Sonic offerings

Greetings, friends.

With the upcoming Patreon experiment unfolding, it seems like a good idea to give you a little more information about what it is exactly that I will be offering.

If you’ve read through my website, there’s a good chance that you have a pretty solid idea about some things. Maybe others, not so much.

With that in mind, I wanted to highlight the offerings in sound that will be making themselves available to you.

There’s a lot I could say about sound- everything is vibration, we are fluid creatures and these vibrations move through our very beings. We are born in rhythm- the first real experience we have begins before we are even earthside, cradled in the womb that grew us, surrounded and moved by the drumbeat of a heart. How we engage intentionally (or not) with sound has a vey real impact on our bodies and psychospiritual state.

Have you ever been deeply moved by a song, by the laughter of a child, by the sounds of deep grief?

That’s what I’m talking about.

There are a few ways in which I explore this in my own life and practices, and I’ll be sharing each of these once a month in the community. The first I’ll talk about here is sung affirmations. I like to call these “hooks”, which are the catchy parts of longer songs that are often repeated. Simple phrases, placed on repeat to a melody and are sung or chanted until a change of state is felt.

Another way I like to show up is with community song, also known as circle songs. The songs I catch are typically very simple, sometimes layered, sometimes with harmony. Often they are a short “sung prayer” of sorts, whatever little bit of medicine that I need in the moment. For me, they serve as reminders, ways to put myself back together, pathways to praise this beautiful mystery called life. They take only a few minutes to learn and a lifetime to embody and explore!

A note regarding reciprocity: it feels my most humble, genuine, and potent offering to the world to share this type of medicine and keep it accessible for all. If you have been moved by, are called to share or teach one of the songs I've caught, please do (with credit to me) and consider my paid Patreon tiers or sending a one time donation my way via Venmo @SaraGarnier with the note "song donation" in the memo line. This is a beautiful and direct way to be in reciprocal relationship with this offering, and it helps support me continuing to be a vessel for these sonic beings to move through. 

Sound healing journeys, or as I call them sacred sound ceremonies, are another way I show up. I tune into what’s here, listen to what wants to release and what wants to come in, and then let whatever combination of instruments and voice that wants to move through, move through. These are usually entirely improvised in the moment and I rest heavily into deep presence to feel, listen, and respond. The instruments I have at disposal currently are voice, harmonium, ukulele, drum, quartz singing bowls, guitar, and shakers. This is a great way to set and intention and then rest and recieve.

Embodied vocal play is a fun and experimental place where I offer invitations to explore the qualities of voice, the feedback in our bodies, and work with any blockages or tensions we may encounter. This can be a very spirited investigation of what has been here, what’s here now, and what wants to be here. It can also help us find more freedom of expression- not just in our voice, but in how we move with ourselves and the world.

I will also be offering live music practices as feels aligned for you to enjoy. You can join me virtually and receive, sing/rattle/drum along, or involve yourself in a compatible practice of your own, like journaling. I’ll be tuning in and listening for songs that want to be shared, announcing each one. There will be silence and space in between to let the energy settle before moving into the next. This is not a performance based concert of any kind; I will be in a devotional place as I offer these imperfect prayers. Requests may be taken, if I know the song. If you feel called, I will make space for others to share a song. Most of what will be offered will be contemporary medicine music by artists like Ahlay Blakely, Fia, Ayla Schafer, Alexa Sunshine Rose, Beautiful Chorus, Ayla Nereo, etc. along with caught songs.

Lastly, there are some self regulation tools that engage the nervous system and encourage regulation through the voice. These are typically short practices that you can take exactly to the depth you are interested in and help tone the vagus nerve through (surprise!) vibration.

Questions? Comments? You know how to reach me. I’m particularly excited for this group of tools to be available for you.

See you soon!