Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: inspiration

  • Flights of Angels

    Flights of Angels

    It should come as little surprise to learn that talented ‘cellist Margaret Maria lives opposite a cemetery where, within her view, stands a particularly large stone angel, which more often than not appears to provide the inspiration for many of the pieces on this, her latest work Flight of Angels.

    In direct contrast to her last powerful, feminist work Heroines in Harmony, this series of compositions is light, airy, reflective, immensely skillful and divinely intoxicating, reaching out with a very subtle but powerful energy that touches and resonates deep within the soul.

    Firmly believing in Angels is indeed wise, when composing music to them in the first instance, which is then to share with mankind in a voice of rare beauty, created via the many layers and powerful range of the ‘cello.

    Therefore, allow this glorious music to take you where it will, without definition; allow it to absorb your senses as each of the skillfully created tracks unfolds, pushing the senses to the very edge, allowing them to free fall into another time and place; a space which for some is seldom entered, but for others is familiar, relaxing and joyous.

    As always Margaret Maria’s music is powerful as in Another World Opens, a piece which is unusually captivating, so much so that the emotion woven is one of vibrancy and joy. Noted for her ability to create layers of sound from her beloved ‘cello, Tears of An Angel, reflecting on the sorrows of today’s world, displays perfectly this skill, creating a layered texture of pure sound.

    Mixed in with the various titles is the quirky And They Kept Kissing, an ethereal offering that has a delightful, almost Bohemian influence, a flouting of rules to create an individuality of sound to indulge the senses; a piece which brings to mind the famous pair of ‘kissing cupids’ much beloved of the 1990’s.

    Be Love is almost the musical equivalent of the emotional and often spoken  mantras of mindfulness, respect and love: a classically constructed piece which crafts a soundscape of love and hope for the future, before signing off on the inspiring and deeply spiritual Princes of Heaven, a slightly different vibration offered in thanks to the  four Archangels, who at various devastating times in her life were sent to offer, as only they can, their help.

    After listening to this impressive, divine and sensually pleasing series of angelically inspired compositions, Margaret Maria does indeed believe in and talk with the Angels, as they too believe in and talk with her, through the richness of her inspired music.

  • Soul Murmurs

    Soul Murmurs

    Anita Neilston takes us on an inspirational journey, in her second book Soul Murmurs as she shares her descent from ‘ normal ‘ life as a teacher into a black hole of illness and despair.

    Recovery from severe burnout, in a form of fatigue so bad she was relegated to her bed for days on end, eventually being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, M.E. (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), depression and anxiety, saw her seeking a better, more wholistic way to live her life. She began to write, commenced meditation and eventually found peace, healing and a new purpose to her life.

    Her emergence from that awful place with a new perception and understanding of life and nature is shared with us through her story which is offered in the form of short stories, lyrics, poems and prayers, plus exercises in compassion to follow.

    The book is divided into four seasons with a wonderful selection of pieces to select from at random.

    My suggestion is to read this lovely book from cover to cover and then keep it nearby. Open it at any page, if feeling down, and find a positive message to help you through your day.

    A thought-provoking book.

    ‘Dip into Soul Murmurs and float in its spiritual lagoon of tranquillity.‘

  • In The Distance

    In The Distance

    In this incredible tale narrated in music by Michael Bohne on In the Distance, focusing in on should, or when the earth will end, told through the metre of a hunting emotion underpinned by the never ending ticking of a clock, counting down the minutes, the work is, despite what could be considered bleak, presented in a style which although presented as within the New Age genre, is perhaps more like modern classical.

    Using an older piano, a Chickering Anniversary Grand Piano, Bohne has used the idiosyncrasies all older, well used instruments develop, to offset the perfection of the score and delivery.

    Bohne’s background is foundered in Rock and Roll, horror and sci-fi movies with the addition of Pop Punk and some serious heavy metal, so therefore how has he become a classical pianist of such talent. Thanks to David Lanz who offered the inspiration and encouragement for Bohne’s fertile imagination, he took up a personal challenge to play one of Lanz pieces “The Enchantment”, wining a YouTube competition with his interpretation.

