Perhaps it's a symptom of spending too much time with babies recently, but I have become fascinated with the game of Peek-A-Boo. It's a fairly simple concept... you cover your face or turn the other direction, then turn back and PEEK-A-BOO! There you are! My son never seems to tire of this game, and I love hearing the sound of his laughter and seeing his smile. You might be tempted to think that this is just a game for infants, but as I thought more deeply about it, I realized that there is more to this game than meets the eye.
First of all, the reason why it's so interesting to infants is that they have yet to acquire the skill of "object permanence" (learned that one in my child study classes). This is the concept that even when we can't see something, it still exists in our world. Infants just don't have that ability. If it's out of sight, it's out of their world. So they really are seeing things at every moment as though they're seeing them for the very first time. What a wonderful thing to be able to experience life in such a vivid and present way. It seems difficult to me sometimes to refresh my images of familiar things, places, people, etc. and to see them again as they truly are without any preconceptions or outdated mental constructions.
Peek-A-Boo has also taken on another meaning to me. I realize that the way that I perceive the world is a direct reflection of my own mental state and how I am being in the world. There really is no such thing as separating the object from the person who is seeing the object. Some people look at a sunset or a baby or the ocean and say... oh yeah, I've seen that a million times before. But are they really seeing it? Or is their perception being clouded by past experience? I find that when I am most present, I see myself being reflected back at me regardless of where I look. In my son's eyes (Peek-A-Boo), in the mountains I hike through (Peek-A-Boo) in the music I create (Peek-A-Boo), it is all connected and all an indication at its deepest levels of God, or nature or life itself.
When I am not being present, that is also reflected back to me in the form of unhappiness, disconnection from family and loved ones and a lack of creativity and passion in my work. That is also a peek-a-boo moment... There I am! Now it's up to me to make the adjustments to bring myself back into the present. It's not always easy, but exercise, music, meditation and time out in nature usually work for me. I think if we all played peek-a-boo with ourselves and those closest to us more often, we might actually benefit a great deal. Sometimes the most worthwhile games are deceptively simple.
In song,
Todd
Friday, November 18, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Returning Again
Tonight is the beginning of the celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. All throughout the month of Elul, we are asked to undergo a process of self-reflection, of asking forgiveness of those we may have harmed in the previous year, and returning to the true essence of who we are at our core.
Whether or not you are Jewish, I believe that a process like this is useful at least once a year. It is so easy to get sucked into what others around us want or expect from us... our jobs, our spouses, our children, our friends, our society. Every now and then it's helpful to go inside of ourselves - to recall that innate light that dwells in each one of us.
This is our birthright as human beings. In order to be able to fully share our light with the world around us, we need to find it again within ourselves. There is a saying in Judaism, "Or zarua latzadik ul’yishrei leiv simchah" which roughly translates to: Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
My wish for all of us is for us to live in a way that brings light to our souls and joy to our hearts... may each of you (even if you're not celebrating Rosh Hashanah) have a sweet New Year and fulfilling days ahead.
L'shana tova,
Todd
Whether or not you are Jewish, I believe that a process like this is useful at least once a year. It is so easy to get sucked into what others around us want or expect from us... our jobs, our spouses, our children, our friends, our society. Every now and then it's helpful to go inside of ourselves - to recall that innate light that dwells in each one of us.
This is our birthright as human beings. In order to be able to fully share our light with the world around us, we need to find it again within ourselves. There is a saying in Judaism, "Or zarua latzadik ul’yishrei leiv simchah" which roughly translates to: Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
My wish for all of us is for us to live in a way that brings light to our souls and joy to our hearts... may each of you (even if you're not celebrating Rosh Hashanah) have a sweet New Year and fulfilling days ahead.
L'shana tova,
Todd
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Life As I Knew It... or it it just lack of sleep?
Thank you all for your support on the new album, "A Shelter Of Peace." The emails and personal feedback I have received from many of you has been overwhelmingly positive and soul-nourishing for me. You remind me why I began creating music in the first place. If you have been enjoying the music, I encourage you to share your thoughts with others and post a review of the album on iTunes, Amazon, or CD Baby. These reviews help a great deal in establishing credibility with folks who have not yet heard my music.
Since last we spoke, our baby Sander has also grown... A LOT! He's almost 4 months old now and is over 17lbs. I'm not sure exactly who the father is, but I'm sure he was very tall... (just kidding) He's keeping us very busy and awake for many hours each day and night. I have to credit my wife Karen for being the one to get up to feed him frequently... ie about every hour or two depending on the night. Here's a recent photo of the little guy:
Maybe it's being a father, or maybe this lack of sleep just lends itself to an altered state of consciousness... but life as I knew it has definitely changed. It's no longer just about me. There's this other little being that depends on me to protect him and take care of him. It is a huge responsibility, but also an amazing opportunity to pass the things that I love about life onto someone else. And in the process, I learn to appreciate them again. I can't wait to see the things he is passionate about and the person he becomes. I can already tell that he is a joyful soul, and his laughter fills our sleep-deprived home...
