Category Archives: Religious New Age

A Buddhist, a spiritualist and a yogini all walk into a bar—a conversation with MindFlow

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1329496629 54 A Buddhist, a spiritualist and a yogini all walk into a bar—a conversation with MindFlow

OK…so the bar is only literal when MindFlow plays a show, and most of the multiple hours I spent talking with Rodrigo Hidalgo (guitarist and composer) and Danilo Herbert (vocalist) were over that beautiful thing called Skype (they are, after all, in Brazil, and I am in the US). So here it is…spirituality and music (mostly heavy metal) all wrapped into one. And it all translates to life.

[Fun fact: I whittled this interview down from 23 pages! Enjoy!]

For Rodrigo Hidalgo, each of the band members represents a different balancing element, and the balance is what keeps it all together. “Danilo (vocalist) is like the sea—calm and gentle; Rafael (drummer and composer) is like the air—creative with a happy heart; Ricardo (bassist) is like the earth—grounded and thoughtful; and I am like the fire—aggressive…. I’d rather fly for two minutes than walk for 80 years. And I’m not sure that’s necessarily a good thing,” Rodrigo says.

Rodrigo has been practicing Buddhism and listening to heavy metal since he was 15. And he sees all music (yes, heavy metal too) and spirituality as one thing. People have told him how much of a collision the two parts of him are, but for him, it is all about balance; meditation and playing music both keep him grounded.

Danilo was raised in a spiritual family, as a Spiritualist, a faith that believes people are spirits on earth and each soul lives a thousand incarnations, all with the objective of evolution of the soul (very similar to Buddhism). “Evolution comes from struggle,” Danilo says. Though he still holds the belief of his childhood, he’s open to all faiths, “because I believe that almost all the paths lead to that…to the light,” he says.

Heather: What is the most spiritual part of playing music for you?

Rodrigo: Life is everywhere. I try to look at a rose in the same way I look at a rat, you know? Sometimes you have a preconcept about things, like a shark…a dangerous animal…you have to stay away from it…but I think the shark is like a rose…it’s same thing. I see music and spirituality like that. It’s all one thing.

Heather: MindFlow’s music has evolved recently, from very technical progressive metal to a more open and accessible heavy rock. Why?

Rodrigo: We wanted to be free when we play live. When we played our earlier stuff, like from Mind over Body, it was like a meditation process live…. The music was more internal. We couldn’t pass our energy to the crowd. So, we started opening up our music, making it more accessible, as a response because we wanted to give it all to the crowd.

Danilo: And we’re enjoying this new direction for MindFlow. I can tell it’s a real challenge for us…to be simple. We always have the tendency to get complex in our music; so simplicity is a great exercise. If you look back to history, the most successful artists and songs are the most simple ones. Because they connect, not only because they are simple, but also because they’re true.

I think the most difficult part and the greatest challenge is to get a complex idea and put it in a simple shape. The more you try to struggle to get a song to be the best piece you’ve ever done, you cannot…. You have to make it true in the moment, because there will be more jobs, more challenges, more songs. Try to do your best always but don’t try to work on it until it’s perfect. We can’t do it. It just wastes time. And time is very valuable.

Heather: I think it also speaks to life…it’s so complicated and complex and I think people, a lot of times, go to music to escape the complexities of their own lives. So maybe, the simpler the song, all they really have to do is feel it. But that’s hard for a lot of people too.

Danilo: Yes, and now I think because of this exercise in simplicity, we’re closer to our personal style. We still have our influences, but now we’re getting closer to something we call “our sound.”

Heather: So you’re finding your voice.

Danilo: Yes, yes. Another reason: We have this habit to challenge ourselves to do something different on every new project. It’s very different to do songs that are much more straight-to-the-point…but still progressive…and still have the depth…to be profound…to be deep.

Heather: That in itself is very spiritual. Yoga and meditation is all about simplicity—be simple, be simple, come back to the breath, which is the most challenging and complex thing to do. So I see the opening of MindFlow’s sound as a spiritual process, really. After all, change is one of the only constants in life.

Danilo: Yes. Beautifully said. That is a universal truth.

Heather: The MindFlow experience is really about opening up your mind and letting it flow. That’s very spiritual. Are you finding there’s a separation between spirituality and metal music?

Danilo: I think it depends on what do you believe. Because I know people that for them metal is a religion. It’s a way of life. And I think a religion can be anything. A religion is something where you put your belief. So it can be music, metal, it can be light…. I believe in this world, we can’t see the spiritual. We can just feel the spiritual. So it demands your belief to “see” the spiritual.

Heather: How does the foundation of your spiritual beliefs translate into your vocals, your melodies?

Danilo: I’m always trying to get a way to unify that kind of thing…to get to the real good stuff. Sometimes, it seems like the melody doesn’t come from me but through me…from another place. I think I don’t have too much control over this. And when I try to get to this place, I just can’t…it comes to me.

Heather: Can you feel it when that happens or not?

Danilo: Yes, oh definitely. When you get this thing, you can feel it…in a sudden moment you get to…an epiphany.

Heather: What has music meant to you in your life?