    In this his first solo album, as always with music, a raft of interpretation is available, depending on the mood, the time and the emotion of the listener; In the Distance is no acceptation to this basic fundamental of music. Having listened to the music several times, each time a very different concept was raised.

    Initially doom and gloom are well portrayed, then a more mellow acceptance threads through the pieces and finally, on writing, an absolute respect for the standard and quality of the score and the tone; each time a differencing emotion, each time a confluence of feeling. From despair to hope, high and low, repetition and acceptance that thought life there will eventually be a finale; how that is to play out is an unknown.

    Unusual in that many New Age concepts are based on relaxation, meditation, emotion it is an entirely different and unusual concept to be faced with the possible ending of the world, transcribed in a conceptual form.

    In the Distance is a work which is beautiful; intriguing. Definitely a very different take on New Age classical music and one that is powerful, strangely enjoyable and in an unusual way, refreshing in its precision.

  • You Are Mighty A Guide to Changing the World

    You Are Mighty A Guide to Changing the World

    Have you ever wondered if you, as a young person can make a difference to something that is important in the world?

    The answer is yes, indeed you can; more often that you may realise, by simply sharing an email about environmental issues, supporting a local neighbourhood group do something good and so much more. In today’s world of Internet, it is a lot easier than it once was to support something you are passionate about, and in many ways, because of the Internet and the WWW young people of all ages are far better informed of world event that ever before in history, as the news is almost instant.

    If there is an earthquake in Indonesia, a War in Iran, a protest march in America or a stand being made about world environmental pollution, the information is there, ready to be read and discussed. Not only is it out in the public arena, but many differing opinions are also there presenting various points of view.

    Therefore, and as Caroline Paul says time and time again, no matter how old you are, you can make a difference to what is absolutely your future, by being proactive about issues that directly affect you, your friends and family.

    Many of you may ask, but I am only a kid, no one listens to me and yes, you are right, but only up to a point. If it is something you are moaning about, well, that generally gets you not far at all: but if voicing your opinion to get what you want done in order to help make a change in society is done correctly, it can be very, very effective.

    Caroline Paul gives tips, and provides case studies of young people who have already made a difference, and how you can go about making a difference, by making protest signs, Volunteering, letter writing, using social media, videos and so much more. She also offers words of caution when considering staging or becoming involved with Protests, as the sometimes unwanted and unasked for attention from the law enforcement agencies in various areas can be very dangerous.

    As the is book is written from an American basis, sadly being of coloured skin, or certain ethnic minority groups, a situation known as racism, protesting can be a very dangerous undertaking.

    There is also the perspective that you may have never considered yourself or your friends as activists, but if you have ever stood up for something you truly believe in, shared emails from groups such as Greenpeace, or helped friends write letters or investigate and create projects about a social issue, you are already an activist, doing your bit to help change the way the world thinks and often behaves.

    You Are Mighty is a ground breaking book which encourages the teens of today to investigate, challenge, take a stand and support the issues of today, which will and are, going to affect their future unless they begin to hold the leaders and adults of the world today to account.

    You are indeed mighty. Take a stand and make a difference!

     

  • Dare to Dream

    Dare to Dream

    In so many ways this glorious album is a tribute to the many people who have offered support and help over the years to songstress Lindsay Gaye Walker through the highs and lows of her life, and that of Sean Michael Paddison, her partner in this magnificent singer-songwriter duo.

    Deep is an introduction to the talent that is encapsulated in this their first release. Lindsay’s beautiful rendition of this piece is reminiscent of the style Loreena McKennitt made significant during the 1980’s and 1990’s.

    The title song ‘Dare to Dream Again’ is a gentle, loving duo created to encourage people to follow their dream, take a change on life and living, to follow what is truly in your heart, to take a leap of faith and celebrate.

