Musitations™: Exploring Music, Meditation, Creativity and Wisdom

Michael Brant DeMaria
  • 5.0 (9)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
Musitations™: Exploring Music, Meditation, Creativity and Wisdom

Welcome to Musitations™ – Sound Healing and Sound Wisdom for a world in need. On Musitations™ we explore all things musical, meditative and creative for healing, transforming and awakening the relationship between nature, culture and the soul. I'm Michael Brant DeMaria and I'm your host and guide on this journey on the edge of a new Millennium. I bring my 30+ years of experience as an integrative, holistic wellness guide, bestselling author, meditation/yoga/mindfulness teacher and a 4-time Grammy® nominated musician. Join me on this adventure of awakening the soul!

  1. MAY 14

    Musitations™ - Healing Vibrations with Travis Schumacher (E19)

    00:00 Intro06:23 Travis' Journey12:20 Travis attacked by Dogs in a Monastery in Thailand!17:00 Travis and Drew's humbly start their YouTube channel in a 350sq ft studio apartment!21:00 Travis shares about surprises and insights about his Sound Healing Journey25:00 Michael's Yoga Nidra, Samskaras and release of emotions in Sound Healing and Meditation32:00 Travis' suggestions to how to experience an online Sound Healing36:00 Sleep Vibrations and Chakra Vibrations launched40:00 Existential Corrective to the spiritual journey47:00 Finding Your own Inner Peace 50:00 What's on the Horizon?54:40 Each Moment is a Note in the Song of Today 55:20 Moving from our Head to our Hearts57:00 How to connect with Travis and Drew59:00 Importance of Soulversations1:00:00 People of the Twilight If you've googled Sound Healing you're sure to have come across these two gifted artists. In front of the camera is sound healer Travis  Schumacher and behind the camera is filmic wizard Drew Griffin. The two of them, childhood friends, took different paths until a fateful meeting led to the creation of Healing Vibrations, Sleep Vibrations and their newest channel Chakra Vibrations.  I was honored that when I reached out to Travis it turns out he had been listening to my music on Pandora for years.  So it too felt like a fateful meeting! Since then we've become friends and I was over joyed to have him to agree to be on Musitations™.  We had a great far-ranging conversation and I'm sure we will be having many more.  I hope you enjoy our soulversation as much as we did! A bit more about Travis here: In his own words: "At 22 years old, I had already lost 3 years of my life to heroin. I would have never imagined myself as an addict. I felt unworthy. Unworthy of love, unworthy of joy, unworthy of life. At that point, all that I wanted was to leave this world. At the peak of my addiction, I suffered my first, true heartbreak. I felt betrayed. I felt like my world was crumbling around me. I realized I needed to make a change. I was terrified. The indescribable pain of withdrawals laced with heartbreak was almost too much to take. For days, all I was thinking was that this is not who I am or who I want to be. I had to stick it out. I had to get clean. Coming out of addiction, I was faced with the hard reality that I had lost my way in life. I’d wasted years and had nothing to show for it. I didn’t know where I was going in life or if I had any purpose. That’s when I found meditation. I went on a quest for knowledge. Chants, mantras, reiki, sound healing, etc… All leading up to a profound out-of-body experience that changed the course of my life forever. In that experience, learned that I was eternal, I was complete, and I was connected to all things. After going through my addiction and breakup, I didn’t know if I could ever feel whole again but this experience showed me that I could if I was willing to seek the truth.  During this phase of my life, I developed a newfound desire to help others. I became a certified massage therapist and sought further learning in Thailand. There, I spent 3 months learning about meditation practices and sound healing. I also observed that my life had meaning and purpose; to heal others from their traumas as I had now been healed. Since then, I have dedicated my life to helping others find the light within. I now live my life promoting and performing sound bath in hopes of reaching those who feel lost or unworthy; striving to guide them to the path of hope and healing." Travis and Drew's website: https://healingvibrationsmedia.com/Healing Vibrations: https://www.youtube.com/@UCFHaYFxWu4zvM6-_O54A7cw Sleep Vibrations: https://www.youtube.com/@UChXHr9AfAQClutnpeqR8QVQ Chakra Vibrations: https://www.youtube.com/@UCRhDeFzIg4mDL7NG-T3Tppw https://michaeldemaria.com/

