Hi Everyone –
Warm greetings and blessings to you all!
May you be filled with lovingkindness.
May you be safe and protected from all inner and outer dangers.
May you be well in body and mind.
May you be at ease and happy.
Since last month’s newsletter – when I talked about moving DEEPER into trust and surrender, and about the most amazing people, places and things showing up on my path as I do so – I’ve been thinking (and feeling) a lot about ALLOWING.
When I’m faced with a challenge, I’m like a dog with a bone: my natural inclination is to wrestle with it on my own until I’ve solved it, no matter how long it takes. The good part about this approach is that it’s helped me to develop patience and persistence on the way to solutions; the hard part about it is that it can be a very lonely and (unnecessarily) long road to those solutions…
AND – I’m noticing myself getting more and more comfortable with ALLOWING myself to ask for help, and more and more comfortable with ALLOWING myself to receive that help… As a result, AMAZING things are happening in and around me – in much richer ways, and in a fraction of the time, as compared to me “going it alone”… And I’m truly and deeply grateful for all of it, and for the ability and awareness of ALLOWING myself to receive it. Blessed I am, and truly loved I am! Thank you God / Perfect Love!
With this in mind, I offer you an article and a quote as routes into YOUR exploration of ALLOWING:
http://www.enneagraminstitute.com/5growth.asp
(Info about MY Enneagram Type – what’s yours?)
“A musician must make music,
an artist must paint,
a poet must write,
if s/he is to be ultimately at peace with himself.
What a wo/man can be, s/he must be.”
– Abraham Maslow (Gender inclusive language added by me.)
AMEN!
THANKS to my dear friend Robert Anderson for inspiring me with this Enneagram article, and to my dear friend Flo Watts for inspiring me with this quote in MY exploration of ALLOWING.
How about YOU? How are you ALLOWING in YOUR journey? I’d truly like to know, so please e-mail me at NathenAswell@me.com and share it with me – we’re ALL in this together, and we have much to learn from each other. 🙂
REPORT
Here are my highlights from the last month or so:
– Performing at Unity of Vancouver’s “Metaphysical Mardi Gras” Coffee House. The highlight of this event is getting to play with some great musicians, and this year, I was honoured to perform 3 of my songs – 1 each – with David Sinclair (guitar), Pierre Charlebois (harmonica) and Terry Shippam (trombone). GREAT fun! Thanks, lads!
– Performing in and around Phoenix. This was my third annual trip to AZ, and every year’s trip gets bigger and better. This year, I had the great good fortune to perform a House Concert at Underground Oasis (Paul & Maggie Pfaffenberger’s home), two Church Services at New Vision CSL, a Concert with my dear friend Marcy Baruch at Jodi Floyd’s “Land of Ahhs” store, AND as part of “Soul Co-Op” at the annual Affiliated New Thought Network conference… Not to mention sitting in with my new friends Jim Pipkin and Scott & Marina (“Tranquilflute”) at a noontime performance in Mesa. WHEW! THANKS to all of my musical friends in the desert; I carry you all in my heart, and I look forward to seeing you again. 🙂
– Performing a House Concert (at Flo Watts’ home) and a Church Service (at CSL Kelowna) in Kelowna. THANKS, dear Flo, for opening your home to me; to Barb Samuel, Neal Klassen and Revs. Kenn & Deborah Gordon, for always making me feel so welcome; and to the many other Angels in that part of the world, for shining so brightly and for sharing so much of your hearts with me. Blessed am I to know you all. 🙂
– Performing a tour of the BC interior as part of The Euphorics. What a rich experience it is to make music with souls such as these – souls that I’ve known for 15 years. THANKS, dear Helen, Joani and Bing, for every moment that we’ve shared; you’ve made me better, and I’m happy to now be able to fully be me with each of you. XO
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
BIG NEWS:
– I am excited to announce that I’ll be PERFORMING AT ASILOMAR (in PACIFIC GROVE, CA) as part of the music team during the second week (AUG. 7-13) of the CSL CONFERENCE.
It’s not too early to register for either week of the conference! https://events.csl.org/index.php?option=com_registrationpro&view=event&Itemid=1&did=1
SPECIAL EVENTS:
– It gives me great pleasure to announce that THIS MONTH, my dear friend Sandra Dawn Nash and I will be performing alongside MICHAEL STILLWATER. (Details are below.)
– On the HOME FRONT, I’ll be performing at TSAWWASSEN UNITED CHURCH with Sandra Dawn Nash, AND with Janet Warren’s “HIGHER GROUND” Women’s Choir. (Details are below.)
– AND – THE EUPHORICS (a cappella quartet) will be making another rare appearance! (Details are below.)
Here’s what my ENTIRE CALENDAR looks like in the next month or so. I’d be honoured to see you at any of these events. (AND please remember that I welcome any and all opportunities to serve you with my music; just e-mail me with your ideas at NathenAswell@Me.com.)
April
15, 7:00-10:00 PM – Centre for Peace (1825 W. 16th Avenue, Vancouver BC) – “ChantWave: Community Singing Celebration”, with myself (NS Stick, vocals) and Sandra Dawn Nash (vocals) accompanying Michael Stillwater (guitar, vocals) – $15 in advance, $20 at the door. www.csl-lowermainland.org
17, 11:00 AM – Unity of Vancouver (5840 Oak Street, Vancouver BC) – Church Service
24, 10:00 AM – Tsawwassen United Church (693 53rd Street, Delta BC) – Easter Church Service with Sandra Dawn Nash
May
1, 10:30 AM – Centre for Spiritual Living White Rock (14600 North Bluff Road, Centennial Park, White Rock BC) – Church Service
10, 7:30 PM – Mulgrave School Theatre (2330 Cypress Bowl Lane, West Vancouver) – Accompanying the Higher Ground Women’s Ensemble (Janet Warren, director) in their spring concert – Minimum $10 donation.
14, 8:00 PM – Pender Harbour Performance Centre (Madeira Park, BC) – Concert with The Euphorics (a cappella quartet) – $20. www.PenderHarbourMusic.ca/concertseries.htm
NEW WEB SITE CONTENT
I’m getting a lot clearer about my path. As well as updating my “Calendar” and “Blog” pages, I’ve:
– updated my mission statement on my “Home” page;
– updated my bio on my “Bio/Press” page;
– added the lyrics to a song (“Metta”) from my upcoming CD to my “Lyrics” page;
– added a downloadable file (“Nathen’s House Concert Info”) to my “Services” page;
– added photos of my visit to AZ to my “Photos” page;
– added new comments (THANKS, dear Nancy, Heather, Susan, David, Mahalia, Toresa, Rosanne, Arden, Barb, Marion, Paula, Trinity, Ian, Marlene, Robyn, Kirsten, Denine, Andrew, Teri, Greg, Tiffany, Andreas, McCall, Jason, Marilyn, Shirley, and Tracy!) to my “Praise” page;
– updated info about my commitment to Seva Canada (www.Seva.ca) on my “Links” page. (Seva Canada’s mission is to restore sight and prevent blindness in the developing world; I now donate 10% of all performance fees, and $1 from every CD and DVD sale, to their important work.)
Happy April, everyone. Go with LOVE! 🙂
(My next newsletter will be from our new float home in Ladner! wooHOO!!!)
With love and gratitude,
– Nathen
www.NathenAswell.com
www.Facebook.com/Nathen.Aswell (I’d be honoured to have you as a Facebook friend)
www.MySpace.com/NathenAswell
www.SonicBids.com/NathenAswell
http://radio3.cbc.ca/#/bands/Nathen-Aswell