adapted from Santam Kaur's blog by Anthony Prosk, B.Mus, B.Ed

We never know what to expect when we go on tour. Sometimes we are in large cathedrals, at other times small yoga centers. Our audiences can be huge crowds enthusiastically singing along or people who have never heard our music. Sometimes the crowds are small. Sometimes there is no audience at all…like when I’m home…and the music continues. My husband and I especially enjoy playing music together at the end of the day.

The opposite is when we set up for our concerts. We use the same back drop, the same stage equipment, the same instruments, sing the same songs…virtually the same everything. On tour I bring a set of outfits for the whole week. Four weeks on the road is very repetitive. Same, same, same.

The repetitiveness of the tour combined with the vast variation we experience is challenging. My commitment to peace on the planet, starting with peace in my own heart, has enabled me to stay the course. This process has led me to the most important place for growth, within myself. Long ago my teacher Yogi Bhajan taught me to sing from the seat of my soul to God and Guru and nothing else. Through my concerts I receive and share that same blessing.

The tabla player Sat Nam Singh Ramgotra said if he didn’t enjoying playing tabla and the sound of the music, what was the use? I often ask myself that question. Am I enjoying this? Is it connecting with me, my own heart and my own soul? If the soul’s enjoyment is not there then I must change something. It may be a little shift in a note, or a combination of notes. Perhaps a shift in my thoughts or emotions in relation to the music or a shift in my breathing. It can be a large shift like taking music lessons and to expand my knowledge base. All of these shifts are a part of my growth as a musician.

I keep the music alive by connecting with my soul and singing to the God within from my soul’s voice. When I do that people seem to hear what I’m singing as if I am touching the God within them. I know there is a vast universe of learning within each of us, and the deeper we make the connection with the Divine inside, the deeper we will be able to connect with everyone and everything in our lives.

Snatam Kaur has the voice of an angel who shares the sounds of the divine. Hear her live in concert at 7:30 pm, Saturday, June 7 at West Point Grey United Church 4595 West 8th Ave. Tickets at Yoga West 604-732-YOGA (9642) or at www.Spiritvoyage.com. For more info visit www.snatamkaur.com