Here some participants share about how GV has impacted on their relationships and attitudes to others, and how some have harnessed one particular song – The Time Has Come (No. 14 in our book) – to effect change in this respect.
“I have changed and developed my outlook of how I see other people and their circumstances.”
“I’m more loving and accepting of myself – and therefore of others … I have no self-consciousness about relating to anybody any more, even young terminally-ill people [in the hospice where I volunteer] which I found difficult before.” Alison
“Feelings of overwhelm and being put upon change very quickly … (if) I access the song within my heart.”
“I feel more able to stand firm in the face of criticism.”
“I found a sense of ease, trust, intimacy and authenticity with others which I’m still experiencing.” (a week after an hour’s introduction to GV)"
“It’s helped me to be more at ease with people.”
"GV helps me to realise how much ‘How I am’ affects my work, my neighbourhood, and the wider world. It’s given me a tool to use to BE the CHANGE. Once, it helped me deal with a noisy neighbour. And he stopped being a problem!”
"I've already smiled at more people than usual!" (participant commenting near the beginning of a remote learning day. Through attending the day they reported feeling “more connected and less alone”.
“GV helps my relationship with myself and others – for example to be aware of deeply-felt feelings, but not always to take action from them – rather to be aware and just accept them. It helps me relate better to all life forms, heightening my observation of them. It enables me to experience the powerful support of the universe.”
“I have felt LOVE in abundance which has dominated my whole experience. I will end up writing an essay so I will summarise key words and hopefully people will understand …
Contentment Courage Clarity Beauty Compassion Passion"
Five specific ways GV has helped with changing relationships |
“I can’t remember the last time I shouted at my children!” Deirdre (several months after attending a GV course) “It’s brought healing and resolving love to a [relationship] issue I’d been struggling with.” "I was struggling and confused because of problems in my relationship with my partner, and anxiety about my family. I returned from a GV residential and as I reconnected with my home, I found the desire – and capacity – to ‘turn my experience around’: a new song poured out of me, which enable me to do that. I was able to be much more accepting of my situation and to find love for myself, my partner and my children, and the song was a new resource that supported me and my family for a long time afterwards." Robina . “I'm a single parent, which can be hard work and very isolating. When I use GV I can connect with a sense of trust in my own capacities, I can let love in, I can 'own' that I have a significant contribution to make. Through regular GV practice, I can sustain this and carry it into my daily interactions with my child. Rather than responding with anger or inadequacy, I can support them to feel loved and secure - because I'm in touch with those things in me. My relationship with song, through GV, definitely makes me a better mother.” Becca “I’d been involved in a week-long community event some years ago, and several people were feeling bruised and upset after a difficult interaction in the group. I was preparing to facilitate a morning session and was inspired to draw on a particular song, which I had been using in my own personal GV practice. The words begin, 'We are going, heaven knows where we are going …'.* As the 70-strong group gradually joined in with the song, the difficult atmosphere tangibly diminished and group members moved into the day with a joy and sense of joint purpose that had been missing the night before. Years later I met with some of the people involved, and they asked me to share the song again. It was clear that the experience from all that time ago was still with them.” Caroline |
* It’s a song by Osibisa and can be found on the album Woyaya
The Time Has Come How one particular song has helped with relationships |
“'The Time Has Come' helps me move through the hatred within me. It just melts away. Amazing!” Laura “The song made me realise my responsibility for what happens in the world. At first I found this very uncomfortable and challenging. But then I started to rise to the challenge, and as I did so, all my family relationships immediately started to change. It’s helped me so much!” Deirdre “This wonderful song leaves a spaciousness for change and greater connection. It touches me deeply and I’ve experienced a healing of old wounds and within our family in Ireland … I sang it after the London Bombing in 2005. My initial response to the bomb was ‘here we go again’. The song brings a hope.” Josie “It gave me an opening. To see that there is love: it is there ... It gave me exactly what I needed for dealing with this new world situation. Wonderful.” Anthea "I'd been really judgemental and negative about this client for a long time, and I hadn’t been able to do anything about this at all. But after GV4Peace with this song, the issue completely dissolved. The next day, I experienced none of this negativity at all, and never did again. Astonishing!” Meg The song is No. 14 in our book. |
Other examples, together with how people have unlocked the power of a song in order to effect change – and how you could too – can be found in our book.