Danilo: It’s a place where I can really feel at home. Feel like I’m at peace, and that’s something. I can attach myself and feel like a part of something, like I never felt before. Music is part of me, and I feel like I’m part of music. Because before I got to this conclusion, I never felt like I was part of something. I was kind of alone. Like I had no meaning…but now I feel like I’m complete.

A famous Brazilian politician once said: “Music is inner life…and who has inner life shall never suffer from solitude.” This is how I feel.

Heather: You do music for yourselves, first and foremost, which we do the art for ourselves and hope that it will speak to other people, right?

Danilo: To be honest, yeah, I just want to play.

Heather: Is there a point when you make it about something greater—it’s not the self, it’s not the other…it’s all at once, when things really do become one.

Rodrigo: When I wrote those lyrics for “Break Me Out,” I was writing for me…it’s like a message, so you can be strong and keep fighting and not fall for anything. It’s for me…it’s a message for me…and I noticed many people relate to that. So, now I try to write more about that stuff and hope people will relate more.

Heather: That just reiterates my whole belief that you have to make things personal to make them universal.

Rodrigo: Yes. Because the thing has to be true. You can’t lie about what you write because then it becomes the truth for everybody.

Danilo: When you put yourself inside the song, when you write a song because something happened to you…and the song is born…then when somebody comes to you and says, “Man, I was feeling this way, and I listened to your song, and it was like somebody was talking directly to me.” That shows that we made something good. I think that’s the moment.

And somehow you feel like you did something good for someone else, and I don’t know why we feel this way, because you actually do it for yourself. If what you do makes someone’s life a little better, then it’s good.

Heather: Talk about the creation process. Through it, what do you learn about yourself, the world?

Danilo: It’s all evolution. I think studying the voice is a very good way to get to know myself better. I have this kind of experience every day. The more I study the voice, the more I realize what is most important is to use your voice naturally, and from that point I realize that every aspect of life has to be that way. It’s the best way to do anything: to have a conversation, to do a job, to solve a problem. The key is to be simple, because it’s the most difficult thing, at least for me. And the more I study, I realize, the less I know.

Rodrigo: I don’t stay on one song for too long. If it gets too complicated, I throw it away and start again. I have to feel it in my heart. And I have to let go of it. If the song is too difficult to write or finish, then something is wrong.

For example, when I start a song and I have a part that I really like but I can’t figure out what comes next or before, I let go of that part…even though I like it. The point is to try to erase yourself so you can deliver the best.

Heather: When fans come to your shows, there are people from all walks of life—religions, politics, backgrounds—and they’re sitting there and singing your words…. So basically, the fans are united through singing your songs, and that’s such a powerful thing. I’m wondering if you have an opinion on the camaraderie that music can create.

Rodrigo: I think it’s a huge thing for us, and I get very emotional every time we play and I see someone singing our lyrics. It’s a very strong feeling. I think people relate to music differently than how they relate to politics or religion because I think they see the music as their own. Music gives color to life. So I think when people hear a song and they relate to it and like it, it becomes a part of the people. It’s theirs now; it’s not MindFlow’s anymore. So that’s why I think people get united by music because they think the music is a part of them. So everybody is sharing the same thing.

I think religion should be like that but I think the problem is not religion but the people. Because people always try to compare—oh, my religion is better than yours—and when you compare yourself to others, you kind of lose yourself.

Heather: How do you feel when you’re performing on stage?

Danilo: I really feel good at these times, like I have a connection to all the people. For me, it’s the most important thing, because when you get that connection, it’s at a higher level. Because it’s not all you, it’s someone else too. No matter wherever you and they are from…all the distance, all the differences go away in that moment.

There’s a real exchange of energy, and in some way, it demands energy of you.

Heather: Deep thoughts on life?

Danilo: You have to close your eyes and jump. People ask me, “How do you prepare your voice, how do you get your voice in shape?” And I just answer, I practice and pray then jump. That’s the only thing I can do. My mom always taught me this. When we want to have the control of life, we always break down…we don’t have control. We can do the right thing in the present…that’s the way we view the future. It’s when we try to have the control of our life, we lose it. You have to be just like the water…just flow…just flow.

Rodrigo: I have a painting in my house that’s right in front of the door that I read every time I come in and go out. I try to do what it says there—It says you have to focus on the present, not be sad about the past, and don’t worry about the future. It’s very hard. And I forget it every day. I have to read it twice a day, but still I’m not able to do that. So it’s a lifetime training.

Heather: Do you think that music brings people to life?

Danilo: I think so, because music carries feelings and this is contagious. If you can feel, then you’re alive.

Heather: Music is a powerful force.

Danilo: We discover that in times that we don’t have anything to hold on to. When we are lost or when we have lost everything, we have our belief, whether that shows up as music or something else. Music is one of the most powerful things. And at the same time, it’s so simple. What do you need to do music? You need almost nothing. With the feeling that the song carries, you can communicate with the whole world.

Heather: And so is spirituality.

Rodrigo: I always think meditation is a tool for your day. If you can use that technique through the day, not only when you’re sitting down, then that’s powerful. It’s very easy to be in peace when you’re meditating on the beach or in the sea, but you have to be calm when everything’s a mess. So that’s the reason meditation exists, so you can be prepared, because the world is tough.

True, life is tough and beautiful and everything in between. And both music and spirituality can be a place to discover the self and through that, each other.

