MUSINGS...by Beverly Rieger

This year in the Midwest the Winter Solstice is being ushered in with great fanfare. Last weekend a winter storm with lots and lots of snow.... following deep cold (brrrr)...and now for the coming of the actual solstice, another storm with either lots and lots of rain, or snow. The Winter Solstice also is my birthday. My birth on this day was the result of my mother's fall into one of those wood grates that they used to have in sidewalks in the year 1946. I was six weeks premature.....giving me this lovely gift of a birthday on the Winter Solstice. (Not so great for mom though!) It is 3AM and I am writing this musing with my hot cup of coffee at hand and a homemade pumpkin, cranberry, walnut muffin. As always, Retta is close by. Christmas music is playing on this computer. The Christmas tree shines in the darkness of early morning.....my Mayan flutes and sacred art from Central America are looking down on me from the top of my computer desk. The full moon and stars are brig...

When I take Retta out the front door for a short walk, she prances down the sidewalk, barking in sheer joy! I laugh! Her joy is contagious. This morning I am experiencing the music from Mystical Rose that is called "laughter". The joy in that music brings a lightness to my body, and sunshine to my spirit. What a wonderful way to begin my day!! The laughter that my music is all about is the bubbling up of joy from within....an expression of soul. I have placed a link at the first part of the home page for the laughter music for your free download. Home page link: www.mayandream.com Enjoy! Here is Retta with the Christmas tree, enjoying her precious bone. Wishing you every blessing as we continue to move toward the time of the return of light. Love to all.

Since I was pulled out of bed at around 3AM, lots of misc paperwork was accomplished. It's amazing how much paperwork can accumulate when a person is running their own business. And....I don't have the luxury of a secretary! I cannot believe that we are almost through November and are coming up on the holiday season. Music has a particular power at this time of year. Why else would every store be broadcasting Christmas music? So also I am experiencing the power of my own music during the transformational November and December months. Be sure and read my blog of last week on Wisdom.....and may all of you have a holiday season filled with love, light and wisdom. Love to all.

In early October I released an album of music called "Wisdom Enters The World In Love". Now my challenge is to live that music in the daily world of my life. I am feeling into the title and what it means to me. If Wisdom is to enter my world, I must be open. All of the windows and doors of my inner and outer world are open wide to the newness that wisdom brings. She, Wisdom, is my support, rather than the limited beliefs of the 5 sensory world. If Wisdom is to enter my world In Love, then love must be at the core of everything I speak or write. No ruminating from a space that is not love. Otherwise, I am split. There are two worlds for me: the world of my music especially as I perform and record, and the world of my daily life. When these are split, nothing works well. It is not a loving space for me or those around me. This sounds esoteric, but it is extremely practical for the musician. It is very easy for me to become split when life presents challen...

This photo was taken by me today as yet another cold front moves in to bring the change of seasons that is November. I was walking Retta in the rain this morning and saw the intense life force that is the color yellow in trees and in the leaves on the ground. Without the change from the warmth and direct light of summer into the cold and indirect light of Autumn, we would not have the gift of this yellow life. It is a symbol to me of my own life journey and my music: constantly changing.....emerging into newness. This morning I am listening to the music of Emergence and am filled with wonder at how this music has captured the wisdom of nature. The music was written to celebrate Spring, but it fits today perfectly. I am also thankful today for the technology that is available to me. The photos were snapped on my i-phone 5 which is capable of capturing the depth of life in nature. Then the photos can be immediately transferred to my mac, and I can write this blog and ...

So here I am again.....writing about the journey in the early morning hours. There is a vast storm system moving across the country and my body can tell that it is coming close to the Indiana area. I have my hot cup of coffee in hand and am enjoying the quiet communication with all of you. I am creating a playlist for myself of the music that particularly focuses on dawn, and especially music with bird song. For me, November is a powerful month of change when heaven and earth are very close to each other. There is a lightness to November and a dawning of potential. It also feels to me like a celebration of Wisdom. And.... Soon we will be at the winter solstice and celebrate the dawn of the return of light. It is great that over the years I have written so much music that celebrates light and features birdsong. Now I can put all of the various pieces together to give myself that particular joy! Of course, you also can do this with my music. Make your own playlist to support...

Hi to everyone on this beautiful, sunny and very cold October morning. We had a hard freeze last night....down to 29 degrees. Brrr!! As promised, Musings is becoming a place for me to share with you the "behind the scenes" of music that transforms. Check out the blog of October 17th for the beginning of the story. This last week I had to expand my office space. I no longer had room for all of the musical instruments, CDs, and my technical equipment. Very exciting! Coming soon....the next Musings writing on music and transformation. Stay tuned! HOLIDAY SPECIAL: All of my CDs (including the new release Wisdom Enters The World In Love )are $6.50 each plus shipping and handling. Click on www.mayandream.com/order.html to order and pay by credit card. Love to all.