Some other good news to share... I was recently chosen to participate in the Start Me Up AZ Fellowship. This is a group of young professionals in the Phoenix area who are committed to making a difference in the Jewish community. The group is led by Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, founder of Valley Beit Midrash. This promises to be an exciting opportunity to create some very real engagement in our community and beyond.
I am grateful for your support. I will keep you posted on new musical offerings as soon as they become available...
In somnia,
Todd
Since last we spoke, our baby Sander has also grown... A LOT! He's almost 4 months old now and is over 17lbs. I'm not sure exactly who the father is, but I'm sure he was very tall... (just kidding) He's keeping us very busy and awake for many hours each day and night. I have to credit my wife Karen for being the one to get up to feed him frequently... ie about every hour or two depending on the night. Here's a recent photo of the little guy:
Maybe it's being a father, or maybe this lack of sleep just lends itself to an altered state of consciousness... but life as I knew it has definitely changed. It's no longer just about me. There's this other little being that depends on me to protect him and take care of him. It is a huge responsibility, but also an amazing opportunity to pass the things that I love about life onto someone else. And in the process, I learn to appreciate them again. I can't wait to see the things he is passionate about and the person he becomes. I can already tell that he is a joyful soul, and his laughter fills our sleep-deprived home...
Some other good news to share... I was recently chosen to participate in the Start Me Up AZ Fellowship. This is a group of young professionals in the Phoenix area who are committed to making a difference in the Jewish community. The group is led by Rabbi Darren Kleinberg, founder of Valley Beit Midrash. This promises to be an exciting opportunity to create some very real engagement in our community and beyond.
I am grateful for your support. I will keep you posted on new musical offerings as soon as they become available...
In somnia,
Todd
Friday, June 17, 2011
Two New Babies
You haven't heard much from me over the past couple of months, but rest assured... I've been busy! I've had two babies recently. One was human, and his name is Sander Leo Herzog. He arrived on May 9, 2011 and has been eating, sleeping, pooping and looking adorable ever since. Here's a recent photo:
The second baby was my new album, "A Shelter Of Peace." This album includes my versions of many of the prayers contained in the Friday night Jewish prayer service. It also has my versions of a couple of well-known songs, like Train's "Calling All Angels" and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." I am very proud of this recording and want to let people know about it. I realize that the best way for me to do that is to let YOU do that... by posting a review of the album on iTunes.com, CDBaby.com, Amazon.com, Rhapsody.com or wherever else you listen to music. In fact, this is so important to me that I am offering a FREE copy of the new CD to the first 10 people who respond to this newsletter and who promise to post a review of the CD online. Here's a recent photo of that baby:
In other news, I will be heading to St. Louis this weekend to do a concert at United Hebrew Congregation. Rabbi Howard Kaplansky is retiring, and I'll be taking part in the big send-off celebration on Sunday morning. It will also be my first official Father's Day, so happy Father's Day to all of you dads out there.
Thank you as always for your support and your positive feedback. I hope you enjoy the new music, and please feel free to drop me an email or post on FB page to stay in touch!
In song,
Todd
The second baby was my new album, "A Shelter Of Peace." This album includes my versions of many of the prayers contained in the Friday night Jewish prayer service. It also has my versions of a couple of well-known songs, like Train's "Calling All Angels" and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." I am very proud of this recording and want to let people know about it. I realize that the best way for me to do that is to let YOU do that... by posting a review of the album on iTunes.com, CDBaby.com, Amazon.com, Rhapsody.com or wherever else you listen to music. In fact, this is so important to me that I am offering a FREE copy of the new CD to the first 10 people who respond to this newsletter and who promise to post a review of the CD online. Here's a recent photo of that baby:
In other news, I will be heading to St. Louis this weekend to do a concert at United Hebrew Congregation. Rabbi Howard Kaplansky is retiring, and I'll be taking part in the big send-off celebration on Sunday morning. It will also be my first official Father's Day, so happy Father's Day to all of you dads out there.
Thank you as always for your support and your positive feedback. I hope you enjoy the new music, and please feel free to drop me an email or post on FB page to stay in touch!
