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Discipline
This essay is essay #4 in a series connected to my new EP Cliff
Read essay #1 CLIFF EP INTRO here
Read essay #2 ELECTRIC HEART here
Read essay #3 CLIFF here
Read essay #5 NOT TOO SWEET here
The third tune on the EP is titled DISCIPLINE
**Having the energetic discipline to choose thoughts that are for the highest good is part of cultivating your inner CLIFF**
‘And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.’
This is, of course, the famous line from Genesis.
But did you know that in ancient biblical hebrew the word for ‘said’ in this text can also be understood as ‘thought’?
It’s obviously up to each one of us to deduce further meaning based on that fact.
One of the meanings I commit to is: thoughts create reality.
We are co-creators of our reality, and therefore it is up to us to choose the thoughts that would bring the best reality for all, including ourselves. This requires energetic discipline. It is a daily commitment; not just once in a while, but all the time.
”We see the world not as it is, but as we are.”
I really find this statement to ring true.
Therefore, I feel that having the discipline to live truly present, while attentive to what our presence tells us, is key.
The kind of discipline I’m talking about is in reality about; freedom.
If you have the discipline to see it, every moment offers possibilities for freedom. Possibilites of setting ourselves and others free from limiting beliefs. Possibilities to live life by what we experience and feel, and not what we are told to be or do. We can have the discipline to live by acceptance, forgivness and unconditional love. We can have the discipline to ask why we act the way we do. Then use it as a means to evolve; We can have the discipline to connect to our inner cliff of faith and choose unconditional love in every moment. What we choose to focus our thoughts on matters; what we focus our thoughts on creates an energy that we will then live by and broadcast to the world.
The song Discipline is for peace, love and laughs.
I made it with my pilates instructor Victoria.
My favorite thing about her class is that she expects her students to show up as the best version of ourselves - the version that has the discipline to do what’s harder at present, but that in the end will yield the best results. This version of ourselves also has unconditional love; It recognizes that we can only do our very best based on our current phase of conciousness, and that that’s ok. Judging ourselves and others is the opposite of having energetic discipline. It is part of a limiting world view. You either are in touch with unconditional love, or you aren’t. Be ok with what is, while recognizing that the moment most likely holds potentials for far more versions of freedom than we are able to fathom at any point in time. Sometimes, until we are able to make it second nature, it requires discipline to continuously choose unconditional love.
🎶 The Ep Cliff is named after, and dedicated to,
Dr. Cliff Inkles of Life Power Wellness in New York.
Visit LifePowerWellness.Com for more 🎶
Cliff
This essay is essay #3 in a series connected to my new EP Cliff
Read essay #1 CLIFF EP INTRO here
Read essay #2 ELECTRIC HEART here
Read essay #4 DISCIPLINE here
Read essay #5 NOT TOO SWEET here
The second tune on the EP is titled the same as the EP itself;
CLIFF
**Surrendering to life, being with it as it is, while holding a vision for something greater for you and others, is part of cultivating your inner CLIFF**
What is reality? Where did we come from, why are we here and where are we going? What possibilities are open to us as souls having this human experience?
As a spiritually inclined, sensitive artist, who loves being in my own company, I’ve chosen to spend a lot of time with questions like this.
Another question might be; What kind of force is it that makes flowers bloom, makes trees bear fruit and governs day and night in a perfect rythm? I believe that it’s the same kind of life-force that we carry within us. This force gives life, and organizes life, without asking anything in return. It is free flowing unconditional love.
For a very long time, it has been the norm of society at large to live in a state which is mostly out of touch with this force.
Although this kind of thinking won’t continue for much longer, it has been viewed as normal by most to ignore this force, ridicule our connection to it, or try to violently control it. Whether consciously or unconsciously, it seems to me that many people have been too busy with daily trivialities to re-connect to their true nature and reason for being. They forgot to pay attention to their life force, and they missed the opportunities it offered to let it help shape them.
This includes me. Over the last couple of years I’ve woken up more and more, and I am still cutting my diamond and polishing the mirror of my heart, like everyone else. Said in another way: I’m still cultivating my inner cliff and the connection to it.
An important piece of my puzzle was, and still is, attending Network Spinal care sessions.
If you’re not familiar with Network, you can learn more about what it is HERE and HERE. And I also recommend reading about the philosophies of the founders of chiropractic, D. D. Palmer and his son B. J.
Attending Network Spinal care sessions has put me closer in touch with my life force.
Sometimes, when we repeatedly choose to ignore the messages of our innate life force, life becomes an analytical excerise almost solely run by the intellect. We disconnect from our body-mind. We rely on force-force instead of flow-force. We choose what the intellect percieves as certainty, instead of choosing something that seems more uncertain, but that we have a gut feeling is more in accordance with our true, unique nature. I’ve made this mistake a few times!
