I was Shocked To Discover This...

(La version française est disponible ci-bas)

When I was in the music business many years ago, I desperately wanted to produce and distribute an album. I sent my demos to record companies and did a lot of waiting and hoping. A couple big music producers made some promises (over dinner and wine) that never materialized. I wasn't willing to sell my soul (or other assets) to the music industry.

In 2003, I lucked out by winning first place at the Tremplin International de la Chanson Francophone in Paris (see picture above). The following year, I was touring 9 countries with my solo piano show even though I still didn't have an official, professionally produced music album! I got really tired of waiting, so I stopped telling myself that the task was unsurmountable and I rolled up my sleeves.

First, I incorporated my own company that became a small record label. This gave me access to grants, which I was lucky to receive from Musicaction. Then, I started to build a team of important collaborators: musicians, photographers, graphic artists, publicists, radio trackers and more. It was so satisfying to finally see things moving forward! 

Once the album was recorded, I had a strong urge to write a book, and I was confident I would have enough time to write it during the post-production phase of the CD. I wanted the album and the book to be released together, in one package. So, my small company also became a publishing house. I began to expand my team of collaborators with editors, printers, book distributors...etc. It was so exciting! The book industry was completely new to me. There was so much to learn and do.

A little while after I finished writing the first version of my book, I had a sudden realization. I was so close to the finish line, at last! After all those years of waiting, I had now achieved a major goal: an album and a book! Surely, this accomplishment would exterminate those nagging feelings of restlessness and unworthiness, right? 

What I realized was that for most of my life, I was working under the unconscious assumption that something I did or accomplished, could eliminate my uncomfortable feelings that kept resurfacing every now and then. Like many, I truly believed that "worldly success" was the key to feeling more peaceful and content. I became acutely aware of this thought pattern that had been motivating me for so long: "once I release this book and CD, I will be happier." I was truly shocked to discover how erroneous this belief was! 

With the gift of this new insight, I had to rewrite the entire book! I hadn't learned my lesson yet, and now I know that living and sharing the following message was the true purpose of my first book: "Enjoy the journey, it's much more important than the final destination you are trying to reach. Don't assume that something in the future will make you feel better than the way you feel right now. Find the joy of being in the moment, and this will bring true power to whatever it is you are doing."

Now that I am working on my second book (Conscious Kids), you can bet that I am applying what I learned! What are you working on right now? Are you able to find joy in the moment? What particular circumstances trigger uncomfortable feelings? Being aware of these gives you the power to make changes.

Thanks for reading!

Lise Villeneuve 

You can subscribe to my blog here: https://lisevilleneuve.blogspot.com/ (top of page on desktop version)

Quand j'étais dans le secteur de la musique il y a plusieurs années, je voulais désespérément produire et distribuer un album. J'ai envoyé mes démos à des maisons de disques et j'ai beaucoup attendu et espéré. Quelques grands producteurs de disques ont fait des promesses qui ne se sont jamais concrétisées. Je n'étais pas intéressée à vendre mon âme (ou d'autres actifs) à l'industrie de la musique.

En 2003, j'ai eu beaucoup de chance. J'ai remporté la première place au Tremplin International de la Chanson Francophone à Paris (voir photo ci-dessus). L'année suivante, je faisais une tournée dans 9 pays avec mon spectacle de piano solo, même si je n'avais toujours pas d'album de musique officiel. J'étais vraiment fatiguée d'attendre, alors j'ai arrêté de me dire que la tâche était insurmontable et j'ai retroussé mes manches.

Tout d'abord, j'ai créé ma propre compagnie qui est devenue une petite maison de disques. Cela m'a donné accès à des subventions, que j'ai eu la chance de recevoir de Musicaction. Ensuite, j'ai commencé à rassembler une équipe de collaborateurs importants: musiciens, photographes, graphistes, publicistes, trackers radio et plus. C'était tellement satisfaisant de voir enfin les choses avancer!

