Valentine’s Day seems like the perfect time to reflect on matters of the heart. I have always followed my heart in regard to my career path and my relationships with others. As a Reiki master and musician with a strong interest in sound healing, I have spent much time studying the human energy field, especially the heart center. In Mirror of the Soul, I discuss the healing power of the hands and frequencies that scientists are using to repair human DNA. I specifically reference a book by Gregg Braden entitled, The God Code, in which he explains that the name of God is encoded in our DNA – a fascinating read and perhaps the reason why mind/body/spirit medicine is so popular today. On this Valentine’s Day, Braden offered a free download of his book, Resilience from the Heart, which I happily accepted and am looking forward to reading. While researching the human energy field, I discovered that the heart has the greatest magnetic field. Its electromagnetic field is 5,000 times stronger than that of the brain, and its electrical field is 60 times greater than that of the brain. When we follow our hearts, we feel emotional or meaningful connections, but there is also a scientific explanation for the attractive power of the heart!

Yesterday (13 February), I was remembering a flutist friend of mine who died last month because he would have been 48 years old. Last night his brother posted on Facebook that the family bought 13 helium balloons to release into the heavens for his birthday in heaven this year. I fondly remembered celebrating that February 13^th birthday with our friends in my college years and couldn’t help but wonder if any of those balloons were black and silver. One of the funniest memories I have of him involves black and silver balloons. Since I had silver on the brain, I began reading the latest issue of The Flutist Quarterly. Three of the articles fascinated me: The Curious Tale of William Chester Minor and His Flute, Creativity and Integrity: William Hebert, and The Nature of Artistry. William Chester Minor served as a US army surgeon in the Civil War after graduating from Yale’s medical school. He was also a flutist who suffered from mental instability and ended up in a criminal lunatic asylum. What really piqued my interest in the article, however, was a quote attributed to William Chester Minor: “A flute that is both weird and functional is topped in its oddity only by the life and times of its creator.” Those words could be true of most any musician who is in constant pursuit of artistry!

The article on William Hebert was my favorite piece in this issue because I feel like this 93-year-old retired piccolo player from the Cleveland Orchestra is like a grand-teacher to me. He is the teacher and mentor of my mentor, David Cramer. The piece highlighted the methodical nature of Hebert’s pedagogy, as he was able to fix anything. David Cramer always raved about his lessons with Bill Hebert because he developed a fast and even technique by practicing etudes Hebert assigned. When I studied with Dave, I was the etude queen. I prepared seven studies a week and eventually completed over 30 volumes of etudes. Dave was a huge fan of Andersen etudes, as he could “endlessly find interest in Andersen.” Because of my love of Andersen, I named my tabby cat after him, although I affectionately referred to my cat as “Andy” since Andersen was a bit formal for such a sweetie. My heart shattered into a million pieces when I had to euthanize Andy in 2011. Dave passed on his technical know-how to me, but it was his musical artistry that was his greatest gift to this student. It is my heartfelt desire to be able to pass on all I learned from Dave to my students. There is no better way to honor a teacher.

The most disappointing article in The Flutist Quarterly was The Nature of Artistry. The author interviewed several flutists and inquired about their feelings regarding artistry. None could really define what it is to them nor could they pinpoint any feelings or emotions they experience in a high caliber performance. I have a few thoughts on the nature of artistry. I don’t believe a musician can achieve it until he/she achieves technical mastery of an instrument, so the 10,000 hours in a practice room are part of the process. Artistry involves an evenness of sound, evenness of fingers and elegance of style. For seasoned performers, it happens naturally when focus shifts from the head to the heart. As a consequence of a string of heart-centered moments, the performer raises the vibration of the entire room and touches the divine. God dwells in the heart, and there is no better way to praise Him than to witness a performer go “into the zone.” Time stands still as the vibrational level rises to an astronomical level. All is vibration. I can feel the silver tubing of my instrument resonate or vibrate as I hold it in my hands. My breath (life force) animates my sound as I breathe my entire being into the instrument. Mother Teresa once said, “Love in action is service.” A performer’s love of music communicates peace or tranquility to the listener, which can profoundly heal the body. Wayne Dyer has said that when one reaches enlightenment, his only concern is, “how may I serve?” Music is my small contribution. The artist is successful in communicating when the members of the audience are profoundly moved to experience some type of emotions or feel as if the experience elevates them to the frequencies of the divine. That is my definition of true artistry.

I myself was never a big fan of Valentine’s Day because I never had a reason to celebrate it. Twenty years ago, I happened to attend the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Valentine’s Day concert alone and met a couple that had been married for over thirty years. They were curious as to why I would attend such a concert by myself. I told them I didn’t have a boyfriend, and they said to me that if I didn’t marry my high school sweetheart or a college sweetheart, then it would never happen for me. I thanked them for ruining my Valentine’s Day and never went to another concert like that alone again. My past two Valentine’s Days have been magical. The vibration of my heart attracted my mirror, and I thank God every day for the miracle of our relationship. I love my fiancé with all my heart. Today, my wish for all is the miracle of love. Happy Valentine’s Day!