The storm is the key to calming your inner and outer worlds

Last week in the first session of my ancient healing and transformational music course, I asked the students to wave a  proverbial magic wand, and share what would they most want to be able to say at the end of the eight sessions, such that they could say to themselves... it was worth participating in the course.

One woman shared that if she could just bridge the gap between the peace she feels when she sits alone and meditates to the heavy drive with which she operates in the world, she would be in heaven. She said that the schism causes her much frustration. She feels that she leaves her authenticity behind as soon as she leaves the privacy of her inner world, opening the door to the everyday workaday world.

Actually, I have found that meeting that schism straight on is the secret to bridging the gap between the experience we feel inside of peace, and the comfort we can feel inside while we operate in the outside world.

The storm is actually the key... 

When we stay connected to the storm we feel inside of ourselves, we stay connected to our authenticity.

The problem arises when we disconnect from our discomfort. When we are unwilling to meet discomfort, we run to cover it over with some band-aid solution... be it food, drink, busy-ness, isolation, television, internet... you can name your favorite here...

Rocky, bumpy roads are part of the path to discovering our inner power.

Discomfort can actually be a friend. When we meet discomfort of lifes bumps and bruises with kindness and gentleness, it ceases to bother us. The pain alchemically transforms into inner power. Fear dissolves and we are left with a deep sense of lasting peace which cannot be taken away.

Here's some music to smooth the rocky parts:



Two weeks ago Byron Katie came to Israel to lead a workshop in forgiveness. What a blessing it was to be able to practice self inquiry with so many open hearts. It was definately open heart surgery :-)...

What is your experience?

Heart Note from Ancient Israel

What is YOUR NOTE of wisdom to share?

Where is YOUR AUTHENTIC voice today?

Let's hear!!! We need to hear your voice!

The Continuing Saga of Miriam's Drum

Wow. What an amazing weekend. The trip to Miriam's well was amazing. We added in Mary Magdalene's well too since it was such a special day.

What I got was that the drum needs to stay in Israel! Miriam is not ready to go. She needs more grounding.

There was AMAZING STUFF that happened at the well. I understood that the drum needs to be present at the beginning of the two courses I am about to start here in Israel. The feminine voice of Israel must contribute to it's energy as well, such that you may well be the recipient of the drum after all :-)... This drum is not another item to add to a collection. This drum has special energy. It is not so special in terms of the physicality of it - it's a standard Syrian hand made drum. Its what this drum has been through, the energy it has imbibed and that it emits, that makes it so powerful. Sometimes, the simplest, smallest things end up having the biggest impact.

Here's what she looks like today, after her happy trip to the wells.



What might she be feeling in her heart? What do you say?

Song of the Sea - Authenticity of Ancient Israel in 2012

This weekend marks the Song of the Sea a special part of the bible which describes the Israelites triumphant parting of the Red Sea.

 The parting of the Red Sea, signifies freedom from slavery. In my last blog post I wrote about my own parting of the seas, and meeting my personal Armageddon only to meet the sweet waters of deep inner tranquility. In the few days since sending that mail out, my entire world is shifting around and it's so exciting!!! Frann Haykin wrote a wonderfully provocative response, and requested I write a blog post on Israel in 2012:

 No better time than the present... it's a gift... What's my response about Israel 2012? I LOVE being where I am and living here 2012. The Jewish holiday of Tu BiShvat represents an older more ancient tradition steeped in the matriarchal traditions of the area.

Digging deep to revive these traditions keeps me so occupied that I have little time nor energy to worry about popular consensus of the mass media, which speaks of destruction. Truth is, I LIVE 20 minutes from the Armaggedon site. The media speaks of destruction. I agree. Destruction of what has been. What arises from there is a rebirth of the deeper feminine traditions of the Near East.

So I've decided to hold an auction of this majorly cool drum I ritually painted with natural Henna dye (the henna plant is still drying on the drum in the photo). This drum is one of a kind. It is the prototype for the drums we will use in the Ancient Israel - Healing and Transformational Music 

Course which begins in late February here in Israel. Are you feeling disconnected, unfocused or out of energy? The motif on the drum is one of balance: 1) The six pointed star - common to Ancient Israel, India and China, represents a balance between heaven and earth, male and female... 2) The dots represent focus. 3) The squiggles represent water - reminiscent of the parting of the seas and the emotions of life, most powerfully embodied by the feminine energy of life.

 The drum is approximately 11 inches in diameter and approximately 3 inches in width. I write approximately because it is a hand made drum, brought to Israel from Syria. It's a living music peace drum. It's goat skin is all natural, which means that the drum head and the skin are EXTREMELY sensitive to weather. It's very much a LIVE drum. In wet weather, the drum needs to be heated in order for the skin to make it's wonderful sound. If you are interested in making peace within yourself, and with others, silencing once and for all, those inner critical voices, this may be just the thing for you.


  Here's the thing... I am opening a 24 Hour Authenticity Auction beginning tonight at Midnight (Israel Time GMT +2). You can calculate the time difference here. 1) After travelling a long distance to purchase this hand picked frame drum, made in Syria, I sat in deep meditation to receive guidance for its ritual design. The design you see in the photo is focused upon Parting of the Seas and Transformation. The design is painted with henna, a healthy plant, long used in the middle east as a coloring dye, ritual object and aesthetic tool. 2) On Saturday (Yes, on Shabbat),

 I will travel to the Sea of Galilee, to visit Miriam's Well. There I will consecrate this drum to the highest bidder. If I receive a bid over $900, I will personally compose for you an ancient healing and transformational music piece - that I will record for you at the ancient site itself, and send electronically to you. I will use this drum in the recording, at Miriam's Well, on the shores of Galilee. It will be YOUR personal touch stone. 3) The drum will be personally shipped to you, anywhere in the world. 4) This has never been done before. The money exchanged will be used to revive this ancient form of healing and transformational music. Bidding starts at $180.

 Leave your bid below, on my facebook page or email me: sodotmiriam at gmail.com

  Why Am I Doing This?

 It's authentically what I am feeling guided to do in response to Frann's generous posting.  It shows how I am living in Israel in 2012. It is authentic expression expressing itself in the moment. It shows  how creative you can be in any situation and find energy to move forward and feel good no matter what else is going on around you.

 It is time for this ancient healing and transformational music form to be shared BIG TIME. SO many people are to be supported in their authentic expression. So many people are secretly feeling despondent and it is ok.  There's a massive shift occuring. It's natural. There are simple practical solutions.

 How about stopping and taking some time for yourself!

Yes, it might feel uncomfortable since you're so wrapped up in DOING. Yet it's Tu Bishevat, the time to stop and dig deeper, to get to the root of the issues most important to you. This is where you will find the bedrock of your inner strength. Are you longing to reconnect to that deep well of wisdom inside yourself so that you can access answers to your hearts most pressing questions?

 No coach, no psychologist, no medium, no spiritual guide can truly help you here - as the answers you are looking for truly come from within. This Sabbath is the Song of the Sea. It is an auspicious time allowing for you to stop and part your own seas - freeing yourself from whatever may no longer be serving you. 2012 will not return again. NOW is the present time.

It is a gift. How are you giving yourself a gift of acknowledgment! WOW. It's so powerful to be authentic in this moment.

Nine hours later....

Here's a photo of the drum at 9:25 am Israel, Galilee Time:

The henna, when dried turns a green olive color.  The longer the paste sits, the more the plant dye seeps into the skin underneath. The result is a deep red color (when the paste comes off).

I feel so excited. My tunny is tumbling and it feels so good to be alive, following my muse and following the flow of creation... updates here...