Winter-Spring 2025: Heart Songs Schedule

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love (an online community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: 6:30-8p CDT (05-UTC until Daylight Savings Time ends)

Dates for Winter-Spring 2025:

• January 13, 27
• February 10, 24
• March 10, 24
• April 7, 21
• May 5, 19

Where: Online: https://zoom.us/j/431161455 (see call-in options on Heart Songs' main page)

Gather for an informal singing time to re-center our hearts in community. Simple songs will be led paperlessly/taught by ear by Conie Borchardt, Nancy W, Sarah M, other song leaders, and you, if you have a song to share.

Join us. Bring friends. (Signup for the email reminder here; select Heart Songs)

Songs will be about the human experience and in that way, spiritual in nature, but not specifically religious.

This is a space intended for self-care, however that shifts for you in every moment. Bring water. Come and go. Sit in a chair, lie on the floor, or stand as you need to.

Jan 17 + Mar 7: Songs for Tending Our Hearts

When it feels like the world is falling apart, when everything is literally on fire, singing in community together heals and centers us—we’re not alone.

Our culture desperately needs spaces where it is safe to feel your sorrow and the weight of the world. Come sing through the small and large griefs in your life and give them space to breathe.

When: Bimonthly Fridays in 2025, 7:30-9p

• Jan 17
• Mar 7

Where: Yess Yoga, 

105 E 26th St, Mpls

Song leaders Conie Borchardt and Liz Digitale Anderson (aka GOOD TROUBLE) hold care-filled circles for you to find freedom in your voice, de-stress your nervous system, and move your body.

Every voice is welcome! We teach all the songs call and response- just open your mouth and echo back. We’ll sing songs to ground you, heal you, and help you breathe in the days to come.

Pre-register + pay what you can here: https://www.yessyogastudio.com/yoga-workshops/
$5-$20 sliding scale (No one turned away for lack of funds; we want you there!) You can also pay on the door.

**Notes**

- Masks May Be Required when Covid is surging. Masks will be available.
- Parking can be kind of tight around this block - leave yourself some extra time to find a spot! 
- As we're in a yoga studio, we ask people to leave their shoes at the entrance to keep the studio clean. If you want to bring a clean pair of indoor shoes to support your feet that's fine. Thank you!

Winter 2025: Singing for Liberation Songleader Incubator Series!

SINGING FOR LIBERATION: We're excited to be offering an 8-week series this winter to train up more songleaders for movement work! Singing is an essential organizing tool and we want to help you learn more songs, grow more confident in leading them, and think through how singing functions in building the world we want to live in.

We'll meet on Monday nights at CTUL, from 6:30-8 pm, starting January 6, 2025 and ending February 24th. Folx can come just to sing and drop in as they please, or come to all the sessions with the intention of practicing their songleading and skilling up.

Liberation movements throughout history have taught us that singing together helps us celebrate, march, grieve, stay true to our vision, and that the songs anchor our courage for the work to come. We're not singing to perform, we're singing because it changes us-- every voice is needed in the movement.

Songleading will be anchored by GOOD TROUBLE, aka Liz Digitale Anderson + Conie Borchardt, and friends. We're grateful to be partnering with Inquilinxs Unidxs and CTUL to make this happen! A sliding scale donation is requested of $5-20 per session, or $30-$100 for the whole series, no one turned away for lack of funds.

Pre-register your interest here and we'll send you reminders when it's time to roll!
https://forms.gle/U8WtG35GoGngXSMr5

Facebook link here.

