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Christopher sings ‘A Beautiful Life’ for this Netflix film—a song about life, loss, becoming, and love.

June 8, 2023

On June 1st, Netflix launched an exciting new film — A Beautiful Life (2023). Danish pop star Christopher showcases his musical talent as he makes his leading role debut in this emotional romantic drama about music’s healing powers. He wrote and sang all the songs for A Beautiful Life, which was directed by Mehdi Avaz and written by Stefan Jaworski.

When Elliott (Christopher), a young fisherman with a hidden talent and an extraordinary voice gets discovered at a party by Suzanne, a high-profile music producer who is willing to give him the chance of a lifetime, he must decide if he is ready to open himself up to stardom — and love.

The film’s Official Teaser shows Christopher as Elliott singing his first song, Hope This Song Is For You, followed by the Official Trailer in Danish with English subtitles. That same trailer, and the film, are now available in English on Netflix.

It doesn’t matter who you are. What really does is who you become.

One of the main messages of the film comes out when Suzanne responds to her business partner’s doubts about Elliott. She sees his raw talent, his great potential, and assures Patrick: “It doesn’t matter who you are. The important thing is who you can become.”

“Who do you sing for when you sing?”

Suzanne asks her estranged daughter Lilly, who also heard Elliott sing, to collaborate with him, to produce his music. Their personalities clash and they get off to a rocky start. One of the first things Lilly asks him is, “Who do you sing for when you sing?” Puzzled, Elliott offers no answer.

She explains what makes a song significant, how to communicate it to an audience for it to resonate with them. This insider information is new to Elliott who listens without responding, taking it all in. This is the creative core that will powerfully manifest in the final scene and song of the film. Here is that explanation.

Imagine there’s someone you’re singing to. Someone you’re singing for.

“A song doesn’t just exist. It comes to life. Between two people. One who sings and one who listens. Whether you’re here in the studio or in a big, packed stadium with thousands of fans. You’re not performing for nothing. You have to choose a person, or you have to imagine there’s someone you’re singing to. Someone you’re singing for. If you’re not singing for anyone, then it’s all the same. Then, the song doesn’t exist. Then you don’t exist.”

The song is powerful because it personalizes the universal cycle of life, love, and loss into a story, expressing feelings an audience can relate to.

This is songwriting at its best. One of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. It put a lump in my throat and moved me to tears. It is so good it deserves a Grammy award and at least an Oscar nod if not a win!

Listen to A Beautiful Life here along with the lyrics below. 

A Beautiful Life

"Baby, I'm pregnant" she said
And I saw my whole life
Flash before my eyes
So much for planning ahead
We gon' be all right
There won't be a right time
Oh, I said, "I am way too young"
I'm just a kid, I can't raise one

It feels like my life is over
Feels like my future's crushed
And I'm gonna miss the times when
It was just the two of us
I don't ever want to let go
Of everything that I love
It sure feels like dying
Saying goodbye
To my beautiful life

"Daddy, I can't sleep," she said
Can you leave the light on?
And please sing me my song
And I can't help but think to myself
Those green eyes and brown curls
Turned into my whole world
She's growing up so fast
If only I could make it last

It feels like my life is over
Feels like my future's crushed
'Cause my baby's getting older
Tomorrow she'd be all grown up
I don't ever want to let go
Of everything that I love
I turn off the light
And say goodnight
To my beautiful life

Pack the bags and ready to go
We look at each other
She looks like her mother
Off to chase dreams of her own
She cries in the backseat
As we wave at the taxi
Oh, our baby's moving out
Leaving this home an empty house

Feels like my life is over
Feels like my future's crushed
And I'm gonna miss the times when
It was just the three of us
I don't ever want to let go
Of everything that I love
It sure feels like dying
Saying goodbye
To my beautiful life
To my beautiful life

"Baby, I'm pregnant" she said
And I saw my whole life
Flash before my eyes

You can listen to the other songs in the film's Soundtrack on Spotify. Or choose your own music service at https://christopher.lnk.to/ABeautifulLife. And visit Christopher's YouTube channel for excerpts of songs from the film. 

A Beautiful Life Official Music Video

Today, on June 8th, Christopher premiered a new Official Music Video for the film on his YouTube channel with A Beautiful Life. He also posted a short video of the making of the music video: Christopher - A Beautiful Life Music Video (Behind The Scenes). Warner Music Canada posted: Christopher - A Beautiful Life (Full Album From Netflix Film).

“The essence of the movie”

The next day I found this June 5th video on Netflix Nordic — A Beautiful Life: Get to Know Christopher & Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas. This is one of the questions they were asked, “Which scene are you most proud of?”

Christopher mentions his favorite scene with Inga to her. “It’s when you tell Elliott that a song doesn’t exist on its own. You don’t exist if you don’t have anybody to sing to. To me that’s the essence of the movie. The film is first and foremost a music movie. And you’re the one teaching Elliott to have someone to sing to. And that’s important, because if you don’t, no one can relate to it, and making music doesn’t matter. And he doesn’t have anyone. Not until the moment he looks at her and decides to write it for her. I think that’s very special. And I just sit quietly throughout the entire scene. It’s just you doing a monologue.”

Beautifully encapsulated! Christopher confirms what I mentioned under “Who do you sing for when you sing?” This is one of the most crucial and pivotal scenes in the film. It is, as he says, “the essence of the movie.”

The first time Christopher performed ‘A Beautiful Life’ at a concert

It turns out Christopher had performed ‘A Beautiful Life’ at the Seoul Jazz Festival 2023 in Korea. It was the first encore of the evening. He introduced the song, telling the audience it was the title track for an upcoming Netflix film. Seated at the piano, he confessed that he had never played it live before, then proceeded to sing it for them. Once the audience settled down, you could hear a pin drop. When the song was over they roared their approval, a welcome relief to a smiling Christopher. Everyone had a great time, especially Christopher and his band. He posted the whole May 27, 2023 concert on his channel.

