Today's DailyOM Offerings...
January 13, 2012
M’Bemba
Salif Keita
2005
Salif Keita has been called the “Golden Voice of Africa.” He hails from Mali, where crucial ingredients for the blues were mixed together long before they were cooked into the folk music of the Mississippi Delta. Salif is in fact descended from Sunjata Keita, who founded the Mali Empire in 1240. A noble birth however, was not a boon to his guitar and singing career. Music is a lower-caste occupation in Mali, so Keita had to buck tradition to fulfill his destiny. To make matters more difficult, he was born with limited vision and no pigment in his skin. Albinos can be viciously persecuted in Mali as throughout much of Africa and Keita’s mother often had to hide a young Salif in response to death threats. You can certainly feel these struggles in his passionate, clarion baritone. Keita is credited as a founder of Afro-Pop, but “pop” describes his international reach more than his sound. Rather than synth or percussion; rhythmic, hooky, guitar playing dominates M’Bemba.! Hypnotic grooves lull you into a perfect state to receive Keita’s soulful vocals.
“M’Bemba” means “grandfather” or “ancestor.” Pitched at a mellow swing, the album’s title track is its longest at almost 9 minutes, all earned. It sets its graceful guitar hook in deep and layers on light percussion and splashes of Arabic-sounding strings and flamenco-esque lead playing. Female vocal harmonies alternate with Keita’s bright, resonant tone. This is the album’s dominant paradigm, but sometimes it veers into more adventurous territory. “Moriba” for example, is cast with a distinctly non-Western mold. Its hook is a rusty, whining twang in an unfamiliar, wheeling rhythm. The female harmonies are less clean and bright than usual, and when Keita’s vocals enter, they burst forth and tremble like rolling thunder.
Two mixes of the song “Calculer” appear on the album. Both are opposite to “Moriba” in mood, but most especially the first version which sounds like a dance mix. It is deliciously bubbly and bouncy, with a prominent synthesizer, some fuzzy bass and canned, hand-clap-like percussion. It’s about as far from folk tradition as you can get, but when Keita’s “Golden” voice comes in, it hits you with the same force as ever, right in the heart.
January 13, 2012
Acting Inspiration
Sagittarius Daily Horoscope
An uplifting mood can come over you unexpectedly today as you navigate your daily routine. While you may not be doing anything differently, you will likely feel different as you practice living mindfully in a concrete and practical way. You may discover that people in your life are turning to you for inspiration and that your conscious lifestyle is showing them that individuals can make a difference. Your relatives, friends, and colleagues may be following your lead, and making choices that are earth-positive and take into consideration the interconnectivity of all beings. Your joyful state of mind may become an ecstatic one when you see the positive influence you are having on others today. You may, without even trying, become an inspirational figure people look to for guidance.
You can inspire others to begin living lives of conscious awareness by simply making an effort to ensure that your choices and actions are reflective of the values most important to you. Most people are quick to close their minds to new ideas when they sense that they are being preached to or lectured. To be an inspiration, remember that deeds speak louder than words. When people in the various spheres of your life observe you acting as a living embodiment of your values, some will become curious and invite you to explain yourself. Others will see the worthiness of your personal beliefs and choose to adopt similar attitudes or to emulate your mindful lifestyle. When you live in accordance with your values today you'll inspire others to do the same.
January 13, 2012
Compelled to Create
Embracing Your Muse
Nearly all creative possibilities are related to the muses that inspire us.
Inspiration is an intangible yet inseparable part of the creative process. Nearly all creative possibilities are related to the muses that inspire us. The ancient Greeks believed that all creation, whether artistic or scientific in nature, was motivated by goddesses who served as the literal embodiment of inspiration. These were the Muses-the givers of the creative spark. We still rely on muses to drive the creative process, though ours may take a diverse range of forms. People we meet, intriguing ideas, movies, books, nature, and cultural ideals all have the potential to awaken our imaginative minds. When we are touched by our muses, we understand viscerally that we are capable of producing our own unique kind of greatness.
Many people move through life unaware of the presence of their muse. This lack of awareness can be compounded by the fact that we may have one muse that remains with us throughout our lives, multiple muses that inspire us concurrently, several muses that come and go as necessary, or a single muse that touches us briefly at specific moments. You will know that you have found your muse when you encounter a force that makes you feel courageous enough to broaden the range of your creativity. The presence of this force will erase your self-doubt and motivate you to give your thoughts and feelings form. Should your muse continue to elude you, however, there are steps you can take to increase your chances of falling under its inspired influence. If you surround yourself with people who support you, keep a pen and paper handy, immerse yourself in culture, and brainstorm frequently, you will soon reconnect with your muse.
Once you have identified your muse, embrace it by giving yourself over to the creative inspiration it provides. No matter what you are moved to create, you will find that neither fear nor criticism can penetrate the wonderful bliss that goes hand in hand with the act of taking an idea and turning it into something the whole world can enjoy.
January 13, 2012
Namaste Bean Grow Kit, A Life Worth Living & 3 more gifts!
