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Wholesome Resources for Mind-Body Mastery through Yoga, Meditation, Guided Imagery, Stress Relief, Wellness

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Flute Music | Scales | Embellishments | Lessons

Playing your Native American Style Flute | There are no wrong notes! All notes harmonize melodically. Reading music is not needed.

Go HERE for handy playing tips, flute care & troubleshooting for Native American style flutes.   

Music Learn to play songs using a unique way of ‘reading music.’  Pictures of what notes to cover and uncover are used instead of reading traditional music.  This makes learning very easy to play. Here is the basic scale. 

Basic Fingering Chart

  • Fundamentals
    • Scales and Arpeggios.  Get started on the minor pentatonic and major scales. Enjoy advancing to arpeggios, the blues scale, mixolydian and mode 4 pentatonic scales. All on 1-page! Get a chart of musical terms and markings to read timing, embellishments, etc.
    • Templates Julie devised in 2020 to write out your own music. Simply use the staff paper lines to make 6 vertical circles for each finger hole. Next, pencil in the circles to show which holes to cover.  Lyrics go on the dotted lines in between.  The half page format has room below for notes and instructions. Use the full page format for longer songs. Happy creating!
    • Chakra Tone Chart See the yoga (Vedic) and Tibetan notes and tones used for balancing chakras by either increasing or decreasing their energy with sound. Yoga (Vedic) notes and tones are based on the diatonic scale. Tibetan tones and notes are based upon the perfect 5th.  Try both to see what is best for you.  Learn more about chakras here.
    • Easy Hand Warm-ups Here’s a great 5-minute series of hand movements & mudras to help your fingers, wrists & hands with easy-to-remember names for each one. Great for musicians & anyone with stiff, painful fingers, hands or wrists. Learn the Hakini Mudra, Beak, Bug, Claw, Paw, Seed, Web, Wings, Eagle & Hridaya. Thank you Christine Stevens at Upbeat Drum Circles for interviewing me.

Lessons | Learn to play music quickly and confidently with lessons.  Here are some of our favorite teachers. Most teach online and in-person. Look for them on YouTube and get their newsletter.  

Handy Links


Contact us anytime about flutes & lessons

By appointment only ♥ Not a retail store.

Playing Tips | Flute Care | Troubleshooting | Native American Style Flutes

MusicSmith Flutes | A Native American Style Flute | Handmade by Dave Lusk

Native American flutes were first created and played by Native American people. They are instruments of beauty, magic, ceremony, healing, and entertainment. They bring out the music that dwells in all of us.

This instrument has a full, warm sound. Made from western red cedar, it’s protected with non-toxic waterproofing, inside and out. Each flute is embellished with a unique design handcrafted with a wood-burner. A thumb-rest is offered. This innovation stabilizes and balances the flute while playing by positioning your lower hand correctly. Place the thumb of the lower hand against the bottom of the thumb-rest. The index finger covers the hole right above.

Playing your Flute |There are no wrong notes! All notes harmonize melodically. Reading music is not needed.

  • Press your lips against the mouthpiece to gently seal it.
  • Cover the holes with the finger pads, not the tips or nails.
  • Adjust the air pressure until notes sound clear.
  • The note played with all the holes closed is the key of the flute.  It’s called the flute’s fundamental note.
  • Use the fingerings shown below. Cover and uncover the holes one at a time in order.
  • The third hole down on a 6-hole flute always stays covered to play the minor pentatonic scale and uses all the notes shown on the chart.
  • For a major scale, start and land on the second note up from the bottom of the flute.
  • Start going up and down the flute, slowly and evenly. Gradually pick up speed. Next, vary the rhythm. Play melodies by playing the basic scale but put intervals between the notes. For example, cover all the holes followed by another finger pattern. Doing so will always sound melodic and harmonic.
  • Embellishments and more scales can be added for more musicality once you’re proficient.
  • Have fun!

Tip: The third hole down always stays covered in the minor pentatonic scale and uses all the notes shown on the chart. For a major scale, start and land on the second note up from the bottom of the flute. Once proficient, embellishments and more scales can be added.

Basic Fingering Chart

Caring for your Flute | Keep your flute at a steady temperature. Do not let it get too hot or cold. Temperature variations expand and contract wood. This can cause your flute to crack. If the flute is cold, warm it with your hands and gently blow warm air into it. Do not leave it in a car when it’s either hot or cold. Avoid direct sunlight.

Remove the block after playing to dry the flute out. Wipe off any moisture. To retie the block, position the front edge of the block at the back edge of the sound hole. Tie tightly. Experiment with its placement for the best tone. Push it slightly forward to raise the pitch higher (sharp), move it back to lower it (flat).

Caring for Yourself  with Hand Warm-ups | Here’s an easy 5-minute series of hand movements & mudras to help your fingers, wrists & hands with easy-to-remember names for each one. Great for musicians & anyone with stiff, painful fingers, hands or wrists. Learn the Hakini Mudra, Beak, Bug, Claw, Paw, Seed, Web, Wings, and the Eagle & Hridaya mudras. Thank you Christine Stevens at Upbeat Drum Circles for interviewing me.

Troubleshooting | Fuzzy, unclear, sour, airy, or shrillness

  • Cover the holes completely or else it will squeak or sound airy.
  • Adjust air pressure. Are you blowing too softly or too much?
  • Make sure the block is tied down tightly (see above).
  • Poor tone quality occurs when moisture collects inside the flute, especially between the mouthpiece and the block. To remove it, hold the flute tightly and briskly shake the whole flute. Try covering the sound hole with a finger and blow hard to push the moisture out. Release your finger while still blowing. Wipe off.
  • The bottom note is the hardest to play. It’s important to make sure all the holes are completely covered. Use a mirror. This note will jump an octave if too much air is used.