Acoustic versions from ‘A Beautiful Life’ in Christopher’s tiny boat

Christopher posted three videos of him singing acoustic versions of the songs from the film with Gustav Wolter also on guitar: Led Me To You, Hope This Song Is For You, A Beautiful Life. He wrote: Busking around in the canals of beautiful Copenhagen ✨ Had to do the acoustic versions on the water in my tiny boat, as a tribute to Elliott 😉🙏🏼 Hope you enjoy ❤️‍🔥

Christopher later released a fourth acoustic version from his tiny boat: Honey I’m So High.

Dingo Music produce video of film’s 3 songs sung for Sound Lounge

Dingo Music produced a video of Christopher and his 2 bandmates performing the same 3 songs from the film for Sound Lounge. They played 2 songs together: ‘Hope This Song Is For You’ and ‘Led Me To You’. Then Christopher soloed on piano and sang ‘A Beautiful Life’.

Live – A Beautiful Life (AFTER PARTY)

That was followed on June 15 with Live – A Beautiful Life (AFTER PARTY) where Christopher talked about and played songs from the movie with Gustav (guitar) and Matias (keyboard) (31:10). I was lucky to see it on Replay, but it was later taken down since it was only for Premium members. YouTube had offered it as a free trial, so I guess you still have to sign up to see it. If they later release it, at 18:52 the guys leave Christopher who then shares a personal story of how he came to write ‘A Beautiful Life’ and the pivotal role it would play in the film when he sang it to Mehdi, the director. It was over 2 1/2 years ago when his wife told him she was pregnant, and his whole life flashed before him. He wrote the song that night. He performs it on the piano and then takes questions. At 27:42 he’s asked what was his favorite track from the movie and answers ‘A Beautiful Life’. But he then tells the story of how he wrote and recorded ‘Ready To Go‘ one night on the tour bus. It was too late to make it into the movie, but it’s on the soundtrack.

That same day, Netflix Nordic posted All the songs from A Beautiful Life.

A New Lyric Video for ‘A Beautiful Life’

On July 6, 2023, Christopher posted the Lyric Video for A Beautiful Life from the Netflix film, which contains clips from the film, the official music video, and a live concert singing this beautiful song.

September 27, 2023: Christopher – A Beautiful Life (From the Netflix Film ‘A Beautiful Life’) Radio Edit [Lyric Video].

More inspiring musicians and movies worth watching

To see other inspiring artists featured on The Uncarved Blog, scroll through the Archive of the ‘Music’ Category. Also see this growing list of some of my favorite romantic movies.

— Written and compiled by Ken Chawkin for The Uncarved Blog.

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Posted in Audios, Films, Music, Videos, Writing | 1 Comment »

A simple Late Fragment by Raymond Carver reminds us of what is important in this life

June 3, 2023 
Late Fragment

And did you get what 
you wanted from this life, even so? 
I did.
And what did you want? 
To call myself beloved, to feel myself 
beloved on the earth.

All of us: The collected poems
By Raymond Carver
Vintage Books, 1996

Posted in Literature, Other poems, Poetry | Leave a Comment »

VAC awarded CWWI grants to teach TM to military veterans with PTS. Now DND awards a grant to teach TM to survivors of Military Sexual Trauma.

May 25, 2023

New Federal Grant from Department of National Defence Awarded to the Canadian Women’s Wellness Initiative

Over the last three consecutive years, the Canadian Women’s Wellness Initiative (CWWI), has been awarded a grant from Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) to teach the Transcendental Meditation® (TM®) program to military veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) and related comorbidities while serving in the Canadian Armed Forces. The Canadian Women’s Wellness Initiative is a charitable organization mandated to bring the TM program to individuals whose lives are impacted by toxic levels of stress.  

In February 2023, the Minister of Veterans Affairs, the Honourable Lawrence MacCaulay, and his team met with the National Director of the Canadian Women’s Wellness Initiative, Helen Creighton, to review the work of CWWI in bringing the TM program to Veterans and their family members.

VAC posted articles on TM helping veterans.

(Click on photo to enlarge it.)

Department of National Defence Grant Awarded in April 2023

Based on the success of the VAC-funded grants, the Department of National Defence (DND) has now fully funded a new grant for CWWI to teach TM to survivors of Military Sexual Trauma (MST) who are currently serving, or who have served in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) or the Department of National Defence: Community Support for Sexual Misconduct Survivors Grant Program. [At this link, Canadian Women’s Wellness Initiative (CWWI) is listed under Nova Scotia, where their National Office is located.]

The project can also include family members or support workers and will be taught in 8 major Canadian cities where TM teachers have taken additional training to work with this population.

This initiative aims to bring an effective evidence-based stress-reduction technique to those who have experienced sexual misconduct within the Defence community. Due to the trauma and negative emotions linked to sexual misconduct, this population is at risk for prolonged mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTS, low self-esteem, addiction and more. 

Research has demonstrated that the TM program is one of the most effective methodologies for reducing the above issues, which are often present in those who have experienced sexual misconduct. Overcoming the negative effect that sexual misconduct has on one’s mental health is a critical first step in moving forward with one’s life.

Confidential quantitative surveys will be administered pre- and -post TM training for self-compassion (Neff, 2011) and trait anxiety survey (Cohen, 1983).