Hosted at CTUL (Centro De Trabajadores Unidos En La Lucha) + Inquilinxs Unidxs @ 3715 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis

Setlist from Nov 22: Songs for Tending Our Hearts @ Yess Yoga

Friends,

Here are the songs we sang at Songs for Tending Our Hearts at Yess Yoga on Friday night, November 22, 2024:

• Holding Song (Ian Carrick) - Bandcamp
• The Hard Times (text: Bertolt Brecht; tune: Ahlay Blakely)
• One Body (Ahlay Blakely) - Bandcamp
• Grief (Sarina Partridge)
• The Cure for the Pain (text inspired by Rumi; tune: Yam)
• Tubwayhun lawile, trans: Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted (Neil Douglas-Klotz)
• What are we gonna do with all this grief (main lyric from Prentis Hemphill’s book, “What It Takes to Heal,” tune by Liz with melodic frame influenced by Ana Hernandez’s “Set it right again”, Black Blues + Spirituals, and Whiskey Shivers’ “Who’s gonna dig these graves”) 

* An online audio or video recording has not been found. Let us know if you find one in the comments!

Some of you asked about the Resources we shared. Here's a short list...

• About the Card Decks: Having a tangible tool to sit with and reflect our feelings back to us helps us slow down, process, and make space for emotional work and intentions we otherwise tend to ignore. We typically spread out two: 
1.  The Artist Grief Deck (https://griefdeck.com/) which was created by hospice workers during the pandemic
2. and the Rest Deck by Tricia Hersey (https://thenapministry.com/rest-deck/) based on Hersey's book "Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto"
• Instruments we use: 
• CajonTab by Louson Drum - Conie has a 12" CajonTab; Liz has one of the Pro series. Get to know a bit of the cajon's musical history here. Use Liz's affiliate link to get 10% off!
• Shruti Box, literally "sound" or "singing" in ancient Sankrit, replicates the sound of the Tambura, an East Asian Indian drone instrument. Part of the family of drone instruments that show up in many cultures, related to bagpipes and harmoniums. Conie's instrument is from Shrutibox.com run by Ron Kravitz of https://www.musicinthemoment.com/ in Philadelphia, PA
• Where else to sing in the Twin Cities? There's three places you can check! 
• Twin Cities Singing Circles (Facebook group)
• Perfection-Free Community Singing (Facebook group)
• AND this Google Doc of regular circles that Liz DA put together.

We are grateful to you if sang with us and to Yess Yoga for hosting.

If you'd like reminders of upcoming singing gatherings, sign up for the In-person Sings/Good Trouble mailing list here to get an email beforehand. Or just check the Yess Yoga's website.

Keep singing and stay warm, graceful, and creative!

Love, Liz and Conie, a.k.a. GOOD TROUBLE

Setlist from Nov 8 Singing for Liberation potluck

Here are the songs we sang at the Singing for Liberation potluck on Friday night, November 8 at CTUL/Inquilixs Unidxs.  Enjoy the links to online recordings for your at-home remembering pleasure!

• Endless Boundless Gratitude (Samara Jade)
• Liberation (Liz adapted from Earth, My Body tune, unknown creator)
• I did not come here alone (The Peace Poets)
• I am not afraid (Peace Poets)
• What are we gonna do with all this grief (main lyric from Prentis Hemphill’s book, “What It Takes to Heal,” tune by Liz with melodic frame influenced by Ana Hernandez’s “Set it right again”, Black Blues + Spirituals, and Whiskey Shivers’ “Who’s gonna dig these graves”)
• Another world (inspired by Arundhati Roy/Kerri Meyer; Spanish by LDA)
• Organize! Organize! Organize! (adapted by Charon Hribar, in We Rise: A Movement Songbook by The Poor People’s Campaign)
• Lead with Love (Melanie DeMore)
• We get there together (Or never get there at all) (Josh Blaine)

* no online recording available. If you discover one, please let us know in the comments!

If you are interested in being part of January-February 2025 Singing for Liberation choir and/or be trained as a movement songleader, please add yourself to this Google form!  

Apr 25-27: The Blessing Way of the Aramaic Jesus (Dubuque, IA)

The Blessing Way of the Aramaic Jesus

A Residential Retreat with Neil Douglas-Klotz

When:  

Friday-Sunday, April 25-27, 2025

Where:  

Shalom Spirituality Center in Dubuque, Iowa

An introduction to the spiritual practice and contemplative prayer of Jesus viewed through the lens of his native Aramaic language. Including meditation, chanting, body prayer, walking meditation, contemplative prayer, and Dances of Universal Peace.

