Category Archives: Communication

Angels, Bandits and the Power of YES

Amazing things happen when we open to receive the good that abounds. Last summer, I said YES to perform at a music festival in Brønnøysund. It took three days to drive there with my sweetheart in a super cool electric Nissan Leaf and three days to drive back, across the beautiful mountains of Norway. And, as I thoroughly enjoyed the whole festival experience and appreciated all the aspects of the journey, I received another proposal. A group of extraordinary women musicians asked if I wanted to join them in a band. Again, I said YES.

Engla & Banditta

Our band name is Engla & Banditta, which in English means Angels and Bandits. The name itself is significant for many reasons. In addition to our music being incredibly expressive, deep, joyous and diverse, ranging from Bluesy Rock to Jazzy Pop, we have a fierce social engagement and a soft spot for the underdog.

Banjo- and guitar playing Tove Bøygard, who sings in real Halling, is improving the lives of drug addicts and prostitutes as a social worker. Bass- and castanet playing Venja Ruud Nilsen and sax tooting Bente Mari Mortensen are improving the lives of women prisoners as music therapists. Swedish singer/songwriter and electric guitar player Sara Andersson teaches and performs with extraordinary depth and compassion. Legendary drummer Metch Johannessen fights for the downtrodden with every beat of her heart and drum. And I, in addition to sharing my own personal story of overcoming adversary in Finding Venus, give seminars and teach Vocal Freedom for anyone and everyone who wants to heal from post-traumatic stress, find/ strengthen their voice and let their heart sing with no holds barred.

Engla & Banditta in Action

Engla & Banditta recently completed our first concert series, with performances at Iris Scene in Odda, Bredtveit Women’s Prison and Herr Nilsen in Oslo, Norway. The audience response has been amazing and we are now getting ready for a delicious summer of joyous expression in both Norway and Sweden.

If you would like to book us for your event, party, club, stage, TV or radio program, let us know via booking@englaogbanditta.com. Chances are, if schedules allow and the price is right, we’ll say YES!

Click HERE for a video teaser from one of our shows in Oslo!

Musically Yours,
Caroline Waters

Creating Something Awesome

There is something so thrilling about having a blank canvass, free from old attachments, to paint on. And the idea that I have colors at my disposal that I don’t even know about yet is equally thrilling.

What I am creating in the moment is truly exceptional. It is a culmination of all that I have lived and learned on my journey so far, with the secret ingredient being total freedom from attachment. Freedom from imposed deadlines, result oriented expectations and financial pressure. Freedom to simply create what feels good and inspired in and by the moment.

The key to accessing the blank canvass requires nothing but courage. The courage to be still, to wait, to listen, to not try to fix anything or make anything happen. When we dare to simply show up for the present without attempting to fill it with the past or the future we have access to infinite power of creation.

From that position of creative power (presence), we get to choose what elements we’d like to include from the past, present or future. Elements that are discovered in the moment tend to contain the most expansive energy, whereas elements from the past or future may feel energetically constricted because they tend to be emotionally charged in one way or another. That being said, a mixture of the three might exactly be what we want in order to create something juicy and delicious with a hint of spice to it.

I am creating a fabulous mixture of all three at the moment – onto a truly blank canvass. The canvass is blank simply because I have released all expectations and worries connected to the outcome of that which I am creating. I am simply gathering elements from the past, present and future that feels good to me. I am not trying to control or fix anything. On the contrary, I am in the flow. And in the process, I am creating something awesome.

Love Always,
Caroline

Letting Go

It’s not easy to let go. Not for people like me. I am so practiced at fixing things, maintaining equilibrium no matter what, taking the higher road and reaching for the good in everyone and everything. These are useful habits, but sometimes they keep us at bay.

Sometimes anger is good, as it propel us forward and help us take action. I have found it extremely helpful to acknowledge the contrasts that clarify my desire. Accepting people, things and events for whom and what they are, without trying to fix, change, belittle or make excuses for them, can release a tremendous amount of energy, – energy that is otherwise bound up in denial or repression.

I have found that, when I allow this anger or dismay to simply be what it is, an uncomfortable feeling, a gage, if you will, that helps clarify my preferences… When I allow this feeling without resistance, it changes form quite quickly. Resisting my feelings, resisting change is what causes me to feel pain. When I let myself go with the flow and allow the gage that is my emotional meter to simply clarify my objective, I can rise to my own occasion with surprising speed and elegance.