Une fois l'album enregistré, j'avais une forte envie d'écrire un livre, et j'étais convaincue que j'aurais assez de temps pour l'écrire pendant la phase de post-production du disque. Je voulais que l'album et le livre soient publiés ensemble, dans un seul paquet. Ainsi, ma petite entreprise est également devenue une maison d'édition. J'ai commencé à élargir mon équipe de collaborateurs avec des éditeurs, des imprimeurs, des distributeurs de livres, etc. C'était tellement stimulant! L'industrie du livre était complètement nouvelle pour moi. Il y avait tant à apprendre et à faire.

Peu de temps après avoir fini d'écrire la première version de mon livre, j'ai eu une prise de conscience soudaine. J'étais si proche de la ligne d'arrivée, enfin! Après toutes ces années d'attente, j'avais maintenant atteint un objectif majeur: un album et un livre! Certes, cet accomplissement exterminerait mes sentiments persistants d'agitation et d'indignité, n'est-ce pas?

Ce que j'ai réalisé, c'est que pendant presque toute ma vie, j'opérais sous la croyance inconsciente que des accomplissements quelconques pouvaient éliminer les sentiments inconfortables qui ne cessaient de refaire surface en moi. Comme beaucoup, je croyais vraiment que le succès matériel était la clé pour se sentir plus paisible et satisfait. J'ai pris pleinement conscience de ce schéma de pensée qui me motivait depuis si longtemps: « une fois que je terminerai ce livre et ce disque, je serai plus heureuse ! » C'était choquant d'avoir la réalisation que ma croyance était totalement erronée.

Avec la clarté de cette nouvelle vision, j'ai dû réécrire tout le livre! Je n'avais pas encore appris ma leçon, et je sais maintenant que de vivre et de partager le message suivant était le véritable objectif de mon premier livre: "Profitez du voyage, c'est beaucoup plus important que la destination finale que vous essayez d'atteindre. Ne prenez pas pour acquis que quelque chose dans le futur vous permettra de vous sentir mieux que ce que vous ressentez maintenant. Trouvez la joie d'être dans l'instant présent, et cela apportera un véritable pouvoir à tout ce que vous faites."

Maintenant que je travaille sur mon deuxième livre (Conscious Kids / Enfants Lucides), vous pouvez parier que j'applique ce que j'ai appris! Sur quoi travaillez-vous actuellement? Êtes-vous capable de trouver de la joie dans l'instant présent? Quelles circonstances particulières déclenchent des sentiments inconfortables? Prendre conscience de cela vous donne le pouvoir d'apporter des changements.

Merci d'avoir pris le temps de lire!

Lise Villeneuve

Vous pouvez vous abonner à mon blogue ici: https://lisevilleneuve.blogspot.com/ (en haut de page sur la version desktop)

I Wanted to Shout at Eckhart Tolle...

 Waking Up: Personal Insights From my Journey

I Wanted to Shout at Eckhart Tolle...

How are you? I recently took a break from blogging and social media because quite frankly, I felt a little drained. Facebook especially can suck the life out of me in no time. So I focused on doing things that recharged my energy, such as spending more time in nature, reading inspirational books, and I spent a lot of quality time with those guys in the picture: my family. Now I feel great, and I have some news I'd like to share with you!

This Fall, I took an online course with Eckhart Tolle. During the course, someone from Greece asked him "how can I help kids to become more conscious?" In short, he replied that the best way to teach kids about mindfulness and emotional literacy is through short stories and little activities. He went on to say that if anyone in our group had some talent for writing, this would be a wonderful project to develop for children. You can image my reaction! I wanted to shout at my computer screen to tell Eckhart "I've created that exact project already!", but unfortunately, he couldn't hear me. Bummer.

Nevertheless, hearing him say that - coupled with my frustration at not being able to share Conscious Kids with families in person anymore (Covid) - made me want to create a more tangible version of this collection of stories and activities. Currently, Conscious Kids is only available online as a downloadable file, which is fine, but I know it could be packaged in a way that is absolutely delicious for families. So, shortly after Eckhart's "pep talk", I decided to send my Conscious Kids book proposal to one American Publisher I particularly respect. Two weeks after I sent it, the Publisher got in touch with me and said that my proposal was being passed on to be reviewed by their Children's Books Editor! I was thrilled and am so eager to hear back from them.

