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>> THIS ORIGINAL WSRE
PRESENTATION IS MADE POSSIBLE BY
VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
THANK YOU.
>> WE TALK MUSIC AND THE MIND,
MUSICIAN, COMPOSER AND
PSYCHOLOGIST, DR. MICHAEL
DEMARIA ON THIS EDITION OF
CONVERSATIONS.
>> MOST PEOPLE ARE FORTUNATE IF
IF THEY FIND SUCCESS WITH ONE
CAREER, MUCH LESS TWO.
BUT DR. MICHAEL DEMARIA HAS DONE
JUST THAT.
FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES HE HAD
A SUCCESSFUL PSYCHOLOGY
PRACTICE, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME
BUILDING A SECONDARY CAREER AS
COMPOSER AND MUSICIAN.
HIS MUSIC HAS PUT THREE
CONSECUTIVE ALBUMS AT NUMBER ONE
ON THE NEW AGE CHARTS.
YOU CAN ADD TO THAT FOUR GRAMMY
NOMINATIONS AND THE FACT THAT HE
WAS A CONTRIBUTOR ON A GRAMMY
WINNING CHILDREN'S ALBUM, AND
YOU SEE HIS MUSIC RESUME IS
QUITE IMPRESSIVE.
WHAT'S MORE UNIQUE IS HOW
DR. DEMARIA MARRIED PSYCHOLOGY
AND MUSIC TO FORM A HOLISTIC
APPROACH TO ENHANCING ONE'S
LIFE.
A MESSAGE HE COMMUNICATES
THROUGH SPEAKING AND WRITING.
HE'S ALSO AUTHOR OF THREE BOOKS
INCLUDING A BOOK OF POETRY.
WELCOME, DR. MICHAEL DEMARIA TO
CONVERSATIONS.
YOU'RE A BUSY GUY.
>> YES, I STAY PRETTY BUSY.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
GREAT TO BE HERE.
>> IT'S ABSOLUTELY A PLEASURE.
FIRST, CONGRATULATIONS, ANOTHER
GRAMMY NOMINATION.
AND ALSO YOU WERE A CONTRIBUTOR
TO AN ALBUM, A CHILDREN'S ALBUM
WHICH ACTUALLY WON A GRAMMY.
>> YES, JEFF.
JUST THIS LAST WEEK.
>> CONGRATULATIONS.
>> TELL ME ABOUT THE CHILDREN'S
ALBUM.
>> THE CHILDREN'S ALBUM, JEFF,
IS NAMED ALL ABOUT BULLIES BIG
AND SMALL.
IT'S A REALLY WONDERFUL PROJECT.
I MET THE PRODUCERS AT LAST
YEAR'S GRAMMYs AND THEY WERE
KIND ENOUGH WHEN THEY FOUND OUT
I WAS A PSYCHOLOGIST AND ALSO A
POET AS WELL AS MUSICIAN THEY
SAID WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU
CONTRIBUTE TO THIS ALBUM.
AND I SHARED WITH THEM THAT I
ACTUALLY WAS A CHILD PROTECTION
TEAM PSYCHOLOGIST HERE IN
ESCAMBIA AN SANTA ROSA COUNTY
FOR MANY YEARS TOO.
SO NUMBER ONE, I'M AN ADVOCATE
OF CHILDREN.
NUMBER TWO, I WAS A VICTIM OF
BULLYING MYSELF GROWING UP AT
DIFFERENT TIMES SO I JUMPED AT
THE CHANCE TO BE PART OF THIS
PROCESS AND PROGRAM.
AND I ACTUALLY WROTE A SERIES OF
POEMS ABOUT BULLYING WITH A
POSITIVE MESSAGE AND WHAT WAS
REALLY COOL WAS THEY HAD
CHILDREN READ MY POETRY OVER
TRACK OF MY ORIGINAL MUSIC.
AND SO THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN
GREAT AND TO ACTUALLY BE THERE
AT THE GRAMMIES THIS LAST WEEK
AND SEE IT ACTUALLY WIN A GRAMMY
WAS A HIGHLIGHT FOR ME.
>> IF YOU WERE GOING TO DESCRIBE
YOUR MUSIC TO SOMEONE WHO NEVER
HEARD IT, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE
IT?
>> GREAT QUESTION, JEFF.
A PHRASE THAT OFTEN COMES TO MY
MIND IS SONIC JOURNEYS FOR THE
THE SOUL.
MY MUSIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT
HEALING.
I LIKE TO SHARE THE STORY OFTEN
WHEN I TRY TO DESCRIBE MY MUSIC
THAT IT GOES BACK TO TIME WHEN I
WAS 6, 7 YEARS OLE O
RECUPERATING FROM SOME SURGERY
AS A CHILD.
AND MY PARENTS HAD A PIANO IN
THE LIVING ROOM AND JUST GO TO
THE PIANO AND JUST LIKE CLOSE MY
EYES AN HIT ONE NOTE AT A TIME.