    1h 6m

  2. 06/11/2023

    Musitations™ - Burnout and Soul Renewal with McCall Erickson (E18)

    I was so honored to be interviewed on McCall's podcast Falling Into Soul: An Exploration of Inner Alchemy on the subject of Burnout & Soul Renewal, a subject near and dear to my heart. Having burned out 3 times in my life, I knew this would be a deep dive and it was! She graciously agreed for me to post it on my youtube channel and included it on my own Musitations podcast since this was the third in our series of soulversations. In McCall's words for the episode: In this episode, Michael DeMaria and I explore the rich, complex, and paradoxical themes of burnout and renewal central to our lives as empaths, recovering codependents (over givers) and creative types. Speaking from our personal experiences with burnout and how-not-to-burn-out, Michael and I explore: The importance of the soul (water, earth) in tempering the creative fire and air of spirit. How to honor and be in conversation with instead of pathologizing processes of the soul that feel dark, slow, and counter to creative productivity. Learning to differentiate between the ego being fed and the soul being fed through creative purpose. How to be who we are....sustainably I also share the story of how I burned out nine years ago on fulfilling my soul purpose, what I did to recover, and how I engage with purpose differently now. You can find out more about McCall and her wonderful work and book, "The Other Side of The Mountain" on her website at: https://www.mccallerickson.com/ or her podcast at: https://mccallerickson.buzzsprout.com/1225844 Time Stamps: 00:00 Intro 03:50 What is Burnout? 08:15 How the Soul Keeps Us Balanced. 11:20 Burnout vs. Shamanic Death/Rebirth 13:30 Inscendence vs Transcendence 17:00 Moving from the Fear of the Darkness to Welcoming it 15:30 Welcoming the Descents and Fallings into Soul 22:30 Dark Nights and Going Insane 24:50 What is Soul Sickness and What Nourishes the Soul 25:15 The Answer is Within 28:00 What feeds the soul? 29:45 Discerning the Difference Between Feeding the Soul and Ego 35:00 Becoming Whole 39:50 The soul is not languaged 40:40 When we let go over everything, everything supports us 42:40 Selfish/Selfless Paradox - and becoming Soul-fish 46:00 What is a soul initiation? 49:00 Seeing the Soul as a Wise Stranger we share our lives with 54:50 The Water of Life as an antidote to Burnout 1:00:00 Improvisation, Unconsciousness and Soul Flow 1:08:00 "He Plays Like A God" Story 1:13:00 Finding Your One Thing!

    1h 17m

  3. 01/09/2023

    Musitations™ - Surviving Storms - with Mark Nepo (E17)

    For those who know Mark Nepo's work he needs no introduction.  For those who are not yet familiar with his work, Mark Nepo has been called “one of the finest spiritual guides of our time,” “a consummate storyteller,” and “an eloquent spiritual teacher.” A bestselling author, he has published twenty-three books and recorded sixteen audio projects. His books have been translated into more than twenty languages. Recent work includes Surviving Storms (St. Martin’s Essentials, 2020) and Drinking from the River of Light, a Nautilus Award Winner (Sounds True, 2019).  I have been following Mark's work for over 30 years.  Yet, I first connected with him when my music was used on his two audio programs for Sounds True, Reduced To Joy, and Inside The Miracle.  Since then I have had the honor and privilege of being part of a number of his mentoring circles for authentic living.  Mark has a unique capacity to bring the inevitable complexities, challenges and inherent paradoxes of life into an intimate, clear and accessible focus through the power of story, metaphor and his timeless poetry.  In this episode, we dive into his most recent book, "Surviving Storms: Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity".  It's as all of his books a powerful, deeply intimate read about becoming truly ourselves in times of adversity, challenges and suffering. Today, more than ever, Mark's timeless wisdom is a welcome healing balm and lantern to light our way through the dark.  Mark's Main Website: https://marknepo.com/   Marks Website for Live Webinars: https://live.marknepo.com/ 04:52 The Basic Chords Under Everything 06:24 Between The Song of Life and The Pain of Life  07:57 Exhausted Open To the Joy and Pain of Living 09:30 The Everyday Broken Hallelujah 12:31 The Liminal Space of Being Born Premature  16:00 Losing the Connection to the Chords Under Everything - Our Primal Home 16:30 Where is Your Soul At Home 20:57 The Essential Paradoxes of Life 21:40 Whales and Dolphins as Examples of Solitude and Relationship 24:00 Our Direct Connection and Reverence for Life  24:45 Presence and Depth of MY Truth vs. Relationships and Truth Beyond My Own 25:50 The Gifts and Liabilities of Solitude and Relationship 26:30 The Maturing of Compassion - Staying Open To Your Pain Without Losing Yourself 28:00 Un-individuated Love and Codependency 28:39 We Have the Switch To Our Own Light, Not Others  30:00 Through Suffering and Loving We Find Our Inner Light  31:00 Being a Greenhouse for Each Others 34:00 Dealing with Paradox by Stepping Back To See the Wider View 35:00 The Hawk and The Horse - Balancing Revelation and Step by Step Living 39:00 Letting our Soul Catch Up With Us 42:00 Circles for Authentic Living 43:00 Progress vs Incarnation (doing for others AND seeing for myself) 46:00 Breaking Codependence (Extension of Suffering vs. Being a Resource for another Suffering) 48:00 Not Avoiding Suffering and Becoming a Hand Carved Flute 49:00 Being Fully Carved Open Like a Flute 50:00 Everyone Has a Gift Which Gives Us The Capacity to Live Life to The Fullest

