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.
As I hold the intention to create more SIMPLICITY and SPACE in my life, new thoughts and new experiences are flowing into it. In April, I talked about EASE and GRACE; in May, I talked about FOCUS; and in June, I talked about RISK-TAKING. This month, it’s about ASKING FOR HELP.
As I move closer to September 1st – the day that I begin to completely focus on my calling of creating and performing music that inspires and heals – the more aware I am of people wholeheartedly supporting me in my decision to do so. My challenge is to ALLOW THEM to support me and to ASK THEM FOR HELP when I need it. My intention is to get better at asking for help by making it a daily practice – like exercising a new muscle…!
With this in mind, I offer you this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4) and these quotes as routes into YOUR exploration of ASKING FOR HELP:
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door shall be opened.
– Matthew 7:7-8
A little boy was having difficulty lifting a heavy stone. His father came along just then.
Noting the boy’s failure, he asked, “Are you using all your strength?”
“Yes, I am,” the little boy said impatiently.
“No, you are not,” the father answered. “I am right here just waiting, and you haven’t asked me to help you.”
– Unknown
A friend is a gift you give yourself.
– Robert Louis Stevenson
I get by with a little help from my friends.
– John Lennon
May this video and these quotes inspire you as deeply as they inspire me.
(THANKS to my dear friend Lyndia Scott for the “Free Hugs” video – there are now many different ones, and I encourage you to watch them ALL! – and to http://blog.gaiam.com/quotes/topics/asking and http://quotations.about.com/od/friendshipquotes/tp/10_friendship.htm for inspiring me to deepen MY exploration of ASKING FOR HELP. If YOU have suggestions for inspirational media to share in a future newsletter, or any thoughts or feelings that you’d like to share with me, please drop me a line at NathenAswell@Me.com – I’d love to hear from you.)
REPORT
Here are my highlights from the last month or so:
– Performing a short set of my own at Mark Fenster’s “Cantoria” CD release party. THANKS, Mark, for the honour and privilege of being a part your magical night. 🙂
– Rocking out with Darryl Nixon, David Sinclair, and Buff Allen at St. Andrew’s-Wesley Church. THANKS, Darryl, for being so open-minded!
– Performing at Brock Tully’s “One of a KIND Stories” with guest speaker Anthony Fulker. THANKS, dear Brock, for ALL that you do in and for the world; and Anthony, we made SUCH a good team that we’ll have to work together again!
– Performing at CSL Edmonton, and at a House Concert in Edmonton, with my dear friends Sue Hodge and Browne Anderson. BIG THANKS, Sue and Browne, for a delicious weekend on YOUR home turf – your kindness and open-heartedness is beyond measure. 🙂
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
BIG NEWS:
– As I continue to “plant seeds” and build connections and friendships everywhere I go, I’m getting more and more invitations to travel. My next stops are to new locations in OR (Eugene) and in BC (Quadra Island). Details will be in my September newsletter – stay tuned!
SPECIAL EVENTS:
– It gives me great pleasure to announce that I’ll be travelling to Cameron Park, CA to perform and record with Soul Co-op (Rev. Pattie Weber, keyboards/vocals; Rita Harrington, drums/guitar/vocals; Marcy Baruch, guitar/vocals; and me, NS Stick/vocals), and to the Seattle-Tacoma, WA area to perform on my own and with my pal Michael Morales (guitar/vocals). (Details below.)
– On the home front, I’ll be performing at The Harmony Arts Festival and as part of Jerry DesVoignes’ “TranscenDance 2010”. (Details below.)
Here’s what my entire CALENDAR looks like in the next two months 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.)