AND I REMEMBER REALLY LOVING TO
HEAR THAT ONE NOTE JUST KIND OF
RISE AND THEN SLOWLY DISSIPATE
INTO SILENCE.
AND EVER SINCE THEN, I REALIZED
THAT MUSIC LOOKING BACK ON IT,
AS A PSYCHOLOGIST WAS A FORM OF
SELF-SOOTHING FOR ME.
I WAS ALMOST IN SOME WAY PUTTING
MYSELF IN A TRANS.
MY PARENTS JUST THOUGHT I WAS
AUTISTIC BUT I REALLY, REALLY
FOUND USING MUSIC IN ALMOST A
MEDITATIVE WAY SO A LOT OF MY
MUSIC IS ABOUT HEALING, TRYING
TO CREATE A SENSE OF RELAXATION
FOR THE LISTENER.
MY MAIN GOAL IS TO QUIET THE
MIND AND OPEN THE HEART.
>> WHY DOES MUSIC EVOKE SO MANY
EMOTIONS IN US?
>> GREAT QUESTION.
PERENNIAL QUESTION.
SOMETHING I THINK ABOUT A LOT
AND RESEARCH CROSS CULTURALLY.
I'M AN AMATEUR MUSICOLOGIST AND
I HAVE THESE INSTRUMENTS FROM
ALL OVER THE WORLD AND A LOT OF
MUSIC IS ABOUT THIS WORLD
FUSION.
WE FIND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
THAT MANY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE SEE
MUSIC AS THE LANGUAGE OF THE
SOUL.
WHAT I THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO
SAY IN THAT IS IT CROSSES
CULTURAL BARRIERS AND CULTURAL
BOUNDARIES.
AND ALSO IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT
YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM MUSIC.
IF THERE'S A PAINTING YOU CAN
CHOOSE NOT TO LOOK AT IT.
BUT WHEN THERE'S MUSIC PLAYING,
IT'S COMING INTO YOUR EAR, INTO
YOUR BODY, COMING INTO YOUR
HEART AND IT PENETRATES THROUGH
A LOT OF OUR LOGICAL PRASH
RATIONAL EGO DEFENSES.
WHEN SOMEONE IS TALKING TO US WE
CAN FILTER OUT WHAT THEY'RE
SAYING OR CATEGORIZE IT.
BUT MUSIC HAS A WAY OF JUST
ACTING RIGHT ON OUR HEART AT A
VERY INTIMATE DEEP LEVEL.
THERE'S ALSO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
WHO BELIEVE MUSIC IS THE DOORWAY
BETWEE THE WORLDS.
THAT IT'S A WAY IN WHICH WE
TOUCH THOSE DEEPER SPIRITUAL
TRUTHS.
AND I ACTUALLY HAVE A LITTLE
STORY ABOUT THAT.
I HAVE PLAYED MY FLUTES AT TIMES
FOR HOSPICE PATIENTS.
AND I PLAYED IT ONE TIME FOR A
WOMAN WHO LATE 30s, VERY
TRAGICALLY DYING OF CANCER, SHE
WAS ALSO A SURFER, SHE LOVED TO
SURF AND IT WAS TRAGIC SEEING
HER GO THROUGH THIS.
THE FIRST TIME I CAME TO PLAY
FOR HER SHE WAS IN A COMA.
SO THE THE NURSES SAID GO AHEAD
AND PLAY, WE DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S
GOING TO COME OUT OR NOT.
SO I PLAYED AND WHEN SHE CAME
OUT SHE SAID I HAD A DREAM THAT
THERE WAS A NATIVE AMERICAN
PERSON COMING AND PLAYING THE
FLUTE FOR ME.
AND THEY SAID THAT WASN'T A
DREAM.
THE PERSON WAS ACTUALLY HERE.
SO THEY ASKED ME TO COME BACK.
CAN YOU COME BACK SO I DID.
SO WHEN I WAS PLAYING, WHEN I
CAME BACK, I WAS PLAYING A SONG
I IMPROVISE WHEN I PLAY IN THIS
WAY AND SHE SAID AFTER I PLAYED
SHE SAID WHAT SONG IS THAT?
I SAID I DON'T KNOW, IT MUST BE
YOUR SONG BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER
PLAYED IT BEFORE.
AND SHE SAID IT'S THE STRANGEST
THING BECAUSE IT GIVES ME SUCH
COMFORT AND MAKES ME THINK ABOUT
THE WAVE I ROAD IN ON AND IT
GIVES ME COURAGE TO RIDE THE
WAVE BACK OUT.
>> WOW.
>> AND FROM THAT MOMENT ON I
REALLY REALIZED THAT SOME OF MY
INDIGENOUS TEACHERS WHO TALKED
ABOUT MUSIC BEING A GATEWAY
BETWEEN THIS WORLD AND THE OTHER
WORLD, MAYBE THEY WERE RIGHT.