While attending Network sessions I realized that, because most of us have been so accustomed to living life as a mental excercise, it can literally feel like jumping off of a cliff to try to trust the innate life force. It can be terrifying. But this very aspect is what all spiritual traditions have been talking about for ages; You have to have faith. You have to jump off the cliff. Proof comes after faith and action. Not the other way around. Life is experiential. And, actually, as written in essay #1, you will find that once you do jump, your perception of inner and outer cliff will merge closer, resulting in you bringing your unique light to the world. The cliff is both the question and the answer. It’s both the journey and the desination. It’s what you leap from, what guides you during your flight, and what you land on. It’s the most natural thing. It is universal consciousness and it is everywhere.
Dare to not turn your back on it.
We need the intellect.
Without it we could not cope on this planet.
And we also need our heart, our our intuition, our connection to that which our intellect can not comprehend.
We need to cultivate our connection to our inner cliff and become one with it.
The song Cliff is a love song.
It could be understood as an interpersonal love song, a love song to our guardian angel(s) and also as a tribute to life and life force.
This life force is our eternal companion.
So with that in mind, let’s try our best to take what we are given in this life, and accept it. Find the gifts in it and have faith in it; Have enough faith in it to acknowledge that our limited blueprint of what life should be will sometimes miss the bigger picture.
The bigger picture, of which you are part of, is perfect. Surrender to it, while taking on the responsibility of a co-creator for a better world. We become co-creators of a better world when we consciously use the energy of our life force for the best of humanity and beyond.
Each human is a unique expression of a heavenly tone. No one else can play your tone. Feel your tone and share the music. You can do that by jumping off your personal cliff, and genereously sharing your lessons from the trip with others. It can bring massive uncertainty, lots of lessons and sometimes a false feeling of loneliness.
But in the end it’s the most thrilling thing. And you will also find other cliff jumpers on your journey. Take it from me.
🎶 The Ep Cliff is named after, and dedicated to,
Dr. Cliff Inkles of Life Power Wellness in New York.
Visit LifePowerWellness.Com for more 🎶
Not Too Sweet
This essay is essay #5 in a series connected to my new EP Cliff
Read essay #1 CLIFF EP INTRO here
Read essay #2 ELECTRIC HEART here
Read essay #3 CLIFF here
Read essay #4 DISCIPLINE here
The fourth tune on the EP is titled
NOT TOO SWEET
**Speaking your truth - sometimes with a dash of humor - while holding multiple perspectives, is part of cultivating your inner CLIFF**
This tune is indirectly inspired by my learning Mandarin Chinese. For the last three years I’ve been diving into this beautiful and complex language, and I’ve also invested myself into learning as much as I can about Chinese history and culture. There are so many interesting facts, stunning pieces of art, and cultural take-aways from the different dynastic periods.
I’ve also enjoyed soaking in current trends and memes. One of the things I’ve picked up on, which might be unfamiliar to many people in the West, is that there is usually a discrepancy between East/West in terms of appreciation for sweetness-level in desserts. One of the highest compliments for a dessert in China would be to say that it’s ‘Not Too Sweet’.
I realized that, with a dash of humor, this concept could be carried over to a relationship setting, as well, and the tune Not Too Sweet was born.
Immersing myself in understanding a history and culture very different from that of my own upbringing, has made me more aware of the gift it is to hold multiple perspectives. The ability to see multiple perspectives at once, is one way to define a high level of conciousness. As the world becomes more and more interconnected, we are offered the opportunity to learn from eachother. This rings true on both an individual-to-individual level and a country-to-country level.
Just beause someone has a different way of going about things, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are wrong. It is a gift to be able to recognize how the ways of others shine light on both what is great about our own ways, and also what we could possibly improve. It also offers the opportunity to build character by respecting the way something is, without trying to impose, judge and project. Realizing that there is coherence and strength in differences, is part of cultivating our inner cliff. Different parts, different systems, different people all make up a whole solid cliff. We need to actively practice holding this perspective and not fracture our own cliff.
Not Too Sweet is a humoros love song not to be taken too seriously. I’ve found that humor is often the way of the universe, although sometimes we are only able see it in hindsight.
🎶 The EP Cliff is named after, and dedicated to,
Dr. Cliff Inkles of Life Power Wellness in New York.
Visit LifePowerWellness.Com for more 🎶
Electric Heart
This essay is essay #2 in a series connected to my new EP Cliff
Read essay #1 CLIFF EP INTRO here
Read essay #3 CLIFF here
Read essay #4 DISCIPLINE here
Read essay #5 NOT TOO SWEET here
The first tune on the EP is titled
ELECTRIC HEART
**Heart coherence brings a greater inner stability.
A more effortless connection to what is truly important.
