What Do I Need?

What is it that I need if I knew that LOVE was surrounding me. Well, the answer I am making an attempt to say is that we need very little especially when we see our universe as made up of the same star stuff we are made of and the most powerful element surrounding us is love.

It is similar to what was communicated clearly in one of my favorite movies, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. The message was simple, "everything is going to work out all right in the end. And if it is not all right, it is not yet the end."

What do I need? ...is a great question to ask yourself and when dare to you dig deep and answer this question for yourself, it reveals we have all we need in front of us and all around us. Being at peace with life and feeling complete within ourselves is a worthy goal. The path of forgetting and remembering is a natural journey and what I consider a good and perfect day.

Here are the lyrics to my song What Do I Need? And a brief video clip from a recent Hold The Sky concert.

Lyrics

What Do I Need? by Karl Anthony

You don't need to know what your doing
You don't need to have it figured out
All you need to know is that loves the only show
And thats what life is all about

You don't need to know where you’re going
You don't have to plan the perfect route
All you need to know is that loves the only show
And that's what this whole things all about

    Then what do I need, what do I need
    when love is surrounding me

You don't need to be, all you can be
You don't need to always do your best
All you need to know is that loves the only show
You’ll do fine at all the rest
What do I need, what do I need

I got, all I need, surrounding me, surrounding me…I got love,
and its all around me, that's what I need, that's what I need

You don't need to, make a fortune
No need for more than enough
All you need to know is that love is good as gold
Man it helps, when times are tough

Cause you, don’t always feel like you should feel
You don’t always look-like you’d like
All you need to know is that love steals the show
So tell your doubt, go take a hike
What do I need, what do I need

Order this song at this link.

Meeting Patch Adams

The day I met Patch Adams, the physician, comedian, social activist, clown, author and out-of-the-box thinker, was the day I noticed something. A label like doctor or musician does not need to define who we are.

In a hotel lobby years ago in Moscow, we were introduced and Patch Adams himself presented me with a bright red clown nose. As a matter of fact he proceeded to place it gently on my nose and then he placed another one on his nose as we stood eye to eye, nose to nose and tried not to laugh.

Actually we didn't stand eye to eye for he is very tall, not at all like the actor who beautifully played him in the movie, Robin Williams, but Robin sure did nail his creative spirit.

Now that I have been working in a Children's Hospital setting for many years, I relate to the powerful messages Dr. Adams has shared about the need for compassion and laughter in health care. And it turns out to be a uniquely important ingredient for our human experience.

Many of us are way too busy, disconnected and even feel lonely much of the time. The need to feel connected runs deep in all of us, especially when we are sick and require healing. Music and art can lift our spirit. Humor and a heart warming story will allow you to travel to places where all is well with the world.

I predict one day there will be Healing Arts departments in all hospitals, not only in children's hospitals. And these programs will not be asking for volunteers but seeking out qualified artist to collaborate as employees and work closely with staff to alleviate discomfort and strengthen the conditions for healing.

I am foremost a facilitator with music and use my gift to open the door to a deeper human connection. I understand Patch Adams is still traveling the world sharing the need for compassion and building hospitals where health care is free. I wish him well and thank him for introducing me to the power of connecting with people with whatever gift you have inside you. Hey, it is not rocket science, even a clown nose can make a difference.

My Healing Arts Page

As always, your comments are welcome...

What do I believe?

Our vision breathes life into our ideas. Thinking things up is only a seed of possibility which awaits and is eager to be pulled by our beliefs and that vision.

Most of the time when I have something new to offer, it can be an unnerving and slightly vulnerable place to be. I love being a songwriter and will most likely be one until my last breath. I can imagine this only because writing another song is always floating around somewhere in my thoughts.

What I believe tends to be an ever changing story but who I am and who we are in our hearts remain familiar, perhaps the same even as we continue to blossom. I believe life is a random wild ride and the genuine moments we are able to capture and share with others are the grand prize.

What I desire is a closer connection with my community and a receptive ear to hear the music which flows me.

What do you believe?

Listen to the song, I Believe.

Can A Song Change Everything?

Can a song change everything? And when I say everything I mean the direction of my thinking mind? Writing a song is a therapeutic process, I highly recommend it. My Hold The Sky song has open doors and has taken my life into a whole new direction and has opened my eyes to an emerging new world. The world I am referring to is the acceptance of healing arts as an avenue to heal our communities, society and our world.