This year is a year of tremendous change for me, personally and professionally. I am letting go, physically and emotionally, of people, places and things that have held me at bay. And in doing so, I am stepping up to my own plate in a way I have never done before. By letting go of that which no longer serves my creative vision I am opening my heart and soul to new dimensions of being. It’s very exciting!

The most effective way for me to let go of people, places and things are by acknowledging the awesome gift of their being in my life. I am eternally grateful for each and every experience that has led me to this place in time. No matter how joyous or sad, not matter how pleasurable or painful. Each contrasting experience have served to clarify my vision and enhanced my dream building.

As I mentioned in the beginning of this blog post, it is not easy for people like me to let go. As a matter of fact, it has taken me half a lifetime to get to this point of feeling okay with it. But I can tell you this much. The joy I am feeling at the core of my being as a result of my resolution to let go of the old and embrace the new is beyond words. I highly recommend it!

Here’s to celebrating the Now, by fearlessly releasing the ghosts of the past and embracing what is to come with no holds bar!

Love, Blessings and Cheers from Caroline

The Infinite Wisdom of Cats

Early this morning, as the sun began to beam and stretch over the horizon, I was privy to a remarkable interaction between two beautiful black cats, sitting in the street across from my kitchen window. They seemed to be engaged in a very serious conversation about their relationship and took turns meowing and listening to each other.

After almost ten minutes of this rather extraordinary exhibit, an elderly gentleman in robe and slippers came out to fetch his newspaper in the driveway. The two love balls swiftly dashed under a parked car and came out flying on the other side, like a yin yang ball of fire, enmeshed in a furious embrace, rolling full speed across the street toward me. Then, with shocking elegance, they came to a complete Matrix stance, their respective coats in perfect shine, and began a staring contest that simply left me in awe.

What amazed me the most was that the energetic interaction between these two magnificent creatures seemed just as profound as any human interaction I have ever witnessed. They appeared to exhibit a deep love and respect for each other – and the ease in which they expressed their emotions was simply mind blowing.

The display of infinite wisdom in these animals served as a reminder for me to be present in the moment and in my body, – and to interact with others, fully present and in my body. Lately, I have been wrapped up in conflict resolution involving numerous analytical processes regarding what was said. Very silly, but quite automatic. Sometimes I just can’t help myself. And these two cats, in spite of the fact that I have no clue what they were saying to each other or what their issues might have been, totally helped me get out of my own way.

I feel like dedicating this blog post to my little Rascal, who used to help me get out of my own way on a daily basis when she was alive and well in this physical time and space reality. She was an amazing healer. Here’s a link to a music video we made together: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nfY6JzvadM

Enjoy!
Rascal on top of the bookshelf

Vocal Freedom in Oslo

Norway just had an election. The liberal Labour party got the most votes, but did not make it because the right wing parties combined were stronger. Surprisingly, Norway’s most racist, selfish and anti-climate party got lots and lots of votes. I can’t even begin to explain how that is possible in a nature loving country that is on the leading edge when it comes to equality, anti-discrimination, education and social welfare.

To live in a society where we are free to choose how to vote, how to think, what to believe in and how to express ourselves is a privilege that we need to appreciate, savor, take advantage of and not take for granted. I voted for the Green party, simply because I wanted someone to strongly represent mother nature in government. And, as I ponder how to be most effective in making a positive change for the issues I believe in, no matter what kind of government is in charge, I choose to focus on Vocal Freedom.

The positive aspect of having oppositional parties in power is that we tend to engage in debate more passionately and be inspired to take new action. This, in turn, helps us realize who we are on a deeper level and , hopefully, gets us to hone our skills and talents. I am totally inspired and committed right now to better myself so I can make a difference in the world at large through my words, music, performance and coaching. Will you join me? Will you make sure your voice gets heard?

Vocal Freedom guides us through a powerful transformational process to find, nurture and strengthen our individual voices, so we can express ourselves fully. Since several people have expressed an interest, I will be offering another seminar in Oslo before I head back to perform Finding Venus and to teach Vocal Freedom on the Beach in LA.

Stay tuned at www.carolinewaters.com/seminars.php

Cheers,
Caroline

Scoring Greta Garbo

It has been a remarkable process, creating the music and sound design for Swedish actress Ottiliana Rolandsson’s one-woman show “I Was Greta Garbo”, which only yesterday finished its first run at The Zephyr Theatre in Hollywood.

