I cannot believe that I have been living in Glastonbury (The Isle of Avalon) already for more than 2 years. I came to Glastonbury in July 2012 – the year of the big changes – and now that we are in 2015, I feel grateful for every experience that I have had since I came here. It has not been an easy journey and the mirrors of Avalon never stop so sometimes you feel you are in a roller coaster of personal break throughs and development. It keeps you feeling alive and the highs here are so much more intense (as are the lows) and the support I feel from the people around me and the beautiful souls I meet give me the confirmation that my step into the unknown has been a good one. Especially in one area: music!
The first year in Avalon was all about building a life, getting a network, developing my tours and teachings and basically ground myself in the sometimes uplifting energy of this area. I moved 7 times in the first year – from a studio to a yurt, from a room in a b&b to a room in a shared house. But there comes a time that you need a place where you can really anchor yourself and I was lucky in finding that, exactly in the street where I wanted to be and with the amenities that I wanted: a fireplace, a garden and a bath. The power of manifestation in Avalon is strong – you ask, you get it, but do be careful what you ask for or how you ask it. After I settled in my cottage, where I walk on old Abbey flagstones, I was ready for the next level.
Back in to the Music
I have always loved music and singing – I had my own jazz band in the Netherlands and I enjoyed it very much. So by the beginning of 2014 I decided that it was time to explore the music scene of Glastonbury. I started to go to a jazz session which was outside of Glastonbury, but it was a good way to get back into the singing and performing. So after the first nerves were dealt with, I went to the Sunday Blues Session at the Hawthorns pub. I was blown away by the music and the atmosphere – I had never been to New Orleans, but I had a feeling this session would fit right in there. After a few minutes of being there I jumped out of my chair and asked the session leader Damian, if I could sing a song, pleassse… That blues touched my soul and I came alive – I wanted to sing, now! And so I did and it felt wonderful. I sang my own blues – written a long time ago – but it was received with much appreciation. I tell you, this blues session is one of the best kept secrets in Glastonbury.
By going to the sessions I met lovely people, wonderful singers, songwriters and musicians. There is so much talent in Glastonbury – I know we have the famous Glastonbury Festival in June – but I had never thought that the music scene was so diverse and good all year long. I now have my own jazz band with some great musicians and the name I already used in the Netherlands for my other band, Miss Behavin. We have been hosting a monthly jazz session for a while now and it has been a pleasure.
I would like to leave you with some appropriate words from famous singers:
“ Music was my first love and it will be my last”
“ Thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing”
“So you can tell everybody this is your song, It may be quite simple but now that it’s done, I hope you don’t mind, I hope you don’t mind, That I put down in words:
How wonderful life is while you’re in the world”