Gift of the Week
Namaste Bean Grow Kit - Unleash the law of attraction! The Namaste Bean Grow Kit is a large, miraculous bean inscribed with Namaste. When the bean is planted, it grows with the inscription right on the plant. Inside each bean there is a purpose, a powerful energy waiting to be awakened by you.
IT IS SIMPLE - all you have to do is plant your bean and literally watch your dream grow before your eyes. As you plant, water, and see your bean germinate, send down roots and grow with the inscription of your dream into a beautiful plant, you will be constantly reminded of what you're striving for and you will be unlocking the power of the Law of Attraction. Constantly remembering our goals makes it easier for us to visualize and manifest that which we want in our life most. Namaste.
Namaste Bean Grow Kit
A Life Worth Living [book] - This is a book to be treasured by friends and relative of those who fill in any part of it. It provides a down-to-earth, nonintimidating way for each of us to record life's highlights as we go along. A wonderful gift-and one that gives back a thousand fold.
A Life Worth Living [book]
A Home for the Soul [DVD] - Channeled Meditations and Self-Healing for Well-Being and Abundance. Have you found love, happiness, and abundance? This DVD contains a series of channeled meditations, tutorials, and self-healing practices that are life-changing, simple to learn, and demonstrate how to dissolve all blocks and barriers to the life of your dreams.
A Home for the Soul [DVD]
Calm as the Night [CD] - As a harpist and healer who has studied and mastered the use of sound healing, Tami Briggs is the best of both worlds; she's accomplished enough as a musician that her harp music is consistently engaging in its subtle repetitions and variations, and she's also as rooted a healer that she can imperceptibly slow her tempo down and, in the process, put a whole room to gentle, relaxing sleep. Playing her harp completely solo, Briggs' eloquent variations on simple but profound themes never fail to reward close listening, as in jazz or chamber music, while at the same time having a profoundly calming effect. "Do not operate heavy machinery while listening to this music," th! e back cover states on Calm As the Night, and they're not kidding.
Calm as the Night [CD]
Bless This Food [book] - Sharing food is the most universal cultural experience, connecting people to one another, to nature, and to the infinite. Expressing thanks for food was the world's first act of worship and is common to every known society. Saying grace before meals is a wonderful family tradition to observe, as it acknowledges bounty and our daily sustenance as gifts from the divine. This book gathers 160 timeless mealtime blessings, including prayers from a variety of religions, ancient traditions, and visionary authors, as well as two in American Sign Language. Background on the prayers and the traditions they represent provides context for each eloquent blessing. Open the book to any page, an! d find a delightful way to enrich any mealtime gathering.
Bless This Food [book]
For more information visit DailyOM Gift Shop
M’Bemba
Salif Keita
2005
Salif Keita has been called the “Golden Voice of Africa.” He hails from Mali, where crucial ingredients for the blues were mixed together long before they were cooked into the folk music of the Mississippi Delta. Salif is in fact descended from Sunjata Keita, who founded the Mali Empire in 1240. A noble birth however, was not a boon to his guitar and singing career. Music is a lower-caste occupation in Mali, so Keita had to buck tradition to fulfill his destiny. To make matters more difficult, he was born with limited vision and no pigment in his skin. Albinos can be viciously persecuted in Mali as throughout much of Africa and Keita’s mother often had to hide a young Salif in response to death threats. You can certainly feel these struggles in his passionate, clarion baritone. Keita is credited as a founder of Afro-Pop, but “pop” describes his international reach more than his sound. Rather than synth or percussion; rhythmic, hooky, guitar playing dominates M’Bemba.! Hypnotic grooves lull you into a perfect state to receive Keita’s soulful vocals.
“M’Bemba” means “grandfather” or “ancestor.” Pitched at a mellow swing, the album’s title track is its longest at almost 9 minutes, all earned. It sets its graceful guitar hook in deep and layers on light percussion and splashes of Arabic-sounding strings and flamenco-esque lead playing. Female vocal harmonies alternate with Keita’s bright, resonant tone. This is the album’s dominant paradigm, but sometimes it veers into more adventurous territory. “Moriba” for example, is cast with a distinctly non-Western mold. Its hook is a rusty, whining twang in an unfamiliar, wheeling rhythm. The female harmonies are less clean and bright than usual, and when Keita’s vocals enter, they burst forth and tremble like rolling thunder.
Two mixes of the song “Calculer” appear on the album. Both are opposite to “Moriba” in mood, but most especially the first version which sounds like a dance mix. It is deliciously bubbly and bouncy, with a prominent synthesizer, some fuzzy bass and canned, hand-clap-like percussion. It’s about as far from folk tradition as you can get, but when Keita’s “Golden” voice comes in, it hits you with the same force as ever, right in the heart.
January 13, 2012
Acting Inspiration
Sagittarius Daily Horoscope
An uplifting mood can come over you unexpectedly today as you navigate your daily routine. While you may not be doing anything differently, you will likely feel different as you practice living mindfully in a concrete and practical way. You may discover that people in your life are turning to you for inspiration and that your conscious lifestyle is showing them that individuals can make a difference. Your relatives, friends, and colleagues may be following your lead, and making choices that are earth-positive and take into consideration the interconnectivity of all beings. Your joyful state of mind may become an ecstatic one when you see the positive influence you are having on others today. You may, without even trying, become an inspirational figure people look to for guidance.
