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tombartonmusic

I am cautious in joining the dots between disaster

I am cautious in joining the dots between disasters in my own narratives. I'm mindful that it's in our nature to see patterns and to start to expect to see more of the same. Despite this, there's just no bias involved when reflecting on the year that's been and declaring it a colossal clusterfuck. Sure, there's been life, light, growth and connection. Of course, we're human beings - defined by and evolved through our ability to keep moving. It's just worth noting though that at this point, we are absolutely not expected to be recovered. We are reeling, reflecting, recharging, rebuilding, relapsing and recovering. But this year is a part of us all now and we're learning how to live with that. Gardening has been one of my ways. Singing is too, but it can feel a little too complicated sometimes - because of how I've merged it with parts of my identity and vocation. Part of me feels guilty for dropping my weekly meditation live streams these past couple of months - possibly when I could have benefitted most from keeping to the schedule. But I am practicing loving kindness whenever possible - it's only normal for our circumstances to reflect in our work. After all, that's the purpose of art, isn't it? Today I want to celebrate the sun shining and this moment of respite by singing a nice long meditation livestream. I'll be on my Facebook page at 1pm Melbourne time (that's 1.5 hours from now). Hope to see you there.

Where do we go when it's all over?

Where do we go when it's all over?

Monday Meditation kicks off again today, 5pm EST o

Monday Meditation kicks off again today, 5pm EST on my Facebook page. Hope to see you there 🔔🌱

It's finally here! My first official new release i

It's finally here! My first official new release in a couple of years: 'Wherever I Will Be'. Streaming link in bio! The reason my new music has taken a little while to arrive is also partly because of what the song is about. The piece is a 9:37 philosophical epic of droning synths and vocal ragas, blurring acoustic/electronic boundaries, and featuring lyrics recounting a devastating and beautiful conversation I had with my mum before she died. We were talking about the news she had just been given, that she only had a few months left to live. In such an offhand, casual way, she had referred to *afterwards* as "Wherever I Will Be" with the openness, bravery and vulnerability I am grateful to have known in her.

Monday Meditation will continue in August! Thanks

Monday Meditation will continue in August! Thanks so much for the enthusiasm and amazing feedback. 5.15pm AEST Mondays on my FB page. Live vocal soundscapes. 🔔❤️🎤

Let's try to work with change together. Starting w

Let's try to work with change together. Starting with this video file ... it looks cool but it's not meant to be glitched-out at all! Meditation today 5:15pm AEST on my FB page

Join me today on my FB page at 5:15pm AEST (25 min

Join me today on my FB page at 5:15pm AEST (25 mins from now!) to continue Monday Meditations. Love to see you there 🔔🎤

Monday Meditation today at 5:15! I make a 15-min v

Monday Meditation today at 5:15! I make a 15-min vocal soundscape while you meditate, if you feel like it. Love to see you - catch you at my Facebook page /tombartonmusic

Amen! Thanks @petereldridge

Amen! Thanks @petereldridge

I'm going to do a Monday Meditation series over on

I'm going to do a Monday Meditation series over on my Facebook page - starting today. I'll make some sounds with my voice and loopers, you do whatever you need to take some time out from this challenging moment in history. I'll ring the bell at the start and the end! 🔔

Sometimes in my singing or aikido training, part o

Sometimes in my singing or aikido training, part of me despairs at the things I've yet to understand or master. I feel far away from any milestones of success. Reflecting this morning, I remembered that I'm already where I need to be, because the process is what counts. There's no future time it'll all 'click'. There's no secret. Just training. And when feelings of judgement or fear are not in focus, the process - in and of itself - looks much closer to the arts within me that I have always loved. "YOU are always the expert on yourself. It is always up to you. Yes, on hard days you'll feel like this is a huge burden - you are responsible, solely, for defying the entropy that creeps and steals endlessly into your bones. But on other days, like a true expert, you'll fill your awareness with new, diverse and liberating knowledge that ultimately integrates into an increasingly-capable and empowered you. Yes, you're the one who does all the work. It is always up to you. You are alone and not alone in this. And your inspired self wouldn't want it any less of a challenge."

Saw some pretty inspiring street art today

Saw some pretty inspiring street art today

Try to support your artists folks.

Try to support your artists folks.

Title: 'why the fuck do I keep adding buttons' 201

Title: 'why the fuck do I keep adding buttons' 2019
📷 by @nathanliowpiano

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