>> THEY WERE ON TO SOMETHING.
>> YEAH.
>> HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN
PLAYING FLUTE?
>> ABOUT 20 YEARS.
20 YEARS AGO I WAS GOING THROUGH
A DIFFICULT TIME, I WAS WORKING
WITH A CHILD PROTECTION TEAM AND
HAD BEEN INVOLVED WITH A VERY
SEVERE DIFFICULT PLACE AND CASE
WHERE A CHILD ACTUALLY WAS
MURDERED.
AND PART OF MY OWN HEALING I
FOUND MYSELF ON A NATIVE
AMERICAN RESERVATION UP IN
CANADA.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HEARD
THE NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTE AND IT
LITERALLY BROUGHT TEARS TO MY
EYES.
AND WHEN I GOT BACK I SAID I
NEED TO FIND A FLUTE BECAUSE
THAT SOUND IS SOMETHING I NEED
TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS THE
FEELINGS I HAVE INSIDE.
SO I HAVE BEEN PLAYING EVER
SINCE.
>> IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YES.
>> WHAT ELSE DO YOU PLAY?
>> WELL, GREW UP PLAYING PIANO
PERCUSSION.
MY -- O I SAW MY FIRST LIVE JAZZ
PERFORMANCE WHEN I WAS NINE
YEARS OLE AND WE WERE AT THE
HIGH SCHOOL IN CONNECT CONNECT
WHERE I GREW UP INITIALLY AND I
SAW A JAZZ DRUMMER ON STAGE, HE
WAS JUST HIS HANDS WERE GOING
EVERY WHICH WAY.
AND I TOLD MY PARENTS WHEN I GOT
BACK I SAID I KNOW WHAT I WANT
TO DO WITH MY LIFE, YOU WANT TO
BE A DRUMMER.
THEY WERE HORRIFIED.
WE WERE A QUIET CATHOLIC FAMILY.
BUT THEY SAID IF YOU KEEP
PRACTICING ON YOUR PRACTICE PAD,
LITTLE PIECE OF WOOD WITH SOME
PLASTIC ON IT, WE GET YOU A REAL
SET OF DRUMS.
SO I PLAYED DRUMS GOING UP, I
PLAYED PIANO.
I GOT MY FIRST MOTION
SYNTHESIZER WHEN I WAS 18.
I LOVED SYNTHESIZERS AN
KEYBOARDS.
AND I USED TO CREATE A LOT OF
RELAXATION TAPES FOR CLIENTS
EARLY IN PRACTICE WHICH IS
REALLY A JUSTIFICATION FOR ME
BUYING A BUNCH OF INSTRUMENTS,
TO MY WIFE.
[LAUGHTER]
>> BUT WHEN I GOT INTO THE FLUTE
ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO AND WHAT
OFTEN IS CALLED INDIGENOUS ERROR
PHONE, INSTRUMENTS WHERE YOU
MAKE MUSIC WITH YOUR BREATH.
SO I STUDIED THE AUSTRALIAN, I
PLAY AUSTRALIAN -- JAPANESE
INDIGENOUS FLUTE, AN INDIA KIND
OF FLUTE.
SO I'M A MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST
AND ANYTHING I CAN GET MY HANDS
ON I TRY TO PLAY.
>> BUT THE FLUTE IS THE PASSION.
THAT'S THE PASSION.
>> THAT'S HOW IT KIND OF GOT
KNOWN AND NOTHING GIVES ME MORE
JOY, IT'S AS IF WHEN I'M PLAYING
FLUTE AND MAKING MUSIC WITH THE
BREATH, I CLOSE MY EYES AND IT'S
THE CLOSEST THING TO FLYING THAT
I HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THIS
LIFETIME.
>> INTERESTING.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO PSYCHOLOGY?
YOU HAVE -- AS A YOUNG PERSON
YOU WERE IN THE MUSIC, WHY
PSYCHOLOGY?
>> IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A FUNNY
STORY AND I HOPE MY DAD IF HE'S
LISTENING DOESN'T -- HE NEVER
HEARS THIS.
I WANTED TO BE A MUSIC MAJOR.
I WANT TO STUDY MUSICOLOGY IN
MUSIC SO I TOLD MY FATHER WHO
WAS BORN IN ITALY, MOVED HERE
WHEN HE WAS 21 AFTER THE WAR.
AND I SAID DAD, I WANT TO BE A
MUSICIAN.
AND HE GOES, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE
YOU TALKING ABOUT?
YOU'RE A FIRST GENERATION SON OF
AN IMMIGRANT, YOU NEED TO BE A
DOCTOR OR LAWYER, YOUR KIDS CAN
BE ARTISTS AN MUSICIANS.
HE WAS A HARD CORE Ph.D.
CHEMICAL ENGINEER.