Self-compassion is the self responding positively in times of personal struggle. In addition to decreases in stress and improved levels of self-compassion, CWWI expects results to be similar to past research with veterans, such as:

• Reduced flashbacks and bad memories: Military Medicine 176 (6): 626-630, 2011

• Improved quality of life: Military Medicine 176 (6): 626-630, 2011

• Decrease in insomnia: Journal of Counseling and Development 64: 212-215, 1985

• Twice as effective as other relaxation techniques for decreasing trait anxiety: Journal of Clinical Psychology 45(6): 957–974, 1989

The CWWI project is overseen by several Advisory Boards, including healthcare professionals and military members and employs a researcher with expertise in qualitative and quantitative data. 

CWWI is working with support groups mandated to help those affected by sexual misconduct, networking with doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists who work with this population, and reaching out to support groups. 

CWWI is grateful to researchers Ann Royer, PhD, and Tanis Farish, PhD, as well as to Advisory Review Board members Dr. Raju Hajela [Major, retired], Dr. Brian Rees [Colonel, retired], and Ami Stadnick, MSc, R. Psych. 

Article submitted by Helen Foster-Grimmett, Lead Instructor—Canadian Armed Forces, Veteran, Police and First Responder Outreach—Canadian Women’s Wellness Initiative.

# # #

An article by Garry Foster on both TM grant programs and research was published in a BC Navy newsletter. It was picked up in a few provinces across Canada. It appears in print and online and is read by active duty personnel, veterans, their families and the public. Click on Volume 68, Issue 25, June 26, 2023, select English or French, and go to page 12 (page 11 in the downloadable PDF) to read: New DND grant expands support for sexual misconduct survivors, including family members.

A similar article by Garry Foster written for the Canadian Women’s Wellness Initiative was published in the September 26, 2023 issue of the Totem Times in English and French on page 5, New DND grant expands support for sexual misconduct survivors. (Click to enlarge and read.)

See this October 29, 2017 post about Helen bringing the TM program to her local area police department: Central Saanich Police Service and Area Police Officers Learn and Benefit from Transcendental Meditation.

Also see Canada’s TM TV News Spot: The Antidote to Stress.

— Written and compiled (citing sources) by Ken Chawkin for The Uncarved Blog.

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Canada’s TM TV News Spot: The Antidote to Stress

May 21, 2023

Here is a 30-second TV news spot some Canadian friends are testing out on CHEK TV in BC. The ad airs 44 times over 3 months during the 5pm, 6pm and 11pm News. The voiceover is by a longtime TM teacher, Bob Chelmick, who was the CBC news anchor in Alberta for decades. It broadcasts throughout Vancouver Island and also in the Lower Mainland including Vancouver, and spills over into Washington State. It was first posted on Garry Foster’s Facebook page and is now on their Transcendental Meditation Canada website as The Antidote to Stress.

Six seconds into the video we see a photo of a helicopter carrying a large specialized water bucket to help put out forest fires. Don Arney, inventor of the Bambi Bucket® for Aerial Firefighting, was inducted into the 2017 National Inventors Hall of Fame for his invention. It is manufactured in Vancouver, Canada and shipped to clients in more than 110 countries.

From 8-10 seconds are photos of burned-out healthcare workers and first responders. A recently published study conducted at Miami hospitals showed Transcendental Meditation was highly effective in rapidly reducing healthcare worker burnout symptoms during the height of the Covid crisis. The study was supported, in part, by the David Lynch Foundation as well as Miami-area donors.

Enjoy this excellent article in the Alberta Prime Times on how Transcendental Meditation benefits those with medical issues, ongoing anxieties, even PTSD.

VAC awarded CWWI grants to teach TM to military veterans with PTS. Now DND awards a grant to teach TM to survivors of Military Sexual Trauma.

Related interview: Listen to David Lynch Foundation CEO Bob Roth with Katy Perry And The “Cure For The Common Stress”.

Find a TM Center near you at https://www.tm.org/choose-your-country.

— Written and compiled (citing sources) by Ken Chawkin for The Uncarved Blog.

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The miracle that is Lucy—a neurodivergent blind 13-year-old child prodigy featured on ‘The Piano’

April 30, 2023

Listen to this neurodivergent blind 13-year-old child prodigy play the piano. It is moving and unbelievable. She makes the instrument sing. The music she feels and expresses through her fingertips goes right to the listener’s heart. It felt like I was hearing these well-known classical pieces for the first time. This is how Lucy communicates with the world. It is profound and incomprehensible! These videos tell the story.

BBC – The One Show – Talking about Channel 4’s ‘The Piano’

BBC’s The One Show invited the host and a judge of a new television show, The Piano, on England’s Channel 4. Host Claudia Winkleman and pop star Mika, one of two judges with pianist Lang Lang, discussed the concept for their series and how they were secretly judging amateur musicians playing on street pianos located outside train stations in selected cities. That portion of the interview starts at 1:26 and concludes at 7:25. They don’t give too much away, but we later find out in future episodes that the series will conclude with a final concert performance at England’s premier Royal Festival Hall.

Lucy performs Chopin’s Nocturne in B flat minor

One of those musicians is Lucy, a 13-year-old blind girl who stuns the crowd with her piano performance of Chopin’s Nocturne in B flat minor, Opus 9 number 1. Claudia speaks with Lucy’s mom outside the Leeds train station as they wait for Lucy’s teacher, Daniel, to lead her to the piano on an elevated platform. What happens next is breathtaking! It leaves Lang Lang speechless wondering how Lucy can learn how to play the piece. That question is answered below in The Amber Trust video – Lucy’s Story, showing us how Daniel instructs her using The Amber Sound Touch method.

Here is Part 1 of the full broadcast of that episode. It serves as a backgrounder leading up to the final performance. At a certain point Claudia reveals to all of the musicians gathered together for the first time that they not only played for people at the train station locations, but also for the world’s greatest classical pianist and a well-known pop star who were secretly watching them. Lang Lang and Mika are introduced, surprising everyone. The explanation of what their intent was, and the power of music, is worth listening to. They invite everyone to attend the upcoming Festival Hall performance as their VIP guests and, after hours of deliberation, announce who and why 1 of the 4 finalists was selected to perform at the finale—Lucy. Actually, as it turned out, all 4 finalists—Jay, Sean, Danny, and Lucy—played, and Lucy was selected as the performance of the night.

