Review: Inner Rhythm Meditations

Byron Metcalf is a man that pours his soul into every avenue of his work. The passion that he holds for healing is ever-present in his latest release entitled Inner Rhythm Meditations: Music for Expansive Awareness & Inspired Movement, which is comprised of six soothing tracks that evoke a sense of peace and serenity. Explore his history, and one quickly learns that Metcalf is a man who goes above and beyond what is expected of him in order to breathe life into both his artistic and scientific achievements.

The beauty of the nature of the songs in Inner Rhythm Meditations is that they can be used as the background for personal meditation or listened to as simply blissfully serene music.  The opening “Garden of the Peaceful Warrior” woos the senses with the presence of resonating bansuri flute and very soft percussion running throughout the background.  The stage is set for the listener to delve deep into their subconscious and commence the process of transformation. A bit of trance influence can be noted in “As Clouds Dance” along with the incorporation of more drum work performed by Byron. The intensity and the frequency of Byron’s beats progress into “A Perfect Place” which serves as the climax of the album.  At this point, the listener is fully invested in the journey. Sailing into “The Awakened Heart”, this track evokes a sense of floating and conscious presence. It is the sonic equivalent of existing in the moment and simply being. Capping off the album, “The Presence of Longing” brings the listener back into an actively emotional state with the languid sounds of distant flute and gentle, tinkeling sounds in the background.

Byron Metcalf

As a man whose musical career spans over 5 decades, Byron Metcalf has the adequate tools to create a breadth of music that coincides with his HoloShamanic Integrations.  His enthusiasm for examining the healing potential of non-ordinary states of consciousness has earned him high acclaim and success in facilitating personal growth and healing inner turmoil.  For over 25 years he has been using sound, breath work, and music to buffer his shamanic practices and benefit the greater good in the most organic way possible and proving that the most important tool in healing is the mind.  

Metcalf shares his HoloShamanic Integrations in select workshops throughout the year. He offers an intensive retreat that combines shamanic practice, transpersonal psychology, ancient wisdom teachings, and various contemporary methods of spiritual growth and personal transformation.  The next retreat, scheduled for March 15-19th in Frost, West Virginia, will also incorporate the work of Karen Malik, MA, a uniquely gifted workshop/retreat facilitator, therapist and healer. Tickets are available from The Inn at Mountain Quest.

The Inn at Mountain Quest

To explore Inner Rhythm Meditations and Byron Metcalf's trance dance, meditation and drum music visit www.byronmetcalf.com or Bandcamp.

- Samantha Garcia for BEING

Review: Rest & Relax with Piano: Music for Rejuvenation of Body & Mind

Finding music to relax to is such an individual choice, which is why we love to share a variety of relaxing new music here on BEING.

This week, the premiere media company, Times Music, released "Rest & Relax with Piano" by Fiona Joy, subtitled Music for Rejuvenation of Body & Mind. While this is the Australian piano phenom's first release with the company, it is a point of interest that Fiona Joy is also featured on the 2015 Grammy-winning album Winds of Samsara, also distributed by Times in India.

Renowned music writer, Vivek Kumar, reviewed the album on 2Indya.com last week, which can be seen here.
 
While the new album is only available in India, one can enjoy sampling all the music & merchandise of Fiona Joy on her official website. Her music is perfect for both "active listening" audiophiles, as well as entertaining, yoga, driving and, of course, relaxing.

GOOD WORKS / NonProfit Events Spotlight

HavServe Gala Honors VOLUNTEERS,

Fundraises for Haiti on Saturday 1/14, 6-11 p.m.

The public is invited to join Volunteers, Partners, and Dignitaries for an evening of food, dancing, entertainment and prizes at Veteran’s Plaza soiree in Silver Spring, MD 

WHAT:                HavServe’s 6^th Annual Volunteer Recognition Gala & Fundraiser forRebuilding After Hurricane Matthew will celebrate Volunteerism with Haitian food, culture, great raffles and entertainment by Jean Appolon Expressions (JAE) a Haitian folkloric dance troupe, and PanLara, a youth steel drum orchestra. The event is open to the public, with ticket purchase online (price range $45 children - $75 adults, $80 at the door): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/6th-annual-volunteer-recognition-gala-tickets-28942603105

