be good because it teaches personal responsibility. But there is a big difference between offering assistance in small, or even large, ways, and creating a co-dependent relationship. We should not overlook the benefits of helping others for any judgments we have about the way a person should manage their life. The way we conduct ourselves in our own lives is much more important.

We will create a better world by acting in more peaceful and compassionate ways, therefore helping the homeless is right because it brings us all great benefit.

Is it possible that the current standard for tuning musical instruments causes music to actually be dissonant and out of sync with the natural vibrations of the universe? According to the work of Dr. Leonard Horowitz this is the case.

Love = 528Hz

What is Tuning?

Tuning an instrument means to set the pitch of the strings of a guitar or violin (etc.) to a particular frequency. Taken together, all the strings of the instrument are tuned in relationship to each other so that the instrument can sound aurally appealing.

The current standard for tuning instruments is A=440. This means that the “A” note above middle “C” vibrates at a rate of 440 Hertz, or, 440 cycles per second.

Love = 528Hz

Dr Horowitz’s important work asserts that the frequency of love is 528Hz and that current standards for tuning our instruments do not take this into account. This results in all instruments tuned to the standard A=440 being out of sync with naturally occurring vibrations in the universe.

In order to retune musical instruments so that they are in sync with these natural vibrations we would have to tune middle C to equal 528Hz. To do this the new standard should be A=444. That is, to say that we should tune to A=444 is the same as saying middle C should equal 528Hz.

Dr Horowitz explains the importance of aligning with the proper frequency:

If you go one or two Hertz away, like your radio dial tunes beyond a signal, you stop hearing the clear broadcast. It is still there, but silenced by your ignorance to find the right frequency (channel, signal, station) to hear the uplifting music again.

528Hz, being the frequency of love, is a divine frequency that supports healing and health, and if we retune our instruments then we are supporting increased health, healing and love in musicians and listeners.

Where Does 528Hz Occur in Nature?

If we recognize that all sound, color, and light is frequency vibration then we can more easily understand how music can be in, or out of, sync with nature. Here Dr. Horowitz explains where 528Hz occurs in nature:

Cymatics: Sound on Matter

528, being the heart (the center or midpoint) of the electromagnetic color spectrum, the sound spectrum as well, is the reason chlorophyll and most of the botanical world is greenish-yellow; the reason organic chemistry is based on C-6 (carbon six) hexagonal rings, and the fundamental force (i.e., creative resonance) why water is molecularly structured in tetrahedron-shaped pyramids, alternatively why all snowflakes are hexagonal.

(The study of the effects of sound matter is called cymatics. To understand more about cymatics, particularly, the effects of love vibrations on water molecules, study the work of Dr. Emoto at www.hado.net. Cymatics reveals a natural geometric beauty within all cells and molecules similar to the beauty of a snowflake. Dr. Horowitz’s reference above to geometric shapes can be understood in this light. See image.)

Does This Apply to Classical Music Also?

Classical music, even though it is more soothing than rock or other types of music, has also been generally tuned to A=440. However, it seems to be the case that hundreds of years ago the A=440 standard was not so dogmatically followed and classical musicians sometimes used A<400 or A>440; it was up to the musician’s ear. This Wikipedia article talks about it: A=440

Think of classical music like this: The nature of orchestral instruments is such that they produce soothing sounds but the frequency at which the noises are vibrating are out of sync with the natural vibrations of the universe, as Dr. Horowitz has pointed out, if they are tuned to A=440. They may sound soothing but can still be out of sync.

How Can Musicians Retune?

In my opinion, the best way to tell other musicians how to retune is to tell them to tune to A=444 and that this will automatically put their middle C at 528 Hz. Many digital tuners allow for this easy adjustment.

Some A=444 tuning forks are also available for sale.

It should be noted that the difference in the A=440 standard and the A=444 standard is very subtle. It will take a very trained ear to hear the difference. For this reason, a digital tuner will make it easier to know for sure that the instrument has been retuned properly.

Conclusion

The implications of knowing a love frequency are enormous. If a simple adjustment to the tuning of musical instruments places music within a more harmonious frequency then the real effects of playing or listening to music can be more physically and spiritually uplifting. This is a huge contribution to the raising of consciousness and an easy way for musicians to herald peace on Earth.

I have to admit frustration is getting most of my attention right now after spending the past week or so trying to find a way to use the internet to create a platform to get people to speak up for themselves in their own democracy. I’ve been working out ideas that would be able to get the voices of the people to those who represent them in congress.

What happens when you contact a politician?

The major obstacle is overcoming citizen apathy. In devising a tool that will allow internet users to contact their representatives, outside of the contact forms of the senators and representatives’ websites, the tool must be so simple that it requires almost no effort for the user besides entering their message. Think Twitter, or Facebook’s “What’s on your mind?”