I Was Greta Garbo

Since I didn’t have the luxury of being there in person, perhaps the greatest challenge was going through every process via DropBox. But in spite of missing the face to face interaction with my co-conspirators, I have found it very cool to discover more of what is possible to accomplish via the Internet.

Capturing the essence of an enigma such as Garbo was indeed a tantalizing task. She was so brilliant, so multi-faceted, so powerful, so tender and so beautiful in her being and performance that anything I added would have to be simple enough to underscore the storyline, yet complex enough, deep enough and vulnerable enough to match her energy.

I decided that for me, personally, the essence of Garbo was seductive, sensual and deeply committed to the moment, but not a moment longer. Musically translated, I decided to create pieces of music that bore promise of a deeper commitment, but shamelessly and sometimes surprisingly would leave the listener wanting more. Of course, this needed to be done with enough grace and poise and subtlety to avoid arousing suspicion.

It is only in the scene of her death, or rather, in the scene where she realizes she is dead, that a release of emotion and a completion of form are reached in musical terms. And even here, I have consciously placed an eerie reminder of the stirring she left in the hearts of all who had the pleasure of witnessing her, on screen or in the flesh.

“I Was Greta Garbo”, starring Ottiliana Rolandsson, will be playing in Stockholm this summer, courtesy of The Garbo Society of Sweden. And I plan to be doing some live performances in conjunction with it. Feel free to stop by if you’re in the vicinity or are moved to make the trip.

Stay tuned at www.carolinewaters.com/shows.php or feel free to sign up on my email list for VIP notifications. All CDs are available at my online store.

Musically Yours,
Caroline

Orgasmic Proportions

Yes, I have made quite a commitment to myself for this new and amazing year. For no reason other than the feeling of it being deliciously inspiring and tantalizing, I decided to dedicate 2013 to bliss, in its most potent exposure.

Caroline_500

 

Imagine the most delicious of all flavors embedded in each and every moment of being. Imagine holding, releasing, breathing, embracing, receiving and savoring the exquisite sensation of intentionally focused pure positive energy in every move, thought, word, note, pause and cadence.

The very notion of aligning my entire being, path, creations and interactions with the essence of this intensely focused yet amazingly reverberating and expansive energy is both thrilling and terrifying. It requires that I meet every single moment fully alive, fully present, completely receptive, heart wide open. It demands that I listen with all my senses and allow the well being of all that is to move me, without resistance, beyond ego, beyond comfort zones, into new, delicious and continually expanding consciousness.

Care to join me? Welcome to Vocal Freedom 2013!

All Love,
Caroline

Purpose, Gratitude and The Soul of Money

I have spent some time lately contemplating the purpose of what I do for a living. Some people argue that I should be making more money doing what I do. Some wonder why I am not making millions and living in some fancy mansion. For some reason, they aquate creative success with bling and stash. And, seeing that I am being fairly successful in the creative and performative department, they are surprised to find that I live such a down to earth lifestyle.

Here’s the thing, though. Although I write and perform words and music for a living, and always appreciate a generous exchange, I don’t do it for the money. I do it because it is a calling. I do it because I believe that I can change the world for the better by using the talent that I have been given as best as I can and follow my bliss. And I also believe that when we show up consistently and do the work that is required of us in order to follow our bliss, all else will follow. No exceptions.

The truth is, my desire is not to have millions or live in some fancy mansion. My desire is to simply do what I do and have sufficient income to sustain my life and my creativity, so that I can continue to tell my stories and sing and teach and write and create good vibrations  in the world at large. At this very moment, I am ecstatically happy and perfectly content. I am so grateful that I get to do what I do and I am thrilled that I have a fairly simple and down to earth life to go with it.

For example, I prefer walking, hiking, cross country skiing and riding my bike to motorized transportations. I prefer sharing a pot of tea or a bottle of red wine from Trader Joe’s in the company of beloved friends to fancy parties in grown-up clothing. I don’t have a clue why people make such a fuzz over fashion, hair dues, shoes and accessories. And I prefer small cosy homes to stone cold mansions.

I read a brilliant book about money called “The Soul of Money”. The book is written by Lynne Twist and talks about the true value of money and how we can think of it and use it in the most rewarding of ways. Lynne worked side by side with Mother Theresa for over ten years and has single handedly raised more than a hundred million dollars for charitable causes. In the book, she talks about sufficiency versus abundance and how we can change the world by replacing greed with generosity. She talks about how money, just like water, will become poisonous if there is no movement, if it simply collects in one place, and how it will not only gain momentum, but gain value as well, as it flows.

