Son Little is just one of the awesome performers coming to Wanderlust O’ahu this February. See the full line-up and buy tickets now! We can’t wait to see you there.
Music is considered one of the universal languages, something that all humans (and even some animals) enjoy.
Music is a form of expression that one does not need to be a master of to enjoy: When was the last time you sang aloud in the car or rocked a wicked air guitar? It wasn’t about your skill—it was about how it made you feel, how you connected with something deep within yourself as well as something much greater.
Music—the practice and study of it—has even been shown to change the shape of our brains and how we learn language, with children who participate in musical training showing larger vocabularies and better reading abilities than those who haven’t.
But music does more than improve our attention spans: Music is the way that we connect to a deep part of our souls, to our personal expression, and to each other. Humans have been making music since time immemorial: an Aboriginal creation myth says that humans sang the world into existence. Music is a way to tune into different levels of vibration that surpass a surface understanding of language or culture—although we can reach a deeper understanding of both through music. Music helps us engage in self-reflection, connect on inter-personal levels, and experience different cultures—sometimes without leaving our own homes, which makes it an invaluable resource in our efforts to understand the world we inhabit.
The type of music you listen to also has effects on your body, mind, and mood: Music has been shown to, in turn, relax people, motivate and energize, and even to help progress healing in post-operative and chronically ill patients.
Son Little recognizes a map of the world when he looks back on his musical career: He can see all of the places he’s been and how they’ve affected him come alive through his music. He can feel the times and places where the words were first felt and be transported back to those places through the music—and isn’t that what we’re all looking for in a piece of beautiful music? To be transported: Body, mind, and soul, into something both greater than we are and yet completely a part of us.
As yogis, we recognize that feeling and its absolute truth and possibility. We utilize music to deepen our experiences, on and off the mat, to help us reach places that are greater than us—and that are us.
Son Little sees in his audience a quality of bravery that yogis can identify with: An attitude, a way of living that goes far beyond style or trend, but one which resonates deep within the soul. A voice of courage, of steadfastness, that we cultivate in our practices and in our lives.
Music is a universal vibration which we can all tune into at any time, for any purpose, to experience something greater than ourselves, within ourselves.
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Kristin Diversi is a star-child. A unicorn/monkey hybrid, she spends her days hopscotching dreams and moonbeams. After graduating magna cum laude with a BA in History and an MS in Nutrition, she delighted her parents and the student loan companies by deciding to follow her heart and do absolutely nothing related to any of her degrees. Currently pursuing a 500-hour certification, she was a yogini before yoga was cool. She is deeply flawed and terribly whimsical. Dream big. Be bigger.