My research led me to many interesting projects, but eventually to two sites created by Jim Gilliam. He created a site almost exactly like what I was thinking, where we can contact our representatives through Twitter. Check it out at www.govluv.org

Then I saw his site www.whitehouse2.org. Basically, this site allows users to write a one sentence “priority” to Obama, like, “Please end the phony war on terror,” and then other users can vote on it. Priorities are ranked and voted on and a further step of contacting your representatives is possible, and doing this and other “extra” steps earns the user points; more points equals more visibility for your priority. The goal is to get the population to say what they are interested in and participate in democracy. It’s a great idea and is something similar to what I was putting together in my mind. Fortunately, he developed the site on an open source platform and this could be the direction I want to go in developing my own site with developer, James Dabgotra. Jim has created a great tool for us to experiment with.

But the frustration, in my characteristic style, is in observing that the country is run on democratic voices, but not that many voices are saying anything. The reason I want people to speak out is because I know that the power elite are fine – thank you very much – with everyone focused on the Lakers or on getting their own TV show in Oprah. Don’t get me wrong, these things are great, but just about every area of civilization is in collapse and solutions require participation. It’s like a ship full of a thousand people is sinking but only two are bailing the water out. So maybe you can understand why I am frustrated because the work that needs to be done is extremely urgent but, people don’t seem to see the relevance to their life.

But I say this: Are we not a democracy? Are we not free to voice our opinions? Well let’s get busy! We must speak up about at least one subject that we are interested in and hold our elected officials accountable for their leadership. Is this not a cause worth at least an e-mail or phone call a week?

Find your representatives, and contact them about something:

www.whoismyrepresentative.com

Good luck. The world awaits your voice.

In a sea of talking heads and endless information how do we know what is the truth in today’s society? Who do we trust?

I think the truth can safely be defined as something we all want to get closer to which is also something that is in our own best interests to know.

Here are five ways we can improve the likelihood that we meet the truth in the busyness of modern times:

1. Avoid messages with too many emotionally charged words.

Words like liberal, conservative, terrorist, enemy, insurgents, Islam and national security are often used because they evoke a strong emotional reaction in us. We give away our own power when we allow those who use these emotionally charged words to direct our energy towards some end. By learning to recognize the usage of these words in the media and then separate ourselves from their emotional effects we begin develop our own discernment for truth.

The truth should be something that is in our own best interests to know.

2. Avoid fear. It’s easy to see how messages that incite fear are best kept at a distance. To be afraid is to lose control. Why would we want to expose ourselves to chaotic, fearful vibrations when we can choose to listen to other messages that are uplifting and vibrate positively? Something true would not contain fear if we have defined truth as something that we want to get closer to.

3. Who benefits? Too much information is often intended to direct our energies in a particular direction that is meant to benefit someone else. We must look closely to see if our own best interests are being served. Do they listen to us? Do they understand, not just our angers, but our dreams for ourselves and our society? Often our trust in others is taken advantage of when we choose to let fear guide our actions.

4. Be curious. Take time to absorb different viewpoints in a wide variety of subjects. The more knowledge we have the more likely we are to understand events in life. Sometimes the truth is hard to accept because it surprises us with its suddenness or its profound meaning. But we should be cautious here of letting this shock turn into a fear of accepting a new truth. We should not shut down from listening just because information seems outside our comfort zone.

5. A Trusted Friend. It is also a good idea to find a friend or relative that can be trusted and use them as a resource, and we can always ask a senior citizen.

I recently wrote a letter to my congressman, David Dreier, CA 26th. With the letter I sent a copy of Michael Moore’s newest movie, “Capitalism: A Love Story,” because I wanted to talk about the end of capitalism. I am so tired of the same old games of fear and exploitation, divisiveness and poverty, that plague our society. The days are over where we willingly stand by while the wealth of the nation funnels into the hands of the rich. The story is old and tired. I thought I would let Mr. Dreier know my thoughts.

Congressman David Dreier

United States House of Representatives

233 Cannon HOB

Washington, D.C. 20515

March 29, 2010

Dear Congressman Dreier,

I just watched Michael Moore’s movie “Capitalism: A Love Story,” and I thought it would be good for yourself and your staff to watch, if you haven’t seen it already. Maybe you can have a movie night.

The best part about it is that it speaks to the heart, and in our hearts we know that capitalism is a system that no longer serves even the very basic needs of the people. It serves the wealthy, and that is fine if we are all wealthy, but I am not, and neither are the 95% of Americans that are considered, in the movie, as not being members of a democracy, but a “plutonomy” – a society for the wealthy. Just watch the movie, Mr. Moore shows a Citibank letter declaring as much, and we know Citibank speaks the philosophy of the wealthy.