    55 min

  4. 07/20/2022

    Musitations™ - You Must Change Your Life - with Rachel Corbett (E16)

    00:00 Intro  04:17 Letters to a Young Poet Inspiration 05:51 Rodin and Rilke’s Relationship 08:00 Rilke asks, “How should I live?”  09:22 Rodin’s Answer 11:51 Rilke’s quest for a Muse  14:29 Heart Work and Empathy 19:45 Creativity and Madness 21:12 Do we need demons to create? 26:00 Art and the Mystery of Being 27:45 Seeing with Awe and Wonder 30:37 Looking through Rilke’s Eyes 31:57 Letters and Poems 35:41 Art and the Survival of our Species 38:51 Art and Nature 39:02 Truth over Beauty? 39:17 Nature and Truth  41:00 On Solitude and Togetherness   The title of this podcast is the provocative title of one of my favorite books I have read in recent years, Rachel Corbett's masterwork of historical non-fiction, You Must Change Your Life: The Story of Rainer Maria Rilke and August Rodin.  It really rocked my world. I had read Rilke's monograph of Rodin back in grad school 40 years ago, and have always wondered why someone had not written more about the relationship between these two men of vision, heart and artistic genius. To many Rilke is considered the greatest poet of the 20th century, and Rodin perhaps one of the greatest sculptures of all time.  In particular, Rilke's masterpiece, "Letters to a Young Poet" spoke so deeply to me as a young aspiring poet/artist and musician - that it has shaped my own approach to life and art in deep ways, and remains (as it does for many) as one of my favorite gifts to give to young, aspiring creatives of all types.  I was also going through a very difficult time when I read this book as we were entering the pandemic and it was as if Rachel was speaking directly to me through her thoughtful, wise and empathic prose.  I have wanted to have her on the show for quite some time and I'm THRILLED she agreed.  You won't be disappointed and PLEASE go buy this book and read it! If you want to experience Paris and the artistic/intellectual climate at the turn of the century - it will take you on a fascinating, wonderful journey - particularly with a caste of characters as diverse and extraordinary as Lou Andreas-Salome (Rilke's lover, mentor, guide and muse) and Camille Claudel (Rodin's gifted, brilliant and ultimately tragic muse) and so many others. Here is a bit more about Rachel:  Rachel Corbett is the author of You Must Change Your Life: The Story of Rainer Maria Rilke and Auguste Rodin, which won the 2016 Marfield Prize, the National Award for Arts Writing.  She has written for the New Yorker, the New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, and New York Magazine, among other publications. She lives in Brooklyn. Website: http://www.rachel-corbett.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/rachelncorbett?lang=en Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Corbett_(art_journalist)

    48 min
  5. Musitations™ - Being In The Music - A Soulversation with Christopher Anderson-Bazzoli (E15)