Namaste, beauties. Go forth and shine as only you can!

Listen to “Break Me Out” and “Breakthrough” by MindFlow

Up next–Universal Love a conversation with Daniel Cavanagh of Anathema (on February 14)

Online ticketing offers you a chance to select a seating area just as if you were at the box office. Bette portrayed a troubled rock and roll star, reportedly modeled on the 1960s sensation Janis Joplin. Often hear about when discussing ticket brokers. The long hours of waiting in the queue and the disappointment which might happen at the end might dissuade you from trying for a ticket at all. In 1974, Dave Evan was replaced by Bon Scott. American Idol Producers Axe Archuleta Concert A charity concert slated for June 6 and planned by David Archuleta's dad has been cancelled due to contractual obligations that prevent Archuleta from performing gigs that are not Idol related. Hitherto I have spoken only of concert like it.

Gazette.Net: New flea market to open at Frederick fairgrounds

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1329452457 47 Gazette.Net: New flea market to open at Frederick fairgroundsadvertisement

Frederick residents in search of antiques will soon have a new place to explore and shop thanks to Laurie Zook.

Zook, a Frederick resident, plans to open the Great Frederick, Md. Flea Market, a market for vintage items, collectibles and antiques opening March 3. The market will be open in building No. 13 of the Great Frederick Fairgrounds in the winter, but may expand to include outside tables in the summer, Zook said.

She said her intention was to create a different version of a flea market — one free of political or religious messages and of new goods for sale. Instead, the only vendors selling new items will be people who make them by hand.

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Spiritualist Mediums Get the Best Medium

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    So I went out the door, and guess who was outside%u2026my security friend. This refers to the instruments used by the band. Furthermore, Jiles implied that despite Bujus current predicament, it will strengthen the established singjay as well as the Reggae genre going forward. Country singer Tim McGraw is headed on excursion for the Emotional Traffic concert tour will characteristic special guests Luke Bryan and The Band Perry. Since their arrival on the music scene in 1993 in a legendary residency at Los Angeles' Brown Derby nightclub, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy's irresistible live show and aggressive, musically perceptive approach has proven them over time to be the singular standout among the numerous bands that launched the Nineties swing revival. Look for a proper landline number in this country? We're on the correct track. You don't have to spend any gold on music sites or anything for that matter. Luckily, extensive and faithful renovations took place in the early- to mid-eighteenth century; afterwards Sainte-Chapelle was named an historic monument in 1862.

    Dr Chandra Muzaffar: Common Values Vital in Uniting Malaysians

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    1329317842 12 Dr Chandra Muzaffar: Common Values Vital in Uniting Malaysians

    KUALA LUMPUR, 1 FEBRUARY, 2012: The common values which refer to the principles shared by all religions and cultures are important elements in the formulation of Malaysian identity, according to 1Malaysia Foundation chairman Dr Chandra Muzaffar.

    He said the values were vital because only with the similarities, the multi-racial and multi-religious people in the country could live in a peaceful and united manner. Dr Chandra, who is also a lecturer in Global Studies at Universiti Sains Malaysia, however, felt that the Malaysian people hardly gave focus to that values, an attitude that could be hamper racial unity. “The common values, such as family institution, respect for parents, justice, mercy and freedom, are promoted and shared by all cultures and religions in Malaysia, but they are rarely given much attention. “Yes, there is an effort to promote the values in our education syllabus, but it is insufficient. That is what we should focus on now,” he told reporters after delivering a keynote address at the Intercultural Dialogue here today. The one-day dialogue was organised jointly by 1Malaysia Foundation and the Association of Voices of Peace, Conscience and Reason (PCORE) with the aim to exchange knowledge on the ethnic, cultural and religious diversity in Malaysia. It was graced by the Sultanah of Johor Raja Sofiah Sultan Idris Shah, who is also PCORE Patron. When asked about partisan politics, Dr Chandra said it was a new challenge that resulted in creating more significant differences among the people. “Nowadays, our stand as a supporter or a member of certain political party and our ways of handling other things which have nothing to do with politics, are mostly influenced by partisan political considerations,” he added.

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    Pleasing the band is only part of the story though. When you visit a Web site, if they can find what they're looking for? I recently organized a concert in my hometown that raised over $5,000 for a local Boys and Girls Club, and I did so with hardly any prior experience and with only 2 months of planning. NIOSH arranges for experts to review your chest X-ray, and stores the film for future comparisons. He edges a hand towards his private regions (not very a Michael Jackson crotch grab, much more like scratching an itch). Everyone has their favorite contestant on American Idol.

    Lessons from a Recovering Doormat

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    1328993833 50 Lessons from a Recovering Doormat

    Today is the last day of my 31 Days of Self-Love posts to celebrate Self-Love Month with suggestions for jumpstarting your own self-love.

    This is post 172 in my series on the Law of Attraction in Action. You CAN use your power to manifest your desires. I do it every day! Read all the posts in my Law of Attraction in Action Series to see how.

    Today is the last day of Self-Love Month but it shouldn’t be the end of self-love and being a loving person in general. My 31 Days of Self-Love Challenge will continue all year long so you can take it again and again. I want to help you get into the habit of consciously being kind to yourself. I know how easy it is to do the opposite. When I was a DoorMat my focus was on beating myself up, looking for reasons to feel bad about me, making light of the good I had in favor of what I saw as my faults and shortcomings.

