The Living Room

The Oratorio of Joy

Posted on December 6, 2014 by Michaela

The avid visitor to the living room may have noticed the previous Christmas themes and posts. For me this is a time of stillness and magic, precious with nature preparing for winter and wonders of the sacred being felt closer than during any other season. Just step outside and take a breath. Where I live, this has been an unusually long and mild autumn, so the last roses are still on the bushes, contrasting the foggy dampness and moldering leafs. And Christmas lights everywhere…

The themes that seem to arise this year are joy and anticipation, gifts and giving. In terms of music I cannot think of any other compose expressing this better than Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In fact, where I am drawn towards are the last 3 symphonies. that one of my favorite conductors, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, calls “an instrumental oratorio”, convinced that the three famous pieces were intended as a unity.

So let us start with the Symphony 39 that has a “grand introduction” with fanfares and a pretty “Ländler” during the 3rd movement. Just listen to the instruments talking with each other…

Posted in Christmas, Classical Music | Tagged communication, connection, joy, Mozart, Symphony 39 | Leave a comment

Christmas Concerto

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Michaela

This is a beautiful find…

The Corelli Christmas Concerto from the early 18th century, played on original instruments…and it makes my soul dance

Posted in Musica Sacra | Tagged Corelli | Leave a comment

For the first Sunday in Advent…

Posted on November 30, 2014 by Michaela

The first Sunday in Advent calls for Bach (BWV 62 ” Nun kommt der Heiden Heiland”

And what I am saying to you I say to all: Stay awake!’ (Mk 13,37)

Posted in Musica Sacra | Tagged Advent, BWV 62, Christmas, classical music, Harnoncourt | Leave a comment

Be joyful…

Posted on November 30, 2014 by Michaela

Once again the mystery and magic of Christmas can be felt all around us.
We may have become a bit cynical about the commercial aspects of season’s giving, but all the hectic and noise are a useful contrast to what this time of the year, here it is called Advent is all about: silence and joyful anticipation of the return of the Light.

From: J.S.Bach “Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme” BWV 140

Enjoy and let me know the instances of magic, mystery and miracles in your life

Posted in Christmas Carols & songs | Tagged Christmas, joy, Second Coming | Leave a comment

Energy medicine : The Whole Story

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Michaela

In the summer of 2006, after a stormy period that did not leave a single area of my life untouched or intact, I asked the universe: ” Now what do we do ?”

And within a moment, the answer arose: “Energy Medicine”

This really surprised me. I did not know what it meant, but soon it became apparent that this was my new direction and the years to come were about exploring the deeper meaning and purpose of this instigation.

Earlier that week I had resigned from my job and had free time at hand to simply enjoy summer, the city and my freedom. In addition I took the opportunity to immerse myself in the teachings of a spiritual master I had just met. He had opened an unexpected door for me and so I attended teachings, took classes and private consultations. With an open mind and a heart full full of awe, I was taught the ropes of spiritual laws, Kundalini yoga and the Kabbalah, in a very practical and applicable fashion. At the same time I found Caroline Myss and I really owe it to her that it started to click. Her “Anatomy of the Spirit”, provided so many instances of deep recognition and opened a new way of thinking about medicine, and energy medicine in particular. It basically gave me the structure and words to bring forward what I knew to be true on a deep level, but lacked the wisdom to integrate.

And so I was ready for my own blend of holistic medicine.

Continue reading →

Freud’s cranium

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Michaela

I have been born a stone throw away from Dr. Freud’s office in Vienna’s 9th district.

1938, when he was already in his eighties and suffering from mouth cancer, Sigmund Freud was forced by the Nazis to leave Austria. At least he was able to move his possessions to London. He died a year later – as an Englishman.

Many years ago I visited the Freud museum in Hampstead, where he lived during his final year and where his unique collection of furniture and art is on display. This includes the famous couch, but also a portrait of him by Salvador Dali, who greatly admired the audacious pioneer of the unconscious. The image on blotting paper shows Freud’s head based on the shape of a snail.

Salvador Dali, Portrait of Sigmund Freud, 1938

The surrealists were largely influenced by Freud – and considered him their patron saint. The goal of surrealism was the liberation of man from what they considered the shackles of rational thought. Through writing, poetry, and the visual arts, the surrealists blurred the boundaries between the rational and irrational, reality and fantasy in a search to liberate man’s creativity.

Continue reading →