Lucy performs Debussy’s Arabesque No. 1

Lucy performed Debussy’s Arabesque No. 1 on Channel 4’s Finale of “The Piano’ at Royal Festival Hall. You could hear a pin drop in the hall, the audience was that intently focused on her, many moved to tears. After her performance, Lang Lang and Mika rose to their feet applauding, shouting “Bravo.” Everyone joined them giving Lucy a standing ovation.

Here is the 2nd part of that episode on The Piano Show, which includes Lucy’s performance. Read the YouTube notes for fuller explanations. There was one last surprise for the 4 finalists—a piano delivered to their homes!

Complete version of Lucy playing Debussy’s Arabesque No. 1

Enjoy this complete version of Lucy playing Debussy’s Arabesque No. 1. It starts at 1:48. An earlier well-edited short section of the video introduces us to Lucy’s mom explaining her daughter’s medical condition, then segues to Daniel walking Lucy to the piano where she plays Chopin’s Nocturne in B flat minor. It’s where Lang Lang, speechless, not knowing what to say, calls her a genius. At the end of this final performance, everyone is on their feet applauding wildly. The applause continues as Daniel and Lucy leave the stage. Claudia returns and proudly says, “Ladies and gentlemen, THAT is Lucy!”

The Amber Trust – Lucy’s story

The Amber Trust – Lucy’s story is a film made 3 years earlier about Lucy when she was 10 years old, blind, with autism and severe learning difficulties, but exceptional musical potential. Her teacher, Daniel, explains and demonstrates how he guides Lucy to play classical pieces on the piano. Adam Ockelford, founder of The Amber Trust, speaks at the end of the film. Lucy’s story is a part of ‘Amber Sound Touch’, The Amber Trust’s online resource for teaching music to blind and partially sighted children and young people, including those with additional disabilities. For more details, visit The Amber Trust website.

The Amber Trust has now worked with Lucy for over 10 years through their Music Awards program, funding the piano lessons she receives with her wonderful teacher, Daniel. Lucy achieved ‘performance of the night’ on the finale of Channel 4’s The Piano, receiving a standing ovation for her performance of Debussy’s Arabesque No. 1 at the Royal Festival Hall. They are very proud of everything she has accomplished on the show!

May 7, 2023: Astonishing moment blind and autistic pianist Lucy 13, stuns 20,000 spectators at Coronation Concert

Tens of thousands of spectators at King Charles’ Coronation Concert were left speechless Sunday evening as 13-year-old blind and autistic pianist Lucy Illingworth gave a jaw-dropping performance. The pianist, who is part of Queen Camilla’s patronage, The Amber Trust, was one of the talents chosen to perform at a concert taking place on the grounds of Windsor Castle. Playing a rendition of Bach’s Prelude in C Major, the teenager prompted smiles and applause from the Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte, leaving the newly crowned King and Queen speechless. Her mother Candice Illingworth was beaming as she proudly sat next to her talented daughter as she wowed the crowd.

Here’s Ravenscliffe’s wonderful Lucy sharing the stage with some of the world’s biggest musical artists as she plays “Prelude in C Major” by J.S. Bach in the Coronation Concert, which was held on Sunday 7th May 2023. They continue to be awestruck watching Lucy play so effortlessly delivering her intricate piano playing live in front of 20,000 people. She actually performed this in front of 18 million people! Enjoy listening to her performance with the full introduction.

Lucy’s Royal Albert Hall Debut

Lucy made her debut at the iconic concert hall Classic FM Live in October 16, 2023 playing Bach and Debussy. Lucy, an incredible 15-year-old blind and neurodivergent pianist from Yorkshire, plays the stunning Bach ‘Prelude in C’ alongside her teacher Daniel, for a 6,000-strong audience at the Royal Albert Hall. Blind pianist Lucy plays enchanting Bach ‘Prelude in C’ in Royal Albert Hall debut | Classic FM Live.

Watch a very special performance, as the exceptional pianist who won Channel 4’s ‘The Piano’ plays deeply emotional Debussy to an audience of 6,000 in London’s iconic theatre. Blind pianist Lucy stuns Royal Albert Hall with breathtaking Debussy debut | Classic FM Live.

Early April 2024: Classic FM and Lucy on Instagram posted: “Debussy’s Arabesque No.1, played exquisitely by Lucy from The Piano. ❤️ You’ve just voted this piece into the Classic FM #HallOfFame Top 300 – the world’s biggest poll of classical music tastes. Stay listening across the Easter weekend!” Lucy replied: “Lucy is so honoured to have been voted into the Classic FM #HallOfFame ! ☺️”

How neurodivergent ‘The Piano’ star Lucy speaks through the piano

April 12, 2024: Classic FM: Discover how Lucy, who is blind and neurodivergent, uses the piano to communicate. Lucy’s piano teacher, Daniel Bath, and mother, Candice, share her musical beginnings and winning success on the Channel 4 series, ‘The Piano’. Filmed backstage at The Royal Albert Hall for Classic FM Live with Viking, on the day Lucy made her performing debut.

April 16, 2024: Lucy joyfully jazzes it up with Stevie Wonder’s ‘I Wish’.

International Ambassador of Lang Lang Foundation

Since Lucy was selected as “performance of the night” at ‘The Piano’ concert, Lang Lang may have arranged for her to perform at the Coronation Concert. I saw this announcement on a Lang Lang Foundation langlangfoundation Instagram post of the two of them spontaneously playing Pavane by Fauré, Op.50 together. Lang Lang spoke about this in a Classic FM interview, how Lucy would immediately start playing the piece along with him.