    Seeing yourself through the eyes of disapproval like I did feels lousy, so I usually didn’t feel very good about my life. That creates a vibration that doesn’t attract good stuff. And feeling unlovable keeps you from attracting love. It kept me unhappy and stuck in DoorMatville, pleasing others at my expense. When you don’t treat yourself with love, others don’t either. And the Law of Attraction reinforces that! Plus, people pleasers think they’re being loving when they satisfy other people’s needs, but they’re not. They do it to feel more secure and the people they attract are happy to use them. That can really prevent attracting loving people into your world!

    Seeing yourself through the eyes of self-love creates a wonderful vibration that attracts loving people and feelings to you. When I began to love me, I was amazed, shocked and astounded at how different the world looked and the kind of people I met. Back then I didn’t understand that my new loving vibration was picked up by the Law of Attraction and I got lots of love because of it. Now I understand that love attracts more love. Disdain attracts more disdain.

    I thought I loved people but in retrospect, I just loved feeling the approval of others. It wasn’t until I loved me that I knew the true meaning of love in general.

    Love doesn’t expect anything other than fair treatment. It doesn’t require favors or judge. It should include kindness. And it all begins with YOU. As Self-Love Month comes to and end, hold onto the spirit for the rest of the year. My 31 Days of Self-Love Challenge will be up all year. You can take it more than once. The important thing is to consciously be kind to you as much as possible. The more love you give to yourself and to others, the more love you’ll attract into your world.

    My life has become the most wonderful I could imagine since I let love in. Yes, I let it in by first loving me. As I did, my whole world became more loving. When you love yourself you won’t allow people to treat you with anything less than respect. Your sense of deserving goes all the way up! There are so many reasons to love yourself, as I said in my post, 10 Reasons to Love Yourself.

    Keep the self-love coming and enjoy all the good you’ll attract by loving YOU!

    See all the posts in my Law of Attraction in Action Series HERE.***************

    Take the 31 Days of Self-Love Challenge–a pledge to do something loving for yourself for the next 31 days–and get my book, How Do I Love Me? Let Me Count the Ways for free at howdoiloveme.com. Read my 31 Days of Self-Love Posts from 2011 HERE.

    Please leave comments under my posts so we can stay connected.

    This was the first time I had heard of The Parlotones, and although I am not a die hard fan of Blue October, the show at the Blue Note was one of the best this year. Sunny Ledfurd is famously featured in the Colt Ford song "Waffle House", where he provides the vocals for the song's chorus, but his solo offerings are absolutely worth a listen. Katy Perry will perform all over Europe, Asia and Oceania at various locations. I presume a forum concentrating on concert will provide you the most bang for your buck. After an extended break at the end of their set, all four bands appeared on stage together for a cover of Diamond Head's "Am I Evil?" Hugs were shared as everyone took the stage and the camaraderie seemed genuine at a distance. In 1968, he shaped the Bob Seger System and signed with Capitol Records, liberating his debut album, Ramblin' Gamblin' Man, within the spring of that year. Latest music created several customers for that business. How, where and when should you get the ticket? The artwork for the sleeve for The Resistance was created by La Boca design firm. Though concert tickets can be high-priced, several men and women feel that it's an expense they are prepared to undertake in buy to see their preferred band dwell, and to get pleasure from an night at a show./p> But that does not indicate that most of us are ready to pull out the wallet to devote hundreds of dollars to see a present. Rihanna has sold a collective 22 million albums and 36 million digital singles considering that her debut in 2005. Free music was all that this takes. He has under left a unsympathetic subarachnoid hemorrhage but recovered.

    Barneys Creative Embassador Discusses What Personal Style Really Means @PSFK

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    1328650630 31 Barneys Creative Embassador Discusses What Personal Style Really Means @PSFK

    Simon Doonan is not a man of mystery. Unlike many other similarly important players in the fashion industry, if you spend an hour in his company you’ll walk away feeling like you’ve known him for years. Whether he’s offering his candid opinions on contemporary designers, or alluding to his (very brief) stint as a male escort, Doonan’s life can often read like a very entertaining book. It is easy then to understand the cult-like following he’s accumulated over the years–through his frequent columns in The Observer and prolific literary output–as well as his unquestionable status as a style icon. Elevating himself through sheer sweat and the innate creativity that he developed during a hardscrabble childhood in post-war England–a childhood that was later made into a TV series for the BBC, appropriately from the minds behind Ab-Fab and The Office–Doonan defies all expectations.

    His latest book Gay Men Don’t Get Fat, cements the Creative Ambassador-at-Large for Barneys,  as a one of the hardest working men in the business. Loosely positioned as a diet book, in reality this tome is a cheeky and humorous discussion of what it means to love fashion, to be be a gay man in today’s (and yesterday’s) society, and what difficulties face bold and ambitious women in the 21st century.

    Along with tips and anecdotes, the recounting of moral support given to the right young man (or woman), at the right time in their life, reads like a stylish equivalent to Dan Savage’s It Gets Better campaign. In this case though, it doesn’t just get better–it gets fabulous!

