Category Archives: Self Empowerment

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

3 Keys to Vocal Freedom

Have you ever felt like you’re on the verge of doom and that you don’t know how to move forward? Have you ever felt trapped in your own mind because you feel as if you are stuck between impossible choices?

I go through periods when these kinds of feelings are prominent. And when I stop to analyze the situation, I realize the feeling of doom is usually exaggerated and not a realistic response to my actual predicament. But it is often serious enough to warrant some major changes in the way I go abut my life or business.

The key, when I am faced with indecision, of not knowing what to do next, is to stay calm, breathe, make sure my body is properly nurtured and then proceed with activities that move me into a better feeling place.

When we build habits based on activities that put us in a better feeling place, solutions will present themselves in a more organic fashion. The following habits are my personal keys to freedom from mind bondage and indecision:

1. Make sure you get enough oxygen flowing through your system by doing yoga, breathing meditations, walking, running, jumping or dancing on a daily basis.

2. Make sure you are properly watered and nurtured with organically grown whole foods that are alkaline and life affirming on a daily basis.

3. Make sure you have an outlet for thoughts, feelings and ideas by journaling, conversing, songwriting, creating art, speaking or singing on a daily basis.

Vocal Freedom in Santa Monica
For the next five mornings, I will be teaching Vocal Freedom on the beach in Santa Monica. Feel free to join us if you’d like to walk with the dolphins, free your expression, strengthen your voice and sing your life into a more powerful and joyous existence. I will walk with you every step of the way.

Vocal Freedom in Culver City
You are also welcome to join us next Saturday, as I’ll be teaching a one-day Vocal Freedom Intensive seminar at Redhead Records Studio in Culver City.

Registration and more info at www.carolinewaters.com/seminars.php 

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

Fighting Artistic Depression

I am situated at a small café in Oslo, drinking my favorite, Chai tea latte with soy milk. I slept through the night. I had a healthy breakfast. I rode my bike here. In other words, there is no reason why this shouldn’t be a most delicious creative and productive day.

But underneath my optimistic facade, the soft smile on my face, the playlist of truly interesting creative tasks and the intellectual knowing that all is well in the present moment, I can sense a deep murmur of fear beneath the surface. This murmur has the power to paralyze me completely, if I let it.

It’s an old murmur. A murmur from childhood, psychologically intensified by layers and layers of similar feeling murmurs. In its current manifestation it can be described as a web of sticky mind-mist and soggy, glue-like emotional mud.

I know that if I can get to the core of the murmur, if I can catch a glimpse of the cause of the original fear, or even just the original emotion that got triggered from said fear, I can dissolve it. This requires courage, patience and willingness to surrender my ego.

My ego will fight me at every turn. It will tell me that under no circumstance am I allowed to admit that I have felt anything less than all-powerful. It will do its damdest to convince me to maintain a picture perfect facade of a strong, vibrant, successful artist in motion. It doesn’t know any better. It is merely doing its job as ego.

Surrendering the ego can be an amazingly powerful thing, especially when it comes to reprogramming old patterns that no longer serves their original purpose. By letting myself sink into the feelings of interest and observe their related thought patterns without trying to judge, combat or fix them, I surrender the ego. I surrender to a state of simply being fully present to the moment.

When I surrender to the moment, no matter how painful it is or uncomfortable it makes me feel, I allow for an expansion of consciousness to take place. This is the point where I can most effectively let go of that which no longer serve me, let my body rejuvenate and receive new wisdom.

Today’s murmur happens to be about perfection in performance and a tremendous sense of urgency in terms of maximizing the potential of my talent. Growing up as a child star with parents who modelled an unusually high level of productivity and fabulousness, I felt a constant pressure to maximize my potential at every turn. This pressure has caused me to develop my talent in extraordinary fashions and be amazingly productive. It has also caused me to periodically feel overwhelmed and insignificant and paralyzed.

So, today, I surrender to simply being and feeling and observing. Today I surrender to loving myself as whole and complete in this moment and the next, just the way I am. Today, I declare that I am enough just for being. I forgive myself for allowing the ghosts of the past influence my joy and lightness of being. I forgive my parents for the pressure they caused and I open my heart and mind to receiving the good that abounds.