    06/11/2022

    Musitations™ - Being In The Music - A Soulversation with Christopher Anderson-Bazzoli (E15)

    Chris and I have been having musical soulversations for close to two decades.  An accomplished film composer, conductor and musician based in LA, he has worked with Michael Bublé, Dr. Dre, Christina Aguilera and many others.  More importantly, he has a deep and profound understanding and approach to the art and practice of creating music. We went through David Darling's Music for People apprenticeship together and share a similar love and passion for the art of improvisation. We dive into the first time he heard Dark Wood one of David's poignant solo cello albums that helped him begin to look at the art of music making from a more profound and simple approach - what David often called Deep Listening - or playing from INSIDE the music, i.e., allowing the music to be birthed from this incredibly intimate, innocent and vulnerable place we all have within.  Join us for this deep dive into what "Being In The Music" means to us and how David's legacy lives on a year after he transitioned to the other side of things. Here is a bit more about Chris: As a conductor and orchestrator, Christopher Anderson-Bazzoli has worked with top recording artists Michael Bublé, Dr. Dre, Christina Aguilera, and She & Him, among others. He is also an Emmy-nominated composer whose latest classical work, Continent’s End, is available on the Delos Music label. His music can be found on the web at posthornmusic.com. Chris' IMBD: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1125129/ 00:00 Intro 04:00 David Darling's Album Darkwood - Simple, Deep, Personal Expression 05:00 A Tuba at Esalen Institute  10:21 Spirit and the Breath 19:35 Playing from Deep Inside the Music   21:00 Soul Source and Jung 23:00 Returning to Child as Healing 25:00 Vulnerability of the Voice 29:00 Play One Thing - Simplicity and the Moment of Belonging in a music improv  35:00 Even the Most Accomplished Musicians Struggle with getting out of their way 39:00 Deep Listening and Being Inside the Music  44:03 Film Composing  50:00 Power of Community in Supporting Creative Expression

    54 min
  6. Musitations™ - Serious Fun - A Soulversation with Will Clipman (E14)

    04/30/2022

    Musitations™ - Serious Fun - A Soulversation with Will Clipman (E14)

    Thrilled to have my good friend, colleague and fellow Multi-Grammy® nominee Will Clipman on Musitations™ for the kick off of season 2! I have admired Will and his profound work in world music and percussion for more than 3 decades!  It is such an honor and treat to have him on the show.  Little did I know we had so much in common; both being published poets, devoted world music multi-instrumentalists and most importantly survivors of a near death experience - which is how we connected while collaborating on a project for the IANDS (International Association of Near Death Experiences) conference last year.  We immediately connected and began discussing doing an episode on Musitations™ together which is now live! We discuss the meaning of mythopoetic, conscious creativity and the importance of having "serious fun" when creating - as well as the importance of listening, stillness and silence.  Here is a bit more about Will:  Will Clipman is a poet, percussionist, performing and recording artist, maskmaker, storyteller and educator. He has been nominated for seven GRAMMY® Awards, including one for his solo world music album Pathfinder, and his pan-global instrumental palette is featured in his Planet of Percussion® workshop and performance. Will has recorded over seventy albums, including thirty-five for Canyon Records, the world’s foremost producer of Native American music. Will’s poetry is widely published, including his book Dog Light (Wesleyan University Press). His masks and mythopoetic storytelling are showcased in his workshop and performance Myths & Masks®, which is available as a DVD. Will has conducted over three hundred artist-in-residence programs for elementary, middle and high schools, colleges and universities, senior centers, adult and juvenile prisons, hospitals, libraries, resorts and retreat centers. His work as an educator has been recognized with an Arizona Commission on the Arts Decade of Distinguished Service Award and three Governor’s Arts Awards nominations. Will has toured throughout the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, as well as in Germany, Canada, Morocco and Russia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Syracuse University and a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Arizona. For further insights into Will’s work, please visit his website at www.willclipman.com. 08:14 Mythopoetic 13:28 Conscious Creativity  14:40 Serious Fun  24:05 Planet Percussion  31:12 Will’s Musical Origin Story  33:33 Feeling Good and Groovy  37:35 Our Near-Death Experiences  47:19 The Importance of Listening, Stillness and Silence  49:40 Will’s first poem 56:40 Playing a Duet with Silence