    At a recent breakfast for fashion and beauty writers, held at Barneys flagship store on Madison Avenue –where Doonan gave a reading from this, his sixth book– we were able to catch up with him and pose a few questions:

    What made you want to write this book? Especially one so focused on dietary habits?

    I wanted to take my gay wisdom and fling it at an unsuspecting world. It’s a humor book. The goal of it is to encourage everyone, gay or straight, to live their lives with the reckless flamboyance of we gays, and wee gays like me. P.S. Most of it has nothing to do with food.

    You mention that from early on you had a love of high/low culture. Obviously working at Barneys for so many years you’ve had access to some of the highest of highs; How do you think this has worked its way into your designs (and overall aesthetic) for the store?

     I love pop culture. I never wanted my windows to be elitist. I like to CONNECT, if you know what I mean, and I suspect you do.

    From a very young age you seemed to have a desire to pursue design and fashion related fields. If you hadn’t become a successful window dresser and display artist, how do you think you would have used that creativity?

     I have no idea. I don’t think I would have made a very good fashion designer. All my ideas are too extreme and insane. I always want people to look freaky and strange, even if they themselves have no desire to.

    You mention that this love of visuals (plus your discovery of the hidden gay subculture of England’s parks) provided a “watershed” moment for you in your personal development. Have you seen any images in the media, movies, or magazines you think might provide similar “aha!” moments for the current generation of LGBT youth?

    Young kids today have the internet. There are billions of AHA moments at their fingertips. Google Image ‘NANCY CUNARD’ and prepare to worship.

    In the book, you have very strong opinions on heterosexual male fashion and its shortcomings. Does this come from having had exposure to a certain sub-sect of unfashionable straight people, or is this part of a general call to arms for men to up their game?

     I want straight guys to relax and sparkle and not worry so much about their perceived virility. Look at Louis the Fourteenth: he wore make-up and ruffles even when he went into battle.

    What do you think of the sudden explosion in men’s fashion and grooming? I’m thinking in specific of all the bespoke, tailored, and heritage fashions of late. That and the “artisanal shaving” trends we’ve been seeing the last few years.

     Even though they look nice and clean, it worries me a little because the guys all end up looking a bit tight-assed and very similar to one another. The most important thing is to rock an individual look.

    What straight man of public note do you think really successfully straddles the line of fashionable yet rugged?

     David Beckham always looks totally fantabulous. He is the Kate Moss of bloke style.

    In one of your chapters, you talk about how women today are very quick to jump on new fashion trends–often sacrificing the evolution of their own style. Obviously this runs counter what most luxury or retail brands have been pushing. How would you like the industry to change more to have it be easier for women to navigate their personal style?

    If you want to figure out your own personal style, just stand in front of the mirror and ask yourself the following question:

    “Am I a GYPSY, an EXISTENTIALIST or a SOCIALITE.” In other words, “Am I Florence Welch, Tilda Swinton or Mrs. Obama? Once you have decided, it’s gets much easier.

    You mention a lot of female style icons from past decades who have inspired you–everyone from Jackie O to Amanda Lear. Who of today’s starlets do you most admire or think are worthy of the fashion set’s admiration?

     I love all the freaky musicians like Kesha and Nikki Minaj and Lady Gaga and Lily Allen.

    Throughout the book you mention the difference between “gay food” and “straight food.” Obviously the American diet, heavy on meats and cheeses, would be the straightest?

    I think you are incorrect about U.S. food. There are loads of gay things to eat here in America. BLUEBERRIES!!! Hello!

    In an ideal world, who would you most like to pick up your book, and what would they get from it?

    I would like chicks to read it and experience a surge of stylish recklessness and glamorous empowerment.

     My next project is my book tour. I am like a gay democratic Mitt Romney, traveling the nation and spreading my message.

    Photo via Albert Sanchez.

    Gay Men Don’t Get Fat

    Simon Doonan

    His hit song, "un vino una cerveza," caught my attention because not only was that the only song title of the whole night I could understand, it was incredibly popular at the time and capped off the night by setting off an already frenzied crowd . She is a Filipina singer who rose to popularity when a fan uploaded her video on YouTube. Hearing this former singer for The Police, and veteran of many films, Sting offers a piercing voice that is unforgettable. In early career artists more desirable to the ticket. My partner Mike Napolitano co-produced this record - my guitar and voice have never sounded better, and that's because of him. In 2002, Rock music's most celebrated musicians gathered to pay tribute to one of their own, the legendary . I had never seen a set of fingers move so fast in my life, and it was all done while creating intense riffs and solos. I'm not for nor against concert in this scenario. Are you ready to move on that or not?

    Faithful from 4 religions to focus on ties to Abraham

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    For nearly a decade, some Christians, Muslims, Jews and Bahai’s have gathered annually for an afternoon of food and conversation about their common taproot in Abraham, the patriarch of the Hebrew Scripture and the progenitor of all four faiths.

    10493722 small Faithful from 4 religions to focus on ties to AbrahamRusty Costanza, The Times-PicayuneRabbi Robert Loewy of Congregation Gates of Prayer will talk about Abraham.

    It’s a multi-voice conversation that resumes Sunday at Hillel House, the Jewish study center affiliated with Tulane University.