I am so grateful that I am able to be completely satisfied in the moment, as I am, perfectly imperfect, in progress yet complete, with powerful dreams and aspirations leading the way. I am truly, truly happy for my life, for the beautiful angels that continue to grace my path, for every obstacle that inspires new creativity and for the world I live in, which grows more fascinating every second. Do you realize how much good there is to be done, how many opportunities to love, to create, to sing, to dance, to listen, to embrace, to savor, to cry, to let go, to be all the amazing things that we are to ourselves and to each other?

Thank you for being part of my life, my journey and my music. Thank you for reading this! Do you know what a difference you make in my life? In the lives of each and every person you talk to, listen to or touch in any way, simply with your being? YOU make a difference, no matter how much money you make or spend. Don’t forget it. I sometimes forget, but  this serves as a good reminder;)

Love and Blessings,
Caroline

Fantastic Reception!

I am so grateful and humble and filled with love after Wednesday’s premiere of  Finding Venus (På Hengende Håret) at Cosmopolite Scene in Oslo, Norway. I was so scared before the show, worried I wouldn’t remember the words or that people wouldn’t show up. Instead, I was completely focused and aligned with source, felt the energy move through me with effortless excitement, and was able to communicate with everyone in a most delightful fashion.

The audience was amazing! There was so much love in the room, mixed with tears and laughter and sincere indignation in all the appropriate places. People were listening, really listening, in a way that helped me speak and sing and play with the fullness of my being with no holds bar.

Photo by Bjørn FolkmannMy co-actors and musicians were also outstanding! I can’t begin to express my gratitude for the talent, friendship, love and pure positive energy they shared with me on that stage. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

This coming Sunday is the last chance to see the show in Oslo this year. We hope to see many of you there! Please spread the word to your peeps in Oslo:)))

In October, I’ll be meeting with producers and agents in New York, singing my heart out in concert at Twins Jazz in Washington DC and finally landing in LA to continue the amazing journey of Finding Venus. To be continued…

Love and Blessings, Caroline

A Most Wonderful Audience

This coming week, I’ll be driving across Norway, all the way to the west coast, where I’ll be climbing a famous plateau called Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) with my sweetheart before headlining the opening of Gay Pride in Stavanger.

This is a big deal,especially since the Norwegian premiere of my new musical thriller, Finding Venus (På Hengende Håret) is less than two weeks away.

Butterfiles are congregating in the stomach region with increasing might as each day come to a close. Rehearsals are more focused, marketing efforts are intensifying and my ability to relax and enjoy is in danger of becoming obsolete. This is a warning sign…

In order for me to produce a most delicious evening of music and story, for the purpose of opening hearts and promoting understanding and healing, I personally need to let myself receive the love that exists in each moment. If I let myself be stressed, I defeat the very purpose of what I have set out to do.

I worry about people not showing up. I worry about not breaking even. I worry about mean critics and I worry that I will not be able to sustain the fullness of the dream that I have set in motion. These are thoughts that serve no other purpose than to feed the illusion called doubt.

What would happen if I let go of these worries? Would I miss them? Would I do a lesser job without them? Or would I feel myself rise to the occasion, embrace the love that surrounds me and step into the dream with the fullness of my being? I won’t know for sure unless I give it a go, will I?

There’s a saying that it’s not possible to feel fear and love at the same time. So, in order to succeed, I must choose love every step of the way. It’s not easy, believe me, I know! I face fear almost every day, especially when there is something really important at stake, like telling my life story in words, music and play for the first time in my home town. So, here it is:

I hereby let go of my worries! I hereby invite all the love that surrounds me, all positive energies, fun filled interactions and A Most Wonderful Audience to fill these next two weeks with so much joy I won’t know what to do with myself. There! I feel much better already!

I am so excited for the show! I am thrilled for the beautiful and amazing actors and musicians who have put their hearts and souls into making it their own! I am grateful for the steady love and support of my friends and family on both continents! And, I am perhaps most excited for little Caroline, the little girl in me, who finally gets to sing her song and be heard, not just for being a good little girl, but for being the complex little love bucket that she is.

Please join me as I take the plunge on the 12th and 16th of September, at the Norwegian Premiere of Finding Venus (På Hengende Håret). Tickets are available at Billettservice.no.

Love and Blessings, Caroline