To learn more about the retreat, where it will be located, what's included, and to register, click here. Below are alternate lodgings and useful travel logistics. 

Nov 8: Singing for Liberation Potluck!

SINGING FOR LIBERATION: 

Please join us the Friday after the election for a potluck and community sing for movement organizers and workers: everyone and every voice is welcome!

Friday, November 8th, 6-8 pm
Hosted by CTUL + Inquilixs Unidxs 

@ 3715 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis

Facebook link

Please bring a dish to share if you're able!

Liberation movements throughout history have taught us that singing together helps us celebrate, march, grieve, stay true to our vision, and the songs anchor our courage for the work to come. We're not singing to perform, we're singing because it changes us - every voice is needed in the movement.

This potluck is to help launch a winter series coming January 2025 to help train up more songleaders for movement work here in the Twin Cities -- we want to help organizers grow their confidence and toolkit of songs for justice and liberation work. Come find out more, experience the way your body shifts when singing hope in community, and try it out with us!

Setlist from October 10: Retrain Your Lizard Brain

Here are the songs we sang at the Thursday evening, October 10, 2024 Retrain Your Lizard Brain: Somatic Singing for Trauma Awareness + Resilience at Walker/New City Church. Enjoy the links to online recordings for your at-home remembering pleasure!

• May My Voice (Samara Jade)
• What are we gonna do with all this grief (main lyric from Prentis Hemphill’s book, “What It Takes to Heal,” tune by Liz with melodic frame influenced by Ana Hernandez’s “Set it right again”, Black Blues + Spirituals, and Whiskey Shivers’ “Who’s gonna dig these graves”)
• Stone by stone (Taya Ma)
• I am connected (Beautiful chorus) - and YouTube
• I am free in my body (Shireen Amini) - teaching parts at The Bird Sings

Here are some of the Resources we promised to share:

• About the Card Decks: Having a tangible tool to sit with and reflect our feelings back to us helps us slow down, process, and make space for emotional work and intentions we otherwise tend to ignore. We typically spread out two: the Rest Deck by Tricia Hersey and the Artist Grief Deck, made by hospice workers in the pandemic.
• Instruments we use: 
• CajonTab by Louson Drum - Conie has a 12" CajonTab; Liz has one of the Pro series. Get to know a bit of the cajon's musical history here. Use Liz's affiliate link to get 10% off!
• Shruti Box, literally "sound" or "singing" in ancient Sankrit, replicates the sound of the Tambura, an East Asian Indian drone instrument. Part of the family of drone instruments that show up in many cultures, related to bagpipes and harmoniums. Conie's instrument is from Shrutibox.com run by Ron Kravitz of https://www.musicinthemoment.com/ in Philadelphia, PA.

Thank you to the crew who jumped in to retrain their lizard brain! The right people were there, tenderness, grit, and support were shared. Community was tended. This is part of the world we're working towards!

Many thanks to Mni'sota Peacebuilding Leadership Institute for offering the amazing Strategies for Trauma Awareness & Resilience (STAR) training that Liz and Conie took in June 2023 and to being interested in partnering with us when we expressed interest in offering a hands-on offering. Please checkout their offerings and consider taking a webinar or the full training.

We're planning to make this session monthly because the work of Trauma Awareness and Resiliency is long and slow! Stay tuned for details by signing up for the In-person Singing and/or the Good Trouble Songleaders newsletters

Keep singing and stay warm, hydrated and creative!

Love, Liz and Conie, a.k.a. Good Trouble

*Dec 12*: Retrain Your Lizard Brain sessions for Fall 2024

What: Retrain Your Lizard Brain: Somatic Singing for Trauma Awareness + Resilience
When: Selected Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m. 

     Dates:  October 10, November 14, December 12, 2024

Where: Walker/New City Church,
     3104 16th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55407 (map)
With: Minnesota Peacebuilding Leadership Institute and GOOD TROUBLE

REGISTER HERE: Eventbrite

How do we find our way through personal, cultural, and systemic trauma towards resilience? Our culture is honestly pretty terrible at having community rhythms to process this and tools to live towards growth. Singing and somatic practice are one container offering a space to practice working through our grief, pain, and conflict towards finding joy, courage and connection.