SO I WAS A DUTIFUL SON WHO
BELIEVED HIM.
AND SO I STARTED THINKING WHAT
KIND OF -- WHAT KIND OF DOCTOR
CAN I BE AND PLAY MUSIC AND
PAINT AND DO ART AND THEATER AND
THINGS LIKE THAT?
AND I CAME ACROSS THE WHOLE AREA
OF MUSIC THERAPY, ART THERAPY,
PLAY THERAPY AND I SAID I HERE I
CAN BE A DOCTOR BUT ALSO BE
CREATIVE AND EXPLORE MUSIC AND
THESE OTHER AREAS.
SO I STARTED TAKING PSYCHOLOGY
CLASSES AND FELL IN LOVE WITH
WITH IT.
ITCH ALWAYS BEEN FASCINATED WITH
HUMAN EMOTION, DREAMS, THE HUMAN
MIND.
AND SO I REALLY, I LOVED MY WORK
IN PSYCHOLOGY.
AND IT REALLY HAS WORKED OUT
WELL.
I SAY THE OTHER THING THAT'S
INTERESTING ABOUT IT IS TO
COMPOSE MUSIC AND PLAY MUSIC,
YOU REALLY HAVE TO LISTEN.
ALWAYS LISTENING.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOENING
PSYCHOLOGY TOO.
AS A THERAPIST I SPEND MOST OF
MY TIME LISTENING.
WHICH IS SOMEHOW CONNECTED TO ME
TO MUSIC.
SO I OFTEN LIKE TO SAY I'M
ACTUALLY WITH THE CLIENT
LISTENING TO THE MUSIC OF THEIR
SOUL.
JUST IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY
EXPRESS AN SHARE.
SO I STILL LOVE WHAT I DO THOUGH
I'M DOWN THE A MUCH SMALLER
PRACTICE NOW THAN EVER BEFORE,
I'M SPENDING SO MUCH TIME WITH
THE COMPOSING AND WRITING.
>> YOU SAID SOMETHING THAT I
WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT AS A
PSYCHOLOGIST.
LISTENING.
DO WE AS A SOCIETY LISTEN
ENOUGH?
>> NO.
NOT EVEN CLOSE.
NOT EVEN CLOSE.
>> WHY?
>> WE'RE DISTRACTED.
WE ARE DISTRACTED BY ALL OF THE
SENSATIONALISM.
AND I THINK THERE ARE ADVANTAGES
TO CAPITALIST CULTURE, CONSUMER
CULTURE BUT A DOWN SIDE IS
EVERYBODY IS TRYING TO SELL YOU
SOMETHING.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF I THINK THE
OTHER THING I LIKE TO SAY IS
THAT THROUGH NOBODY'S FAULT WE
LIVE IN A VERY EXTROVERTED EGO
CENTRIC CULTURE WHICH MEANS THAT
THERE'S SO MUCH NOISE OUT IN THE
WORLD THAT PEOPLE DON'T SPEND
ENOUGH TIME LISTENING.
I WOULD SAY ONE OF MY MISSIONS
ON THE PLANET IS TO HELP PEOPLE
LISTEN MORE, LISTEN TO EACH
OTHER MORE, AND PERHAPS MOST
IMPORTANTLY LISTEN TO OURSELVES
MORE, TO REALLY LISTEN TO WHAT I
LIKE TO CALL THE WISDOM OF THE
HEART.
SO -- AND THAT'S WHY MY MUSIC IS
NOT ABOUT SHOUTING OR YELLING OR
GETTING -- IT'S VERY -- YOU
ACTUALLY HAVE TO REALLY LISTEN.
AND TUNE IN, HOPEFULLY ALLOWS
PEOPLE TO QUIET THEIR MINDS AN
LISTEN MORE DEEPLY.
>> WOULD OUR PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIPS BE BETTER IF WE
REALLY FOCUSED ON LISTENING?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SOMETHING WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT
IS COMMUNICATION.
I LIKE TO SAY WE HAVE TWO EARS
AND ONE MOUTH.
SO WE SHOULD BE LISTENING TWICE
AS MUCH AS WE'RE SPEAKING.
RELATIONSHIPS ARE BUILT ON THIS
ABILITY TO REALLY LISTEN TO EACH
OTHER AND MOST PEOPLE ALSO, ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT'S POWERFUL IN
PSYCHOLOGY, VERY FEW PEOPLE EVER
HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF SOMEBODY
REALLY LISTENING TO THEM.
FOCUSING ON THEM AS IF THEY'RE
THE ONLY PERSON IN THE WORLD AT
THAT MOMENT.
WHICH YOU ACTUALLY DO REALLY
WELL BY THE WAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I LOVE HOW YOU DO THAT ON THE
SHOW.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT OUR WORLD
NEEDS MORE OF.
IT'S DEVELOPED INTO WHAT WE CALL
PRESENT.