“I was totally blown away by Lucy, when we met her in the Leeds station, and I just thought this is impossible to have someone like that. She’s a miracle kid.” He spoke of later working with her in London, how she knows everything when it comes to music and would instantly play a musical piece. He emphasized how remarkable she was. What follows is what they had announced on Instagram.

We are truly delighted to welcome the one and only @lucypianohq as our new Lang Lang Foundation ambassador 🎊 Lucy and Lang Lang’s special bond began on @channel4’s The Piano, where she won the hearts of many, and continued at Windsor Castle where they both appeared at the Coronation Concert playing in front of 18 million people.

Lucy truly is an inspiration, and we are so proud to officially call her part of the Lang Lang Foundation family. Welcome, Lucy! 🌟✨💫

Visit https://www.lucythepianist.com.

Check Lucy’s social media for updates: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok.

Lucy’s moment in Channel 4’s ‘The Piano’ nominated for a BAFTA

Lucy’s Instagram posted this exciting news: This year the BAFTAs are being held on Lucy’s 15th birthday, Sunday 12th May 2024. With her moment on Channel 4’s ‘The Piano’ winning over so many people’s hearts—it has been nominated for a BAFTA for Most Memorable Moment, and it would truly be such a special present to win on her birthday! 🎂

They previously posted part of a news clip of Lucy’s BAFTA nomination for Most Memorable TV Moment.

Channel 4’s The Incredibly Talented Lucy

May 4, 2024: Channel 4 produced The Incredibly Talented Lucy: the Series 1 winner of The Piano in the words of her mother and teacher. It is available to stream and watch on TV from 10:05pm on Sunday, May 5, 2024. Ahead of their special one-off documentary into her life, they spoke to two of the people who know her best, her mother Candice Flynn and her music teacher Daniel Bath. I am not able to access this BBC documentary, unless someone posts it on YouTube. All we can see now is this interview/news release, where they answer questions about Lucy and the documentary. It’s a worthwhile read.

May 5, 2024: Lucy’s Instagram posted a video of what she’s been up to since winning The Piano listing many of her accomplishments, most of which have already been mentioned above.

I’m Walking With You – Lucy The Pianist

September 13, 2024: Lucy, The Pianist, releases her first official single “I’m Walking With You”, written by Debbie Wiseman OBE. “I’m Walking With You”, written especially for Lucy by Wiseman, Classic FM’s composer in residence, was recorded with the Masquerade Quintet at the iconic Metropolis Studios as part of Lucy’s highly-anticipated first studio recording. The single has been chosen for 2024’s GB Paralympic Homecoming Ceremony, which is televised on Channel 4 on 14th September 2024, in a celebration of determination and endeavour across music and sport.

Other inspiring artists featured on The Uncarved Blog

To see other inspiring artists featured on The Uncarved Blog, scroll through the Archive of the ‘Music’ Category.

— Written and compiled (citing sources) by Ken Chawkin for The Uncarved Blog.

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Posted in Music, Videos | 2 Comments »

Tony Anthony’s amazing eight-year spiritual journey with TM founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

April 1, 2023

Some people I know highly recommended Tony Anthony‘s recent book, A Joy-Filled Amazement: My Eight-Year Spiritual Journey with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. I read it and found theirs and other familiar names mentioned in the story. I checked the many positive Customer Reviews, recognized some of the reviewers, and decided to add my own.

This personal story is told with sincerity, vulnerability, and transparency. Some fascinating moments give us a glimpse into Tony’s relationship with TM founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and his evolving experiences, in and out of meditation.

This personal story is told with sincerity, vulnerability, and transparency. Some fascinating moments give us a glimpse into Tony’s relationship with TM founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and his evolving experiences, in and out of meditation.

Here is a look into the author’s background, what he’s accomplished during his lifetime, and a description of the book.

About Tony Anthony

Tony Anthony was born in New York and educated at Syracuse University. He served as a combat correspondent for the 198th Infantry Brigade in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969. His stories and photographs appeared in Stars & Stripes and in newspapers around the world.

He has had a career in the creative arts: as an author, a painter, a photojournalist, and a creative director. As a photojournalist, Anthony photographed the attack on the World Trade Center from a Blackhawk helicopter on September 11, 2001 for the NGO Americares. Days after the US bombed Baghdad in 2005, he photographed the first humanitarian relief mission to Iraq. He has photographed on all eight continents, including the melting ice in Antarctica.

He has written three previous books: Life is War But You Can Win, an inspirational book for Veterans; Beneath Buddha’s Eyes, a novel; Before the Next War, a novel set in Vietnam based on actual events. He has directed a documentary film, Fearless Mountain, about a Buddhist forest monastery. The author is the recipient of an Atlantic Monthly writing award. He resides in Northern California and has two grown sons.

A Joy-Filled Amazement

A Joy-Filled Amazement is the wild and enthralling tale of a spiritual seeker that proves that anything is possible. The book begins at the lowest moments of the author’s life—penniless and mind-ravaged, just back from Vietnam, living in the hold of an anchovy boat. In an inexplicable encounter, he meets Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the spiritual leader who brought Transcendental Meditation to the West made famous by the Beatles. The great Indian guru enthralls him with a vision of the life he longs for and the way to get there. The story is an eight-year odyssey, to Maharishi’s ashram in Switzerland, to India, and finally to enlightenment. The journey is complex, deeply spiritual, and genuinely captivating.

A generation of seekers

Ours was a generation of seekers. If you’re on the spiritual path or curious about it, this book will satisfy. You will spend time in the heart and mind of a seeker turned finder.

