The Power of Intention






Make friends with your ego






Find your Resonance










Find Your Balance

“When we have a good balance between thinking and feeling, our actions and lives are always the richer for it.” – Yo Yo Ma
Balance is a theme that runs through all of our lives. We struggle to keep an ‘even keel’ through the ups and downs of life, we strive to balance work and play, or career and family, even the left and right hemispheres of the brain. In physical asana practice, we ground down and make several subtle adjustments in order to maintain balance in tree pose, warrior 3, ardha chandrasana, or any number of one-legged balances.

By challenging ourselves to physically balance in this way, we are building strength and stability through our core and through joints such as our knees and ankles. This kind of strength building, coupled with the practice of making those many necessary subtle adjustments, can help us practice a deeper internal balance that will serve us well in our singing and in our lives. Here are some general guidelines that I’ve found helpful in balance postures, as well as in performance, teaching, and family life!

Four guidelines for balancing:

1. Ground down and lift up. Feel yourself stretching in two directions – engage as you lengthen! Breathe!

2. Balance is not a rigid state! Stay in the moment and allow yourself to make many small adjustments according to the needs that arise. Be aware of the two seemingly opposed states that you are balancing (the left and right hemispheres of the brain, for example), and continually “check in” with each of them, until you can remain aware of them both at the same time. This may take many days, or months, of practice, so be patient with yourself.

3. Focus internally. So often we are too extroverted in our modern culture. To balance that out, bring the focus inwards, at least at first, and take time to check in with how you’re doing and what’s really true for you.

4. Focus the eye gaze – or the intent! After you have focused internally and gotten in touch with your intentions, let that radiate out through your focused gaze. Let your gaze rest on something solid and un-moving, on a small point, as you remain aware of your feet and your breath. Then let the awareness slowly expand and allow the focus to soften somewhat, while remaining centered on the point you have chosen.

So remember, resist the urge to clamp down and take a still picture of what you think balance is. I feel this especially when I sing. So often we think we have found that just right “placement,” that balance between chiara (“forward focus”) and oscuro,(“back space”) so we hold onto it for dear life. But then, guess what, things change! The pitch changes, the vowel changes, and all of a sudden we have to rely on the deeper intelligence of our diaphragm or our larynx, and that is so scary. It feels like a letting-go, a loss of control. But that is just what is needed to find our balance – in fact we may even have to fall a few (or several!) times. But over time we learn to trust, and we end up building some pretty incredible inner strength along the way.

Be Courageous!

Bakasana, or crow pose
Bakasana, or crow pose


We all need courage in order to undertake voice and/or yoga training. When we commit to the process of freeing our voice and body, we are taking a leap of faith and letting ourselves believe that it is possible to overcome obstacles that may have been there so long that we have gotten very used to them! Maybe we aim to release our hamstrings that have been tight for years, or find freedom and ease through that break in our voice that seems like it’s always been there. It takes courage even to believe it is possible to change, let alone take the first steps.

So often I speak with friends or new students who tell me what is “wrong” with their voices, as if that’s just how it is and there’s nothing they can do to change that. This seems to happen more often with singing than with our physical challenges – with the popularity of yoga and fitness in general, people understand that over time with regular practice, they can enact change in their body. Whether it’s losing weight, building strength, or gaining flexibility, there is (usually) a basic understanding that change is possible – but that doesn’t make it easier! It still takes courage to take that first step towards your fitness goals. But it is perhaps even harder for those beginning voice students who are not “natural singers” to take their first steps towards their vocal goals, because vocal training is not as pervasive and accessible in our culture as fitness and yoga instruction. It is still a very new idea that anyone can find freedom in their voice and sing beautifully once they’ve received guidance from an experienced teacher, coupled with consistent, mindful practice.