    God’s covenant with Abraham, told in Genesis 16 and Genesis 17, involves covenants with Sarah and Hagar as well, said Will Mackintosh of Interfaith Communications International, the sponsor of the 8th Festival of Abraham.

    This year scholars from those four faiths offer their take on one element of the story of Abraham: the voices of two women in his life — his wife, Sarah, and her servant, Hagar. From Hagar came Ishmael and Islam; from Sarah came Isaac, then Judaism and Christianity.

    In informal talks, punctuated with group discussions, Karla Noles of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary will talk about Hagar; a Baha’i, Sara Huston, will talk about Sarah; Aaron Spevack of Loyola University will talk about Ishmael; and Rabbi Robert Loewy of Congregation Gates of Prayer will talk about Abraham.

    The session lasts from 2 to 5:30 p.m. at the Hillel center at 912 Broadway. The event is free.

    The ninth song is "Stairway to Heaven" the legendary song from Led Zeppelin's fourth album. Have you ever called multiple ticketing agents just so you could find one small cheap concert ticket? Author Bio : Brad Peters Brad Peters is a writer of "all things music". There is concept that she won't as promoters are saving the joy for her concert on the related spot after 2 months. I went with the GBA, but sometimes I wish I had an ocarina, no matter how annoying it would sometimes sound. Time may never seem to go good when talking dealing with royalty free music. Getting concert tickets for sale for an event that is totally sold out is difficult. It is as important as the PA. Currently this is all with respect to music download. He seemed downright happy. I'm thinking the latter. Be it Ash, Bob Dylan, Curtis Stigers, Eagles, David Bowie, Eurock, Elvis Costello, Lloyd Cole or Heather Nova to name a few, you can find posters of almost every concert legend on the Internet. Seriously, have you been there yet? I can see how that is wrong relating to free music radio and this is a time sucking monster. The last time I bought into one of these schemes, I ended up sitting way back in the nose bleed section while a buddy of mine used another venue, saved money in the process and, more importantly, was sitting way down next to the stage!

    Religious Cult Survivor Forced Into Cultural Isolation

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    1327898258 87 Religious Cult Survivor Forced Into Cultural Isolation

    April G. is back on the blog to tell the next saga of her escape from a religious cult.   Each Wednesday, tune in to the blog for a new episode.  She will answer three questions weekly about her 19 years within the religious cult of an Independent Fundamental Baptist streak.

    If you missed her prior episodes, you can read them here:

    • April Belittled by Fundamentalist Pastor - Part 1
    • April Burns Irreligious Artwork - Part 2
    • April Forbidden Critical Thinking - Part 3
    • April Manipulated to Relocate - Part 4

    About April:  April and I met through the blog and exchanged several emails before we met in-person.  Both of us were members of the same cult affiliation, but different leaders.  While I grew up in a mega-church cult, April was recruited into a smaller town operation.  As opposed to my growing up in a cult, April was recruited in her early twenties from a Catholic upbringing.  She and I enjoy getting together for coffee and exchanging stories.  Cult survivors often feel alienated from the rest of society, because most cannot fathom the verbal and emotional abuse that survivors carry with them for years afterwards.  Though April and I have only known each other a couple months, I count her as one of my real friends.

    Q & A Session: Part 5

    Question #1:  Did you feel loved and cared about by the members after uprooting from Illinois to Michigan?

    After the typical church service,  the “brethren” would go on their merry way to have a Sunday dinner with their extended family or socialize with their good friends, but I would go home, with my very young children to a home where my husband often was sleeping.   Because of leaving his career for  “God & the church,”  he started his career over and was at the bottom rung of the ladder working nights.  I would eat dinner many times a week with only my two very young children, spending many evenings and nights without my husband.  I never felt lonelier.  And I felt as if nobody cared. 

    I felt abandoned and betrayed in some ways.  Didn’t these people prod, reason, and guilt us into moving our lives?  Where were these “spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ”? God knows that I had reached out plenty, but it became obvious that the extent of this supposed “spiritual family” and fellowship was us, sitting in church on Sundays, being spoon fed from the pulpit.  Being in church to hear the weekly sermon was what IT was all about.   For the most part, that was the extent of much of the “fellowship.”

    It wasn’t much, and it certainly wasn’t deep.  I tried to get close to some people.  I felt I was trying to make friends.  Still, something was terribly wrong with this picture.

    In some ways, it seemed as if folks were trying to keep us at arms length.  They didn’t have the time for us or just didn’t want to make time for us.  Also I felt deep down that the “friendships” were forced and not real.  Were these really people that I would be willing to befriend if they weren’t in the “church”?  The times when folks did have us over, we wondered if the leader had twisted people’s arms to do it.  They could have been sent to get information from us during the time when I was really “doubting.”  It hurt.  (I’m not saying there weren’t any nice folks, yes, some were kind to us, but this was totally UNNATURAL.)

    Question #2:  Did you have trouble giving your unwavering support for their True Church?

    I was manipulated to make all manner of sacrifices for a religious system, to make life easier for the leader of that religious system.  That is why I became suspicious.

    The pastor told me privately that he wanted members that were 100% behind his ministry, yet he publicly said he was accepting of other views.  I seemed to be dealing with a LOT of crazy making contradiction.