July
11, 11:00 AM – Spiritual Centre for Dynamic Living (1495 West 8th Avenue, 4th Floor, Vancouver) – Church Service
16, 9:30 PM – Lulu’s Lounge, River Rock Casino (8811 River Road, Richmond) – With Rachael Chatoor
18, 10:30 AM – Canadian Memorial United Church & Centre For Peace (1825 W. 16th Avenue, Vancouver) – Church Service
24, 3:00 and 5:30 PM – Whistler Street Festival – With The Euphorics (a cappella quartet)
25, 2:00 and 4:30 PM – Whistler Street Festival – With The Euphorics (a cappella quartet)
29, 7:30 PM – Silk Purse Arts Centre (1570 Argyle Avenue, West Vancouver) – With The Euphorics (a cappella quartet) – $15 ($17 for non-members)
31, 2:00 PM (Garden Stage, 15th Street and Argyle Avenue) and 5:00 PM (Fountain Stage, Ambleside Landing) – Harmony Arts Festival (West Vancouver)
August
1, 5:00 PM – Filberg Festival (Courtenay, BC) – With The Euphorics (a cappella quartet)
2, 2:00 PM – Filberg Festival (Courtenay, BC) – With The Euphorics (a cappella quartet)
6, 7:00-9:00 PM – Lynn Valley Library Town Centre Plaza (North Vancouver) – With Jake & Elwood’s Blues Brothers Revue
7, 7:00-8:30 PM – Spiritual Center For Positive Living (3294 Royal Dr, Cameron Park, CA) – Concert with Soul Co-Op
8, 10:30 AM – Spiritual Center For Positive Living (3294 Royal Dr, Cameron Park, CA) – Church Service
13, 7:30 (doors open at 7:00 PM) – House Concert in Snohomish, WA with Michael Morales (http://www.MySpace.com/unfinishedlips) and I – $15. (Space is limited, so please contact Mike ASAP at Morales@unfinishedlips.com to reserve your spot and to get details on the concert’s location.)
14, 8:00 – SoulFood Books, Music and Organic Coffee House (15748 Redmond Way, Redmond WA) – Concert with Michael Morales – By donation
15, 9:00 and 11:00 AM – Unity of Tacoma (2102 South 23rd Street, Tacoma WA) – Church Services
15, 7:00 PM – Unity of Tacoma (2102 South 23rd Street, Tacoma WA) – Concert – $10
20, 8:00 PM (Doors open at 7:30) – St. James Community Hall (3214 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver) – “TranscenDance 2010: A Joyous Celebration of Kirtan and Dance in Intentional Community!”, with Jerry DesVoignes, Elio Rota, Sandra Dawn, Shawn Soucy, myself and the One Voice Harmonic Choir. Advance tickets $20; $25 at the door. (Tickets available at Banyen Books & Sound, HighLife Records, and Utopia Books & Gifts; for more info, visit www.HealingVoices.net)(Please bring a cushion or mat for sitting during short meditation at the beginning and at the ending.)
22, 9:30 and 11:00 AM – Center for Spritual Living Tacoma (206 North J Street, Tacoma WA) – Church Services
25, 12:00-2:00 PM – Bentall Centre, Vancouver – With California Calling (Beach Boys tribute band)
25, 8:30 PM – Lulu’s Lounge, River Rock Casino (8811 River Road, Richmond) – With Rachael Chatoor
26, 9:00 PM – Lulu’s Lounge, River Rock Casino (8811 River Road, Richmond) – With Rachael Chatoor
27, 7:00-9:00 PM – Edgemont Village (North Vancouver) – With California Calling (Beach Boys tribute band)
29, 10:30 AM – Centre for Spiritual Living White Rock (14600 North Bluff Road, Centennial Park, White Rock) – Church Service
September
5, 11:00 AM – Spiritual Centre for Dynamic Living (1495 West 8th Avenue, 4th Floor, Vancouver) – Church Service
NEW WEB SITE CONTENT
As well as updating the blogs and calendars on my web sites, I’ve:
– added a new video of “To Love” from my performance at Mark Fenster’s “Cantoria” CD release party to my “Audio/Video” page, my MySpace page, my Concerts In Your Home page and my CBC Radio 3 page;
– added a new interview with Mark Judkins Helpsmeet of Northern Spirit Radio (in Eau Claire, WI) to my “Audio/Video” page;
– added the lyrics to “To Love” to my “Lyrics” page;
– added new comments (THANKS, dear Rebecca, Christine, Carol Ann, Rev. Dorothy and Carolina!) to my “Bio/Praise/Press” page;
– added photos from my trip to Edmonton to my “Photos” page and to my MySpace page;
– added links to two very inspiring men – www.Thomas-Moore.com (Thomas is a Medical Intuitive, and does very powerful work with simplicity and humility) and Mark Judkins Helpsmeet / www.NorthernSpiritRadio.org (Mark’s intention for his radio programs is to “encourage joy and energy for the physical work of bringing Divine Love to the planet”) – to my “Music Store/Book a Concert/Links” page.
Happy July and August, everyone. Go with love!
With love and gratitude,
– Nathen
www.NathenAswell.com
www.MySpace.com/NathenAswell
www.SonicBids.com/NathenAswell
www.ConcertsInYourHome.com/Artist/NathenAswell.html
www.Bruha.com/Music_Store/music_store.html
www.CDBaby.com/CD/NathenAswell
http://radio3.cbc.ca/#/bands/Nathen-Aswell