AND PRESENCE IS A RESULT OF DEEP
LISTENING.
>> WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK, YOU
MENTIONED EGO CENTRIC.
SOCIETY HAS BECOME SO EGO
CENTRIC.
ONE THING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
PRIOR TO GOING ON AIR HERE, YOU
JUST GOT BACK FROM GRAMMYs AND
THE WHITNEY HOUSTON TRAGEDY, NOT
FROM A SENSATIONALISM STANDPOINT
BUT ONE WOULD HAVE TO ASK ON THE
OUTSIDE SHE SEEMINGLY HAD IT
ALL.
WHY DO YOU THINK SHE GOT INTO
SUCH A TRAGIC SCENARIO IN HER
LIFE?
>> GREAT QUESTION, JEFF AND IT'S
A TRAGIC SITUATION.
AND MADE THIS LAST GRAMMYs OUT
OF THE THREE I HAVE BEEN TO TO BY
FAR THE MOST MOVING.
THERE'S A LOT OF DYNAMICS AND I
CERTAINLY NEVER SAW HER AS A
CLIENT SO IT'S SIMPLY
SPECULATION.
BUT WHAT I CAN SEE, SO MANY
TRAGEDIES SIMILAR TO THIS LIKE
MICHAEL JACKSON AS WELL.
THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY EGO
LIVES FROM THE OUTSIDE IN.
AS AN EGO CENTRIC CULTURE THAT
MEANS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT
OURSELVES THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE'S
EYES.
AND EGOS MAINLY INTERESTED IN
ACCEPTANCE AND APPROVAL FROM THE
OUTSIDE.
BUT THAT'S LIKE TRYING TO PULL
OURSELVES UP FROM THE BOOT
STRAPS, IT MEANS THAT OUR
SELF-ESTEEM IS IN OTHER PEOPLE'S
HANDS.
I CONTRAST TO WHAT I LIKE TO
CALL THE SOUL.
I DONE MEAN THE SOUL IN A
RELIGIOUS OR SPIRITUAL CONTEXT,
I MEAN AS OUR DEEPEST ESSENTIAL
CORE OF WHO WE ARE.
OUR ESSENTIAL SELF.
THE ESSENTIAL SELF OR THE SOUL
IS PART OF US THAT LIVES FROM
THE INSIDE OUT.
AND CAN FEEL OKAY NO MATTER
WHAT'S GOING ON THE OUTSIDE.
I SAY THE SECRET TO REAL
HAPPINESS IS WHEN YOUR HAPPINESS
IS NOT DEPENDENT ON EXTERNAL
CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE
EGO.
EGO P HAPPINESS IS DEPENDENT ON
EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES, GETTING
A GRAMMY, IF MY HAPPINESS WAS
DEPENDENT ON THAT, THAT WOULD BE
A DANGEROUS PLACE TO BE.
NOT HEALTHY.
OR IF IT WAS DEPENDENT ON A
PARTICULAR RELATIONSHIP OR
HAVING A CERTAIN AM OF MONEY, OR
PEOPLE THINKING I'M THE TOP STAR
IN THE WORLD.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE
TEMPORAL, ALL ARE IMPERMANENT
AND ALL WILL BRING SUFFERING IF
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE RECEIVE
INVESTING YOUR SENSE OF SELF IN.
SO WHAT HAPPENS THROUGH A LOT OF
STARS TO BE HONEST, THEY'RE SET
UP IN THIS WAY.
WE THROW ALL THIS FAME AND FOR
WHICH YOU KNOW AND MONEY AT THEM
AND THEN WONDER WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY'RE NOT
ON TOP, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T STAY
ON TOP ALL THE TIME.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY HARD
BECAUSE THEIR SENSE O -- THEY
BECOME ALIENATED FROM THEIR
ESSENTIAL SELF BECAUSE THEY'RE
TOO INVESTED IN THIS SOCIAL
SELF.
AND I THINK THAT'S -- SURE
THERE'S OTHER ISSUES LIKE
ADDICTION AND OTHER THINGS AND
ALL PLAY INTO THIS.
BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THAT'S
THE DYNAMIC THAT'S PRESENT.
BECAUSE IN THE REALM OF THE EGO,
MORE IS NEVER ENOUGH.
MORE IS NEVER ENOUGH.
SO IT'S ALWAYS MORE MONEY, MORE
FAME, AND IT LEAVES THE PERSON,
THAT CREATES AN ADDICTION, NOT
JUST TO A DRUG BUT TO BEING
ACCEPTED OR APPROVED OF BY THE
OUTSIDE.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING IN THE
PAPER AND YOU AND THINGS LIKE
THAT.