Experts in the book industry say that authors have a 99.9% chance of being rejected by Publishers, but regardless of what happens with this particular Publisher, I am committed to moving forward with a bold new version of Conscious Kids, even if that means self-publication. I can already picture its pages filled with vivid and colourful illustrations. I think kids will really love that!

Conscious Kids would never have been possible without all the support and feedback I have received over the years from you, my community. Thank you for that. I look forward to the journey ahead, and if you'd like to share your ideas, suggestions or comments about bringing this new version of Conscious Kids to life, please do get in touch with me, I'd love to hear from you. In fact, over the next few months, I will be actively asking you for feedback about what your best version of Conscious Kids would look like. Together, I know that we will be able to make this happen for our children.

Thanks for your presence,

Lise Villeneuve

Creator of Conscious Kids

Barbed Wire Fence

Barbed Wire Fence

Beyond my skin,

This seeming border

Where my world ends

And yours begins

There is another perspective

A new horizon

Where we are One

I cannot see it

With my eyes

But I can feel the sacred ties

That unite, rather than divide

Can you feel them?

The heart knows how to rise above

The barbed wire fences

Of our defenses

On the other side…

There is truly only Love

Lise Villeneuve

www.lisevilleneuve.com

Wisdom from Eckhart Tolle in Times of Darkness

 Waking Up: Personal Insights from my Journey

Here is a highlight from this week's daily posts on the Conscious Living facebook page. Please join me on Facebook for a more interactive and personal experience.

  

October 21, 2020

Wisdom from Eckhart Tolle in Times of Darkness

I signed up for Eckhart Tolle’s most recent 8-week online course that started this week. It’s wonderful because all the sessions with him and his partner, Kim Eng, are live. I thoroughly enjoy receiving the gift of his wisdom from the comfort of my home.

I’d like to summarize, in my own words, what stood out for me during this first session with Eckhart. He explained that during collectively challenging times, such as now, two things can happen. The first and most common thing is that the rising levels of fear, anxiety, stress, anger and even nihilism in the population will likely pull most people out of a state of present awareness and drag them into a state of unconscious survival.

This unconsciousness, fueled by strong emotions and intense negative thoughts, directly affects people’s capacity to think critically and rationally. What that means is that the more unconscious and survival-oriented people become, the more likely they are to make bad choices for themselves and others. If more and more people are making fear-based choices daily, you can see how this can very rapidly degenerate into a negative spiral that will affect everyone on our planet. Darkness can quickly breed more darkness if we are not mindful.

Eckhart said the second thing that can happen during collectively difficult times is that the rising levels of discomfort, uncertainty and chaos shake us to our core and force us - or inspire us, to dive into the root causes of our suffering. This is what the awakening process is all about. Challenging times can become a golden opportunity for the consciousness that expresses itself through us to grow exponentially. In other words, life’s hardships can provide the necessary pressure to transform our darkest, densest coal into sparkling diamonds.

What do we want? Are we ready to take a good look at the coal we’ve all been carrying around for years? Are we willing to take some pressure, to bend and let go of our old, limiting ways and structures? The current conditions we are living in are perfect for this sacred alchemy to occur. The choice is ours.

Peace,

Lise ❤️

Lise Villeneuve / www.consciouslivingsolutions.com

Please join me on the Conscious Living facebook page for more personal posts not published here.

What's Your Soundtrack?

Waking Up: Personal Insights from my Journey

Here are a few highlights from this week's daily posts on the Conscious Living facebook page. Please join me on facebook for a more interactive and personal experience.

  October 11, 2020

Having an Attitude of Gratitude (Happy Thanksgiving Canada!)

I was just cleaning out the garden – pulling out the Morning Glory vines and collecting some seeds for next year. It’s a nice sunny day, but the wind is very strong and quite chilly! As I am now writing this in the comfort of my warm home, my fingers are still very cold.

On this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, I have been thinking about the phenomenal power of gratitude. Being in a genuine state of joyful appreciation will naturally give us more of the things we are grateful for. The duality we experience in life is perfectly designed for us to practice gratitude. For example, as I notice how cold my fingers are, I can suddenly become very aware of how lucky I am to have a warm home with a humming furnace.