Of course, just as you couldn’t train a slim, petite woman to lift over 250 lbs, one couldn’t make a light lyric voice into a dramatic one, or vice-versa. There are certain unique, inherent qualities in everyone’s voice, but those are best discovered once the basic principles of healthy vocal technique have been imparted and internalized. Until then, I recommend remaining curious about the qualities of your voice while staying out of evaluation, and especially staying out of judgment and criticism. Have the courage to trust in the unknown mysteries of your voice; trust that anything you hear in your voice that is less than beautiful is just a symptom of tension, or techniques not yet embodied. Basically, certain muscles need strengthening, and others need to release – and this type of training simply takes time (and courage!)

As you grow in awareness of your own instrument, your belief of what you can do will expand. But then you will need courage all over again for those more difficult songs, arias, roles. Just as yogis need courage to attempt more difficult poses such as arm balances and inversions, more advanced voice students need a fresh dose of courage to experience the full breadth and power of their voice.

But the most courage is needed at the start of the journey, to take that leap of faith by taking the first step and believing change is possible. Once you take that step in earnest, this new-found courage will seep into your life and the blessings of many other virtues will come your way!

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Sing from Your Core!



Uttihita Chataranga Dandasana, Four-limbed staff pose or Plank pose, is one good way to stimulate the core.

After I gave birth to my daughter, I had a hard time coming back into singing in a stable way. Looking back on that time, I realize that my core muscles had been stretched so much during my pregnancy that I had a hard time accessing them afterwards. It felt as if they simply weren’t there anymore! This helped me realize just how important core muscles are to singing.

Often when people talk about “strengthening your core,” they mean simply the muscles of the abdominal wall, usually just the peripheral muscles. Special attention is given to the “six-pack” muscles, the rectus abdominus, since society seems to think that a toned belly is very attractive. However, when I use the word “core,” I am not referring to those muscles at all. The rectus abdominus is, in fact, the most superficial (closest to the surface) muscle in the abdominal wall, and can actually get in the way if it is overly engaged while singing. “Core” refers simply to those muscles that are deeper in our body, closest to the spine. The word can also be applied to our back body and all along the spine, even up to the neck.

When you sing, try releasing the outer muscles and feel an inner stability rising from your solid foundation: your feet pressing into the earth, and your pelvis aligned in a neutral position. Lengthen the tailbone without overly tucking, and perhaps feel a lifting of the frontal hipbones. Now activate the “pit of the abdomen” especially as you exhale, and be ready to release those muscles when needed. There is engagement yet fluidity, softness yet strength. If you’re having trouble striking this balance, there are many yoga poses you can try (like the one pictured above) that will help you access those deeper muscles. I always incorporate core strengthening, as well as stretching those muscles, into my group yoga classes. If you have specific questions and need more individual feedback, let’s schedule a private session!

Core strengthening and singing from your core takes time to develop, but eventually helps you release tension and strain in your singing, and find more ease. I eventually found my core again after giving birth – it just took a few months of regular, mindful practice. And I found that, by maintaining this regular practice and continuing to build core strength, I not only strengthened my body and deepened my breath thus further supporting my voice, but I established a deeper connection with the core of my being. This enables me to trust in my inner voice and compassionately redirect those parts of me that want to help, but are simply working too hard. When we sing from our core, our voices are all the more free!

Singing and the Chakras


Singing and the chakras

When we sing, energy is flowing more than normal. You can probably feel it, even if you’re not sure how you feel about energy or chakras – there’s no denying that “buzzy” feeling through your head, or maybe chest or throat. There’s more air flowing, you’re hopefully breathing deeper, and the vibrations are causing especially your upper chakras, or energy centers, to open up. 

As a singer, voice teacher, and dedicated yogini and yoga teacher, I’ve been spending a lot of time exploring the places where the paths of yoga and singing intersect. In my exploration, I’ve found more connections than expected, and one area that is especially rich in its lessons and benefits is the chakras. Simply focusing on each chakra at a time while you sing can be beneficial and fun. Here’s a brief guide to start your exploration:

Root chakra: Red. Base of the spine. Issues of Health and Wealth.