>> THAT MIGHT EXPLAIN SOME OF
THE CRAZY STUFF THAT GOES ON
WITH REALITY SHOW WHERE IS
PEOPLE PUT THEMSELVES IN EXTREME
EMBARRASSING SITUATIONS ONE
WOULD ASSUME JUST FOR ATTENTION.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
OR THAT THE PRICE OF WILLING TO
DEMEAN SOMETHING MORE ESSENTIAL
IN THEMSELVES TO GET A MOMENT OF
WHAT WE WOULD THINK OF AS FAME.
AND FAME FOR FAME'S SAKE AS
OPPOSED TO SOMETHING GROWING OUT
OF SOMETHING GENUINE AND REAL.
>> EVEN DAY TO DAY LIFE AS A
BUSINESS PERSON OR STIEWN OR
WHATEVER, WE'RE ALL OBVIOUSLY
AFFECTED BY THE EGO.
HOW DO WE DO A BETTER JOB OF
TURNING THAT AROUND LIKE YOU
WERE TALKING ABOUT?
JUST AS AN INDIVIDUAL PERSON?
>> EXCELLENT QUESTION.
THE FIRST THING I TALK ABOUT
REALLY TRY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE
TO SPEND SOME TIME YOU CAN CAWL
MEDITATION, OR PRAYER, MY ONE
WAY I LIKE TO THINK IS SIMPLY
SOLITUDE, HAVING TIME WITH
YOURSELF.
HOW DO YOU LIKE THE COMPANY YOU
KEEP IN YOUR EMPTY MOMENTS?
WHEN YOU'RE NOT ON, PEOPLE ARE
NOT AROUND, YOU'RE NOT DOING
THINGS BUT YOU'RE WHAT I ALSO
LIKE TO CALL BEING TIME.
SOME PEOPLE FIND THIS IN
GARDENING.
BUT I ALSO FIND MEDITATION IS
ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS I LIKE TO
TEACH MY PRACTICE OR
MINDFULNESS.
HELPING PEOPLE FEEL IN THE
MOMENT, SPENDING TIME, I
ACTUALLY LIKE TO SAY MY HOLY
TRINITY IS CREATIVITY, NATURE AN
SPIRITUALTY, SO SPENDING TIME IN
NATURE CAN BE HELPFUL.
HAVING A CREATIVE OUTLET AS
WELL, BECAUSE WHEN YOU NER A
CREATIVE PROCESS, THERE'S THIS
WONDERFUL FEELING OF COMMUNION
WITH SOMETHING GREATER.
THAT CONFERS A SENSE OF SANITY
AND GROUNDEDNESS IN WAYS THAT
OTHER THINGS DONE OFTENTIMES --
DON'T OFTENTIMES.
SPIRITUALTY, WHAT I MEAN IS
FEELING CONNECTED TO SOMETHING
GREATER.
DON'T CARE WHAT YOU CALL IT, IT
CAN BE ALL KINDS OF THINGS FOR
ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE.
BUT WHERE YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE
NOT ALONE IN THE UNIVERSE, BUT
YOU'RE NOT SIMPLY A CREATURE OF
SOCIETY TOO.
AND THAT SOME PEOPLE FIND THAT
IN NATURE, SOME FIND IT IN
CHURCH, SOME FIND IT IN A
PERSONAL SPIRITUAL SENSE OF
CONNECTION.
BUT I THINK THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT TOO.
IN FACT, THE SOUL IS THE PART OF
US, I HAVE THIS DIAGRAM I DRAW,
THAT KNOWS THIS LARGER LIFE,
THAT WE'RE PART OF.
I DON'T MEAN SOCIETY.
BUT THIS LARGER LIFE IN TERMS OF
NATURE OR SPIRITUALTY OR THE
COSMOS, HOWEVER YOU MIGHT CALL
IT.
AND THAT CAN REALLY HELP YOU PUT
SOCIETY IN ET CETERA PLACE, IN
THE PRO
>>MS. PERDUE:SPECKTIVE.
>> WHEN WE LOOK AND SEE ALL THAT
NATURE HAS TO OFFER, AND FOR
THAT MATTER WE SEE ALL THAT WE
HAVE, I HAVE TO ASK MYSELF ARE
WE REALLY AS GRATEFUL AS WE
SHOULD BE?
>> KEY QUESTION.
I WOULD SAY IN ADDITION TO
EVERYTHING ELSE I SAID,
PRACTICING THE ART OF
GRATEFULNESS IS PERHAPS THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING ANYBODY CAN DO,
BECAUSE IT KEEPS US HUMBLE.
REMIND US THE GLASS IS HALF
FULL, NOT HALF EMPTY.
I LIKE TO START OFF WITH THANK
YOU FOR MY EYES, THAT I CAN SEE.
THANK YOU FOR MY EARS THAT I CAN
HEAR.
THAT WE'RE MISSING THE MIRACLES
THAT ARE OCCURRING EVERY MOMENT
THAT WE'RE ALIVE.