Inspired by the STAR* training, you’re invited to a monthly community song circle of simple songs, taught call and echo, and somatic practices to check in with how our bodies are processing. You don’t need to “be a singer” - we’re not singing to perform; we sing because it changes us.

Oct 8: Registration opens for The Blessing Way Aramaic retreat (Apr 25-27, 2025)

 

Click here for more details on this retreat and to register.

*Dec 1*: Dances of Universal Peace in St. Paul

Please join Conie B and Adam Wolter for Sufi Dancing, a.k.a. the Dances of Universal Peace on the first Sunday of the month at the Twin Cities Friends Meetinghouse in St. Paul.  

• When:  First Sundays from 6:30-8:45 p.m.
• Upcoming Dates:  Oct 6, Nov 3, Dec 1, 2024
• Where:  Twin Cities Friends Meetinghouse, 1725 Grand Ave, St. Paul.  

Join our group on meetup.com for upcoming events.

MMC News: Fall 2024

Here's a quick roundup of Music that Makes Community (MMC) news of this moment.  

What's inside:

• Events: around Turtle Island and TC local
• Important resources
• A Vision
• And an invitation to contribute to our mission.  

Setlist from Sept 13: Songs for Tending Our Hearts @ Yess Yoga

Friends,

Here are the songs we sang at Songs for Tending Our Hearts at Yess Yoga on Friday night, September 13, 2024:

• Gather / We Are Not Alone (Joanna Laws Landis)
• I will let my heart be broken (Debbie Nargi-Brown)
• I am receiving (Lyndsey Scott)
• A Spell for Intergenerational Trauma (Ahlay Blakely)
• What goes a round (Tom Tyre)
• Love from the Inside Out (Moon Clemetson)

* An online audio or video recording has not been found. Let us know if you find one in the comments!

Some of you asked about the Resources we shared. Here's a short list...

• About the Card Decks: Having a tangible tool to sit with and reflect our feelings back to us helps us slow down, process, and make space for emotional work and intentions we otherwise tend to ignore. We typically spread out two:  
1. The Artist Grief Deck (https://griefdeck.com/) which was created by hospice workers during the pandemic 
2. and the Rest Deck by Tricia Hersey (https://thenapministry.com/rest-deck/) based on Hersey's book "Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto"
• Instruments we use: 
• CajonTab by Louson Drum - Conie has a 12" CajonTab; Liz has one of the Pro series. Get to know a bit of the cajon's musical history here. Use Liz's affiliate link to get 10% off!

• Shruti Box, literally "sound" or "singing" in ancient Sankrit, replicates the sound of the Tambura, an East Asian Indian drone instrument. Part of the family of drone instruments that show up in many cultures, related to bagpipes and harmoniums. Conie's instrument is from Shrutibox.com run by Ron Kravitz of https://www.musicinthemoment.com/ in Philadelphia, PA
• Where else to sing in the Twin Cities? There's three places you can check! 
1. Twin Cities Singing Circles (Facebook group)
2. Perfection-Free Community Singing (Facebook group)
3. AND this Google Doc of regular circles that Liz DA put together.

We are grateful to you if sang with us and to Yess Yoga for hosting.

If you'd like reminders of upcoming singing gatherings, sign up for the In-person Sings/Good Trouble mailing list here to get an email beforehand. Or just check the Yess Yoga's website.

Keep singing and stay warm, graceful, and creative!

Love, Liz and Conie, a.k.a. GOOD TROUBLE

Setlist from Street Justice Singalong @ CedarFest

 

Good Trouble shared these songs on the Mixed Blood Stage, from 2-3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, September 8, 2024 of Imagine Cedarfest.  

