SharedBliss: Christine Kane's Magical Music & Musings

Singer & Writer & Creativity Guru
Christine Kane

Listening to: Some of her.

Bliss: I'm thinking about an old post about the power of music today. I am thankful for all of the amazing music that makes up the soundtrack of my life. I am grateful that we have no TV and so have a house full of song.

From the time I could talk, I sang. I would sing about anything and everything. I would make it up as I went along. I would sing in front of anyone and I would do it anywhere.

Then I stopped.

I sang only when I knew no one was listening. I wrote lyrics but kept them hidden. I danced but only in empty rooms by myself.

I had one dream -- to be a singer. I would lie awake at night in my bed and cry from the desire of it.

Life happened and I let all of it stuff my voice deeper and deeper until I rarely opened my mouth but to talk. Then I met my partner and slowly she has helped me to rediscover this buried part of me.

And recently, I said to her, "If only I had known there were all these ways to be a singer; I had such a limited, driven-by-MTV view of what it meant..."

Now, girls like me...they have women like Christine Kane to look up to. A woman who has figured out that there are as many ways to do this as there are little girls lying in bed at night dreaming.

Thankfully, Christine also allows for her Renaissance woman's soul to express itself, so she doesn't "just" sing, but she also runs "Big Dream" retreats and writes a blog. (You can find her music many places, including here.)

Describe the PrimaryBliss of your life. How did you come to know that this was your PrimaryBliss?

I don’t actually have a Primary Bliss, in a standard sense at least.

It’d be easy to think that because I’m a songwriter, I would say something obvious. Music or writing, for instance. And yet, I don’t always find those things blissful. Especially since they’re my profession!

So probably my Primary Bliss is “Permission.” Or even “Authenticity.”

This means that I am aware that my bliss changes throughout my life. That it always comes from within. And that I have permission to find joy in many things.

In that, I find my authentic voice.

What types of choices and sacrifices did you make to be able to craft this bliss-filled life?

For me, the biggest sacrifice has been the approval that comes from taking the socially acceptable path.

I write a lot in my blog about letting go of the need for approval – so it might be easy to think that I was naturally able to do this along the way. But I wasn’t. I was groomed to be the good Catholic girl. Early on, whenever I made a choice to “follow my bliss,” I had to deal with disapproval from primary people in my life. This was outrageously hard for someone like me who thrived on getting approval!

How does your Primary Bliss radiate out into the rest of your life?

I think people just sense when you are coming from your center and from a place of knowing and peace. For instance, from the day I began offering my Women’s Retreats, they sold out over and over again.

Often, people call me to ask me “how I did it” or what advice I would give to someone who wants to run retreats. And I always say the same thing, “Work on you.” I believe that who I have become from this path is what attracts success to me. I don’t push it. That’s the best way to describe it. More opportunities are attracted to me. I don’t have to grab or “get.”

What are some other activities that also give you this sense of bliss? Things that make you lose track of time?

Writing. Words. Great songs. The mountains and the smell of dirt. Hiking. My dog’s flubbedy ears when she walks. Having a few friends over for dinner and deep conversation. Getting massage. Performing – when I’m totally out of my ego and in the moment.

What is your daily or weekly spiritual practice?

This varies because I am always checking in with myself. Right now, I spend time each morning getting clear about my day, my mindsets, etc. I have led several coaching circles this year, so I spend time setting intentions for each person in those groups. (This is kind of like prayer – only it is more of a “knowing,” rather than an “asking.”) My practice has become almost a 24/7 thing. I am happiest when I am being present at all times, when I am keeping my thoughts in a positive place, and when I remember self-care in times of stress.

What music is your bliss?

I love Latin music. Especially Tejano. I also love a few new age CD’s – like Deva Premal and Anugama. I also love Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot, Sheryl Crow, Mary Chapin Carpenter – and so many songwriters.

Name books or authors/poets or people who are your bliss, who influenced your bliss.

Not to get all Sarah Palin on you, but there are too many to mention here! I find myself wanting to say “All of ‘em.”

Depending on where I’ve been on my path, I’ve been blessed by the writings of everyone from Martha Beck to Bill Waterson (the creator of Calvin & Hobbes) – and from Mary Oliver to Carl Hiassen. From Seth Godin to Eckhart Tolle. I’m so happy that there are so many souls out there willing to write books for me to read!

What advice would you give to someone who feels they have not yet discovered their PrimaryBliss?

I would tell them that there doesn’t have to be only one. I would say that “Primary” can mean many things, and that finding your authentic way can be as simple as small delights in a daily life. Even my biggest outward music triumphs haven’t been nearly as fulfilling to me as creating moments of true joy.

Do you have a favorite quote you would like to share?

There are lots of great quotes. But I just love this one by Jill Connor Browne from Sweet Potato Queen’s Book of Love:

“In life... it's vitally important that you buy your own crown and declare yourself Queen, and then spend the rest of your life living into that."

I love how Christine says that her prayer is more a "knowing than an asking." This is a great definition of real, deep prayer. We don't hope to be more creative, rather, we know we are creative and then act on that. We don't hope for more love; we know there is nothing but love.

This "knowing" is not egotistical but a way of tapping into your own divine source and allowing what exists there to be birthed in the here and now.

As I mentioned yesterday, Christine is having a guest blogger write each day of this month about their Word of the Year. I'm wondering, after reading this interview, what Christine's will be...

For a juicy list to get your heart moving toward its 2009 word, check out her introduction post about this topic; it has a great list of words.