Every challenge in life is also an opportunity for us to appreciate our other blessings. An illness can make us recognize our resilience and our loving support system. The loss of a job can allow us to discover our creativity and resourcefulness. Loneliness can teach us how to find real delight in a simple conversation with a stranger.

It’s up to us what we decide to focus on. It’s important to remember that our energy flows where our attention goes. Meaning? What we focus on changes how we feel. If I focus on my cold fingers, that doesn’t feel great. If I am thankful for the warmth of my home, this attitude of gratitude feels uplifting, empowering and joyful.

Making a daily practice of focusing on two or three things we are grateful for each day is a life-changing habit! What are you grateful for today?

I’m grateful for your presence here. Thanks for reading!

Lise 😘

October 12, 2020

The Enchanted Forest

Yesterday, I went for a walk in my enchanted forest. It’s within walking distance from my home. When I enter this sanctuary, I can immediately feel its aliveness. The beautiful bright colors, fresh earthly smells, and the cracking sounds made by the little creatures moving through the leaves pull me back into the physical senses in my body. It’s intoxicating!

The more we are grounded in our body, the less we are likely to get lost in the jungle of our mind. The stillness of the enchanted forest quiets down my thinking and allows me to feel vibrant, alive, and free – like a child again!

We all need an enchanted forest: a sacred place, a person or an activity that makes us feel fully alive in our body while simultaneously calming down our agitated mind. What’s yours?

Wishing you a vibrant day! Thanks for reading!

Lise 😘

                                                                                                                    October 14, 2020

What’s Your Soundtrack?

What if we each had our own personal soundtrack that played as our days unfolded? If you had to imagine a music track that best represented you during a typical day, what would it sound like? Would it be upbeat and bright? Dark and melancholic? Would it be filled with suspense, monotonous and repetitive, or like the soundtrack from a horror movie? What if your closest friends or colleagues at work had to pick a soundtrack for you, what do you think they would choose to represent your predominant mood and energy? Can you hear it playing now?

Well, we may not have personal bio-soundtracks yet, but if you start to really pay attention, you might notice that you DO have a default feeling tone that you broadcast on a regular basis. We all do. The truth is, we are electromagnetic beings, and we are constantly broadcasting our signature frequency. Others can feel it on a subtle level.

This frequency we emit is directly shaped by our most repetitive thinking and feeling patterns. For most of us, we learn what will become our dominant or default frequency from our parents or caregivers. If you want to know what kind of frequency you are broadcasting, have a look at the people you have attracted into your life, such as your closest friends. Chances are your frequency matches theirs.

Now that we have had some fun thinking about what your soundtrack could sound like when you are out and about in the world, let’s talk about your inner soundtrack: the one that plays when you are alone, or when nobody is watching you. What could that one sound like?

It can be quite shocking to suddenly discover the mysterious music that has been secretly playing deep inside us for so many years. This is our most genuine soundtrack, and it is not as frightening as it might sound. It is raw, unpredictable, and beautiful. To be able to hear it, we must become very still, very quiet. It is only when we find the courage to listen with non-judgmental curiosity that we can finally hear the melody of our own heart.

The question is: are our inner and outer soundtracks completely different, or similar to each other? Do they clash or complement one another? Once we are able to answer that honestly, we can begin to mix, or integrate the two harmoniously. We can completely rewrite our music if we wish to. This is what awareness is all about: freedom and the power to choose.

You read all the way through, I'm impressed! :) Thanks for being here!

Lise ❤️

Peace,

Lise Villeneuve / www.consciouslivingsolutions.com

Please join me on the Conscious Living facebook page for more personal posts not published here.

What are You Waiting For?

Waking Up: Personal Insights from my Journey

Here are a few highlights from this week's daily posts on the Conscious Living facebook page. Please join me on facebook for a more interactive and personal experience.

  October 7, 2020

The Cat Whisperer

Three little angels came to visit me in my garden today. The oldest one, aged 8, rushed towards me, leaving her mom and sisters far behind on the sidewalk. She spotted our cat and asked: “Can I give some catmint to Mitsy?” She had learned during her last educational visit in our garden that catmint is a lovely purple-flowered plant that instantly drugs cats by chilling them right out. “Of course, you can!”, I replied. This sweet girl had been trying to get close enough to Mitsy to pet her for a couple of weeks now, without success. 