• Another world (inspired by Arundhati Roy/Kerri Meyer)
• Trouble is Gonna Find you/Answer Back in Love (Liz Digitale Anderson)
• Deep Down Inside of Me (Adele Getty)
• Becoming Kin (Nathan Holst, inspired by Patti Krawec’s book, Becoming Kin)
• Even when we make mistakes/I Belong (EarthPractice) - recording #2
• Forget Your Perfect Offering (words: Leonard Cohen/music: unknown)
• I did not come here alone (The Peace Poets)
• Organize! Organize! Organize! (adapted by Charon Hribar) - in We Rise: A Movement Songbook by The Poor People’s Campaign
• What a Time to Be Alive/The Revolution Has Come (Rev Sekou & the Holy Ghost)
• Who Makes the Future (Abigail Bengson)
• Neighbor, Neighbor, Can’t You See (Vermont Solidarity Singers, in The Poor People’s Campaign Songbook, pg 64)
• Somebody’s Hurtin’ my brother (Yara Allen) - in We Rise: A Movement Songbook by The Poor People’s Campaign
• Ceasefire Now (Sol Weiss)
• ... And probably a few more that I missed... 

Setlist for Sept 1: Heretics Sing

 

On Sunday, Sept 1, 2024, Conie filled in for Liz at The Sunday Morning Heretics Sing!  Here's the list of songs they sang: 

• I am free in my body (Shireen Amini) - teaching parts at The Bird Sings
• Sing a Song (from Sesame Street) - led by Heidi
• The Way Knows the Way (Lyndsey Scott) - Bandcamp
• Sorry, Not Sorry (Galen Smith of Mpls)
• Lead with Love (Melanie DeMore)

Sept 8: Dances of Universal Peace at TCFM

 

More details at http://www.meetup.com/The-Minnesota-Dances-of-Universal-Peace/.  

Fall 2024 Heart Songs Schedule

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love (an online community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: 6:30-8p CDT (05-UTC until Daylight Savings Time ends)

Dates for Fall 2024:  

• September 9, 23
• October 7, 21
• November 4, 18
• December 2, 16, 30

Where: Online: https://zoom.us/j/431161455 (see call-in options on Heart Songs' main page)

Gather for an informal singing time to re-center our hearts in community. Simple songs will be led paperlessly/taught by ear by Conie Borchardt, Nancy W, Sarah M, other song leaders, and you, if you have a song to share.

Join us. Bring friends. (Signup for the email reminder here; select Heart Songs)

Songs will be about the human experience and in that way, spiritual in nature, but not specifically religious.

This is a space intended for self-care, however that shifts for you in every moment. Bring water. Come and go. Sit in a chair, lie on the floor, or stand as you need to.

Aug 4: Dances of Universal Peace @ Friends Meetinghouse, St. Paul

 

Aug 4 + *Sept 1*: Special Guest at Heretics Sing

THE SUNDAY MORNING HERETIC SING

When:  Sunday, August 4, 10:30 a.m.
Where:  Anam Cara House Backyard: 

3612 Bloomington Ave, Minneapolis, 

gate to the backyard at the right of the house open (come alllllll the way around the house to the shade) 

Conie is filling in for Liz today!  

Open to all and especially holding space for queer & ex-religious folx who wanna sing with their whole selves.  We roll 1st and 3rd Sunday every month

Aug 30: Spirit of Peace Meditation ONLINE

 

It feels like a season to invite folks to a public practice of the Spirit of Peace Meditation.

If you feel called to join with others in 1) recommitting to "give our strength ... that love may reign and war may cease" and 2) to practice seeing the love and light in one's self and others, please consider yourself welcome to the next public online practice.

What: Spirit of Peace Meditation*
When: Friday, August 30, 4:30-5:15 p.m. Central Time USA (UT-05)
Where: Zoom Meeting ID: 941-277-002; Password: DUP

At this time we will meet monthly online. It may shift to in-person and more frequently, so sign up for the Spirit of Peace newsletter on this page to be most up-to-date.

If you have interest and delight in supporting this public practice of dedicating one's spirit to peace and seeing the holy love and light in each person, please reach out and let us know. Use the contact form here or send an email to listening@pointsoflightmusic.net.

