Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Rubbing elbows, connecting hearts w/ Jim Carrey, Eckhart Tolle & More :)


On Feb 4, 2012 at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills, I got to rub elbows and more importantly connect heart-to-heart with beautiful folks passionate about having movies, music, media & more carry messages of positivity & transformation!



Founded by John Raatz & honorary founders Eckhart Tolle & Jim Carrey, the Global Alliance for Transformational Entertainment http://gatecommunity.org launched their 2nd public event that day. It started with a daytime event focused on story-telling - how to tell compelling stories of transformation that are just as entertaining as they are inspirational. The evening event featured a long-list of best-selling spiritual authors to actors & more Hollywood folks & creative artists from all disciplines! You can see here: http://gatecommunity.org/gate2



I was honored to be a fly-girl for the beautiful artist, Ash Ruiz, who wrote the theme song for the event "Only a New Seed Will Yield a New Crop" with Gardner Cole (co-writer of Madonna's "Open Your Heart" & my song "Write the Story") We were joined by my rockin' artist friend Ali Handal on Guitar & sound healer Christo Pellani on percussion & the bright shiny Terra Bundance on vocals.



Below are some highlights from that evening. If GATE speaks to your heart, please consider joining our movement of transformational change! http://gatecommunity.org



ECKHART & HIS CUTE SMILE

Right before the show started, I ran into the VIP room (with lotsa healthy yummies to eat) to use the bathroom one more time. In the tight hallway by the bathroom, I saw John Raatz (the amazing visionary behind GATE) & we both gave each other a loving but quick hello as I was rushing not to be late & he was busy escorting Eckhart. As I was going to close the door, Eckhart walked by, popped his head in for a second & gave me the sweetest joy-filled smile I'd ever seen. I closed the door laughing thinking this was my first perfect interaction with Eckhart :) His book Power of Now has meant so much to me as those of you know who have heard my song entitled just that. Somehow he is soooo present that a simple smile has such a powerful impact. It was the sweetness that tickled my heart – thank you Eckhart!


ANNIE LENNOX – CALLING OUT ALL THE FEMINISTS

Though we artists dreamed of singing the big finale “Imagine” with the awe-inspiring Annie Lennox, we had to settle for her personal message on video – but that was still very cool to hear her passion for GATE. She called out to all the women & said we needed to reclaim the word “Feminist” and not shy away from it. I know I am one of those women that shy away from any word that incites separation, but I believe she was speaking from her heart about other women standing up with purpose to support our fellow women around the world who are being persecuted, mistreated & devalued. I’m definitely a supporter of all that & more!



JIM IMPERSONATES ECKHART, ECKHART IMPERSONATES JIM

I have never ever been to an event that was so packed with talent, insight & passion for positive change especially Hollywood – not to mention how long the event actually took. It wasn’t till past midnight that Jim Carrey hit the stage. The funny thing is he came out as they introduced Eckhart Tolle. Jim glided to Eckhart’s chair & took his seat ready to dispense insight at the microphone.



Just then, Eckhart Tolle enters the stage & does a goofy “Jim Carrey-esque” gesture as he comes to reclaim his seat & get Jim Carrey off the stage. Eckhart gets started & says that Jim had been teaching him many different faces, faces of ego as he started to make funny faces at us. It was 1am & so we were all delirious & the fun just escalated from there. Unlike Eckhart’s videos where he is just so zen, still & somewhat serious, this evening Eckhart joked often…like this being his first time doing a gig at 1am or after a dog in the audience let out a weird shrill, he said “Oh a midnight vampire….(we all laugh…and then he continues) that’s okay – they need to hear this too”

THE VIOLIN THAT MADE ME CRY

The tiny power-house, transformational music artist Lili Hayden brought the house down & broke open hearts as she did mine that evening. Following the rockin’ rich sound of Eric Lumiere, Lili started with a very vulnerable vocal intro & then let her violin talk, wail, & more. Her body undulated, her passion oozed from her instrument, the rock band followed every rise & fall, and she quickened more & more & more & more till your heart couldn’t take it any more…I swear it was a musical orgasm & Lili left it all there on the stage. Surprising to me, tears began to fall at the sheer passion, fire & love that her music set into the ethers & into our hearts! Just awesome :) She is sweet too – she sat in a row in front of me & she turned around to mime to me how much she enjoyed my singing & I mimed back to her that she broke my heart open!



I COULD’VE GOOSED JIM CARREY

Jim gets us all cracking up as he acknowledges these unappreciated flowers on the stage. He goes on to plant his face into the flower pot for 5-10min as he continues his talk. Amongst the laughs, he shares a really important point to all the creative folk…make sure our transformational works of art are entertaining & fun & something people just want to watch because it feels good. Great point!