WHO:                     HavServe, a 400+ volunteer strong non-profit organization, promotes youth social and economic development in the Washington DC Metropolitan area and in Haiti through education, leadership development, and community volunteer service. Founded after the 2010 earthquake, HavServe is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization with international offices in the Washington Metropolitan Area and in Haiti; it is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity.  Links:  www.havserve.org, https://www.facebook.com/HavServe, https://www.instagram.com/havserve/

WHY:                     To fundraise for HavServe programs, to thank our volunteers, while enjoying Haitian/Caribbean entertainment, dancing and dinner by Chef Marie Miriame Michel of Chez Yiamme Catering.  HavServe partners with individuals, volunteers, institutions, businesses, and communities to help change lives through volunteering and service. We are especially proud to uplift our volunteers, partners and sponsors, including the Montgomery County Maryland Office of Community Partnerships.

ATTENDEES:        Int’l & Local Dignitaries, NonProfit Professionals, Volunteers & Individuals interested in HavServe’s efforts to rebuild partnering communities in southwest Haiti and to uplift youth, including those from new American families in the DC Area.  Members of the general public are welcome to this festive event.

WHEN:                   January 14, 2017, from 6:00 pm – 11 pm.

WHERE:                 The SILVER SPRING CIVIC CENTER at 1 VETERANS PLAZA, Silver Spring, MD

PHOTO OPP:          Guest Arrivals* and Entertainers (Jean Appolon Expressions, PanLara) from 6 – 7 pm.

CONTACT:             Media Contact for event access, photo opps., or more information, please contact Beth Ann Hilton, Director of   Communications and Marketing, at 310-560-8390 or bethannhilton@havserve.org

PRIZES:                 Silent Auction includes a RoyalCaribbean Cruise - Ocean View Stateroom 4-Night or 5-Night Caribbean Cruise for 2: Enjoy Royal Caribbean’s private beach destination Labadee, Haiti, with the world’s longest zip line over the water! And many more items...

ENTERTAINERS: Dancing by Jean Appolon Expressions

                               Music by PanLara Youth Steel Orchestra

Visit our ticketing website for all details at https://havservegala2017.eventbrite.com/

Artistic Works in Progress...

Protection and Giving in 2017: Rigzin Tromge

The one who conquers oneself is greater than one who conquers an army of 10,000.   

    ~ the Buddha

One of the most extraordinary artists and projects that crossed our desk in 2016 is Rigzin Tromge and her gift of sharing ancient prayers in music.  Rigzin, a deeply-dedicated Buddhist whose path included extended studies in Tibet, has only recently allowed her voice and prayers to be recorded to share with the world. An indie artist, she launched a Kickstarter effort for the radically-loving project, PROTECTION, and with over 100 sponsors and less than $6k to go in the coming days, it has a fair chance of making its goals. For us, it falls into the realm of "what the world needs now."

The artist, who embraces stunningly dramatic visual presentations of her work, released two albums to date -- UNION and TRANSITION -- and is in the process of crowdfunding to master & manufacture what may be her final album in a trilogy. Her lastest (perhaps most important album) is PROTECTION: Ancient Prayers for Radical Compassion, and it is a ceremony of protector prayers from the Tibetan Buddhist Lineages. 

Despite her fierce appearance in the PROTECTION promo materials, Rigzin's voice is gentle, ethereal, unforgettable. There is great comfort in knowing that she is constantly praying for all of us from her remote home in Northern California, surrounded by nature, her organic gardens, and her beloved dogs. Previews of the recorded vocals promise it to be as uniquely beautiful as her previous works, complemented with graphic design by celebrated artist Android Jones.

In the artist's own words, "PROTECTION is the wrathful aspect of enlightenment. These are more advanced, swifter and powerful than the peaceful practices. In these 'degenerating times,' the great highly-realized ones practice these wrathful practices.  What makes these practitioners great, more advanced, is that the practitioner must be unequivocally steeped to the deepest core of their being in selflessness and loving kindness."

If one is looking for authentic, artistic projects to support, look no further than this heart-based artist's KickStarter page. Among Rigzin's creative donor gifts are brilliant red prayer flags, Tibetan counseling, 3-album trilogy sets, and even a retreat to a remote cabin on her land in NoCal. See more, and hear a sample of the new music here.

As we enter a new era, we can all become patrons of the arts for just the price of a coffee or lunch; a good habit to adopt for the future of the authentic, positive, hi-quality art & music that we want in our world.

Visit the artist's official website: http://rigzinmusic.com/