--

Interested in history of the practice? Follow this link of posts tagged with "Spirit of Peace Walk" including *how we adapted it to zoomland,

Aug 21: PoLiMu recommends: Karly Loveling!

 

What:  Minneapolis SING! with Karly Loveling!
When:  Wednesday, August 21, 7-8:30 p.m.
Where:  Powderhorn Park, Minneapolis

More details on Facebook!

Aug 27: Retrain Your Lizard Brain: Somatic Singing for Trauma Awareness + Resilience

What: Retrain Your Lizard Brain: Somatic Singing for Trauma Awareness + Resilience

When: Tuesday, August 27, 2024, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Where: Walker/New City Church,
3104 16th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55407 (map)
With: Minnesota Peacebuilding Leadership Institute and GOOD TROUBLE

REGISTER HERE: Eventbrite
Facebook event page 

How do we find our way through personal, cultural, and systemic trauma towards resilience?

July 7: Dances of Universal Peace, a.k.a Sufi Dancing

Sufi Dancing

(AKA Dances of Universal Peace)

Sunday, July 7, 6:30 to 8:45 pm
Twin Cities Friends Meeting House
1725 Grand Ave, St. Paul (map)
https://tcfm.org/

Watch the MN DUP Meetup.com for future events! 

Donations accepted, but not required-

Come and weave a circle of sacred presence and harmony with shared movement and song. All spiritual traditions of the world are honored in a circle of universal prayer.

No former experience is necessary (And... seasoned dancers and dance leaders are more than welcome to bring their wisdom, dances, and shared leadership:)

Jul 26: Spirit of Peace Online Meditation

It feels like a season to invite folks to a public practice of the Spirit of Peace Meditation.

If you feel called to join with others in 1) recommitting to "give our strength ... that love may reign and war may cease" and 2) to practice seeing the love and light in one's self and others, please consider yourself welcome to the next public online practice.

What: Spirit of Peace Meditation*
When: Friday, July 26, 4:30-5:15 p.m. Central Time USA (UT-05)
Where: Zoom Meeting ID: 941-277-002; Password: DUP

At this time we will meet monthly online. It may shift to in-person and more frequently, so sign up for the Spirit of Peace newsletter on this page to be most up-to-date.

If you have interest and delight in supporting this public practice of dedicating one's spirit to peace and seeing the holy love and light in each person, please reach out and let us know. Use the contact form here or send an email to listening@pointsoflightmusic.net.

--

Interested in history of the practice? Follow this link of posts tagged with "Spirit of Peace Walk" including *how we adapted it to zoomland,

Jul 25: MSP MMC gathering!

Music that Makes Community in Minneapolis-St. Paul!

WHEN:
Thursday, July 25, 2024 at 3:00pm - 4:30pm

WHERE:
University Lutheran Church of Hope
601 13th Ave SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414

If you are looking for a new way to foster vulnerability, trust and connection in your worship, meetings or gatherings… if you enjoy oral singing tradition… or if you need a place to rest your soul and be filled…

Join Conie Borchardt, Maria Anderson-Lippert and Liesl Spitz for a Paperless Singing Practice Group. This gathering is for anyone who loves to sing, churchy and non-churchy alike. 

Questions? Contact hello@musicthatmakescommunity.org

PoLiMu recommends: Samara Jade + Mica Sun (Jul 6)

 

Samara Jade, the song catcher of "Endless, Boundless Gratitude," "The journey to the center," "Carrying water," and so many more songs in our aural tradition canon will be travelling through Minneapolis this weekend with creative and life partner, Mica Sun.  

Catch them in the western suburbs on Saturday night, July 6.  More details here!

Jul 9: Retrain Your Lizard Brain: Somatic Singing for Trauma Awareness + Resilience

What: Retrain Your Lizard Brain: Somatic Singing for Trauma Awareness + Resilience
When: Tuesday, July 9, 2024, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Where: Walker/New City Church,
3104 16th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55407 (map)
With: Minnesota Peacebuilding Leadership Institute and GOOD TROUBLE

REGISTER HERE: Eventbrite
Facebook event page 

How do we find our way through personal, cultural, and systemic trauma towards resilience?