Ours was a generation of seekers. If you’re on the spiritual path or curious about it, this book will satisfy. You will spend time in the heart and mind of a seeker turned finder. Tony also describes some pretty cosmic experiences that will inspire. Glad I read it!

On page 258, Tony shares something that surprised and pleased me. A friend who cleaned Maharishi’s apartment had invited him along, which was unexpected. While his friend “went about about replacing flowers in vases and otherwise straightening up in the sitting room, I took a seat and thumbed through a book of photographs taken by Linda McCartney, Paul McCartney’s wife. On the front piece was a hand-written note to Maharishi saying how much she and Paul loved and appreciated him.”

Book Cover

Tony chose Spanish graphic designer Jonas Perez to design the book cover. He selected the typeface and gold color and left the rest to him. Jonas surprised Tony “with the sensitivity and subtlety of the design.”

You may recognize the famous photo of Maharishi on Sands of Parkville, the beach at the former Island Hall resort in Parksville, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. It was taken by Victoria artist, photojournalist, and filmmaker Karl Spreitz. Eileen Learoyd, a columnist for The Daily Colonist at that time, asked Karl to take the photo for her article on Maharishi (September 20, 1963). An early meditator, Eileen later became a TM teacher. Maharishi appointed her National Leader of Canada. Her daughter, Grania Litwin, also a journalist, sent me the article and the photo, which was also used on a billboard with the words, learn to meditate, and a mailing address.

Book Title

In case you’re wondering, as I was, about the book title, Tony explains that in the 3rd paragraph on page 309 under Acknowledgements.

The title of the book is taken from The Shiva Sutras, revealed by Swami Laksmanjoo, a close friend of Maharishi’s. In Verse 12, he explains the signs by which we can determine that a yogi is established in that supreme state of Lord Siva: “The predominant sign of such a yogi is joy-filled amazement.”

Related reading

Here are two novels I’ve read and reviewed about meditating philosophy professors that you might enjoy: “To Be Enlightened” by Alan J. Steinberg and “The Best Of All Possible Worlds” by B. Steven Verney.

Many articles have been written about Maharishi. Here is a blogpost on the centennial of his birth with links to other articles and interviews.

— Written and compiled (citing sources) by Ken Chawkin for The Uncarved Blog.

June 16, 2024: I wrote Tony to tell him about Billy Schulz’s book, The Field of Glow: My Life with Angels and Celestial Beings. He said he had read it and mentioned his new book, A Joy-Filled Awareness, the follow-up to the book about his time with Maharishi, A Joy-Filled Amazement, which now fleshes out the “time before and after” as described by a mutual friend from the United Kingdom in his 5-star Amazon review.

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Harpist Nadja Dornik beautifully performs Claude Debussy’s romantic composition Clair de Lune

March 18, 2023

Today, Serbian pianist and harpist Nadja Dornik posted her performance of Claude Debussy’s Suite Bergamasque, L.75 – III. Clair de Lune. The whole composition was recorded on August 30, 2022 at the Belgrade Philharmonic Concert Hall, including the first and second movements — I. Prélude and II. Menuet — posted 4 and 3 weeks earlier, respectively.

Historically, Clair de Lune, was a French poem written by Paul Verlaine in 1869, and became the inspiration for the third and most famous movement of Debussy’s 1890 Suite Bergamasque of the same name.

You can actually hear Debussy playing Clair de Lune (1913), recorded on a piano roll, Claude Debussy plays Debussy. It is included in the Complete recordings made by Claude Debussy: The Composer as Pianist. Compilation from all Debussy recordings available “Claude Debussy Plays His Finest Works” (1904-1913).

Also enjoy listening to Kristan Toczko, one of Canada’s premier harpists, perform Debussy’s romantic composition, Clair de Lune. That post contains links to performances by famous pianists and other musicians, some on unusual instruments, recorded for the celebration of Debussy’s life and music in 2018, the centennial of his passing.  

In an earlier post, Nadja Dornik transcribed and performed a stunningly beautiful version for harp of Frédéric Chopin’s Fantaisie-Impromptu.

August 4, 2024: Nadja Dornik posted this interesting Interview at the “Festival International de Colmar » Interview with Olivier Erouart and Johny Royer after my piano recital at the Festival International de Colmar.

See Canadian pioneer filmmaker Norman McLaren’s 1968 NFB film ‘Pas de deux’ for a truly spellbinding aesthetic experience. Predating digital effects, this masterpiece won many national and international awards.

‘Pas de deux’ was nominated as ‘Duo’ for Best Live Action Short Subject at the 41st Academy Awards (April 14, 1969) to honor the films of 1968. It was the NFB’s 24th Oscar®-nominated film at the time.

Some other amazing artists I’ve been inspired by and written about are available in the Archive of the ‘Music’ Category on The Uncarved Blog.

— Written and compiled (citing sources) by Ken Chawkin for The Uncarved Blog.

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Transcendental Meditation reduced healthcare workers’ burnout symptoms during Covid crisis

March 5, 2023

NEWS RELEASE 3-MAR-2023

Transcendental Meditation highly effective in rapidly reducing healthcare worker burnout symptoms during the height of the Covid crisis

Healthcare providers (HCP) at three Miami hospitals during the height of the Covid crisis, who practiced the Transcendental Meditation technique (TM), showed a rapid and highly significant reduction in stress-related burnout symptoms such as somatization, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and emotional exhaustion, as well as significant improvement in mental well-being, compared to a parallel matched lifestyle-as-usual group (LAU), according to a new study published today in PLOS ONE.

A total of 65 healthcare providers at the three Miami hospitals (Baptist, Mercy, and Encompass Hospitals), were enrolled in the TM group, as well as 65 parallel match controls. Validated surveys were used to assess burnout and stress-related symptoms including the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 scale (BSI), the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI), and the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well Being Scale (WEMWBS).

