Category Archives: Let The Music Play

Whole and in union. > Fragmented and divided.

Have you ever met a whole person? If you have, they stick with you. Their words, their insights, their expressions, their actions, and their responses all echo from a place of wholeness, unity, reconciliation, and compassion. Everything about them is like a song. A song that heals. A song that illuminates. They know that they don’t know and somehow this has mysteriously connected their dots of life, meaning, and purpose.

Have you ever spent time with a fragmented or divided person? Every moment offers them an opportunity to earn another Masters of Victim Administration. They’ll hand out mirrors as often as they can but they’ll never look in one themselves. The problem is always “over there” and it could never be “in here”. They define everything, including themselves and others, through the lens of competition, criticism, ranking, fragmentation, and division. For some reason they would rather chop and retweet wood with the media to fuel the fires of noise than be an unnoticed vessel for redemption. This is consciousness at the lowest, reptilian level.

The etymology of the word and the idea of a person, comes from the latin verb personare. Per = through….sonar = sound. A sounding through. The original meaning of what it meant to be human was to be a sounding through. How beautiful is that?

Lesson(s) of the day:

  • The message of hope and the music of Love cannot travel through something that is fragmented and divided.
  • We have to start sharing the good and healing moments and movements that are happening and not the loud and clanging symbols of quid pro quo.
  • Most noise makers, unfortunately, haven’t been shown a better way. That’s where you come in.

 

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Podcast 44: Chasing Slow with Erin Loechner

Before age 30, Erin Loechner built a fan base of one million women worldwide and earned the title “The Nicest Girl Online” as she was praised for her authentic voice and effortless style. Though she received applause from The New York Times, friends and family, she was still left wanting more.

In her upcoming book Chasing Slow: Courage to Journey Off the Beaten Path (Zondervan, January 10, 2017), Erin shares her journey away from fast, fame and frenzy to a new-fashioned lifestyle of less. Less want, more contentment. Less busy, more rest. Less pressure, more happiness. Less striving, more acceptance. Less fast, more slow.

Erin joins us in this episode at Let The Music Play Podcast as we talk about surrender, abundance, grace, and letting go of the scorecards we tend carry in our lives.

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Be sure to share this episode with those you love and those you lead!

As always you can stream or download every episode in iTunes or at AshtonGustafson.com.

 

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Episode 43: People of the Second Chance with Mike Foster

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Mike Foster is a friend of imperfectionists and second chancers.

For the past 15 years he has focused his work on helping people flourish in their lives by helping them be passionate about their not-so-perfect stories.

Mike is also the founder and Chief Chance Officer at People of the Second Chance. This non-profit organization is guided by this lofty ideal: that every person on earth deserves a second chance.

Currently, Mike speaks and writes on topics of identity, shame and how to turn our hurts and hang-ups into an unfair advantage. His work has also been featured on Good Morning America, Fox News and in the New York Times.

Mike joins us in Episode 43 at Let The Music Play as we talk about his book People of the Second Chance.

Make you sure follow his story on instagram and support the work he’s sending into the world. It’s full of light and healing those it touches.

As always, please remember to share this episode with those you love and those you lead! This episode and all others can be found in iTunes or at AshtonGustafson.com.

Godspeed in your music making…

Ashton

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Podcast 41: Mystery, Metaphors, and Wonder with Jedidiah Jenkins

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At the age of thirty Jedidiah Jenkins got on a bicycle and started his journey from Oregon to Patagonia. Sixteen months later he arrived in Patagonia and he is now sharing his insights on choosing your own life and living with intention. Now serving as the executive editor of Wilderness Magazine, Jedidiah joins us in this podcast as we discuss his journey with Mystery, his love affair with metaphors, and how to cultivate a life of wonder and awe in the magic of the mundane.

It’s such a joy to share this conversation with you! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

You can follow and find more information on Jedidiah in the links below.

Instagram 

JedidiahJenkins.com

Lastly, be sure to share this episode with those you love and those you lead! And remember, you can download and stream all of these podcasts in iTunes and at AshtonGustafson.com.

Big Love,

Ashton

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How to tune a heart.

The heart tunes when we begin letting go to what isn’t and start clinging to what actually is. 

Fear isn’t much more than an accuser and a thief. Hence the constant trial and robbery we feel when we can’t let go. All the while, Love is the fuel and the engine, the river and the ocean, and the song and the dance of reality’s gorgeous storyline. Hence the cosmic connnection to all things when we’re dialed into and clinging to this Love.

The heart tunes with a surrender to the moment…

…and when the ego lays down…

…and when joy is the thread we choose to weave the blankets of our lives with.

Tune the heart.

Warm the soul.

Sing thy grace.

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