Musical Reflections

A great joy for me is to speak and play the harp. And this month, I am honored to connect with three different groups:

• April 12 – the St. Paul chapter of The Compassionate Friends monthly meeting. “Sounds of Healing: Using Music in the Grief Journey,” Beaver Lake Lutheran Church, 2280 Stillwater Ave., Maplewood, MN, 7 p.m.
• April 16 -  Minnesota Network of Hospice & Palliative Care annual conference. “Sounds of Healing: Music and the Caregiving Journey,” Airport Hilton Hotel, Minneapolis, MN, 10:45 a.m.
• April 28 – South Dakota Parkinson’s Association annual conference at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. 

Parkinson’s is “near and dear” to my heart – I lost an Uncle to Parkinson’s and my beloved Dad is currently journeying with it. Click here if you’d like more information about my presentation on this topic.

Do you need an in-service for your staff or a Healing Harp Concert at your location/conference? I love to share my message and music with groups. At each presentation, I bring:

• my harp.
• poignant moments, practical tips and peace.
• new ideas about using therapeutic music with intention.
• an inspirational message and immediate application.

If you are interested in having me conduct a presentation at your location, I welcome these opportunities. Click here for more information. I look forward to working together!

Of all my CDs, I get the most feedback on Calm as the Night. Since 70 million Americans have sleep difficulties, perhaps Calm as the Night can help … it is a non-pharmaceutical approach and is available as a CD or download.

My intern recently compiled a list of Sleep Centers from around the country. In the near future, I will be contacting them, sharing Calm as the Night as a resource. I am excited to connect with them and the possibilities of providing this CD to their patients/clients.

In the past 30 days, I have had several hospitals ask to license three of my CDs (Calm as the Night, The Healing Journey, and Blessings to You) and use them on their closed-circuit TV systems. This is a very cost-effective way to provide your patients and their families with relaxing, therapeutic harp music.

If you would like more details, please contact me.

Do you need last-minute Stocking Stuffer Gifts? If so, we have a suggestion! Musical Reflections offers 14 CDs of harp music – perfect, beautiful, comforting gifts for all the favorite people on your list. Order by December 20^th to assure delivery by Christmas Eve. Click here for easy ordering on our website!

This week we are letting you know about one of my Christmas CDs called “The Christmas Story.” It was recorded on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in 2001. Since most Christmas music on the market is recorded in the summer (so it’s available in time for the holidays), I have always known that this CD had the holiday spirit infused in a very magical way.

The Daily OM listened to this CD and wrote a review. I am humbled by their beautiful words…

Review by Daily OM:

“Harpist Tami Briggs is a sound healer whose angelic, gentle playing bypasses all resistance to touch the root chord of the human soul. She honed her healing skill via personal appearances at hospitals and hospices, bringing her soothing sounds right up to the beds of those most in need. Bringing her knowledge of healing into the recording studio, Briggs makes harp music that’s simple, sweet, and deeply soothing. Embracing a less-is-more strategy, The Christmas Story interprets classic holiday standards into gentle solo-harp pieces, potent enough to hush a room of chatting relatives, relaxing enough to play in a child’s bedroom to help them fall asleep on Christmas Eve. And if you should find yourself alone for the holidays, Briggs becomes an angelic friend, her music a shimmering presence rooting you back to humanity.

Capturing the vibe of a live performance, The Christmas Story offers audio quality sharp enough to give the illusion that Briggs is playing right in the same room as you mull through your presents or nap on the couch in a sea of torn wrapping paper….The CD wraps up with the feeling of belonging to something larger than oneself, as Briggs’ gentle touch with the harp suffused even her frequent impassioned glissandos with warmth. More than just a bunch of carols played on the harp, Briggs skirts in and around the familiar melodies with the finesse of a jazz soloist, albeit one with no agenda of showing off chops, but rather of hitting all the right notes to warm the back of your neck and open your heart. Put on The Christmas Story when you need a gentle reminder of what the holidays are about: peace, love, and spiritual regeneration.”

