Music For Freedom

A Poem From My Heart...with a link at the bottom to A Movie From My Heart...
Thanks to all for the most incredible night.


We came armed with our voices
And armed with our guitars
Our music rang out in the dark
I swear it reached the stars


The energy was electric
You could feel it on your skin
Love and hope filled the room like water
We jumped and dove right in


The sweet strum of every chord
The perfect notes sung just right
The slow crescendo of the moment
The heart song melody of the night


The music filled the theatre
Uniting our souls as one
Hearts beating in time to the sound
Of hope, laughter, love and fun


Magically each person came
To give back and do their part
A simple thing it may seem
But done with the greatest of heart


The music resonates in my soul
Long after the people have gone
The generosity of so many
Inspired by the beauty of song


http://gallery.me.com/karensnider/100000

Small things with great love...

"Not all of us can do great things. But, we can all do small things with great love."
Mother Teresa


What a true statement. I like to think that we can all do small things every day with the greatest of love and manifest goodness all around.
This week has been full of giving back in small ways...and my heart it overflowing with the good that is in this world!


One thing I did this week is help out Send 'Em Off Smiling. This is an organization that collects school supplies and fills back packs for families who need the help. It is a simple way to help many children start the year off with a smile and feeling confident and prepared. Delivering back packs...it seemed like such a small thing. The back pack deliveries were done with my Mom and my girls who are 2 and 3. It seems like such a small thing. Pick up some back packs and take them to kids who need them. I brought along my girls because I thought what a great way to get them involved even when they are little! So we filled the car as full as we could and off we went. It seems like such a small thing. Dayaa kept reminding me that there were backpacks at her feet, "Don't forget these back packs for the kids Mom." Only to be echoed by Laiklyn, "Me too back pack, kids!" We got to the first house to be greeted by 2 boys smiling and jumping saying, "Mom, they're here! The backpacks are here!" It seemed like such a small thing. We gave them the bags and wished them well and got back in the car as the boys smiled and dove right in to see what was inside. It seemed like such a small thing...done with great heart (I am especially proud of my girls who lasted almost 2 hours!!)...and what a huge reward!! The best part is we got to do it 13 more times that day and 15 the next!!!


Small things with great love. I often feel as if I don't do enough, but I have to remind myself...small things with great love.
So my challenge for you...what small thing can you do today or tomorrow or next week...what small thing can you do with great love? If you feel like sharing I would love to have people post things that they did...no matter how small it may seem!


If you need some inspiration...here is a small thing a coach did with great heart that made a world of difference...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tui8EOdv_VU
Yours In Kindness
Karen

The power of song...

Music is at the core of who I am. It makes me happy, it comforts me when I am sad, it touches my soul, it is one with my spirit, it is a part of my every day. I believe strongly in the power of song and thought I would share some wise words from some wise people as a prelude to a wonderful video...


"Music is the movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virtue." Plato


"Music in the soul can be heard by the universe." Lao Tzu


"Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought."
E.Y. Harburg


"Music isn't just learning notes and playing them. You learn notes to play the music of your soul."
Katie Greenwood


"Music is the shorthand of emotion" Leo Tolstoy


Enjoy this video...I certainly did!!
http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=2443

"The POETree"

After an amazing week that will stay with me forever...after a week of poetry and music...after a week of friendship and love...after a week of discovering found art...I am truly inspired.

I read about the POETree, which is an idea by a woman named Amy Krouse Rosenthal, I thought I would share her gift to Chicago with you.

http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=2532

So...I would love to create a POETree here in Waterloo, Ontario Canada! So my request is to send me your  poetry or your favourite poem by someone else, send me the words that move you and I will take good care of them and share them with the world.  My email is kmac7337@gmail.com.

I am so excited to see what you send!! I will keep you posted as I collect the poems and as I choose the perfect tree!

Yours In Kindness

Kindness Manifesto

By Karen Snider
Today I will love myself and see my inner light.

Today I will love the world and always do what’s right.

Today I will look in the mirror and love what I see.

Today I will respect myself and be proud to be me.

Today I will help someone, a stranger or a friend.

Today I will show compassion, on that you can depend.

