The Bardic Path – Elevating the Mundane

I am a traveling Bard and a student of Kaballah. It can get confusing, as I am in a constant state of reconciling my mundane and magical perspectives into an “it is all One” state of being. My musical and spiritual paths are not simply intertwined. I honestly cannot pry them apart. From creating, recording, and performing, to maintaining and moving my equipment – what my lovely song sister Celia Farran calls “the Schlepp” – it is all part and parcel of my path, and every bit of it is sacred.

But I’ll be honest, I don’t feel spiritually elevated as I am dragging the third wagon-load of equipment across a field of rocks in the midday sun to set up for an afternoon festival concert. I don’t get excited about changing strings on my two 12-string acoustic guitars. And waking before dawn to drive 7 hours to the next gig on stale coffee does not bring out the Divine essence in me.

In fact, Alane Brown with Crow Women says, “Being a musician is not always romantic, exciting and uplifting. There’s a healthy dose of grunt work, too. Practical magic!” 

So, how do we find the magic in the practical? Is it possible to shift or expand our focus to recognize the Divine in our daily grind?  I have no idea what will work for you, but I can share some examples of what works for me as I strive to lift up the mundane on my own musical/spiritual walk.

Packing as Ritual

Whether it is for a single night gone or a nine month tour, packing your vehicle is an informed ritual of knowing what you have, where it goes, what it does, and why you need it. Consider that absolutely everything is a necessary tool for your Journey, from your instruments to the laundry bag. And if you are like me, packing combines the art of “folding space” so that the inside of your vehicle is much larger than you might practically believe, yet everything fits. Well, that’s pure magic.

My musical friend Zane Ratcliffe “absolutely” considers moving and maintaining gear part of their spiritual practice. “Cleaning, organizing, packing, all the way through to the arrival, unpacking, playing, and then packing back up and going home.” It is “part of the cycle … finding the magick in all the things deemed monotonous.”

And Stefanie Potter, frequent festival attendee, says, “Just doing a Jenga to get my things into my li’l car is a Spiritual Task!”

Look for Elemental Connections

This guitar player does not love changing strings. But beyond my voice, my acoustic 12 strings are my primary instruments and I recognize the Elements as I set about the task. I remove the old strings, honoring the stripped down, hollow guitar (Earth). I dust and cleanse the instrument, removing fingerprints, marks and residue from playing (Water). I replace batteries (Fire). I restring, tune and retune, letting those new strings vibrate and kiss my ears (Air). And finally, I play, inspired by the brilliance of the new strings (Spirit).

Acknowledging the Elements in the most humble of tasks can quickly help to connect to the sacred aspects of the work that is being done.

Songbird Virginia Ackley “used to not include that” (the spiritual aspect of maintaining musical gear), “thinking it was just mundane. Then one day, She kind of whispered that I was doing the things that made Her time move smoothly. Now, it has become part of my spiritual practice. I know I am still doing Her work.”

Opportunities for Assistance

Oh, this is a hard one for me. I wish to be radically self-reliant and fully in control of – well – everything. While this attitude served me well for many years, these days I consider it part of my spiritual growth to ask for reliable help moving my equipment. I set reasonable boundaries (help must be sober and listen well) and allow folks the opportunity to assist. People want to help, and these moments spark connections and build community in beautiful ways.

That hot schlepp dragging my wagon of gear across the rocks? Someone walks up beside me and asks, “May I help?” My initial reaction is still sometimes the prideful one, “Nah, I’ve got this.” But most days I am improving, and saying, “Oh, yes, please!” The discussion as we walk is always lovely, and generally ends with them returning after the concert to help me move everything back to the truck. Now THAT is truly magical.

True Self Care

I have found it easy to neglect my health, while making music the focus of my life. That’s a whole ‘nother blog post, and perhaps one day I will tell you that story. Just be aware that if you wish to sustain your creativity, make the time to eat well, rest and sleep well, move as you are able, and generally care for your physical, emotional and mental health. Taking care of your body is not selfish and it is anything but mundane. Your body is your current vehicle to manifest literally everything, and it is surely a Divine vessel. This is especially important when performing, as I discussed in my previous post 10 Tips to a Stellar Performance.

Find the Joy

The best way I know to recognize Divinity in absolutely everything we do from crafting and playing the music, to the long days touring, and all the tasks in between, is to let go of all of our expectations and listen to the joy that sings beneath the surface of all of it. As musicians, we are exceptionally well-tuned to receive those vibrations, and I believe it is our calling to connect with that joy and share it with those who will listen.

“Autumn sky and the sun sets in the west
Feeling Goddess kissed and doubly blessed
My road’s no different than another, but I’ve learned to find the joy
And that has made all the difference.”

“The Difference”, from Goddess Kiss’d by Mama Gina

Click to buy this song on Gina’s Bandcamp page.

For more information about Mama Gina, including her collected articles here on Pagan Song, her bio, and links to Gina’s sites on the web, check out Gina’s page on Pagan Song.

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