After he spoke, we were in the wings backstage waiting to go out to do “Imagine” as the big finale. I remember being so excited as I saw him go to his seat in the audience earlier & now there he was standing right next to me, well his back to me chatting with John & other stage crew. I thought I should really say “hi” & how much I love his work, but of course the polite Asian in me said don’t bother the man. So instead I spend the rest of the time thinking – oh his butt is right there, I could goose him! Don’t ask me why, but that’s where my silly mind went…I promise it was an innocent thing or more like the prankster in me coming out. The good news, I did NOT goose Jim Carrey! The better news, next time I will say “hi” face to face :)



ALL THE PEEPS

We were well into the program when they announced that there was still a crowd of folks circling the block wanting to come in! So awesome – music artists, filmmakers, writers, visual artists, poets, authors, producers, teachers, watchers/consumers/fans of transformational entertainment, & so many more bright empowered folks were in attendance like their staff led by David Langer & all these other beautiful ones I got to hug & connect/reconnect with…the irreverently loving & lovable Dannion Brinkley, the ever-joy-filled visionary Barbara Marx Hubbard (I told her “Barbara you’re getting younger & younger” and she said “Yes Faith I’m going backwards :) ”),Carla Johnston - a dear friend/producer of upcoming transformational film "The Truth," Kathy Ryan – a sweet fan & incredible yoga teacher now using my music in her DVD, the oh so warm yet cool Wade & Baba from Funkamentalz, the radiant reporter Leela Vox and my new hommie from my hood new thought artist Kelly Corsino & her sweetie John Rozenburg, of course my Ali (Handal) & her hubby Andrew Goldenhersch with those magic fingers that entertained all as they entered!
MARIANNE WILLIAMSON TELLS IT LIKE IT IS…

I got in a quick squeeze with Marianne during the first break. She invited me to one of her Monday night sharings & I got to tell her about baby Kai. It was a brief reconnection, but still so nice. It’s sad but I can’t remember the last conference or event we did together – it’s been too long. Anyway, she was on fire that night! She honored & celebrated GATE and all the folks who showed up and then called Hollywood on its stuff….the violence, the disturbing images that we send out into the world especially the Middle East that seem to step upon their very cultural beliefs. For a second, it felt like a really rally speech & a call-to-arms as she got everybody up on their feet. Marianne reminded us the road would not be easy (though I personally think we can always alter things by setting our intention & even more showing up in the flow of grace & ease), to hold the course, stand strong & see our mission through!



SHARING THE NIGHT WITH MY BOYS



This was the first night we left Baby Kai with our nannies, so I shared the night with my other boys…that’s my darling husband Nolan and my best music buddies, Harold Payne & Gerald White. This event meant so much to my heart as does GATE & its whole mission, so it really warmed my heart to have dear friends there to share this evening of amazing inspiration & just holding hands with my hubby as we watched it all unfold was just the best!



GATE was kind in gifting me some seats as typical me, who is excited about stuff like this, started promoting the event & organization to everyone I could. Anyway, it was the neatest to see all the chairs with names of Eckhart, Jim Carrey, Jean Houston, Marianne Williamson, Edward James Olmos, Gary Zukav, etc. Then my name AND Gerald & Harold’s name…poor Nolan was a “guest” Harold leaned over early in the evening & said “Hey, I think we’re sitting in front of Don Miguel Ruiz (a very loving man & teacher to so many)” They moved him closer to the front row shortly after that.


MY PRINCE MOMENT, ONE OF MY FAV MOMENTS

So I honestly do not listen to a lot of music (shhh don’t tell anyone). However, I do LOVE LOVE LOVE Prince! No he wasn’t at the event but he inspired one of the fav moments of that night. On our first rehearsal, Ash brought a track of Ali’s rockin’ guitar part. There was a funky breakdown section & organically we just both started doing a “huh” grunt & move every four beats (like how Prince would). Then we’d say two times “huh, huh”. Then three times “huh, huh, huh” and so on. How excited I was when Ash actually included as part of our performance. Look at the pics below & you can see my joy! What a highlight to work, play, co-create & serve with Ash who is all about just opening his heart & being in his joy onstage – it was such an organic, pure, real, fun performance & sharing from our hearts to the audience!

LOUIE ANDERSON

Louie was really a highlight of the evening - totally funny, not trying too hard, just real & loving :) The best was watching him backstage sitting in his director's chair laughing his butt off during Jim Carrey's sharing! Sweet sweet man & funnier than I've ever heard him!



Thanks to all the sweet photographers/friends who captured the magic of the evening: Kelly Corsino, Nolan Hee, Terra Bundance, H20 Water with Intention, & Ali Handal