July 8, 2020
“Sometimes it takes you a long time to sound like yourself.” Miles Davis
Consciousness expansion and vocal expression are two constant companions in my life. At nine years old James Baldwin and Angela Davis provided my first introduction to the idea that there were forces and systems that existed beyond my immediate environment, that shaped the perception of myself and my peers of what was possible in our lives. While their approach was “political” in that they were looking primarily at racial and class-based domination paradigms, the seeds they planted helped me connect dots to spiritual principles that I didn’t yet know how to articulate because I was busy watching Tiny Toons.
And then there was singing. One story I often share is how, at 4 years old in Nigeria, I was singing in a choir and I remember feeling such a sense of oneness with all things. Then the singing ended, and the choir director spoke to me in a language I didn’t understand. I responded in English, and all the other kids laughed. The contrast between my experience of universality within music, and the fragmentation that occurred within language in feeling misunderstood and even ridiculed, struck me.
My search for wholeness between these two spheres jumpstarted my consciousness development journey. One path led to Lush Tongue, a vocal improvisation project where sound, creativity, self-discovery, connection, and joy converge through singing. Another path led to Soul Incites, once a self-development blog – now a book club!
In the interest of uniting these different aspects of my world, I am restructuring my newsletters to put myself out there under my own name, Onome. In Urhobo it means “my own.” Here you will receive info on all things Lush Tongue, all things Soul Incites, under the umbrella of all things Onome.
Gratitude,
Onome
1. Introducing….
Soul Incites: Self-Development Book Club!
Welcome! The purpose of this women’s book club is to bring my extensive background as a teacher and workshop facilitator to the online sphere by providing a space where women can witness and support each other in our growth journeys by harnessing the wisdom of personal development texts. We are covering a diverse range of topics such as mindset transformation, energy work, money, relationships, clearing trauma, creating breakthroughs, specific self-development techniques and healing modalities, spiritual and metaphysical approaches to personal development, and more.
Click on “Video” on the side menu of the Lush Tongue Facebook page to view the latest episode.
Lush Tongue: Sound Meditation, Improv and Musings #30
Tuesdays at 8pm ET
Make a contribution through Venmo, or Cashapp:
Venmo: LushTongue
Updated Cashapp! $LushTongue
Suggested Contribution: $10-$20
All amounts welcome!
A few weeks ago, I shared a pre-recorded version of Lush Tongue: Sound Meditation, Improv and Musings. It felt good to mix it up, so going forward, I’ll continue to alternate between lives and pre-recorded videos on Tuesdays at 8pm ET. I may also share additional content from time to time. Thanks for your support!
2. One-on-One Voice Sessions
$40 per participant for an introductory 40 minute session.
Shift from silenced, to richly self-expressed. Shift from apprehensive and self-conscious, to wildly enthusiastic about singing. Shift from avoiding the spotlight, to taking risks and being seen. Book an introductory session to get a taste of how deep your vocal exploration can go! We’ll explore breath, tone, vocal and emotional range, how to listen to and follow your creative intuition, and areas of your life where you desire to unblock your self-expression.
According to a recent testimonial, “Through intention, mindfulness and energy, Onome supported me in becoming aware of different aspects in which sound and breath resonate within me. She was very attentive and intuitive.”
Email me at lushtongue@gmail.com to book a session.
3. Covid-19 Resources
There is a slow and (in some places) cautious re-opening of businesses. If you live in the United States, I recommend calling 211 for the most up-to-date info. Here is a comprehensive and ever-evolving list of resources available for those who are dealing with Covid-19, from good news-makers all over the world: mutual aid cooperatives, economic grants, home remedies, online communities, wholeness mindset work, yoga poses, and more. Please pass this information along!
Distance Resistance Facebook Group
Database of Localized Resources During COVID 19 Outbreak
Iyengar Yoga Poses for the Respiratory System
You Can Heal Your Life Audiobook
Who is Onome?
Onome is a vocalist and interdisciplinary sound artist of Urhobo heritage in the Niger Delta. She incorporates improvisation into her practice as a tool to expand consciousness, creativity, and personal development. Through her audience-interactive performances, workshops and sound installations, Onome embodies joy, enchantment, and infinite possibility. She is a partner artist at Carnegie Hall as a core member of the vocal improvisation ensemble, Moving Star.
She has performed sound poetry at hundreds of venues nationally, recorded soundscapes for podcasts, and created vocal film scores. She received her MFA in Performance Studies at Pratt Institute. She is the artistic director for Lush Tongue, a vocal improvisation project where sound, creativity, self-discovery, connection, and joy converge through singing—via sound healing sessions, workshops, vocal coaching, retreats, and concerts. She got her start in spoken word poetry and opera via Nuyorican Poets Cafe and New York University, and now facilitates community vocal immersions at concert halls, conferences, galleries, museums, schools, cultural centers, shelters, prisons, parks, churches, wherever voices gather.
Thank you for reading the Lush Tongue newsletter. Wanna stay? Hooray! Forward this newsletter to your loved ones.
Love and gratitude,
Onome