I want to start this newsletter by inviting contributions in the form of spoken word, dance, poetry, music, art in any form from congregants to support the service on March 17, that explores Transformation. It would be neat to see visual artists during the service in the process of crafting their oeuvre; or hear a congregant read a page from a diary, or a poem they wrote, in their own voice. Any submissions or suggestions for the service are welcomed, please email me at music.director@uutallahassee.org
As we celebrate the coming Spring Equinox, the perfect balance between day and night, what motivates us to tilt our own divine scales? One way to measure one’s life, metaphorically, is to weigh one’s heart against a feather. How light it is opens the door to heaven. Heaven can be experienced right here, right now, through intentionally choosing to let go of what is holding you back, what is bringing you misery and weight. In asking ai Copilot from Microsoft to share some books on transformation three of my favorite books populated the ten-book list: The Alchemist, Siddartha and the Tao Te Ching. One could read these books as an inspiration to invite transformation as a spiritual practice. Every time we go to sleep, in a sense, a part of us dies. In waking up we have the ability and choice to learn how to embody a new self. Though we often say “Good morning” as a greeting towards the beginning of the day, phonetically “morning” sounds like “mourning”. Sometimes I wonder how our brains process sound, and the appropriate use of energy to filter context and distill meaning. Part of letting go is saying good bye to something that has been part of you until then, therefore we can describe that as a process of mourning. In waking up every day, consciously or unconsciously, we go through this adjustment, and through the wishes of “Good morning” one may be saying “Happy process of letting go”, or “have a good process of letting go as you start the day discovering the new you”. One alternative to “Good morning”, nowadays, is “Grand rising”. It is a nice variation, empowering oneself to embody a higher self. And what is a higher self? Is it acting up from a place of love, or judging an outcome or action “better” than another? Is virtue the same as virtue signaling? If it looks like a cat, and sounds like a cat, is it a cat?
In conclusion, many new expressions are populating our language as a way to reflect back that transformation is multifaceted. Many attributes can aid in transformation: silence, humility, surrender, intention, courage, love, relaxation, patience, practice, equanimity, curiosity, creativity, playfulness, laughter. I think the butterfly contains the caterpillar, and all its journey. I think that the caterpillar crawls into its potential as a butterfly. They embody what transformation is. As you greet familiar faces at church, are you relating to them through a projection of your past, or are you curious to learn who they are with empathy and love? People may look, outwardly, incredibly familiar, but inside, who are they really? Can you really tell just from hearing the ruminations of your own thoughts? The capacity and potential for a human being to transform is infinite.
About the author
Angel de Armendi, Music Director
Angel (he/she/they/any) received his Bachelor of Music degree from New World School of the Arts and continued his study of piano performance at Florida International University. He made his way to Tallahassee through the Music Theory graduate program at FSU. While in school he diversified his piano skills accompanying FSU and Tallahassee City Ballet dance classes. His interest in vocal coaching took him to the Asolo Song Festival in Italy during two summers, as Assistant Director/Pianist and Composer In Residence. In Tallahassee, he also directs the High Holy Days Choir at Temple Israel, and has been their regular pianist since 2008. His love for sacred music and practice has motivated him to go through and graduate in 2015 from the Music Leadership Credentialing Program, offered by the Unitarian Universalist Musicians’ Network. During their 2015 conference in Boston he was unanimously elected as Board Member at Large for the Board of Trustees, a three-year voluntary commitment. He is deeply committed to building a thriving music program at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee.