CD, Permission to Rest

I am so excited.  The CD is now being produced in Vancouver. 
There are two relaxations with a music only track in between to continue the relaxation from the first one, or can start it for the second. 

Or if you're like me, I just stay there for the both. Wow!

Time to get out and breathe!

It has been a busy time lately.  I've been working on the CD, getting a cover picture and writing info for the back about the relaxations, contacting the manufacturer, and listening to reference copies multiple times on 3 different players. 

Happy to say that now I've approved the graphics and the last reference CD so now the master can be produced, then one last listen before sending it off to Vancouver.

My old brain will finally get to rest again!  Although I did have a wonderful day on Sunday.  I went to a meditation workshop with a Tibetan Lama.  It was a nice chance to rest and let go of all the other things going on. I also met a wonderful lady who sat next to me that had moved here from Edmonton as well.

Driving home from the workshop I was reminded that I've been staying in the house too much lately, so now I have to get out and breathe, drive over to the ocean with my tea, get my runners on and just go.  Why not!   

Book Distribution

I am very happy to announce that the book Simply One Breath At a Time, is now available for on line sales through Red Tuque Books, ABE Books, and book information for booksellers and libraries is available through Book Manager.

ABE Books also handles international sales.

http://www.redtuquebooks.ca/

http://www.abebooks.com/

http://bookmanager.com/tbm/

A Master at Work

The last two days were at the recording studio.  That was fun!  My part was short, reading the relaxations then the rest of the day was in the experts hands.  Editing and making miracles happen with the music.  It was wonderful to watch parts of different tracks being merged together, overlapped, slowed down, cut out, lengthened etc to make it all work together with my words and timing. 

A Master at work is always wonderful to watch. 

So now, I can say I did pick the music that I wanted.  As the music is a huge part of the relaxation experience on a CD that will be listened to over and over, I wanted it to be soothing and at the same time uplifting, not dragging and depressing.  So this has all sorts of sounds that take you on a listening jouney as well. 

This has been a wonderful experience, and if I get the opportunity to make another CD, I will be even more excited as all the stress and uncertainty is gone and I'll just have creative juices on full speed now that I know what can happen when you have someone great to work with.   

Finding Music

This may be the hardest part of this recording process.  Maybe not later when I know more, but to find music from short samples is very difficult.  I spent days finding something and then more days agreeing with what I got and searching for an alternative because I just wasn't feeling it from the samples.

Anyway, I ended up getting something totally different and not sure I made the right choice.  The music is wonderful, but again, I'm not sure.  I hope it all works out.  I wish I had  more of  "the people" those experts who know about these things, take care of things in the background that I don't even know about yet, or who do all those others things to support me that need to be done because I'm not doing things I should be.

And as I write this, I'm realizing that I don't say thank you enough to those who are here, helping, and supporting me.  Expectations can often get in the way of thank yous and appreciation for others daily contributions to make things in life smooth from making lunch, walking the dogs, doing dishes, to always helping with computer stuff, etc etc etc.

I had no idea this note would be about anything other than finding music, and it has gradually gone in a different direction.  One of awareness, and expressing appreciation and gratitude.  A wonderful detour, and now I have some thank yous to give out!

Happy New Year!

I hope that this new year will be all that you want it to be!  May all your hopes and dreams come true...

Travelling Gifts of Wellness

Getting Others Involved in my Fun!

Roots to Breath, Dona Anderson

Sharing is Fun!

Update on the travelling books!

Most of the books have been given out but some are still waiting to connect with people or events.

The relatives who are helping me have taken this on with a lot of thought, passion, and consideration.  As one of them said, to only have 10 to pass out is hard, I could give out 100.   They are truly seeking out individuals who will treasure the book now, and then continue to spread wellness to others as they pass it on.

It has been a great pleasure to have started this wellness promotion and I hope it continues to spread simple everyday gifts and connect people who may be known or unknown at the time.

Some of the books have already made their way to the United States, Mexico, and Europe, while others will  be moving between provinces.  One lady had a book to give to her friend and a visiting relative had to have it.  The one going to Mexico was to be part of a winter book club.  I can imagine the beautiful sounds of the ocean, the birds, the warmth of the sun, and the sharing of gentle meditations.

Best wishes to all and I hope to hear more from those who are touched by this wellness journey.  Your stories will continue to give me inspiration to move forward.

How it got started

Some ideas are so good!  In late August I had the most wonderful idea.  I'm going to send 100 copies of my book Simply, One Breath At a Time, off as gifts to begin travelling on a wellness journey.

The idea was a good start, then I had to figure out how to do it and when you're excited it is all loads of fun.  I placed stickers in each book with information to explain that it is a travelling book of wellness that is to be given again by each receiver.  Each book is to be enjoyed and used, and then given again to someone else, no occasion required, to continue the journey to bring gifts of wellness to others.

Next, how do I get the books spread out to other parts of Canada?  Easy, recruit family members in other places and provinces to help out.  I passed out many of the books here in the Comox Valley, and the rest travelled to relatives in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario to be passed out there.

This will be a great way to get people talking about and sharing wellness with others.  Together we can help spread the benefits of breathing, softening, and relaxing, and lessen the accumulative affects of tension and stress.

I am hoping the books travel throughout Canada, and maybe even go to other parts of the world.  I also asked to get stories back about where the books go and the people who receive them. What fun this will be!

I can't think of a more wonderful way to complete this year than by beginning this wellness journey of 100 books, 100 people, and then watching it continue to grow and spread.

Namaste.

I'm going to a recording studio!

Family members relax, no I'm not singing!

A relaxation CD is being planned.  I am off to a recording studio in January to start work on it.

In my dreams I would have been a singer, although this would not have worked in real life.  So, I found another route to make it into the recording studio.

I have had many requests for a relaxation CD so this will be a fun project.  I will be nervous, scarred, shy, and all those things as well as excited and happy to try it and see what happens.  

Wish me well and I'll let you know how it goes!

Waking up to Silence

I woke up this morning and didn't hear rain. So nice, no rain...the reason I didn't hear rain, was that it was silently snowing.  It snowed all day, then in the early evening, snow changed to rain.  So what tomorrow will bring is a mystery. 

What I do know is that the snow today was beautiful,   Full flakes that held on to whatever it could.  The dogs loved their early morning walk when it was still lightly snowing so thankfully no feet and armpits full of stuck on snow balls.  They just loved to catch the snowflakes and jump up into the air like young puppies.  It didn't matter to them how cold or wet they got, they didn't worry about it when it was time for fun.  When they got home, they got to shake off that snow and find a warm place to rest for the day!

It's funny, the soft sound of winter rains when you wake up was replaced this morning by silence.  Today the  silence...turned out to be the gentle falling of beautiful snow!

I woke up to silence, but tonight I get to fall asleep once again to the gentle sound of rain and enjoy the cool, moist air as it flows in the open window.  We will all (humans and dogs) enjoy snuggling under the covers and periodically bravely sticking a foot or paw out to test the temperature and then decide where to snuggle next...Oh, the joys of winter!