Mitsy is very shy and reserved with strangers, even on cat drugs. Today, the little brown-haired angel had a plan, and her confidence was visible. She approached Mitsy very slowly, fed her the catmint from a distance, then gently started to pet her! Next thing I knew, Mitsy was rolling around on the ground, showing her belly and purring! The little girl was beaming with delight. She even asked to pick Mitsy up and I wasn’t too sure how that would turn out, but the fat furry feline was like putty in her little hands.

The moral of the story? Drugging cats with catmint is very effective. Just kidding. Today, a child reminded me that anything is possible with a little faith & determination, a clear goal, and an open-heart willing to take a chance. What do you want to accomplish today? Enjoying the journey is more important than reaching the final destination. Have fun with it, whatever that is!

October 8, 2020

Doing the Dishes

We can turn anything into a practice if we want to. When I do the dishes, I focus on my breathing and the sensations I experience: the warm water on my hands, the sounds of splashing, the smell of the soap, the shapes and colors of the little soap bubbles…etc. It’s very relaxing.

When thoughts arise, I simply watch them and then let them go, just like I am rinsing away the soap on the clean dishes. There is no struggle. See if you can notice your thoughts when you are working in your kitchen. Be gentle! Thoughts are like children crying for our attention. They can be lovingly acknowledged but we don’t have to get lost in them.

October 9, 2020

Putting Things in Perspective

As I am sitting here in my car, parked in a lovely area surrounded by wide open fields of grass and tall trees decorated with yellow and orange leaves, the sound of the falling raindrops on the roof relaxes me like a lullaby. I am waiting for my daughter to finish writing her biology quiz at school. Its so tranquil here. The rain whispers to me: “Why wait? Life is right here, right now. This is it! Enjoy it!”

It’s true. If we spend most of our time wishing we were somewhere else, doing something more important that will bring us more satisfaction in the future, then our life will slip right through our fingers, and in the end, we won’t be fulfilled. What could be more important, more alive and real than this very moment?

Here I am, sitting in a car that is supported by the Earth – an entire planet that is floating in empty space and spinning at 67 000 miles per hour around the Sun! Now that puts things in perspective. What exactly am I waiting for? What are you waiting for?

Peace,

Lise Villeneuve / www.consciouslivingsolutions.com

Please join me on the Conscious Living facebook page for more personal posts not published here.

Waking Up: Personal Insights from My Journey

 

Dear Friends,

It seems that over the years, very gradually, more and more aspects of my life have become integrated into a kind of spiritual practice. When I felt inspired to write the Conscious Kids Program in 2015, I took a deep plunge into mindfulness without fully knowing what I was getting into. Mindfulness has taught me so much. It has guided me into a new and improved way of life that is radically different from what I experienced during my younger years as a touring singer and songwriter. Through the regular practice of simple exercises, my focus now seems to almost always be “How can I bring more awareness or mindfulness to this moment?”

The additional challenges brought on by Covid have given me the opportunity to immerse myself even more in a way of life that nurtures personal growth, conscious evolution, increased awareness and the release of limiting beliefs, programming and habits tied to the survival of the small self. It’s not always easy or pleasant. The journey consists of ups and downs, but I now know that ultimately, life has our back and it’s always showing us the way back to wholeness. Trusting and accepting what is is the only sane way to live (although this doesn’t mean that taking action to initiate change is not an option).

I feel a desire to share bits and pieces of this adventure with others who, like me, are waking up to their spiritual nature in our very physical, material world. As much as I have lukewarm feelings about Facebook and social media, I will be sharing some very personal insights on the Conscious Living Facebook page on a regular basis, in the hopes of connecting with others – like you, who could benefit from a little company along this rather lonely path. Let’s see where this takes us. I look forward to getting to know you more! Peace!

Lise (www.lisevilleneuve.com)

P.S. Here is the Facebook page link where I post regular entries. I would love to see you there!

https://www.facebook.com/consciouskidsedmonton/