    To make matters worse, what I was reading in the bible did not seem to jive with what I was experiencing in real life or hearing from the “pulpit.” I read verses that I never heard preached.  Something was not right.

    Question #3:  What was it like being estranged and distanced from your family because of the cult?

    I was deeply depressed, I missed my friends & my family. I missed living close to relatives I could hook up with.  I missed the city, I missed my mom, I missed my grandma, but moving our lives was the price that God required of us being true believers.  I felt sad too because I felt that these people, who encouraged us to walk away from our lives, as we had known it, didn’t give us much of a second thought.  Did they ever think that we might be lonely after leaving the only home we had ever known?  These brethren took it for granted getting together with their extended family and friends that lived in this area, but we had nobody except the folks in the church.  Didn’t they realize that we didn’t have the social network and familial support, that they freely enjoyed?  We forfeited that in moving our lives for the church.  Compassion was not to be found.  It seemed as if our lives were a blip on the screen to them.

    I may not have gotten along with my family perfectly, but I really missed them. I may not have realized it, but they were a support system for me.  After moving our lives to Michigan, I also homeschooled and felt even more alienated from the world and the society around me.    Many of the brethren did not seem to have the slightest clue of how difficult leaving life, as they have known it, really is.  I felt depressed, misunderstood and abandoned.

    April, these questions provided more insight about your struggle within the cult. These sects induce neediness in their members, so your social network and family connections are limited to those within the group.  Some separate you geographically, which is even more difficult.  Without anyone to talk to about your doubts, you are limited to the cult’s diehard members.  They will not tolerate dissenting opinions.  It’s their way or the hell-way.

    Next week, we’ll ask April about her experience with God’s will, bible studies, and sacrificing for God.

    Readers:  Do you have any questions for April?  If so, leave a comment below.

    1. Religious Cult Survivor Manipulated to Relocate
    2. Religious Cult Survivor Burns Irreligious Artwork
    3. Religious Cult Survivor Forbidden Critical Thinking
    4. Religious Cult Survivor Belittled by Fundamentalist Pastor
    5. I Escaped a Religious Cult – PsychPod Studio Podcast
    How do cooperatives chalk up cheap concert services? Her husband was diagnosed with a very dangerous and monstrous disease known as cancer. Also, if you go to the ticket tickets master you want to find that, if they are at an auction of any tickets, because it might be another good way to get more space for your favorite team. Some venues will require up-front payment while others may require a down payment with the remainder due at the end of the concert. My main info with free internet music is to test what works with you. Check out my slideshow from the show . The band took the stage to the drum heavy Silence and transitioned to the somber sounds of Hunter from their most recent album, Third. Andrea Bocella performed Con Te Partiro from Bocelli, his second album. The band reunited at the O2 Arena in London, England in front of a crowd of 20,000 fans. I could find detailed knowledge relevant to music downloads so this is no fly by night scam as best I can tell. Shop around for the going rate for your particular concert tickets. Concert can be relied on. This as it is with warmth and generosity that all are invited to partake in the pig?

    Denver Direct: 13th Annual Sand Creek Massacre Spiritual Healing Run

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    1327551429 42 Denver Direct: 13th Annual Sand Creek Massacre Spiritual Healing Run

    The 13th Annual Sand Creek Massacre Spiritual Healing Run begins Thursday November 24, 2011, at the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site. The run is an annual event coordinated by the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Montana with support from the Northern Arapaho Tribe of Wyoming, the Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, the National Park Service, Town of Eads, Kiowa County, the Denver organizing committee, and History Colorado to honor those killed at the massacre. This year’s event marks the 147th Anniversary of the Sand Creek Massacre.Activities associated with the run will commence with a Prayer Ceremony at the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site. The event will conclude in the afternoon of Saturday, November 26, on the steps of the west lawn of the Colorado State Capitol, followed by a reception for participants at the Denver Indian Center.Schedule of events: (all times are approximate)Thursday, Nov. 249 AM – Pipe Ceremony and prayer at the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site 55411 County Road W – Approximately 8 miles north of the intersection of Kiowa County Road 54 and State Highway 96, near the town of Chivington CO.Runners will be blessed and the annual Spiritual Healing Run to Denver will commence, followed by a meal in Eads, CO.Friday, Nov. 257 AM – Sunrise Ceremony – To Be Determined, The ‘Healing Run’ will continue on to Denver.7 PM – Candlelight Vigil at the Denver Art Museum Wheel sculpture,100 West 14th Avenue Parkway, Denver, CO.Saturday, Nov. 268 AM – Honoring Ceremony at Riverside Cemetery, 5201 Brighton Boulevard, Denver, for Captain Silas Soule, and Lt. Joseph A. Cramer, U.S. Army. Both men instructed their troops not to fire at the massacre.9 AM – Continue ‘Healing Run’ from Riverside Cemetery to 15th and Arapahoe, Denver, CO.9:50 AM – At 15th and Arapahoe — near the site where Captain Silas Soule was assassinated — the runners will join with walkers and continue on to the Colorado State Capitol Building.11 AM – Presentation on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol Building (West Lawn side) 4 miles distance – MUST REGISTER TO RUNNoon reception – Location To Be DeterminedFor additional information about the Annual Sand Creek Massacre Spiritual Healing Run/Walk, please call run organizer Otto Braided Hair (406) 749 4325.EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA™The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.To learn more contact Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site at 719-438-5916 or nps.gov/sand .The Sand Creek Massacre site is located at 55411 County Road W, 23 miles from Eads, CO. To drive to the site take Colorado Hwy. 287 near Eads, or west off Hwy 385 at Sheridan Lake. Near Chivington, turn north onto Chief White Antelope Way (County Road 54) or at Brandon, turn north onto County Road 59. Follow either road to its entrance with County Road W, one mile east (right) of its intersection with County Road 54, or several miles west (left) of County Rd. 59. Hours of operation at the site are from Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 4 PM. The park headquarters is located at 910 Wansted, in Eads, CO. The hours of operation at the park headquarters are Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM except Federal holidays.