Sometimes the best way to fight something is to surrender:)

Taxes, Our Brains and My Artist Self

Tax season is upon us and I am meticulously inputting data and adding up numbers. There is something extremely satisfying about seeing the result of a whole year mapped out in front of me, no matter how well I did or didn’t do. But there is also something extremely nerve wrecking about it.

As a self employed artist, I am really good at the art, music, production and performance side of things. But, in spite of the fact that I have taken numerous courses in financial finangelings, I am not as good at the bookkeeping and budgeting side of things. I have actually felt quite stupid for being so slow and not having everything perfectly lined up already the way I wanted to.

Imagine my relief as I discovered the scientific facts as they were presented to me by one of Norway’s leading experts on taxes: “Artists,” he said, “develop the brain differently and quite opposite from bookkeepers and finance savvy folks. As a matter of fact, the more you crunch numbers, the less you are able to let your creative mind do its thing and the more you creative you are, the less able you’ll be in terms of linear, financial, number stuff.” I don’t know if he said this so we would hire him instead of trying to figure things out on our own, but it kinda made sense what he was saying. It certainly made me feel better about myself.

I think it’s a good idea to know the basics of bookkeeping and budgeting and to keep abreast of the financial aspect oft things, no matter what we do for a living. But I also know, for myself, that in order for me to truly create from my heart and soul, I need to suspend all linear thoughts connected to outcome. I need to embrace the unknown, to welcome the deep and mysterious and abstract, to risk going out on a limb, to abandon all safety lines and to completely surrender to the moment, for however long it takes. When I do this, magic happens. And, as a result of the amazing surge of energy that naturally follows the joy of creating something truly heartfelt and original, all kinds of good things seem to naturally follow, like new ideas, new fans, more jobs and financial bliss.

The trick is to do just the right amount of bookkeeping and budgeting, so that we are free to create and bask in that energy when it comes our way. For me, it’s a work in progress, this balancing act. So, I continue to forgive myself for the imperfection that follows my attempt to balance the abstract with the linear. I continue to let myself risk being left naked and alone in the name of artistic expression. And, as I simply move forward, one moment at a time, life itself, gloriously, mysteriously and deliciously, has its way with me.

The sun is warming the streets of Oslo as I write this, creating a perfect illusion of summer. Once my taxes are done, I will walk those streets, take in the city life, shake off the numbers and let myself fall into the next chapter of my artist self. Feel free to join me, if you dare.

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

Finding Venus in Norway

I am scared shitless, to be perfectly honest. This is my home country, where I grew up, where all my “baggage” first assembled, where all my first impressions were formed, where my first insecurities took hold, where I first began to compare myself to others, where I used to feel extremely uncomfortable in my grown-up clothing.

I am also intensely excited, as I feel like I am stepping onto a new stage of life, in my home country, as someone who has come full circle in so many ways.

Three weeks from now I will be performing my new jazzy musical thriller, Finding Venus (På Hengende Håret), for the first time with a full cast in Norwegian. Yeah, it’s happening at Herr Nilsen in Oslo on June 21st!

Finding Venus (På Hengende Håret) by Caroline WatersThe scary part is that I suspect I might be met with a more critical eye and ear in these parts, since I come from a well known entertainment family, which of course entails certain expectations. At the same time it feels absolutely fantastic to finally get to tell my story of healing and transformation, which has been partially hidden for so many years.

The cast is fantastic, just the right mix of talented, wild and wise. A beautiful bundle of creative energies, each with their own unique expression of love and life.

The musicians are some of my very favorite in the world. Deb and I used to play together in a duo called Sirens. We’d make the European clubs go wild with our combination of jazzy classical pop and funky groovy out-of-this-world weirdness. Aage and I met when I played my violin in a Nordic Youth Symphony orchestra at fifteen and have played together off and on since then. Amazing cellist!

Here’s a link to the calendar and ticket sales: www.carolinewaters.com/shows.php

Here’s a link to my official website, where you can find video and sound clips for both the Norwegian and English versions: www.carolinewaters.com

Looking forward!

Love and Blessings, Caroline