    Classic and beautiful, the child’s prayer, Now I Lay me Down to Sleep, penned in the 1800’s, is given an almost ethereal remix in the form of a lullaby, with the addition of harp rhythms featuring the subtle influence of the violin and cello. The mix is perhaps one of the best pieces on the album, which is a tall call, as the other tracks are also something special, so much so that it is hard to isolate one piece.

    Each of the pieces encapsulates an emotion, a feeling, a thought, a hope and a wish, which blends completely into the philosophy of this talented duo, that is to be able to raise human consciousness through the medium of music.

    African influences created by Sean, are used in the backing of A New Day, that changes the soft, gentle, tempo created in the previous works, adding a subtle but specific depth to what could be considered an almost hymn-like piece, which when followed by A Journey Within, introduced with the soft sobbing of the violin, underlines the reverence which has been created in order to give thanks. Like a previous piece Riding the Winds of Change, it is instrumental and showcases the immense depth of talent Lindsay and Sean have within their disciplines.

    Onward to Glory certainly raises the tempo as it is reminiscent of a battle hymn, a call to arms, to rise up, go forth and conquer, which is after all what this majestic piece is all about – standing your ground and defining  your reality.

    Wrapping up this empowering album is an instrumental piece ‘Moonlight Waltz’ which heralds in with the violin played throughout the album by Maria Grigoryeva, one the many special guests whom have added their undoubted talents to the creation of this passionate, emotional and empowering collection of songs.

     

  • Eat Pray Love Made Me Do It: Life Journeys Inspired by the Bestselling Memoir

    Eat Pray Love Made Me Do It: Life Journeys Inspired by the Bestselling Memoir

    More than ten years ago Eat Pray Love hit the booksellers shelves and left them equally as quickly, as a travel/spiritual memoir from a lady called Elizabeth Gilbert hit a nerve right across the world, reaching out to so many people, male and female alike, with hope, encouragement and often with heartbreaking and touching simplicity, offering another perspective on life.

    Was it simply thing like the right timing to launch a book such as this or that wonderful synchronicity that can a happen when something important needs to be bought to world attention? This is the ultimate question raised and one that can only be answered depending on what and where your beliefs are focused.

    Over the years millions of people have read the book and millions of people have been affected in one way or another by Gilbert’s way of looking at the journey she undertook when she needed to learn to begin again and use what skills and tools she had available.

    Many of the people whose lives changed as a direct result of reading her book have shared these experiences with her over the years and in this, what could loosely be termed sequel, we are invited to discover the changes made in the lives of fifty of her readers.

    Each story is as diverse and the people who have offered them; from the woman who simply got up and walked away from an abusive situation, never to return, to the woman struggling to cope with the death of a much love mother, a man who finally stopped trying to control his ex-wife through the divorce lawyers and the man who cried and cried when he reached the end of the book, refusing to accept that there was not more to be had from Liz Gilbert and that if he wanted to make changes it was finally and irrevocably up to him to do something constructive.

    Funny, sad, quirky, heartbreaking, joyful and adventurous, this wonderful, celebratory follow-up is everything you could possibly want, as you allow yourself to resonate to trials, tribulations and conclusions. Each of the stories is so very easy to relate too; who has not failed to ‘get it’, looked down the barrel and seen nothing there, lost hope, lost faith, been at the brink of despair or simply lost, confused and angry with life; we all have.

    It is so comforting to know there are truly lots of others out there just like you, offering their solutions, the things that have helped them make a change, make a difference and allow them to begin again, to you.

    If you have not read Eat Pray Love, maybe now is the time to do so, after of course, you have taken a very good stroll through Eat Pray Love Made Me Do It and then brace yourself, because anything at all can and most probably will, happen!

     

  • The Ecology of the Soul

    The Ecology of the Soul

    ‘A Manual of Peace, Power and Personal Growth for Real People in the Real World’

    If you are seriously into making changes within your lifestyle, within yourself and the way you see the world about you, this is definitely the book for you.

    Billed as a guide for the ‘real people in the real world’ it is a bit like a course to rediscovery, focusing on what Walkers considers the Seven Powers; those of ‘Nature, Creativity, Endurance, Love, Communication, Focus and Connection’, or in other words, ‘Soul Consciousness’ and how to get there.