Cultivating heart coherence is part of cultivating your inner CLIFF**
Did you know that the electromagnetic field of the human heart reaches out far beyond the body? It is measurable by today’s available tools and therefore has been proven and accepted by the standards of current mainstream science.
But even without that outside validation I believe most of us are innately aware of the power of the heart. To me, the heart represents what it truly means to be human; Connecting to the wisdom of the heart is connecting to the wisdom of the universe. Connecting to the source.
Whether we consciously realize it or not,
we affect others around us, much similar to the way adjacent tuning forks affect eachother.
Everything is oscillating, and the vibration of our personal heart center matters.
When we consciously choose to be present with ourselves and others in a state that is connected to the heart, we bring more light to the world.
This whole EP came to me after a session of Network Spinal care at Life Power Wellness in Manhattan with Dr. Cliff Inkles.
Dr. Cliff is recognized as one of the early contributors to the development of Network and is highly regarded as one of the most skilled Network Spinal chiropractors in the world.
Read more about Life Power Wellness here. Read more about Network Spinal and it’s founder Donny Epstein here.
Network Spinal has put me in greater touch with my body-mind, my heart and my soul. It is one of the tools available to use to achieve heart coherence. Other tools could be yoga, meditation, vocal toning and spending time in nature. Anything that can put your body’s systems more in sync with eachother, so it’s easier to cut through the noise and connect directly to your higher self.
”What would love do?”
For me, asking myself this question is such a simple and elegant way to connect to the wisdom of the heart.
Saying and doing what our heart truly feels, which - for me - is one way to define heart coherence, is what will move this world closer to truth.
Electric Heart is a love song.
It can be understood as both an eros and an agape vibe. To me, one of the most beautiful realizations open to us in this life is that agape love is always available.
It’s just a sprinkle of awareness plus a dash of a conscious choice away.
If you feel like you don’t have it, take the focus off of the limited version of yourself and try to give it to someone else, stepping into the larger version of you.
With that I’d like to close with a saying by Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk that I find to be true and beautiful: Only a broken heart is truly whole.
What does that mean?
To me, it means that we sometimes have to be cracked open or humbled to re-discover our connection to universal love. At the same time, I believe that we are moving into an era where we are remembering to choose love without being cracked open first.
We are, and will be even more, connected to our true essence, love, through our electric hearts.
Love is always available inside of you.
It’s the foundation of your inner CLIFF.
🎶 The EP Cliff is named after, and dedicated to,
Dr. Cliff Inkles of Life Power Wellness in New York.
Visit LifePowerWellness.Com for more 🎶
New Book About Divorce
My book ‘The Rice Is Cooked: - Five grains of wisdom to move on from divorce’ is out now!
This book is a tool to get back in touch with your true self after experiencing a separation and divorce.
It’s an interactive workbook that contains both reflections coming from me, and also questions for you, so you can find your own answers, reflections and lessons.
If you’re interested, you can check it out on amazon HERE.
Deep Truths w/ Iain McGilchrist
I’m currently reading the book The Master and His Emissary by Iain McGilchrist.
I really, really recommend it.
McGilchrist’s latest work The Matter With Things is what I’ll be reading next.
Linking two interviews with him here so you can discover why, in case you’re not already familiar with his work.
Enjoy! :)
Seena
2 minutes of inspiration
Hi guys! I just decided to make a series of short videos where I hope I can add a dash of good energy to your day. I personally love to watch all kinds of motivational videos on YouTube so I decided to make a few of my own. Hope you like it and if you don't at least you didn't waste more than 2 minutes of your time :)
The three first videos are pasted into this post (as you can hopefully see, lol). If you want to check out more of them go to my channel via the videos or click HERE.
Cherries is out now!
My new song Cherries is out now! I produced it myself (the actual editing and mixing in Pro Tools).
I’ll be releasing a lot more self produced music this fall.
I’ve spent the last year learning Pro Tools and Logic (music production programs).
My first few years in the music business was filled with so many people trying to take advantage of me and trick me because of my genuine love of music and because I’m a female.
You would be surprised at some of the names and stories.
Going forward I hope I can inspire other ladies in the business, and girls who want to get into making music. You don’t need a record deal, a producer, or anybody to believe in you, to make music.
All you need is your own creativity, determination and self-respect.
I’m not saying that it’s not good to collaborate with others - just as long as that’s what it is, and you pick the right people.
But just remember that no matter who you are and what you want to accomplish,
you don’t need anyone to get started or move yourself forward.
A thanks to all my jazz musicians - I was lucky to link up with you and still have you in my life - it’s incredible to be surrounded by individuals who actually have a true love of music after my rough start in the music business encountering people with zero integrity.
Thanks Adi, Taber, Darrian and Ken for playing on this track and some of the upcoming ones - chopped it up a bit on this one - you can hear more of their beautiful playing in upcoming tracks.