Over ten years have gone by since I was invited into a children's hospital and asked to work with medical staff and introduce my music in a therapeutic context. The power of music is well documented but I mostly observe that music and art are doorways which allows human connection to unfold. Healing thrives in the warmth of genuine connection.

Stress is a common representation of disconnection so being at ease aids in healing and even activates our feelings of security. What if art and music were elevated in society to a level where it were used in the fabric of everyday life? Imagine our cites being a place where you were surrounded by beautiful art and empowering music. I was once asked, if there were one thing I would change which I thought could make the most difference, what would it be? My response is to cultivate a new level of appreciation for art and music in society and beginning first with our children.

Human connection is the healing secret and yet we still have a system and commercial interest which demands our attention to feel disconnected, off balance and even not enough. This way they can provide us a product or service which brings us back around to what we ultimately desire, human connection. I believe this is too high of a price to pay and encourage we spend our precious time lifting the vibration as we can and introducing as much beauty into our environment as we possibly can. Trust me, you will feel better.

For me, creating a new song changes everything, and I look forward to creating another. You have talents which are eager to be expressed and the world always needs more creativity, art and music. And remember when we create and children are encouraged to create, all of society wins.

Love song: See With Your Eyes

Love is in the air and Valentine's Day is a sweet reminder of keeping romance in our hearts. I was inspired to write a song to keep romance alive in my life even as love slipped through my fingers. Experiencing the void I wrote this song to call into my life a love which fills my heart with song. I am thrilled to say I am experiencing that sweet love once again and we are dancing smoothly and beautifully to the music of our shared hearts. As I am willing to see with her eyes, our love grows deeper. The lyrics which called to me was this: Now I can see you, the real part of you. Now I can know you, all of you.

This song is called See With Your Eyes and I included it on my new cd which represents for me the essence and beauty of love. The place where you meet someone where they are and you find yourself there as well.

Please listen to the track and share your comments with me. And this weekend, hold someone special close to your heart. It doesn't have to be a romance, let it be another moment to celebrate any and all love which shows up in your life. And remember those age-old magic and profound words. Will you be my valentine?

See With Your Eyes

by Karl Anthony

I guess I listen like a man,
So let me try and understand you
Now there are times I can get it right,
Like when I hold you in the light

When I see with your eyes, see with your eyes
When I see with your eyes, I see  

Oh I may stumble now and then,
I sure hope it don't offend you
Most times I swear I’m at my best,
but the times when I feel blessed

Is when I see with your eyes, see with your eyes
When I see with your eyes, I see  
Now I can see you....the real part of you
Now I can know you....all of you  

I like the days that make sense,
but most days are confusing
When I need a soft place to land,
I place my heart in your hands

So I can see with your eyes, see with your eyes
When I see with your eyes, I see
Now I can see you....the real part of you
Now I can know you....all of you
Now I can see you....the real part of you
Now I can know you....all of you

HOPE (Here I Am)

LISTEN to the song....HOPE.

Hope (Here I Am)
by Karl Anthony

I have hope, in the brilliance of this moment
I have hope, in the wonder of my life
I am free, letting go of all that binds me
No more doubt, listen here, I have hope

I have hope, in a fire deep inside me
I have hope, in the passion in my heart
I can see, the allure of my illusions
No more doubt, listen here, I have hope

    I believe and I accept
    Take me to the edge of happiness
    And if my tears should fall
    Walk me to the chapel of hope

Here I Am

I wrote a song called HOPE. I'm hoping you take a brief moment to listen for free. Then share it for I believe this song can lift the heaviness from the day. That is a good enough reason to keep making music, the right song elevates life's ups and downs.

The download of the song HOPE and my entire Hold The Sky album is available at this link. It would mean a great deal to me if you included it in your music collection. Buying my music is an encouraging vote for me to keep creating. Of coarse as a songwriter I will always be pulled to write another song for it is like breathing to me, but it sure means the world to me when these songs boost your day and enrich your life even a little while we keep moving forward.

The (KA)SongBlog is designed to introduce a single song to listen for free. Your comments are always welcome.

The physical copy of the Hold The Sky cd is expected to arrive by Feb 14th. Now that's what I call a great Valentine. And to all who pre-ordered the Hold The Sky cd, you will be the first to receive yours in the mail. Thank you so much!