    From the beginning he recognises that everyone reading this work is not going to agree with every point made, with every philosophy discussed and every though expounded. This immediately sets the tone for an enjoyable read, which will, if you allow it, definitely make a huge difference to the way you do eventually look at life.

    Part 1 deals with the explanation of what, why and how all the many aspects of  ecology, human spirit, the  power of the mind and  most of all habit, play a huge part in how we live our lives and the expectations we have placed on ourselves in the ‘triple bottom line’ world we existing within. That most or many of us search for a better way, a better understanding, and more acceptable and enjoyable understanding of our roles on this earth, we more often than not fail in our search. Walker looks into why we do so and then offers a different , more simplistic way of making changes, thereby ‘rediscovering a more gentle and peaceful way of being’.

    Part 11 is when you really start to get into the Seven Spiritual Powers. Each of the powers stands alone in its own chapter and rightly so, as each one is specific and needs to be explained with clarity and guidance. Each one should be studied individually and not as a job lot in the rush to find the answers. By doing so the understanding of each of the Seven Powers is far easier to comprehend. As this is a very in-depth, powerful and comprehensive component of the entire philosophy, it perhaps needs to be undertaken almost as a course of study.

    Part 111 titled Power Seeds is a collection of mini-meditations that can be used on a daily basis, are simple and easy to remember but have a powerful energy, a trigger to create, enhance and change your actions.

    Walker encourages you to aim for the highest possible result on the pathway to enlightenment but along the way to remember that you are all too human. You will get it wrong but he encourages you to progress on your journey as the more you get right, the more you understand, the happier you become, which is all based on sound philosophes and principals. The ‘60 powerful seconds of daily, active meditation’ seeds to be used each day are there to reinforce, encourage and enjoy.

    What have you got to loose; nothing? What have you got to gain; so very, very, much!

  • Leading Mindfully

    Leading Mindfully

    Amanda Sinclair is like many of us in this fast paced world – too much to do and too little time. So much so that when she was forced into taking time out due to a series health issues, she realized it was time to take a look at how she lived her life and how best to be able to continue doing what she enjoyed in her working life, that of teaching and researching ‘Leadership’.

    Over the course of the following year she did two major things, completed training as a yoga teacher and read widely in both Yoga and the Buddhist philosophies, both of which form the basis for understanding more about ‘Mindfulness’ and how best to use it in all aspects of our lives.

    The next step was to build this philosophy into Leadership and how to better understand the effect  Leaders have on their staff or the people they integrate with and how to be able to get the best from each of these people using ‘Mindfulness’ as the underpinning strategy.

    Leadership, as Sinclair points out does not begin and end within the Corporate world, it is something that is carried out by people in all walks of life; from the Mum who is managing the local junior footy team to the volunteer heading up a group of like-minded people: leadership is there and carried out by so many people over a wide section of the community on a daily basis.

    The book is divided into three specific segments which deal with Leadership, Leading and Life/Living which is a simplistic way of breaking down what is enormous content, covering all aspects of Management and Leadership. In many areas Leadership is pitched at executive levels, but in reality relates overall to living life, understanding the role you play and how it effects those you work with on a daily basis, as well as how it affects you, how well you manage and the results you gain from using a different, more relaxed, mindful and integrated style of managing.

    There is so much to absorb, to encourage you to look at a different style of management which will produce good results, flow on to having a happy preforming team and still allow you to cope well with the stress of modern Leadership requirements.

    Overall Sinclair encourages us, which means everyone, to look further than right now, experiment with the twenty mindful practises outlined in the chapters, which are based in a variety of teaching and neuro-scientific research, as well as her many years of working, learning, teaching and living. She encourages you to discover that change, positive change, can be made and by making this change life and career can be happy, enjoyable and positive.

    Although titled Leading Mindfully this is a book about managing the increasing demands of modern life. Regardless of what you do for a job or career you will find her words inspirational and enjoyable.