After two weeks symptoms of somatization, depression, and anxiety in the TM group showed a near 45% reduction and insomnia, emotional exhaustion and well-being had improved by 33%, 16% and 11% respectively. At three months, the TM group showed mean reductions in anxiety of 62%, somatization 58%, depression 50%, insomnia 44%, emotional exhaustion 40%, and improvement in mental well-being of 18% (Examples Figures 1 – 3). TM appeared easy to learn and was maintained by the subjects within an average weekly TM session completion rate of 83%. (Click on Figures 1-3 to enhance details.)

“The results of this study—one of the largest on the effects of TM in a healthcare setting conducted during the height of the Covid crisis—are dramatic, not just because of the size and significance of the improvements in a variety of burnout indices, but notably in how rapidly the results were seen,” said Mark S. Nestor, M.D. Ph.D., the principal investigator, and lead author of the study. Dr. Nestor is Director of the Center for Clinical and Cosmetic Research in Aventura Florida, and Voluntary Professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “This rapid and dramatic improvement in stress-related symptoms is not often seen with the use of medications much less with other easy to learn mental techniques.”

The authors point out that “the study confirms and expands on the previously reported benefits of the practice of TM and its positive psychological impact on healthcare providers in high stress settings and should be considered as a rapid intervention for healthcare worker burnout but certainly may have application to other at-risk populations.”

The study was supported, in part, by the David Lynch Foundation as well as Miami-area donors. The article is titled “Improving the mental health and well-being of healthcare providers using the Transcendental Meditation technique during the COVID-19 pandemic: a parallel population study.”

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Source: EurekAlert!

Peer-Reviewed Publication | Randomized controlled/clinical trial

See the full PowerPoint Presentation PDF with all 6 Figures.

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265046

News Coverage: The first to report on this study was Australia’s Mirage: Healthcare Workers’ Burnout Reduced with TM During Covid Peak. News Medical, one of the world’s leading open-access medical and life science hubs, also reported: Transcendental Meditation reduces stress-related burnout symptoms among healthcare providers.

A month later, Psych News Daily reported: Transcendental Meditation reduces burnout, new study finds. A new study has found that Transcendental Meditation reduced symptoms of burnout and insomnia, while improving overall well-being.

— Written and compiled (citing sources) by Ken Chawkin for The Uncarved Blog.

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Manual Cinema and Crescendo Literary produced this video of Gwendolyn Brooks’ “We Real Cool” as part of the centennial celebration of her birth

February 26, 2023

This is real cool! Using simple, illuminative paper-cut puppetry, this enchanting video imagines the moment of witness that inspired Gwendolyn Brooks to write her landmark poem, “We Real Cool.” It was created by Manual Cinema in association with Crescendo Literary, with story by Eve L. Ewing and Nate Marshall, and music by Jamila Woods and Ayanna Woods. Poetry Foundation posted We Real Cool on June 6, 2017 as part of the upcoming centennial celebration of her birth that year.

Everything about this video is excellent—the background story, Brooks’ dialogue, the poem read by her and sung by the chorus, the lifelike facial expressions, outlines and movements of the paper-cut puppetry, the jazzy driving music—all make for a lively and enjoyable realization.

The 6-minute video is a companion to a live staged production of No Blue Memories: The Life of Gwendolyn Brooks. It premiered November 2017 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Brooks’s birth. See the trailer for that show when it played in Vancouver at the Chan Centre. “We Real Cool” starts at 26 minutes into the 68-minute performance.

Gwendolyn Brooks (June 7, 1917-December 3, 2000) won the Pulitzer Prize at 32, and at 68, was the first black woman to become a consultant in poetry for the Library of Congress, aka the 29th Poet Laureate, 1985–86. A prolific poet, author, and teacher, she received a lifetime achievement award in 1989 from the National Endowment for the Arts.

It’s interesting how some poets are only remembered for one special poem. In this 1986 HoCoPoLitSo interview with Gwendolyn Brooks for The Writing Life series (remastered in 2005), she was asked how she felt about being remembered for only this one poem (18:38). She said that the poem was published in many anthologies and that children always ask her to read “We Real Cool” and respond enthusiastically.

But in the short video she says she “would prefer it if the textbook compilers and the anthologists would assume that I’ve written a few other poems,” and then the camera pans over many of her books.

At 19:45 she tells the story behind how she came to write “We Real Cool,” which forms the basis for the storyline of the short video. In the lead up to the poem, she happens to see seven students shooting pool at the Golden Shovel. But instead of asking myself, “Why aren’t they in school?” I asked myself, “I wonder how they feel about themselves?”

But instead of asking myself, “Why aren’t they in school?” I asked myself, “I wonder how they feel about themselves?”

Gwendolyn Brooks’ thoughts on seeing The Pool Players, Seven at the Golden Shovel, which became her poem, “We Real Cool.”

Instead of judging the students, her curiosity and compassion cause her to look deeper. She shares her thoughts about the boys’ situation, and is then asked to recite the poem, which she does at 21:05.

Gwendolyn Brooks, “We Real Cool,” was recorded on May 3, 1983, as part of the Academy of American Poets reading series, held at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. It first appeared in print in the September 1959 issue of Poetry magazine. You can see the poem and hear Gwendolyn Brooks read “We Real Cool” from Selected Poems on the Poetry Foundation website. Copyright © 1963 by Gwendolyn Brooks.

— Written and compiled (citing sources) by Ken Chawkin for The Uncarved Blog.