To order your copy today, click here.  Or you can download the entire album here.

It is a wonderful feeling to “touch” someone with the gift of music. Do you have a favorite shop who carries many different “feel good” products? Does your hospital have a gift shop?

Here’s a partial list of how my music is “out and about”:

• Cancer support (Cancer Gifts)
• Grief & loss (Centering Corporation, Bereavement Publications)
• Harp centers (Sylvia Woods, Christina Tourin, MusicMakers, Michigan Harp Center)
• Healing Touch International
• Hospice (Florida Suncoast, Prairie Haven)
• Hospital gift shops (Mayo Clinic, Scripps, Amsterdam Hospital)

I’m deeply appreciative of their continued and on-going support. There’s many, many more … but this gives you an idea! 

I’m passionate about connecting with people who want to spread my work—to help people relax, relieve their stress, heal. Let me know if you have contacts that you think I need to connect with … it would be my pleasure!

Sometimes projects “fall into my lap” and this new CD is one of them!

Glenda Cedarleaf, Clinical Hypnotherapist and Licensed Psychotherapist, and I met in November 2010 at a women’s retreat. I was impressed with the quality of her work and most of all her very soothing voice on her guided imagery CDs. We stayed in touch and in mid-summer, she called to discuss internet marketing. We had a delightful conversation and at the end, I asked her if she would be interested in creating a guided imagery CD on menopause and mid-life in combination with my harp compositions. She said, “Yes!” and six weeks later, “A Guided Oasis for the Mid-Life Woman” was birthed!!

What makes this CD unique? As you listen to the sound clips, you’ll find Glenda’s voice is “like silk” and my harp compositions are recorded with the intent to take you to a deep, inner place of peace. The content focuses on the beauty and spirituality of this special, transformational time for mid-life women. Click here to order your copy…

I was introduced to Dr. Jean Watson’s work several years ago. She is a nurse researcher with a focused interest on caring. Dr. Watson is a national speaker and has conducted numerous research studies on this topic of caring in the healthcare environment.

In honor of Nurses Week, Dr. Watson will be speaking at Woodwinds Hospital/HealthEast Care System. I will have an opportunity to play at an opening reception for her on May 24, as well as do a one-hour presentation on May 25 during her visit to Woodbury, MN.  What an honor to be a part of this special time with a woman I admire so much!

I’ve had the opportunity to speak and play at the Mayo Clinic numerous times. They host many national conferences each year and to be included on their speaking roster is always an honor at this world-class facility in my “back yard.”

Befriending some of the Mayo staff has also been very fun and mutually rewarding. From these relationships, I was introduced to Lisa Van Getson, the owner of Hermitage Farm in Rochester, MN. She hosts all kinds of unique and interesting programming at her retreat center. I’ll be conducting a Healing Harp Concert on April 19 from 7-9 p.m.  The community is invited; contact Lisa at 507-281-2791 for more information.

I am excited to share information about three different presentations in January. If you are interested in the topic of music and healing, come join us!

• January 18 – Washington County Senior Workers networking meeting at 2:45 p.m.  Location:  Family Means in Stillwater, MN.
• January 22 – The Unexpected Caregiver conference/retreat from 8:30 to noon.  Location:  Augustana Lutheran Church in West St. Paul, MN.  Co-sponsored by Thrivent, Amazing Grace Lutheran Church, Inver Grove Heights and Augustana Lutheran Church, West St. Paul. Tickets are $15.
• January 30 – The Power of Reflection at Ready Randy’s in New Richmond, WI from 1-3 p.m. I will be co-presenting with Bernie Saunders. Tickets are $15 and available from Donna Satterlund at 715-248-7783 or e-mail (donna@conferencesdoneright.com). Tickets are $15.

I will also be doing a presentation on my newest book called “Women as Healers.” If you would like more information about this offering, click here.

 I look forward to connecting with you…