You can inspire others to begin living lives of conscious awareness by simply making an effort to ensure that your choices and actions are reflective of the values most important to you. Most people are quick to close their minds to new ideas when they sense that they are being preached to or lectured. To be an inspiration, remember that deeds speak louder than words. When people in the various spheres of your life observe you acting as a living embodiment of your values, some will become curious and invite you to explain yourself. Others will see the worthiness of your personal beliefs and choose to adopt similar attitudes or to emulate your mindful lifestyle. When you live in accordance with your values today you'll inspire others to do the same.
January 13, 2012
Compelled to Create
Embracing Your Muse
Nearly all creative possibilities are related to the muses that inspire us.
Inspiration is an intangible yet inseparable part of the creative process. Nearly all creative possibilities are related to the muses that inspire us. The ancient Greeks believed that all creation, whether artistic or scientific in nature, was motivated by goddesses who served as the literal embodiment of inspiration. These were the Muses-the givers of the creative spark. We still rely on muses to drive the creative process, though ours may take a diverse range of forms. People we meet, intriguing ideas, movies, books, nature, and cultural ideals all have the potential to awaken our imaginative minds. When we are touched by our muses, we understand viscerally that we are capable of producing our own unique kind of greatness.
Many people move through life unaware of the presence of their muse. This lack of awareness can be compounded by the fact that we may have one muse that remains with us throughout our lives, multiple muses that inspire us concurrently, several muses that come and go as necessary, or a single muse that touches us briefly at specific moments. You will know that you have found your muse when you encounter a force that makes you feel courageous enough to broaden the range of your creativity. The presence of this force will erase your self-doubt and motivate you to give your thoughts and feelings form. Should your muse continue to elude you, however, there are steps you can take to increase your chances of falling under its inspired influence. If you surround yourself with people who support you, keep a pen and paper handy, immerse yourself in culture, and brainstorm frequently, you will soon reconnect with your muse.
Once you have identified your muse, embrace it by giving yourself over to the creative inspiration it provides. No matter what you are moved to create, you will find that neither fear nor criticism can penetrate the wonderful bliss that goes hand in hand with the act of taking an idea and turning it into something the whole world can enjoy.
January 13, 2012
Namaste Bean Grow Kit, A Life Worth Living & 3 more gifts!
Gift of the Week
Namaste Bean Grow Kit - Unleash the law of attraction! The Namaste Bean Grow Kit is a large, miraculous bean inscribed with Namaste. When the bean is planted, it grows with the inscription right on the plant. Inside each bean there is a purpose, a powerful energy waiting to be awakened by you.
IT IS SIMPLE - all you have to do is plant your bean and literally watch your dream grow before your eyes. As you plant, water, and see your bean germinate, send down roots and grow with the inscription of your dream into a beautiful plant, you will be constantly reminded of what you're striving for and you will be unlocking the power of the Law of Attraction. Constantly remembering our goals makes it easier for us to visualize and manifest that which we want in our life most. Namaste.
Namaste Bean Grow Kit
A Life Worth Living [book] - This is a book to be treasured by friends and relative of those who fill in any part of it. It provides a down-to-earth, nonintimidating way for each of us to record life's highlights as we go along. A wonderful gift-and one that gives back a thousand fold.
A Life Worth Living [book]
A Home for the Soul [DVD] - Channeled Meditations and Self-Healing for Well-Being and Abundance. Have you found love, happiness, and abundance? This DVD contains a series of channeled meditations, tutorials, and self-healing practices that are life-changing, simple to learn, and demonstrate how to dissolve all blocks and barriers to the life of your dreams.
A Home for the Soul [DVD]
Calm as the Night [CD] - As a harpist and healer who has studied and mastered the use of sound healing, Tami Briggs is the best of both worlds; she's accomplished enough as a musician that her harp music is consistently engaging in its subtle repetitions and variations, and she's also as rooted a healer that she can imperceptibly slow her tempo down and, in the process, put a whole room to gentle, relaxing sleep. Playing her harp completely solo, Briggs' eloquent variations on simple but profound themes never fail to reward close listening, as in jazz or chamber music, while at the same time having a profoundly calming effect. "Do not operate heavy machinery while listening to this music," th! e back cover states on Calm As the Night, and they're not kidding.
Calm as the Night [CD]
Bless This Food [book] - Sharing food is the most universal cultural experience, connecting people to one another, to nature, and to the infinite. Expressing thanks for food was the world's first act of worship and is common to every known society. Saying grace before meals is a wonderful family tradition to observe, as it acknowledges bounty and our daily sustenance as gifts from the divine. This book gathers 160 timeless mealtime blessings, including prayers from a variety of religions, ancient traditions, and visionary authors, as well as two in American Sign Language. Background on the prayers and the traditions they represent provides context for each eloquent blessing. Open the book to any page, an! d find a delightful way to enrich any mealtime gathering.
Bless This Food [book]
For more information visit DailyOM Gift Shop