In song,
Todd
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
A Shelter Of Peace
I am currently putting the finishing touches on a new recording which will be called "A Shelter Of Peace." Here are the liner notes to give you a sneak peek into the process and the motivation. I anticipate that the album will be ready by the end of March... I'll keep you posted:
When I first began the process of putting together an album for Shabbat, I had to put some time and reflection into the importance of taking some time each week to rest. At first glance, it seemed that the idea of Shabbat was outdated, a relic of earlier times. But as I looked more deeply, I discovered that this concept is more relevant now than perhaps at any other time in history. We are so glued to our computers, our Blackberries and our flat screens (myself included) that we rarely take the time to reconnect with our truest, deepest selves. And if we are not connected to our most authentic selves, then how can we be fully present and appreciate the people and events in our lives?
In looking at the Shabbat liturgy, one prayer spoke to me as really encapsulating the essence of Shabbat, and that was the Hashkiveinu prayer. In it, we ask God to spread over us a shelter of peace. Ordinarily, when we think of peace (at least for me), we think of a time when all of the chaos around us has stopped. We are lying on a beach with the waves gently crashing on the shore and all is well in the world. Unfortunately for most of us, life is not like that. There are deadlines to be met, relationships and responsibilities that place demands on us. The pace of life is unyielding. Amidst all of this activity, the concept of Shabbat appears like an oasis in the desert. It's a chance for us to release the burdens of our outer lives and to focus inwardly. It's an opportunity to recharge our souls and emerge renewed into the new week.
The image that came to me of Shabbat was the eye of the hurricane. Around this calm center, there are storms swirling. And yet, within this center... our own center... we can experience peace. In fact, the idea of creating a shelter of peace is only meaningful if we are being sheltered from something on the outside. There is no need for us to wait for the world to slow down to begin living our lives with clear intentionality and purpose. We need only to take some time for ourselves each week to unplug, to breathe deeply and to remember who we are.
It is my wish that the music on this recording will help in some small way to enhance the celebration and rejuvenation that is Shabbat. May we all lie down in peace and rise up waiting to do God's will.
In song,
Todd
ps. I will be sharing some new music of mine in Los Angeles on March 12th at 3pm during a yoga class - part of an exciting new conference called Ashkenafard. This conference, put on by Craig N Co., is a cultural celebration of who we are and where we come from featuring the best in Israeli, Sefardi, Persian and Ashkenazi music, dance and cuisine.
Facebook link:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=8133219870
Event web page:
www.LetMyPeopleSing.com
Link to reserve tickets:
http://ashkenafardfestival.eventbrite.com/
When I first began the process of putting together an album for Shabbat, I had to put some time and reflection into the importance of taking some time each week to rest. At first glance, it seemed that the idea of Shabbat was outdated, a relic of earlier times. But as I looked more deeply, I discovered that this concept is more relevant now than perhaps at any other time in history. We are so glued to our computers, our Blackberries and our flat screens (myself included) that we rarely take the time to reconnect with our truest, deepest selves. And if we are not connected to our most authentic selves, then how can we be fully present and appreciate the people and events in our lives?
In looking at the Shabbat liturgy, one prayer spoke to me as really encapsulating the essence of Shabbat, and that was the Hashkiveinu prayer. In it, we ask God to spread over us a shelter of peace. Ordinarily, when we think of peace (at least for me), we think of a time when all of the chaos around us has stopped. We are lying on a beach with the waves gently crashing on the shore and all is well in the world. Unfortunately for most of us, life is not like that. There are deadlines to be met, relationships and responsibilities that place demands on us. The pace of life is unyielding. Amidst all of this activity, the concept of Shabbat appears like an oasis in the desert. It's a chance for us to release the burdens of our outer lives and to focus inwardly. It's an opportunity to recharge our souls and emerge renewed into the new week.
The image that came to me of Shabbat was the eye of the hurricane. Around this calm center, there are storms swirling. And yet, within this center... our own center... we can experience peace. In fact, the idea of creating a shelter of peace is only meaningful if we are being sheltered from something on the outside. There is no need for us to wait for the world to slow down to begin living our lives with clear intentionality and purpose. We need only to take some time for ourselves each week to unplug, to breathe deeply and to remember who we are.
It is my wish that the music on this recording will help in some small way to enhance the celebration and rejuvenation that is Shabbat. May we all lie down in peace and rise up waiting to do God's will.
In song,
Todd
ps. I will be sharing some new music of mine in Los Angeles on March 12th at 3pm during a yoga class - part of an exciting new conference called Ashkenafard. This conference, put on by Craig N Co., is a cultural celebration of who we are and where we come from featuring the best in Israeli, Sefardi, Persian and Ashkenazi music, dance and cuisine.
Facebook link:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=8133219870
Event web page:
www.LetMyPeopleSing.com
Link to reserve tickets:
http://ashkenafardfestival.eventbrite.com/
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