*And thank you to Creative Commons and Pixabay for the use of the photo in this blog.

Pura Vida is Pure Life

Hope (Here I Am)

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Living in Pura Vida

My friend Kalli captured this picture of me and my buddy Christian with his son (and my godchild) Trevor. We were experiencing Pure Life, or as they like to say in Costa Rica, Pura Vida. That was the day which inspired me to write a song you can listen to right now. Yes, it is called Pura Vida and it is on my new cd, Hold The Sky.

My producer Dave Blackburn captured the feeling just right as it was his idea to add the sounds of Seagulls on a beach before the band kicks in. The chorus is simple....Lets do nothing, absolutely nothing, and take ALL day to do it.

Life is full so when you do finally take the time to chill out, be sure it is a Pura Vida moment.

Feel free to share this song with a friend who could use a little Pura Vida. I would enjoy hearing your comments as well. Thank you!

All You Need Is ...?

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Photo captured in India at the Mantra India SEVA Trip.

What I get to do in my career is gently remind people, it will be ok. Keep moving forward one step at a time and know in your heart that all will work out in the end.

Music and the healing arts have always played a roll in keeping me grounded to that essence inside myself which ultimately I call love and which focuses my direction in life. Being inspired by music and those simple song titles from artist like the Beatles, James Taylor and so many others put me on the path to find my own music which now I share with you and the whole world.

Perhaps you are looking for a way to share your unique gifts. Or you could be wondering what is your to do. Everyone has unique talents and I encourage you to express yours. It is a wildly wonderful blessing and a mystery to experience this beautiful life. And the only way to make it even more magical is deciding to share who you are and how you can best embrace and enjoy it.

Life is short. And I am reminded by something my dear friend and mentor Richard Levy often said at the close of his talks. I have mentioned them before and they are worth repeating. He stated 3 questions to consider at the end of ones life. Here they are...

All You Need Is Love....and a really cool scarf for this picture.

Did I love well? Did I live fully? Did I learn to let go?

Richard would then follow up by saying not to wait and ask yourself these questions now.

Do I love well? Do I live fully? Have I let go?

So once we direct our energy in saying yes to Richards 3 questions, we are on our way to doing what we are here to do and being who we are here to be.
 

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I enjoy being a guide. What do you enjoy doing? I would love to hear your comments. Over the years it has been an honor for me to mentor youth, lead international tours, perform and speak for large audiences, and help guide others to share their passions and talents in the world. Staying inspired is not always easy and I have had many wonderful people help to guide me along the way.

It is possible for you to lean into your life passion and often small steps are all that are necessary. I have found these tiny moves taken towards being myself allows life to take a positive move towards me. This is the perfect place to begin and there is no better time than now.

Lets keep in touch for I have a few new fun announcements to share with you over the next few weeks. The creativity is flowing and I wish to include you in all the enchanting details.

All You Need Is Love? Well, we may need a little more than love, but that sure is a really good start.

Keep singing,

Karl

You Are Closer Than You Think

Like in this game of horseshoes, you are closer than you think to where you wish to be. I took this photo while playing horseshoes with my friend Christian. We both stared intently from all the angles trying to determine which of us won the point. In other words, which horseshoe was closest to the pole. We finally decided it was a tie and both of us deserved the point.

I hear many people expressing feelings of overwhelm these days and have experienced those uncomfortable sensations myself lately. It doesn't feel good and can be confusing as random self imposed expectations flood your thoughts. We all have a creative mind and wish to be productive with our time and energy. I am reminded during my overwhelming moments what I often observe in India on our Mantra Tours. The people and children we visit even in the poor villages remember JOY. Being busy does not need to be a curse. Experiencing JOY is closer than we think for it lies within the life we are choosing and living each day.

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2014 India Mantra Tour

My friend Beejal & I where recently discussing the level of sadness we see in the faces of people we know and in the general public. It is time to be at home where JOY lives. Moving gently towards doing the things you love is a great place to begin. When is it right to simple do what you enjoy and have always wanted to do? Perhaps that time is now. It is what we crave and desire. To be an authentic and joyful breathe of fresh air with everyone we encounter. 

This is what your community and the world needs most. A reminder that it is ok to be in your JOY. You deserve to be happy and that happiness is closer than you think.

“Bring the JOY before you arrive.”

— Karl Anthony