Singing: A Forgotten Treasure for Inner Harmony and Growth

  Tuesday, May 14, 2024 by Shannon Boyce | Uncategorized

“I don’t feel alone anymore.” 

When one of my students unexpectedly said this to me during a recent singing lesson, I was so stunned that I got goosebumps and wanted to cry with joy. She had experienced a deep connection to herself. Her voice had begun to resonate with her personal life force and the harmony of vibrant embodied selfhood. This was an experience of the free voice.

Recently, Waldorf Today, an online newsletter, published an article featuring an interview with my teacher, Christiaan Boele, about the importance of freeing the voice for the future of humanity. If you would like to read it, click here and scroll down to the bottom of the newsletter.

In a world where modern life's complexities often drown out the simple pleasures, there lies a forgotten treasure waiting to be rediscovered: the human voice. Amidst the hustle and bustle of daily routines, the act of singing offers a pathway to inner harmony and personal growth that is often overlooked.

I am so grateful I met The School of Uncovering the Voice over 14 years ago which has changed me so deeply as a human being. I was already a singer and singing teacher, but this school changed the direction of my destiny, which is why it is my life mission to spread this work far and wide.

The legacy of Valborg Werbeck-Swärdström, lives on at A Supple Voice, a singing school that stands on the same foundational principles that Werbeck taught.

I chose the name A Supple Voice because of the word “sublimation,” which is the key to uncovering the voice.  When Rudolf Steiner and Werbeck first met, Steiner said to her, "What a beautiful etheric larynx you have! I do not wish to be immodest, but it seems to me that you sing as I speak. And isn't it true, if one did not speak or sing with sublimated air, the throat might not be equal to the demands placed upon it?" Inspired by this insight, Werbeck’s skepticism of Steiner immediately dissipated, and their working relationship began.

Sublimation, often an unfamiliar term to many, holds profound significance in the context of singing. To sublimate is to change the form but not the essence. Physically, it means transforming solid to vapor; psychologically, it means changing the outlet of expression from something base to something more positive or acceptable. In the context of singing, sublimation is about elevating the character of our voice to a place of dignity and honor. It's about singing for the future of mankind, striving to bring a more elevated character to our soul and consciousness.

Through the transformational process of sublimating the breath and finding one's supple voice, individuals embark on a journey toward embodied selfhood. This journey brings light and confidence into one's soul and being, fostering a sense of wholeness and connection to a higher source. In today's chaotic times, where feelings of isolation and disconnection abound, discovering this sense of wholeness within oneself becomes more important than ever.

As my teacher always said, “In this schooling, there is a profound change in the approach towards the voice. Simple exercises, accessible to anyone, even those who believe they have ‘no voice,’ facilitate this transformation. Changes occur in the approach towards breathing, the perception of musical sound and tone, and the understanding of speech syllables and their effect. Participants immediately notice a shift in the fluidity of their bodies and harmonization of their physical instruments with their inner being. It's not about physical exercises but a holistic approach that integrates spiritual consciousness with soul-feeling and the physical body.”

Now, take a moment and reflect on what has been the experience of your voice

• Does your voice match the one you imagine?
• Does it have unclear, out-of-tune tones or shaky delivery?
• Does singing feel emotionally or physically painful, and do you desire ease?
• Is breath management challenging, leaving you gasping for air mid-phrase when speaking or singing?
• Do you experience voice cracks or difficulty transitioning between different parts of your voice?
• Are you often asked to speak up because you are soft-spoken?
• Or do you find that others pull away from you because your voice is so loud?
• Do you frequently lose your voice from illness or fatigue, causing you to worry about its recovery?
• Do you long to sing, but shyness or past negative experiences or trauma have hindered your vocal expression?
• Or are you like the man Christiaan Boele mentioned in the previous article, who said, “Well, singing is really the last thing I would like to do. Other people do not need to hear my voice. I cannot sing at all.”
  
  

Remember that singing offers life-healing forces for everyone, whether you love to sing, long to sing, or have no desire to sing. Singing can have healing, uniting, and strengthening effects on our whole society. When we discover our own personal song of the self, it naturally leads us to unite with one another.  

Therefore, I invite you to join one of the many opportunities to experience this profound work toward freeing your own voice.  

A new online course begins June 17th and will run for 6 weeks, meeting twice weekly.

Visit www.asupplevoice.com for more information.

Are you unsure about joining the full course? Then, I invite you to a live online mini-lesson. 

For just $19, you will get an immersive experience of the basic beginner exercises, including extra supplemental online support after the live online lesson to continue practicing the exercises on your own.