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Transcendental Meditation effective in reducing burnout and depression symptoms in physicians

February 21, 2023
This figure shows the within-group effect sizes (mean change divided by pooled standard deviation) for the Transcendental Meditation group and the treatment-as-usual control group on burnout, as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and depression symptoms, as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-2. Between-group statistics comparing TM to the control group yielded significant differences between groups on both burnout and depression symptoms (p values <.02). CREDIT: Maharishi International University Research Institute. (Image posted on EurekAlert!)

According to a randomized controlled study, published in Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, physicians who practiced the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique showed significant reductions in both burnout and depression symptoms. Research conducted at Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago found that practice of Transcendental Meditation produced large effect sizes in decreasing burnout and depression symptoms in academic physicians; controls exhibited smaller effect sizes. The research was done pre-covid.

Marie Loiselle, PhD, lead author and senior researcher at the Center for Social-Emotional Health at Maharishi International University, stated: “Prior to treatment, the physicians were discouraged by the impact that burnout was having on their work and personal lives. To see both burnout and depression reduced significantly across 1- and 4-month posttests for the Transcendental Meditation group indicates a real possibility for alleviating these symptoms throughout the health profession.”

Sanford Nidich, EdD, co-author and director of the Center for Social-Emotional Health, explained that “these findings are consistent with research on Transcendental Meditation recently published in JAMA Network Open and the Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians showing large within-group effect sizes due to TM on burnout and depression symptoms in healthcare provider groups. The findings are also consistent with research on other populations.”

Forty academic physicians were enrolled in the four-month study, comparing the TM technique to treatment-as-usual controls. TM is described as a simple, effortless technique, practiced for 20 minutes twice a day, sitting with eyes closed. TM allows ordinary thinking processes to become more quiescent, resulting in a unique state of restful alertness. Controls continued with their usual care throughout the duration of the study. The primary outcome was total burnout, using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-2) was also used to determine effectiveness of TM on depression symptoms over the same time-period.  

Repeated measures analysis of covariance was used to assess adjusted mean change scores. Significant improvements were found for the TM group compared to controls in total burnout (P=.020) including the MBI dimensions of emotional exhaustion (P=.042) and personal accomplishment (P=.018), and depression (P=.016).  

The following is a sample of responses from semi-structured interviews with TM participants about their experiences:

“I’m more relaxed about things overall, more accepting, calmer, not as revved up by things. I think that is the biggest change.”

“If I am feeling really bothered by the day, I’m able to get over it easier and shift over to focusing on home.”

According to Gregory Gruener, MD, study co-author and Vice Dean for Education, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago: “Longevity in a career that will last 40 to 50 years requires a physician to embrace the ‘long-view’.  While knowledge, skills and attitude are fundamental, Transcendental Meditation provides the clarity of mind and calmness that makes this journey as enjoyable and fulfilling as the destination.”

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Funding support: This study was supported by grants from Loyola University and other private foundations and individual donors.

Article title: Effects of Transcendental Meditation on Academic Physician Burnout and Depression: A Mixed Methods Randomized Controlled Trial.

Authors: Loiselle, Marie PhD; Brown, Carla EdD; Travis, Frederick PhD; Gruener, Gregory MD, MBA, MHPE; Rainforth, Maxwell PhD; Nidich, Sanford EdD.

JOURNAL: Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, 43(3):p 164-171, Summer 2023.

DOI: 10.1097/CEH.0000000000000472

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News Coverage: This study was published Jan 26, 2023 and publicized with an embargoed press release via EurekAlert! It was reported in the medical press. Helio requested a copy of the study and published their review Feb 3, 2023. But you have to register to read it.

HealthDay, the world’s largest syndicator of health news, also requested a copy of the study and posted their report Feb 16, 2023, which can be read here: Transcendental Meditation Helps to Alleviate Burnout in Academic Physicians. Benefits seen for total burnout, emotional exhaustion, and depression at four months. It was picked up by many health and medical news sites, like Physician’s Weekly, which created another wave of publicity. Article Metrics published by Wolters Kluwer.

When lead author Marie Loiselle read this news she shared her wish that this will motivate more health professionals to start TM and more programs like the one Carla and Duncan Brown teach at Stritch School of Medicine to be implemented. 

The evidence continues to mount, which makes it a wise, health-conscious decision, and, since the pandemic, an almost necessary one. Some physicians have also been prescribing TM for their patients. It is a viable alternative and should be covered by health insurance.

It seems to be a matter of time, which reminds me of this famous quote attributed to German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer: “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.”

See more Quotes from famous thinkers on the nature of truth, its rejection, and acceptance over time.

Update: The JCEHP Summer 2023 – Volume 43 – Issue 3 published an Editorial by Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Simon Kitto Ph.D.: Some Musings About Theorizing Context in a (Post)Pandemic: The Case of Physician Burnout. The opening paragraph draws attention to this original research article by Loiselle and colleagues!

Oct 17, 2023: An Apple Podcast (39 min) was posted with Marie Loiselle and two of her co-authors, Dr. Gruener and Carla Brown, Ph.D.: ‎JCEHP Emerging Best Practices in CPD: Effects of Transcendental Meditation on Academic Physician Burnout and Depression.

Burnout is pervasive among physicians and has widespread implications for individuals and institutions. This research study examines, for the first time, the effects of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique on academic physician burnout and depression. Mixed methods findings suggest the TM technique is a viable and effective intervention to decrease burnout and depression for academic physicians.

This JCEHP study is also published on the PubMed, NIH, National Library of Medicine website.

2024 Update: A second Editorial, this one in the Spring 2024 – Volume 44 – Issue 2 of the Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, announced The 2023 Paul Mazmanian JCEHP Award for Excellence in Research was given to Marie Loiselle and her research team for their original study! Their TM and physician burnout paper was selected from 231 original research papers submitted to JCEHP.

— Written and compiled (citing sources) by Ken Chawkin for The Uncarved Blog.

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