As you sing, focus on the area at the base of the spine. Feel your feet, and feel rooted-down to the earth. Try singing a low pitch on the syllable “LAM,” and notice where you feel the vibrations. Make sure the breath is flowing and the spine is tall and neutral, and breathe whenever you need to. On the inhalation, feel a dropping of the pelvic floor. On the exhalation as you sing, gently draw pelvic floor and low belly in and up. If you’re ready to delve a little deeper, ask yourself the question: “What gets in the way of abundant health and wealth? How can I gently acknowledge what’s in the way (fear, perhaps?) and invite abundance more deeply into my life?”

Naval chakra: Orange. Issues of creation, sexuality, feelings and control.

Raise your pitch slightly and focus on the area around your naval. Invite softness to that area as you sweep the low belly in and up as you exhale and sing. Try chanting the syllable “VAM” and picturing a bright orange color. Ask yourself, “How does the creative, generative energy manifest itself in my life? How can I express my feelings in a healthy way? How can I surrender to what wants to emerge rather than using excessive control?”

Sacral chakra: Yellow. The area between and just below the ribs. Issues of personal power and taking action.

Raise your pitch slightly and focus on the area between and just below your ribs. Picture a bright yellow light emanating and pulsating from this area, perhaps as you chant the seed sound “RAM.” See if you can keep your ribs expanded as you exhale and sweep the low belly in and up – imagine you are spreading your wings! Ask yourself, “How does my personal strength and individuality manifest? How can I let myself more readily take right action?”

Heart chakra: Green. The center of the chest. Issues of love, empathy and connection.

Raise your pitch slightly and focus on the center of your chest, picturing a beautiful green light. Try chanting the seed sound “YAM.” Let yourself feel love for another, and also yourself, as you keep this area open and expanded. Normally, we tend to collapse slightly through this area when we exhale – see if you can keep the heart, and whole chest area, open as you vocalize. Ask yourself, “How can I invite more unconditional love and connection into my life?” 

Throat chakra: Blue. Seed sound: “HAM,” pronounced “Haaahhm.” Connected with speaking your truth, expressing yourself, being authentic.

Raise your pitch higher to any pitch that doesn’t produce strain and feels right. Try chanting the seed sound, or just explore the vibrations you feel as you exhale and vocalize on any vowel. As you sing, imagine a light blue light emanating from your throat. Invite softness and open-ness through the throat as you allow the vibrations to “bypass” your throat – in other words, authenticity will naturally occur when the lower chakras are aligned and the upper ones are open. This chakra is the transition point between lower and higher energy centers, and ideally we feel nothing in the throat – it is floating like a buoy on the sea of air. Ask yourself, “How can I be more true to my word? How can I express myself more fully and authentically?”

Third Eye chakra: Darker Blue, Indigo. Seed sound: “OM.” Connected with intuition, unity with all other living things.

Explore higher in your range without strain. Picture a beautiful dark blue light emanating from the middle of your skull – normally people think about the middle of the forehead for this chakra, but see if you can become aware of a spot a few inches back from your forehead. Lift the soft palette and imagine the resonance “spinning” out and down from that location. Detach from any desire to sound a certain way – approach the resonance you feel through your head with curiosity. It is an illusion that we are all separate – ask yourself, “How can I invite more unity into my life?”

Crown chakra: Purple or White. Seed sound: “OM” again, or simply “NG.” This is our connection with the universe and the divine.

Explore aiming out the crown of the head and releasing a high, pure tone. If it doesn’t seem so pure to you at first, simply observe the sensations without judgment and keep breathing and exploring vocally, as long as there is no strain. If you feel strain at any point during these exercises, stop vocalizing and simply chant internally (imagine yourself chanting the seed sound; “audiate” the sound) while paying attention to the breath. Ask yourself, “Am I able to recognize and trust divine guidance when it appears? How can I connect more deeply with my own higher self?”

So in general when we sing anything, we want to stay grounded through the root chakra, stable through the sacral and heart chakra, mobile through naval chakra, open through the throat, and resonating in the third eye area. Simple “soft” awareness on the crown chakra helps to keep us aligned. 

Thanks for listening, and have fun exploring!