    I feel justified in believing that with reference to concert. Here are my final words on free music websites and still, this won't be a solution. You can try quite a few of the free downloads music forums. You will need to survive for just over 2 minutes while a constant stream of ?razed fans??rush the stage, otherwise known as your planet. While the fans were sticking in the moment, the concert had everyone fired up as the Black Eyed Peas performed hit after hit. This is a brand new way to roughing up that. You should however not put all of your hope in such hospitality packages although it at times works to your convenience.

    Cults will turn your head

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    1327323442 85 Cults will turn your head

    It’s hard to resist Cults.

    I’m not talking about the brainwashing, robe-wearing religious fanatics. Those kind of cults’ indoctrination skills have nothing on the dreamy, spellbinding sound of the Cults rock duo — which plays the Paradise tomorrow.

    One listen to the chiming, hypnotic glockenspiel melody of “Go Outside” (complete with Jim Jones sample) and you’re hooked. Your eyes will go glassy, your mind will happily empty and you’ll fall in love with Cults.

    “ ‘Go Outside’ was the first song we wrote,” multi–instrumentalist Brian Oblivion said from his New York apartment. “It started as an almost gospel song because it had this gospel bass line. And very early, we knew we wanted to use that Jim Jones sound clip in the song. All the sudden we thought, ‘We should name this band Cults.’ ”

    Oblivion and singer Madeline Follin have converted thousands with their mix of swirling shoe-gaze rock and retro girl-group pop. Since the release of their self-titled debut on Lily Allen’s imprint this summer, Cults has played the hippest rock festivals and tallied a couple of million YouTube views for the “Go Outside” and “Abducted” videos.

    “There’s just this bizarre joy to these sad songs we do,” Oblivion said.

    “Abducted” is a perfect example. Over this cotton-candy melody, in a sweet-but-intense voice, Follin sings about heartbreak. Or wait, is the song actually about a kidnapping? By the end, it’s hard to tell if it’s love gone wrong or love gone really wrong — like a dude stuffing his ex into a trunk in the dark of night wrong.

    “Can’t it be about both?” Oblivion asked and then laughed. “People can interpret how they want. I wouldn’t want to say anything definitive and ruin someone’s vision of the song.”

    Oblivion and Follin met as high school students in San Diego. From the beginning, they struggled to find common musical ground.

    “When I put on Boards of Canada, she’ll yell, ‘Turn this spa music off.’ When she puts on the Adicts, I’d go, ‘Ugh, I can’t take this anymore,’ ” Oblivion said. “But our dirty secret was that we were both into this really kitschy ’50s and ’60s music like Gene Pitney.”

    As the two struggled to find influences they could agree on, they slowly chiseled out Cults’ curious sound. Now the pair are hard at work evolving that sound.

    After a long winter/spring tour that takes the band from New Jersey to New Zealand to Northampton, Cults plans to finish up album No. 2.

    “There’s a lot of expectations around second albums, so it’s important to stay in the zone where we feel the most creative,” Oblivion said after a morning spent writing. “No big studio, just working at home. I want to have 40 songs to pick from for the next record and we’ve already got 12 done.”

    Like any good cult leader, this guy won’t rest until he’s won over the masses.

    Cults, with Delicate Steve and Dirty Fences, at the Paradise, tomorrow. Tickets: $15; thedise.com.

    Then he has three female back-up singers to balance the other side of the stage. 14.The 35-year-old, Grammy-nominated Canadian singer will perform at The Warfield in support of her fourth studio album featuring the single,How Come You Never Go There. This would be a fragile surprise if it stuck to small baby steps. The fame provided non stop touring to the band. Amy shared a smile with those around and spoke with a pure heart. Publicists who work directly with bands often don't make as much money as corporate publicists and see their work with an independent band as an investment or a hobby. The genius introduced the musical instruments, timbales and congas to the rock composition genre. If we are going to use the internet to save money, then we need to save as much as this technology will allow! He claimed there were no health issues worth mentioning. Keywords are the prospects which are based on your research and are used on the web. (At times there may be spontaneous applause from the audience when a particular movement is particularly well executed.) Often the artist will choose to continue from one movement to another with little or no pause. I need to be suggestive of being at ease. The word perfect should be taken with a grain of salt. Amnesty International had decided to call upon the reputations of many well-known artists at the time to take part in a tour to raise awareness of some of the atrocities going on around the world regarding political prisoners.