Our hearts also know that this system of free enterprise, competition and the profit motive sells us these very ideals as a type of propaganda in the hopes that we will not blame the system for our troubles, but ourselves. But the reality is that our hard-earned money is taken from us in larger and larger amounts in the form of taxes, fines, fees and tickets and, of course, the bailout; and our public services are being slashed endlessly because of budget cuts. We are tired of propping up the already wealthy and hoping that the money will trickle down. We don’t buy “personal responsibility” anymore as being the only factor contributing to our success.

One obvious question we all have is, Why did we bailout the banks if the free market is a sink or swim system? We are sinking, why can’t the banks? By the way, we know there is not a real “free market,” but a highly streamlined system whose laws and political/corporate revolving door benefit the connected and the well to do. We the people are apparently not connected because we are in debt, sick, overweight, stressed and struggling to make ends meet. We need a new system that cares for the needs of all people, not just the rich.

Listen to what FDR says in the movie when he declares his intent for a second Bill of Rights. I couldn’t believe it either, but Mr. Moore shows the video of President FDR announcing on national television that a second Bill of Rights should include the right for all Americans to:

1.  A job

2.  An affordable home

3.  A living wage

4.  Good and adequate medical care

5.  A good education

6.  An adequate pension

7.  Paid vacation

Could you imagine how much all people would thrive if our constitution required that we seek to spread the prosperity in this manner? It would be amazing! Unfortunately, FDR died shortly after his proposal and modern capitalism does not come even close to providing these needs through the free market.

Mainly, my objective in writing you and sending this movie is just to let you know that we know. We know who Capitalism benefits and what’s going on, we see who our own government and economic system is really serving, and we say enough is enough! We want real change now!

We know the truth is coming out and we are grateful for people like Michael Moore who can show us the effects of this broken system. We anxiously await a new system truly by, of, and for the people, not just the wealthy people. I hope you are able to get behind us and support our deepest heartfelt desires to create a better world for all.

Thank you, and enjoy the movie.

Peace,

Brian Coe

Sierra Madre, CA

p.s. The special features are excellent.

What are affirmations?

Affirmations are repeatable statements that proclaim a desirable truth.

Why do affirmations work?

The effectiveness of affirmations is built on the truth that our thoughts create our reality. Change our thought patterns and we change our world. Evidence for this is found in the experiences of people who have consciously chosen to embrace new ways of thinking and have then seen the resultant changes in their lives. Switching from fear-based thoughts to positive and self-reinforcing thoughts will bring the individual, and consequently our society, a favorable change in circumstances. Therefore, in order to best utilize the creative power of the universe it is wise to create specific thoughts that will bring to us what we desire.

The following are just a few of an infinite number of affirmations. Repeat regularly. They can be memorized or written down for future reference. It is beneficial to practice writing our own based on what we would like to create in our life. Using positive language and gratitude will create the most effective affirmations.

Affirmations

• I ask for and intend that only the very highest energies, frequencies and vibrations come to me and through me.
• Today my attention remains focused on my heart center and the eternal NOW moment.
• Thank you for aligning me with those who are able to inspire me and teach me things.
• Today I intend on feeling the energies of joy.
• I embrace the certainty of oneness. I let my soul guide me.
• Thank you for bringing to me that which I need in order to grow.
• I am happy and at peace with who I am and what I have accomplished.
• Thank you God for this chance to grow and find my way.
• I joyfully express who I am and let go of the fear of being criticized by others.
• I connect with my Divine Blueprint the thought that every chakra, every atom, every cell, every molecule, and every element, every hormone, every liquid, blood, every organ and every gland, every muscle and tissue, every bone and every joint, every nerve, every place and space of my body and brain sings with joy, radiant health and  perfection, Light, happiness, equilibrium, energy, balance, purity, vitality, radiant youth and beauty, Divine inspiration, intelligence, clarity and the full Awareness of my Divinity right now and so it is! So be it!
• The Energy in My Aura is My Own.
• I embrace the wholeness of my divine reality.
  
• I detach, and I let go because I don’t need anything. I am whole and complete.
  
• There is nothing I have to do, there is no reason to leave the peaceful NOW.
• I affirm that I am worthy and deserving of all things good in my life and choose to be happy at all times.
• Everything is alright.
• I trust that what I need is given to me.
  
• I am honest with myself and others.
• I am compassionate and empathetic to the welfare of others.
  
• …and so on…

All that we want to become is simply a matter of imagination combined with right thinking, and followed by right action.