SO I THINK GRATEFULNESS IS
ESSENTIAL TO THAT.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK OUR SOCIETY
HAS GOTTEN TO A POINT WHERE WE
FOCUS SO MUCH ON THE NEGATIVE,
WHETHER IT BE WITH THE NEWS OF
CRIME OR JUST WHY ARE WE SO
WRAPPED UP IN THAT?
>> UNFORTUNATELY IT'S PANDERING
TO OUR -- ONE OF THE BASIC PARTS
OF HUMAN NATURE, WHICH IS WE
CALL IT IN PSYCHOLOGY
ANTI-PATHETIC SYMPATHY OR
SYMPATHETIC ANTIPATHY.
YOU SEE A CAR CRASH, YOU DON'T
WANT TO LOOK BE YOU CAN'T HELP
IT.
PART OF IT IS IN OUR DAN THAT
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT DISASTER TO
TRY THE KEEP AWAY FROM IT.
BUT IT'S TURNING THAT KIND OF
ALMOST PRIMITIVE, IT'S A
PRIMITIVE RESPONSE THAT WE HAVE
AS HUMANS AND THEN BEING
CAPITALIZED ON.
I THINK THAT'S A REAL DANGER IS
THAT WE HAVE TO BE BETTER THAN
THAT.
WE HAVE TO RISE ABOVE THAT.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL EVOLVE BEYOND
THAT.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT HEALTHY.
EINSTEIN USED TO SAY IF YOU'RE
DEPRESSED FIRST THING HE WOULD
SUGGEST IS STOPWATCHING THE
NEWS.
BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH A
GRAVITATION TOWARDS THE
NEGATIVE.
COULD YOU IMAGINE IF THE MAIN
STORIES OF THE DAY WERE ABOUT
ALL THE POSITIVE THINGS
HAPPENING AND REALLY WITH THE
POSITIVE U UPLIFTING MESSAGE, I
THINK ALL KINDS OF OTHER THINGS
WE WOULD BUILD CONFIDENCE IN OUR
CULTURE AN ABILITIES.
I THINK WE'RE STILL IN A VERY
PRIMITIVE TIME OF CULTURE.
I LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE DON'T LET
THE TECHNOLOGY FOOL YOU.
WITH WE'RE STILL LIVING IN A
FAIRLY PRIMITIVE TIME IN HUMAN
EVOLUTION, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE
GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY AND CHANCE
TO CONTINUE TO EVOLVE TO A PLACE
WHERE WE CAN BE MORE MATURE AS A
SPECIES ON THE PLANET.
AT LEAST I CERTAINLY HOPE SO.
>> I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK
SOMETIMES YOU LISTEN TO ALL THE
NEGATIVE THINGS GOING ON BUT
THEN CONVERSELY, GO OUT YOUR
HOUSE, GET INYOUR CAR, PUT MUSIC
ON AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU FEEL
BETTER.
>> THAT'S PART OF WHY I DO
MUSIC.
THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH WE CAN
CHANGE OR WE CAN TALK ABOUT
THINGS BUT ART OR MUSIC ARE THE
THE THING, NO MATTER WHAT'S
HAPPENED FOR THE DAY, I CAN PICK
UP ONE OF MY FLUTES AND THE
WHOLE DAY MELTS AWAY.
ONE OF MY MISSIONS IS TRY TO PUT
OUT MUSIC THAT HELP IT IS WORLD
BE A LITTLE MORE SANE AND
PEACEFUL AND HEALED.
>> TELL ME ABOUT -- I HAVE A
COUPLE OF YOUR CDs HERE.
TELL ME ABOUT -- WE'RE GOING TO
PLAY A LITTLE BIT OF THIS.
GUYA.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> IT IS THE GREEK WORD FOR
EARTH MOTHER OR EARTH GODESS,
SHE WAS CONSIDERED THE FIRST
BORN GODDESS.
THE NAME COMES FROM A FAIRLY
WELL KNOWN SCIENTIFIC, USED TO
BE A HYPOTHESIS, IT IS NOW A
DEFINED THEORY, JAMES LOVELOCK
CAME ONE THE GUY HYPOTHESIS,
THAT SAID THE EARTH IS A LIVING
ORGANISM.
AND NOW THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH
EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT HIS
HYPOTHESIS, IT'S NOW KNOWN AS
THE GUYA THEORYCH I WAS
COMPOSING THIS DURING THE GULF
OIL SPILL.
THE MESSAGE I WANTED TO BRING
WAS NUMBER ONE, PUTTING MY GRIEF
OVER THE SPILL BUT ALSO MY HOPE
FOR THE FUTURE.
THE MESSAGE IS ABOUT TRYING TO
REALIZE THAT WE ARE ALL NATIVE
EARTHLINGS, WE MAY NOT BE NATIVE
AMERICAN OR NATIVE AUSTRALIAN
BUT WE'RE EARTHLINGS, WE HAVE
SOMETHING IN COMMON ABOUT
SHARING THIS AMAZING GORGEOUS
PLANET.