Setlist from June 13 Retrain Your Lizard Brain

Here are the songs we sang at the second Retrain Your Lizard Brain: Somatic Singing for Trauma Awareness + Resilience at Walker/New City Church on Thursday evening, June 13, 2024. Enjoy the links to online recordings for your at-gome remembering pleasure!

• The Way Knows the Way (Lyndsey Scott)
• Do You Feel? Do You Heal? (Lu Aya Nephew, The Peace Poets + Deirdre Shabaaz)
• Put Your Roots Down (Molly Hartwell)
• Don’t numb to this (Abigail Bengson)
• You Are Safe Now* (Shireen Amini)
• Loosen, Loosen (Aly Halpert)
• Healing is Possible (Orion Johnstone)

* no online recording available. If you discover one, please let us know in the comments!

Here are some of the Resources we promised to share:

• About the Card Decks: Having a tangible tool to sit with and reflect our feelings back to us helps us slow down, process, and make space for emotional work and intentions we otherwise tend to ignore. In May we spread out the Rest Deck by Tricia Hersey and the Artist Grief Deck, made by hospice workers in the pandemic.
• Instruments we use: 
• CajonTab by Louson Drum - Conie has a 12" CajonTab; Liz has one of the Pro series. Get to know a bit of the cajon's musical history here. Use Liz's affiliate link to get 10% off!
• Shruti Box, literally "sound" or "singing" in ancient Sankrit, replicates the sound of the Tambura, an East Asian Indian drone instrument. Part of the family of drone instruments that show up in many cultures, related to bagpipes and harmoniums. Conie's instrument is from Shrutibox.com run by Ron Kravitz of https://www.musicinthemoment.com/ in Philadelphia, PA.

Thank you to the crew who jumped in to retrain their lizard brain!  The right people were there, tenderness, grit, and support were shared. Community was tended. This is part of the world we're working towards!

Many thanks to Mni'sota Peacebuilding Leadership Institute for offering the amazing Strategies for Trauma Awareness & Resilience (STAR) training that Liz and Conie took in June 2023 and to being interested in partnering with us when we expressed interest in offering a hand-on offering.  Please checkout their offerings and consider taking a webinar or the full training.

We're planning to make this session monthly because the work of Trauma Awareness and Resiliency is long and slow!  The next Retrain Your Lizard Brain session will likely be Thursday, July 9, 2024; stay tuned for details on this blog as they unfold or sign up for the In-person Singing and/or the Good Trouble Songleaders newsletters

Keep singing and stay warm, hydrated and creative!

Love, Liz and Conie, a.k.a. Good Trouble

June 28: Community Sing for Sacred Lands

WHEN:  FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 7-8 P.M.

WHERE:  FAITH MENNONITE CHURCH, 

2720 22nd St, Minneapolis

Facebook event | MMC website

Come join song leaders Doe and Conie, from the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery and Music that Makes Community, as they share songs submitted to their playlist project collaboration on Sacred Lands. The songs will connect to stories from the Coalition's growing network for Indigenous justice. For more information on the playlist project and/or to submit an original song, see here: https://tinyurl.com/sacredlandsplaylist

We will be indoors, so masks are strongly encouraged, as is taking a Covid test prior to attending.

This is an opportunity for local Twin Cities folks to connect with other members in the Coalition's national network for Indigenous justice and decolonization, as many of our members will be in the Twin Cities for our Annual Gathering June 28-July 1.

PoLiMu Recommends: Ahlay (Jul 22-23) + Lawrence (Aug 8)

AHLAY BLAKELY

DETAILS FOR AHLAY BLAKELY:  

- MONDAY, JULY 22:  Facebook + Registration

- TUESDAY, JULY 23:  Facebook + Registration

 

Lawrence Cole

DETAILS FOR LAWRENCE COLE:

- THURSDAY, AUGUST 8: Facebook + Registration