    1h 2m
  7. Musitations™ - Art as Meditation - A Soulversation with Felipe Munoz (E13)

    11/05/2021

    Musitations™ - Art as Meditation - A Soulversation with Felipe Munoz (E13)

    I first met Felipe when he asked me to be part of a local PechaKucha, a fascinating form of storytelling that celebrates humanity. Felipe was the driving force and organizer for our local chapter. For those that don't know PechaKucha’s 20x20 presentation format allows each presenter 20 chosen images, each for 20 seconds. In other words, you've got 400 seconds to tell your story, with visuals guiding the way. PechaKucha means "chit chat" in Japanese and began in Tokyo in 2003, and since then it has grown into a worldwide movement.  I loved the experience and was immediately impressed with the quiet strength, compassionate wisdom and presence of this young man and the community he helped develop in our Gulf Coast town for our fellow creatives. As you will find out Felipe loves hanging out with ALL the muses of life - and most importantly his love of people, family and the creative process. Felipe is an award-winning artist, a five-time entrepreneur with 20 years of marketing experience, and a decade working on business branding and consulting. He's been coaching and training professionals since 2010 on how to work creatively with various tools and more recently focusing on assisting individuals on living a more mindful and meaningful life by embracing their spirituality, creativity, and exploring new positive experiences. His father is a fine artist and interior designer, and his mother is an educator in theology and philosophy. Early on, ideas, concepts, and experiences allowed him the privilege of having time and space to develop critical thinking, compassion, and an existential drive that motivates him to this day in appreciating the beauty in every person and every moment. As a father of two expressive and creative children, now more than ever, he appreciates all the experiences that his childhood provided him. Join us as we take a deep dive into all things creative in particular how he has developed his Art and Meditation practice and our mutual passion of combining present moment awareness with the creative process! You can find out more about Felipe as: https://munoz.work/about or https://empathicpractice.us/

    58 min

  8. 07/02/2021

    Musitations™ - Music Heals - A Soulversation with Sherry Finzer (E12)

    I am thrilled to have my good friend, fellow flutist Sherry Finzer on Musitations Episode 12! We've known each other close to a decade and share a love of the flute and a passion for bringing more healing, meditation and mindfulness into the world through music. Topics we explore:  What led you from classical/jazz to more healing music? How do you use music as a meditation for yourself and others?  What do you love most right now about your exploration of healing music? Can you tell us more about The Tank and recording there and what you love most about it? What is your creative edge? Being the first musician to live stream on Insight Timer! Sherry Finzer believes that music can heal. Her musical journey has taken her from classical to jazz, pop, world, and flamenco, to today, where she feels her music does the best work by helping to calm, soothe and bring people to a state where they can begin to heal through her New Age music. Fueled by stories shared by listeners and fans of how her music helps them deal with stress, depression, and physical ailments such as tinnitus, stroke, and cancer, she records, performs, composes, and runs Heart Dance Records – a label consisting of artists with a focus on creating music to be used to help mentally and physically heal. Sherry specializes in the low flutes - alto, bass, and contrabass, as well as Native flutes. Sherry's music can be heard on SXM Spa Channel, Pandora, Spotify, Music Choice Soundscapes, Galaxie Spa Channel, Calm Radio, River of Calm, Journeyscapes, international radio programming, multiple airlines, and overhead music channels. She was one of the first musicians asked to live stream on the Insight Timer app, and performs weekly on this platform. She has recorded over 27 New Age & Contemporary Instrumental CD's and has released many singles. You can find out more about Sherry at: https://www.sherryfinzer.com/

    56 min
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About

Welcome to Musitations™ – Sound Healing and Sound Wisdom for a world in need. On Musitations™ we explore all things musical, meditative and creative for healing, transforming and awakening the relationship between nature, culture and the soul. I'm Michael Brant DeMaria and I'm your host and guide on this journey on the edge of a new Millennium. I bring my 30+ years of experience as an integrative, holistic wellness guide, bestselling author, meditation/yoga/mindfulness teacher and a 4-time Grammy® nominated musician. Join me on this adventure of awakening the soul!

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