I've mentioned that I've been studying Vocal Awareness a couple times on my other blog, but felt this one was more appropriate for describing and discussing it more fully. I was first introduced to it this past April, and despite having studied it for nearly five months now, still find it difficult to concisely explain what Vocal Awareness is, as it's got a fairly broad scope. At a very superficial level, it's a method for developing more effective speaking, communication, and should you wish to work on it, performance skills such as singing, acting, and broadcasting. There are specific mechanics, techniques, and practices that Vocal Awareness employs to increase vocal resonance, interpersonal connection, and authentic emotional expression.
But if I'm going to describe it honestly, that's only the tip of the iceberg.
It's also, surprisingly, a method by which to develop your Self (and yes, in case you couldn't tell by my use of the capital "s" in "Self," I'm about to go all new-agey on you now, but that doesn't make this any less truthful or real).
Arthur Joseph, the founder and creator of Vocal Awareness - and my teacher - asserts that Voice is a true reflection of a person's perception of him or herself, and that the manner in which a person engages in the use of their voice - and this includes everything from one's stature, breathing, vibrational qualities of the voice, listening, word choice, and expression - reveals a great deal to others - sends messages that can be positive, negative, or both about how we value ourselves and as a result, impacts how others value us.
Vocal Awareness actually trains the practitioner to be consciously aware at all times of all the elements of speaking/vocalization, which requires a deep level of integration between mind/body/spirit. The Voice is uniquely tied to and accessed by mind/body/spirit or Self and as such can, conversely, be a channel to accessing and developing that very same Self.
The interesting thing is, Vocal Awareness's goal is less to convince others of your power and influence (via vocalization) but yourself of it. Its techniques and practices actually help you to confront and overcome what Arthur characterizes as "the two greatest fears": fear of abandonment and fear of claiming our own greatness.
For those of you who read my "Squinting Up at the Arena" post on In Pursuit of Pretty Things, I should say that I have a whole new understanding of the notion of "daring greatly," after this past week. At the time I wrote that post, I actually imagined that "daring greatly," was more of a circumstantial thing - that some crisis or opportunity would arise before us, and in daring greatly, we would stand and meet its challenges, engaging whatever came at us with courage and valor. Having completed this past week's study, I now realize that to truly dare greatly, we must embody at all times our own personal Greatness and Power which is rooted firmly in our Love and connection to Source (aka God, the universe, your family, however-you-identify-or-define-your-Source).
Which may sound easy, but once you start poking around inside yourself, trying to get a handle on exactly what that means and what that looks like...well, it's usually not very pretty, at first. What I can say, however, is that if you're able to do it - face your two greatest fears and allow yourself to rise above them - the possibilities are endless. And if nothing else, you learn to really and truly enjoy the company you keep (translation = love, forgive, and really like your Self).
Arthur's clientele is crazy elite (as in all kinds of high-powered executives, politicians, actors, broadcasters, coaches, etc from all over the globe) and I have to tell you that when I first saw the list on his website, I kind of wondered what the heck I was doing, working with someone like this. Today, I can say that while I don't possess as many external markers of status and achievement as those others, I have just as much to offer and have already begun to do it. Whatever it may be. In the meantime, I found that some of these crazy elite and previously intimidating people were not only my classmates at Vocal Awareness trainings, but have also become my friends. I know something has shifted within me, because at the end of this last week, I was able to look around that room of people, and feel that I had been able to contribute to their growth as much as they had contributed to mine.
It was a fantastic feeling. And it's not over yet.
If you're interested, I'll keep you updated here on my Vocal Awareness work and I hope you feel free to ask me any questions you may have regarding it.
As always, thanks for reading!
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