Chorus written by Lew Brown. Verses and break by me.
This mix is dry, bassy, minimalist and perfect for a chill Sunday - just like I wanted it to be. Hope you enjoy and thank you for supporting me and my music. I’m only getting started. Seena
About Hope
Last week I stumbled over what must be one of the saddest sentences I’ve ever read: “Hope is just delayed disappointment”. It’s so dark to me, also because I find that sentence to carry truth in it. But I don’t agree with it fully. Because yes, hope can be a form of delayed disappointment half the times or even nine times out of ten, but not every single time. What makes hoping worth it is that one time something works - that makes all those other delayed disappointments into stepping stones to your success. But I realize it’s easier to take that view looking back, of course. And I guess it also depends what it is you’re hoping :) Hope you’re having a good day and that all your dreams come true. Xo, Seena
At Your Own Pace
Hope I can inspire you today to stress down and go at your own pace with whatever project you are working on. Your well being matters just as much as the end result - if not more :) Namaste <3
What I Know For Sure
Dear reader,
Are you a big Oprah-fan, like me? If yes then I’m sure you know about the ‘What I Know For Sure’ column in O-magazine. If you have no clue what I’m talking about let me quickly explain that it’s a column Oprah was inspired to write after getting asked the question of what she knew for sure. It’s also something she asks her interview subjects very often. So, inspired by Oprah here is a list of a few things I know for sure.
It’s better to sleep on it if you can. If you have the opportunity to not rush your decision, you’re not going to regret taking an extra day making sure you’re making the right decision.
People can have slightly different perceptions of reality. It’s good to remind yourself of this once in a while as it makes it easier not to take things personally.
You can’t take back what you said or wrote. Think twice.
The road to success is not a straight line to the top.
Goals and dreams can change over time, and once you’ve reached one goal you very often have even more goals and dreams already lined up on your to-do list.
Money can not buy health nor the feeling of being content with what you have over time, no matter how much you have.
I feel happier when I exercise.
You teach people how to treat you. If something is unacceptable to you, let them know.
Life is full of surprises and curveballs for better and worse.
I’ve never regretted it when I’ve said ‘no’ to something to take care of myself physically or mentally.
For me it’s better to say ‘yes’ to fewer things, and then be 100% present at those things.
on discovering what works for you
Do you ever reflect on why you make the choices you do?
I’m not thinking about big choices, but rather those small choices you make every day that eventually add up.
I’ve reflected a bit on this and I’ve realized that there are as many “correct” answers to what good everyday choices are, as there are people.
Therefore the point I want to make with this post is that I think it’s a good idea to once in a while double check if what you are choosing to do is based on what you know for sure is correct for you.
Or are you making some of those choices because you think that that’s the only right way to go about things since those choices are working for someone else?
You are not that other person, so it’s not 100% sure that even if you follow the exact same choices as them (for example with your diet and exercise), you will have the exact same results.
A big part of life is discovering what works for you and then respecting that.
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The picture above is from a gig with my jazzband this previous Sunday. xoxo, Seena
New year | New Goals
Photo by: iwillbeRB
Happy new year everyone! I hope you had a nice New Years Eve celebration, wether it was just relaxing alone at home or doing something fun with friends and family. I spent it performing with my band at Le Coucou, an elegant and welcoming restaurant downtown Manhattan.
Do you have any New Years Resolutions? I don’t, but I do have a few things I would like to make happen this year, which got me thinking about goals.
I love setting goals for myself so I have something to aim for. But after nearly a decade in New York City I realize with each year passing that appreciating the journey to the goals is equally important as - if not more important than - reaching the goals, whatever they may be.
There are a few aspects to what I mean by this. For example, I think about the goals I have had for my music career; For me, what is fun to reminisce about are all the different situations and people I’ve met and what they have showed me about the world and also about myself. The memories along the way are equally as satisfying to think about as the fact that I/we reached certain goals. If you didn’t take time to be a nice person and to have fun along the way to reach your goal, how will you feel when you reach it? I want to be present in the moment. Appreciating and respecting my environment.
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Goals that are hard - and maybe impossible- build character, and they also force you to inspect what you are willing to sacrifice to reach them; I definitely don’t plan to be that person who always had to miss family occasions because of work. I also am not the person that will lie, steal and tear others down to reach my goals. New York has enough of those people already! :)
I know I’ve had a few goals that I decided not to pursue because I felt like the journey to that goal wouldn’t make me happy. It’s very freeing to say no to situations and environments that I sense aren’t right for me; it frees up time for new goals that sometimes turn out to be better than my initial wants.
The journey to your goals is actually your life and in turn how people remember you. The goals themselves may just end up being a few sentences in your bio when it comes down to it.
So enjoy and accept your unique journey and remember:
the day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit.
…or maybe it is, in a way? #moments :)
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