WE'RE ALSO IN IT TOGETHER HERE.
AND THAT WE HAVE TO START HAVING
A MORE HEALTHY FUNCTIONAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS -- WITH
EACH OTHER AND OUR PLANET AND
THE NATURAL RESOURCES.
AND SO IT'S REALLY KIND OF A MY
TONE PRAYERS AND SOUND POEMS AND
MY PLEA TO SAY HEY, WE'RE IN
THIS TOGETHER.
SO I LEARNED A LOT OF DIFFERENT
WORLD INSTRUMENTS AND HAVE
PIECES FROM JAPAN AND CHINA AND
INDONESIA AND MIDDLE EAST AND
TRY TO USE MUSIC AS A MESSAGE OF
UNITY FOR THE PLANET.
>> I HAVE ABOUT TWO MINUTES.
BENDU.
>> THE NEW ONE JUST RELEASED
THIS MONTH AND BENDU IS A SAND
SCRIT WORD THAT MEANS POINT OR
DOT.
IT'S CONSIDERED THE MOMENT OF
CREATION.
THIS MEANS BOTH IN TERMS OF LIKE
THE BIG ***, MOMENT OF CREATION
OF THE WHOLE UNIVERSE BUT ALSO
MEANS ANY TIME ANY OF US ARE
CREATING, ANY TIME WE HAVE THAT
AHA MOMENT, IT'S A VERY
MEDITATIVE ALBUM AND WHERE A LOT
OF MY OTHER ALBUMS EXPLORED
NATURE AS A FORM OF HEELING,
THIS ONE REALLY SHARES FOR ME I
WAS TRYING TO EXPRESS WHAT I
SAWFN EXPERIENCE -- OFTEN
EXPERIENCE AND FIND IN DEEP
MEDITATION AND I HAVE BEEN A
MEDITATOR AND TEACHER OF
MEDITATION CLOSE TO 30 YEARS.
SO I REALLY WANTED TO HELP GIVE
PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO G
WITHIN.
THAT'S WHAT MY MUSIC FOR ME IS
ABOUT.
HELPING PEOPLE QUIET THEIR
MINDS, OPEN THEIR HEARTS, TUNE
OUT THIS EXTERNAL CRAZY WORLD A
LITTLE BIT AND SEE HOW MANY
INCREDIBLE RESOURCES THEY HAVE
INSIDE THEMSELVES, IF THEY'LL
TAKE A MOMENT AND LISTEN WITHIN.
>> LET THAT PERSON CREATIVITY
FLOW.
>> THERE YOU GO.
ABSOLUTELY.
>> OKAY.
WONDERFUL.
YOU HAVE ALSO SPEAKING OF FLOW,
IN THE FLOW.
>> YES.
I'M VERY EXCITED, THIS ALBUM IS
FIRST RELEASED BY THE
INTERNATIONAL LABEL SOUNDS TRUE.
THIS WAS RELEASED LAST SUMMER,
THE FIRST COMPILATION OF MY
MUSIC.
IT'S CALLED IN THE FLOW, MUSIC
FOR EMOTIONAL HEALING.
IT'S REALLY BEEN ABOUT FINDING
THAT CREATIVE FLOW AND THE FLOW
I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY THERE'S A
RIVER THAT FLOWS THROUGH OUR
HEART AND TO REALLY CONNECT TO
THE THAT RIVER IS TO BE IN THE
FLOW.
>> FASCINATING.
IF PEOPLE WANT TO LEARN MORE AB
YOUR MUSIC, THE BEST WEBSITE TO
GO TO WOULD BE?
>> MICHAELDEMARIA.COM, PROBABLY
THE SIMPLEST, D E M A R I A.
IF YOU ALSO PUT MICHAELBRANT
DEMARIA AND GOOGLE, ALL KINDS OF
THINGS WILL COME UP.
>> AWESOME.
BEST OF LUCK, MAYBE THE NEXT
GRAMMY NOMINATION WILL BE THE
ONE.
>> THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
THANK YOU FOR DOING THE SHOW,
IT'S A GREAT SERVICE FOR ME.
>> I GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
I'M GOING WRAP UP A COUPLE OF
THINGS THEN WE'LL HAVE THE TITLE
CUT.
TITLE CUT IS GOING TO BE PLAYING
AS WE TO BREAK.
DR. MICHAEL DEMARIA JOINING US
TODAY.
BY THE WAY YOU CAN SEE A LOT
MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH A WIDE
RANGE OF INTERESTING
PERSONALITIES ONLINE AT
WSRE.ORG/CONVERSATIONS.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR
SPENDING TIME WITH US, I'M JEFF
WEEKS, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE
BROADCAST.
TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF,
WE'LL SEE YOU SOON.
HERE IS DR. MICHAEL DEMARIA.
WE'LL GO TO CLOSE I SHOULD SAY.
♪♪
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