Today I will be kind in my thoughts, words and deeds.

Today I will lend a hand to someone who’s in need.

Today I will use my heart to guide me all day long.

Today I will be myself and know that I am strong.

Today I will be genuine and mean the words I say.

Today I will have the power to make change in my own way.

Today I will not judge and accept people as they are.

Today I will celebrate differences, we are each a shooting star.

Today I will stand up for those who have no voice.

Today I will remind everyone they always have a choice.

Today I will be grateful for everything I’ve got.

Today I will appreciate all the lessons I am taught.

Today I will be positive and smile all through my day.

Today I will find the good in all that comes my way.

Today I will do all these things, every single one.

Today I will change the world and I ‘ve only just begun.

Home Sweet Home and my last day...

What a greeting! Two bouncing, happy girls jumping into my arms and hugging so tightly....what a sweet, sweet feeling. That greeting followed by a day where they needed to be touching...or at least close...at all times. I did miss them so. I was also greeted by a husband who gave a great bear hug and 2 very happy dogs. How blessed I am!

So...the last day...

Began with my last talking circle. It was lovely and touching as usual. We haven't known each other long, but we are all connected in a very strong way now. We have been witness to much sadness, hurt, fear, strength, happiness and above all...healing on so many levels. We all shared our hearts and souls this week and have come together as a group of strong, creative and loved women. The most important message I am going to take with me is...What I want for my girls, I have to want for myself. I need to be the model of what I want for them. And what I want for them is happiness, strength, to be able to make time for themselves, to be secure with who they are, to listen to their hearts, to be who they want to be and to love themselves completely.

After the circle we set off with our last writing assignment and it was a great one. Figure out what your 3 contracts with the universe are. What is your purpose here? Then take all that you have written and boil it down to one sentence that sums up your purpose. "I am here to..." What an interesting and challenging task! Then an hour spent in silence to create.

A lot of the rest of the day was welcoming new people (there are lots of people who were just coming for the weekend of music), swimming, visiting, making Dayaa and Laiklyn their own piece of found art, decorating for concert day and for me, packing up! In circle I said what a funny thing it is that I was sad to leave home, but happy to arrive and now again I am sad to go but happy to get home!

We had another circle before our communal dinner under the Shady Gate (which is something I am going to miss!!) A nice blessing was said and then before leaving we all watched as one person would turn to the person next to them, they would each put their hands on each others shoulders, look into the others eyes and say "I see you, and I love you." What a moving ritual. Then to dinner!

And the last thing...and a wonderful way to end my time here...was open mic around the campfire! Ferron started it off with 2 songs and then it was off to many others. There was some amazing music, some amazing poetry and I took everyone back to Kindergarten and had everyone sing "If you're happy, powerful and loving and you know it", I read my kindness manifesto and taught everyone the song "I think you're wonderful!" It was a nice light part of the night and many people came up after and said they would have loved it if I was their Kindergarten teacher! To end the open mic night I convinced Bitch to perform, who I think is amazing, and then she and Ferron did a soing together to close the show. All that amazing stuff followed by hugs and tears and laughter and goodbyes as I got in my car at 11:00 and started on my journey home! 

I am changed by an inspirational trip, I am changed by a group of amazing women who I can now call friends, I am changed as a woman and I am changed as a mother. I can't wait to share the gift of this trip and the energy I am bringing back with everyone I come in to contact with!

Oh what a trip...

I am going to keep this short as it is 2AM and I am just stopping at the Holiday Inn so I can sleep and finish the rest of the drive tomorrow!

I will tell all about the day tomorrow. All I will say is...
Grateful for Ferron, for Fen Fest, for a beautiful land, for amazing and inspirational new friends, for my whole family that I can't wait to see, for my wonderful husband for encouraging me to go and being a wonderful Dad and for my precious girls who I can't wait to snuggle!!!!

I am so completely filled with all things good.

Acceptance

I don't think I have mentioned much about the women here, and there are some amazing women here!! This week is organized by Ferron and another singer named Bitch. I have fallen in love with Bitch's music too! I am so grateful for meeting these two amazing artists and I am so grateful for their music and now also for their friendship.

