{Photo by JoAnn Manolis Photography... a little trivia, which musical project of mine is this image from?}
The Amanda West Newsletter | NEWS & ADVENTURES of a mama musician artist | Winter 2018
Hello Dear Ones,
Where does the time go? Already it is winter. Already another calendar year draws to a close. Already my baby takes his first steps and toddles towards his first birthday...
Life is busy and full, and often still quite blurry for me in the midst of sleep deprived young motherhood. But it is high time I sent you an update!
So here is one with:
- things to come
- holiday blessings & gifts
- highlights from the past few months
- a song of the month
Wishing you and yours: courage, peace and presence, as we wind our way through winter.
with love, song & hope, always, ~ Amanda
Not To Be Missed....
---> Sunday 12/16 @ 2-4pm <--- Women's Winter Solstice Circle
@ Pacific Cultural Center | 1307 Seabright Ave., Santa Cruz, CA Join song leaders Amanda West, Debbie Nargi-Brown, and Acupuncturist & Healer, Aimee Miller for an afternoon of song and simple ritual as we drop into the deeper parts of ourselves to align with the season while nourishing our heart & spirits... Debbie, Aimee & I recently met up for tea to plan out this event and I can tell you, it's going to be AMAZING! NOTE: We're keeping it intimate, and have had lots of interest, so we're anticipating it will SELL OUT so we HIGHLY suggest advanced tickets! MORE INFO & TIX: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3900297
For your holidays...
Baby Onesies, Music & Lessons!
---> It finally happened. We madeWomb Song onesies!
100% cotton, screen printed right here in Santa Cruz, uni-sex, and oh so cute. We've got sizes NB, 6m, 12m & 18m. Spread the love of song to all the tiny humans in your life. Get yours HERE.
-->Music lessons can be a great option for non-material gifts. I teach guitar, ukulele, voice & songwriting to all kinds of people, but my speciality is working with girls. I am now accepting new students for 2019. Find out more HERE
Some musical highlights of my past few months ...
* Leading a Womb Song sample circle at Santa Cruz's "Bellies, Birth & Babies" event
* Facilitating a beautiful Mother-Blessing ceremony in a private home atop the Santa Cruz Mountains
* My Fall Student Recital - so proud of all my students!
* Playing music for a child's birthday party in which I had one of those rare golden experiences where for just a few moments I could do and have it all!
If you're a super fan of mine you'll have noticed that the last newsletter I sent out was in September and it is now December, and I am usually so consistent in sending these out each month. What happened?
There are several ways I could explain, but most simply, I was swept away in the emotion of the autumn season this year; that is, I was swept away by grief. Many traditions recognize grief as a powerful aspect of the autumn. One only has to look to the trees to see that it is a time of ending, of loss, of letting go. Our great teacher, Mother Nature, understands how essential this is, every year.
As humans we are not always so graceful. It is easy to want to turn away from sorrow. Of course the incredible thing is, when one gives time and space to sorrow on a regular basis, to grieve for what is lost, it allows us to come more fully alive into the present of where we are.
Giving birth and coming into motherhood, whether for the first time or the 6th, is an incredible gift and beginning. But it is also an ending that comes with great loss - of everything that was before. This is true of anything we gain in life - a new relationship, a new home, a new job - beginnings and endings are filled with a joy and sorrow, a "sweet surrender."
This rendition of Sarah McLachlan's "Sweet Surrender" came to me several years after the birth of my first child. It became the song that allowed me to acknowledge that sorrow and loss of that time. Sarah McLachlan was one of my great inspirations as a young musician, and I am grateful as ever for her music, and honored to make it my own.
If there's a little something you've been needing to let go of, I invite you to sit down, close your eyes, take a breath, and
I cannot forget to say THANK YOU to all who answered my survey! If you never got a chance to, you still can. I love hearing from all of you, and will share with you, likely in the new year, what insight I have garnered from your feedback.
12/16 2018 SUNDAY--> Women's Winter Solstice Circle~ song & simple ritual for the season
@ The Pacific Cultural Center, Santa Cruz
2-4pm | Buy Tix HERE
THANK YOU again for sharing this journey with me. If you enjoy what I give, you know what to do! Join me at events, forward this newsletter to a friend or share my music/songs/videos, like my Facebook page and follow me on Instagram. And if you haven't already, please do....
