Title: There's Lovely

Gender: Male

Age: Ageless

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Chinese Sign: Metal Ox

Location: Church Stretton, England

I play Japanese Taiko Drums for a living :-) Music is my thing in a really deep way. I believe in the power of music to reach deep inside people, to get past all kinds of blockages and pull out deep truths. I also believe that music is one of the great ways of our time for drawing people together, for illuminating what we share rather than focussing on our differences.

Gloriously married for 11 years and proud dad of my 10yr old boy, living in gorgeous English countryside, with our lovely chocolate labrador Charlie. So, everything's lovely.

Learned basic Hatha & Raja Yoga at home at 16, had my first “altered state” experiences as a result - everything slowing down, sense of total peace and calmness and feeling the interconnectednes of everything around me… then when the mushrooms wore off…(oops what a giveaway!) Only jokin, that bit about the yoga is true.

Learned Transcendental Meditation at 18, learned TM Siddhi Techniques at 21. Practised rigorously ( …”morning and evening…”) for 3 hours a day for about 4 years. Then discovered that nature was bigger than whether or not I did my daily med, relaxed my uptight approach to my daily practice, and also discovered the relative joys of a nice tot of rum. ( Heaven forbid!)

Went to Japan as an English Teacher to earn the money to train as a TM Teacher. Lived in the wonderful city of Hiroshima for over 4 years. Regularly prayed and said hello to the angels that seem to hang around the Peace Park built at the epicentre of the bomb blast. Joined the local Taiko Drumming group as a hobby - little did I know….

I guess it's true to say that after 4 years of almost 3 hours daily advanced meditation I wasn't really in need of any more “activiation of my crown chakra”. As Ram Dass once said, “I was like….. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ”, light pouring out of my eyes and my forehead, but I could barely stand up for myself if anyone said anything remotely negative or challenging. Grounded I was not.

Crashed into the ground when returning to UK from Japan, and for the next 15 years took on teaching/management jobs, sold unwanted property, became husband, became father, moved house twice. The bruises from the landing have just healed and I'm now taking a huge, deep breath… and, Aaaaahhhhh.

During this time, discovered Ram Dass, Scott Peck, Rebirthing, Reiki, Ken Wilber, David Deida…. all of these were my “spiritual companions” and kept me growing while I tried to work out where I'd crash-landed.

In the midst of all of this I made to time to really ask myself - what is my passion? And immediately got the answer shouted back at me - MUSIC! So I gave up the day job, re-trained in Community Music Workshop Skills, and started travelling the length & breadth of the UK teaching, performing & recording Taiko Drumming, and that's what I've been doing for the last 10 years:-)

Current main project is “Ki”, combining driving taiko rhythms with electronic sounds - Electro Rock Taiko anyone? Also doing vocal coaching and recording self-penned songs for “web release”? in 2008.

My philosophy has simplified. So now, when I think about what I want to do with the rest of my life, it can be crystalized into a few words of wisdom that came from my lovely wife: I want to “add to the store of love in the world”. So, as us Welshies like to say, there's lovely.

As well as this touchy feely part of me, I also listen to the part of me that vibes with Bono's lyrics on GOD PART 2, when he quotes Bruce Cockburn:
“Heard a singer on the radio, late last night,
Said he's gonna kick the darkness, till it bleeds daylight…”

Member Since: Tuesday, July 25 2006

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