The core group of 17 that have been here for the workshop part of the week are all women I feel connected to. With all that has been shared and all that we have done together it is truly a lifelong bond.

To be amongst a group of strong, passionate, creative women day in and day out is outstanding! I have done things I never done before and felt free in a way that is so new to me. I plan on bringing the essence of the week back with me and sharing it with everyone.

Our circle today was wonderful...as usual. We all were given a piece of cloth at the beginning of the week and told to find things throughout the week that represent important things or fears to then tie up and wear around our necks. We had the tying ceremony today and it was so neat to hear what everyone else put in their bundles and why. So many experiences like that, getting to know people on such a unique level! Then we got our writing task and off we went.

The rest of the day flew by! There was visiting and writing and music and insights and eating. We had another sit down dinner which is neat. We always do a community prayer in the Shady Gate before dinner which is lovely.

Evening talk circle around the campfire where everyone shared a piece of reading. There is incredible talent and insight and I feel so inspired at all times. Then they brought the TV out by the campfire and we watched the documentary that Bitch and Billy made about Ferron which was fantastic. A piece of art in and of itself. Now just hanging out by the fire and almost ready to head to bed.

Last day tomorrow and I definitely have mixed emotions! I would LOVE to be here for the actual fest and see the concert and be a part of the parade of flowers. But I can also hardly wait to see my family!!! I can't wait to give my girls a huge hug!!!!!! I have missed them like crazy!

It keeps getting better...

I started my day by talking to my girls...what a great way to start the day!!

A girl who just arrived,Cat, did yoga in the Shady Gate and it was so peaceful and serene and helped me to find my centre for the day!!

Then it was to the Shady Gate again for morning talk circle. The Shady Gate is a structure that was created to have our circles in and it is magical!!! We are all creating found art and placing it at the altar in the centre...there are some pretty cool things to look at! We all shared whatever we wanted to share and then Ferron gave us our task for the day.

Next, off into 2 hours of silent creating. I got a lesson in watercolour and spent some time painting...not my forte it seems!! (hahaha!) Then I wrote for a bit under the Shady Gate. Last but not least I joined the circle of women who were crafting. We had to make a piece of found art that represented ourselves. What a neat process...walking through the woods trying to find things that jump out at you. Then, taking those things and somehow combining them into you. I got mine almost done but I decided to place it on the altar to let it gather life from the Shady Gate!! I will finish it's journey tomorrow.

Then we just had time to visit and get ready for a sit down dinner. There are 23 of us now and it was really nice. Ferron made everyone homemade chicken soup. We usually just eat whenever.

Time again for evening talk circle around the camp fire. It was very emotional and people shared some very deep and serious stuff. It is so amazing to be a part of a circle of women who are so supportive and caring and listening and witnessing individuals going through some pretty tough stuff. What loving energy can do...it knows no bounds!

What comes next at 10:30 at night..ice cream party by the fire of course! Then out come the instruments and let the music begin. Ferron sang 2 of my favorite songs...what a treat! So now I am sitting, cozy under a blanket in front of the fire, writing in my blog and my soundtrack behind me is amazing musical women singing, playing and drumming. Perfection!!

I have to say this trip has been a gift...a gift of heart and spirit...a gift of love and creativity...a gift of soul and inner self...and I am loving and savoring every second! Can't wait for tomorrow!

More than I could have hoped for!

My first full day...full of excitement and creative energy.

I survived my night in the tent in the rain!!! I actually even slept well! After I had some breakfast I ran to the store to get some food and proceeded to lose my keys!! The car was locked and my phone was in it!! I had luckily put Ferron's number on a piece of paper in my purse. After searching the HUGE store for 30 minutes I called and Ally Katherine came to get me. We searched again...through my tears...and still came up empty handed! We came back to The Fen and some of the other lovely ladies offered up their AAA so at least I could get my things!

When we got back, the morning talk circle was about to start so I decided to join in and hope the store might call a d say they found the keys. The circle was wonderful...an introduction of ourselves to each other and then some creative writing prompts given by Ferron. That was followed by 2 hours of silent creative work. Oh what you can do in silence. I wrote a ton, I walked the grounds, I reflected on my journey here and collected some found art.