There’s a form of rock ‘n’ roll popular these days I’ve been calling “Caffeine Rock.” It has an extra fast tempo, usually 140 beats per minute or more, and the vocal style is forceful, but not necessarily a scream. Kind of like shouting. It not punk rock, it’s not hard rock, it’s just a hyped-up regular rock. I have only been hearing it for about the last five years or so, so it is a byproduct of Generation ‘Y’; probably those who were teenagers in the late nineties on through today.

Caffeine rock communicates the feeling of caffeinated tension because it is sung and performed with high energy, strong force at a quick tempo. It’s a manic form of music that seems a natural byproduct of today’s hectic world. It’s what I imagine music would sound like after a cup of coffee, an energy drink, a few hours of video games, and maybe some fast food. Even the slow parts are somehow tense. Caffeine rock does not capture intricate emotional expression very well, but does capture the feeling of hypertension expertly. This is a valid form of expression.

Let’s pay tribute to these experts at tension by giving them their own sub-genre of rock ‘n’ roll: Caffeine Rock!!!

Coming soon: some examples (in L.A. listen to 106.7 KROQ)

The Cosmological Argument

Everything has a cause. The cause of all causes, the Prime Mover, necessarily exists because there must exist a first cause. God is the first cause.

The Cosmological Argument for the existence of God is appealing because it acknowledges that there must be a force behind all forces. Because all matter is vibration, all matter is movement. Where did everything get movement from? Why is there movement? Some force with causal capability must have put the vibration in our universe. That force is God.

The existence of a first cause is undeniable. Whether it’s a father-figure imposing rules or an energetic master orchestrating every movement in the universe is a matter of personal taste. What is clear is that some being/entity has caused all of us, and everything in existence to exist. For simplicity’s sake we can call that God.

The deeper truths of the human spirit too often remain unrecognized within individuals because of the nature of a modern, busy life. Our lives are often too busy for us to ever take the time to get in touch with our deepest, heartfelt desires. But behind the constant stream of input coming into our five senses lies a stillness and persistent joy that is the core of our identity. Meditation is the valuable tool that will help us find that part in all of us.

The following is a list of the many benefits a regular meditation practice will enable:

• Easier learning;
• Increased self-confidence;
• Improved mental and physical health;
• Better awareness of one’s deepest desires;
• Better control over one’s actions;
• A reduction and elimination of fears;
• Increased compassion and empathy;
• A desire to seek out and create experiences of love and peace;
• Increased patience;
• Better personal organization;
• More consistent moods;
• Better control over habits such as drinking and smoking;
• A heightened interest in living one’s deepest desires;
• Better understanding of spiritual concepts;
• A natural desire for ethical behavior;
• Increased intelligence;
• A steadily increasing happiness;
• Easier forgiveness of others;
• A higher tolerance for heat and cold;
• A greater appreciation for simple things;

Meditation is any activity that calms the mind and brings the conscious attention into the present moment, away from past or future concerns. This can include walking in nature, doing yoga, or any number of similar, calming activities. Another type is seated meditation, which is probably the most recognized form of meditation. Seated meditation quickly brings great benefit; it entails sitting still, in silence, on a pillow or chair, while trying to calm the mind by focusing on the breath. Practiced regularly, seated meditation is enormously effective at bringing lasting happiness and relief from modern stresses.

The many modern distractions of technology, entertainment and professional sports, among other things, have become so enthralling that they have caused us to attach more value to these external phenomena than seeking to know the internal values that lie within us. Without quiet time, a mind never truly cleanses itself from this external sensory data, which leaves the mind buzzing with an almost steady stream of noise. These noises distract us because they block access to a true and deep state of peace, concentration and awareness.

Without full awareness of our actions we are likely to act out of habit, and can easily become influenced by others. In either case, we act in a less desirable way than if we had been more aware of what we were doing in that moment. Through meditation, we learn to become more aware of our own behaviors, or the reasons that motivate our behaviors, which enables us to have more control over what we want to create.

Also preventing us from creating what we truly and deeply desire is our fear of change and our fear of the unknown. By enabling greater awareness of the causes of these fears and by reducing the intensity of these fears, meditation is also useful as the quickest means to helping us move past any fears that are preventing us from seeking new experiences. A greater awareness allows us to step on the path to achieving our life’s purpose by enabling access to deeper truths that might otherwise remain unknown or blocked by our fears. We additionally gain more self-confidence by learning to step out of our comfort zone and take more chances.

By quieting the mind, meditation is an important tool to help us attain new levels of awareness so that we no longer let our habits or fears determine our actions. By starting with ten to fifteen minutes each day, in the morning or evening, we will begin to understand ourselves in new and deeper ways, and we will discover that balancing our busy lives with quiet time will lead us to ever increasing states of peace and happiness.