Then back to the car...called Triple A...got in...still no keys...traced my steps for the 10th time and when all hope seemed lost...found the keys beside a pair of PJs I was looking at for the girls!! Everyone here thought it was symbolic that my keys were left by something I was looking at for my ladies!!

Came back to the Fen to cheers and hugs and a celebration for the keys! We had a great dinner as a group and then met for the sharing talk circle. Totally amazing!! Emotional, beautiful, sad, touching, from the heart! There are some very sad stories here and some amazing journeys that I feel so privileged to be a part of. We all shared some of our writing and talked about when we have felt powerful in our lives and the difference between power and force. Very enlightening discussion.

After the circle around the campfire, we broke for a s'mores and marshmallow time! Then out came the instruments and the singing and off we went!!! There was 3 guitars, a viola, a fiddle, 2 drums, some shakers and a tambourine! Ferron sang some songs, others sang some originals and we did some old classics everyone can sing along to...ending with Amazing Grace in 4 part harmony! What a perfect end to an amazing day!!!

I have arrived!

So, I am here! It was a smooth drive here and I found it no problem! The goodbye to the girls was uneventful...hopefully Luke can say the same thing after tonight!!
I was a bit teary in the driveway but I soon had my music playing and I was singing away! I was most nervous about pulling up in the driveway to...I had no idea what! When I pulled up there was 5 women sitting and chatting. I introduced myself and Ferron remembered me right away! She gave me a hug and showed me where I would put my tent and then helped me put it up!!
So I have just been exploring and getting to know some of the women! At 7 there will be the first talk circle and everyone will share about their journey of how they got here. So far I have met poets, singers, musicians, artists and so much more!! What an amazing group of women!!!
It is raining now so I will let you know how my night of camping goes in the rain!!!
What a neat first day with more still to come!!!

Tomorrow I am off...

Well...just a quick one...it has been a crazy busy day and I am still trying to finish getting ready but I am excited!! I have been a little teary about being away from the girls but I know that this is going to be such an amazing experience and opportunity! I will be glad when I am there and have connected with some new friends!

So...one more sleep...

Karen Snider "The mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates, the great teacher inspires." William Arthur Ward

Take a leap of faith...

This seems to have been a long time coming. I just have so much to say and so much to share!! Right now I share through emails...which I will continue to do!! I just thought that I would create a place where I can go in to more detail, a place for my own thoughts and ideas, a place where I can share wonderful and inspiring video clips, a place where I can share articles and ideas and quotes from other amazing people! I am hoping to offer up a little of me, a little of others and lots of inspiration to make change and do good!!


This blog is going to start as I start on a journey myself. A week and a half ago I went to a concert by a woman named Ferron. Now, I had never heard of her before and knew none of her music. I went in having no idea what to expect and came out having been witness to one of my most memorable music experiences. Her music was amazing, her lyrics touched my soul. She played with a man she had met the night before who knew none of her music and it sounded as if they had been playing together forever. At one point after a very moving song she said "It is so neat to hear your soul reflected on someone else's guitar." Amazing! Between songs she talked about meditation, peace, love, and the soul. I was inspired by every part of the night and as we left the theatre she was there to give a hug and say thanks for coming and sharing in her music. As I hugged her I said that I didn't know who she was until today but I want to be her best friend! To which she replied, "You already are." What a cool lady.


During the concert she asked if anyone was going to Fen Fest and a few people cheered. She then went on to say it is a week long journey of workshops on peace through creative expression. You go with your pen, your paper, your thoughts, your instrument and simply create.You go and camp on her 60 acres (only 100 people) in Michigan. So, I went home and got right on the internet to learn more. I had a few questions so called the number on the website (which happened to be Ferron's cell!!) and have now talked to her 3 times on the phone and I have signed up to go!! Maybe we will be best friends after all!! It has been too long since I have really taken the time to write and make music and I feel like this trip was meant to be.


So this is where my journey begins...taking a leap of faith...I leave Monday...by myself...first time away from my girls...scared, nervous, excited...going with my guitar, my song book, my heart and soul open and ready for an amazing experience. Wish me luck!!