MusicSmith Flutes info, tips, etc. (pdf to download/print)

Music Lessons |  Music lesson details and registration

Handy Links



Contact us anytime about flutes & lessons.

By appointment only ♥ Not a retail store.

Musical Sound Bath Tune Up

Musical Sound Bath Tune Up
with Julie Lusk

Sound Healing is a wonderful way to improve your wellbeing.  During a musical sound bath experience, you will …

Tune yourself with a musical blend of harmonizing tones.

Feel the pure pleasure of letting your heart sing & dance.

Experience a play of enchanting sounds from flutes, chimes, bells, drums, tuning forks, voice, harmonium, and the harp.

Get cozy. Lie down, sit, or move.

Play along with a rattle, drum, or voice. Write, draw, or color. Daydream. Free your imagination.

Enjoy an a-musing path of tuning your inner rhythm, energy & flow.

If online, headphones, earbuds, or external speakers optimize the sound.

Schedule  

  • Book a personal sound healing session:  In-person & Zoom sessions are customized just for you.  Contact Julie for details and scheduling.
  • Concerts:  In-person & Zoom. For groups or individuals.
  • Customized Musical Blessings: A Musical Blessing is a personalized, improvised piece/peace. The melodies played can be based upon one’s name, an affirmation or intention, a dream or prayer, or whatever intuitively transpires. Guided imagery can be offered for inspiration and guidance. They are offered for individuals or groups. During a group, a customized musical blessing is played for each person while everyone else enjoys listening to beautiful, healing music. It’s wonderous.

Albums

Blue Moon Rising | Enjoy 16 beautiful tracks of Native American style flute music played by Julie Lusk accompanied by the relaxing sounds of Mother Nature as the backdrop. Digital and CD formats available | Flute music, guided relaxation and imagery, and yoga nidra.

Julie’s Music History
Julie has loved exploring music since childhood. She babysat 5 boys when she was in 6th grade for 50 cents an hour to buy her first stereo.

Julie studied piano from elementary school through college. Crushed but undeterred, she was rejected from the choir in 5th grade. Recitals were a disaster with awful memories of freezing up like a statue. Even though her self-esteem hurt for decades, she never gave up. For years, she only played for her pets.

Julie started playing classical flute when the Lusks owned a music store. She began playing Native American flutes about 10 years ago. Julie also plays harmonium, Tibetan bowls, chimes, didgeridoo, drums, and the harp. Julie was a Drums for Fun member for 15 years.

Julie is Certified by the Sound Healing Academy (SHA) in the Foundations of Integral Sound Healing for Multi Instruments – Level 1. The course covered how to give individual and group sound healing sessions. It included how to play singing bowls, tuning forks, gongs, chimes, frame drum, and voice.  Julie studied The Art of Creating Sound Healing Journeys With the Power of the 5 Elements, a 7-week course led by Bodhi Starwater/Setchko and Music Medicine, a 7-week course by Laura Inserra.  She completed SHA’s 30-hour course in Integral Sound Healing with Tuning Forks in addition to John Beaulieu’s 4-week tuning fork course.

Contact Julie anytime

 

Handy Links

Contact us anytime about flutes, lessons & concerts

By appointment only ♥ Not a retail store.

Yoga Nidra Meditations: 24 Scripts for True Relaxation

“This beautifully written book is well-laid out, easy to follow, and is chock full of helpful and powerful information. The relaxation scripts are incredible. They are sure to assist in helping everyone to find more peace, ease, and healing in their lives. This is a much-needed guide in times of discomfort and stress.”
— M. Mala Cunningham, PhD, C-IAYT, counseling psychologist, university faculty, and specialist in medical yoga, neuroscience, and mindfulness

Enjoy Pure Bliss and True Relaxation with Yoga Nidra

Media:  Contact Kat Neff  or call 510-332-4968

Print & eBooks

Audiobook 

  • Audible  – Free with Audible trial. Instantly get Yoga Nidra Meditations with this exclusive link.
    • Bonus: Free 3-month Audible membership for new members!
  • iTunes
  • Amazon
  • Yoga Nidra Meditations Audio Supplement here

Get the calm and focus you need. Yoga Nidra makes it entirely possible to clear your mind, settle your emotions, and reach a unique state of calm, focused awareness.  These empowering meditations combine yoga’s ancient and modern teachings and techniques, all backed by contemporary science. Yoga Nidra is done lying down, not sitting.

Yoga Nidra is “yogic sleep.” You’ll feel genuine peace. Reclaim your energy with deeply restorative rest.  It is tremendously healing for the body, mind, and spirit. It revitalizes your inner reservoir of intuitive understanding, unconditional joy, and awakens your true self.

Yoga Nidra Meditations has something for everyone!

♥ It’s great for relaxation, boosting immunity, balancing the nervous system, improving heart health, and decreasing cravings.

♥ Enhances your memory, concentration and brain function.

♥ Eases anxiety, depression, chronic pain, insomnia and more.

♥ Increases happiness, calmness, creativity & energy.

♥ Specialized meditations for kids, teens, women, men, and military/veterans.

♥ Enables you to make durable lifestyle changes.  

         ♥ Use this recording to experience the power of yoga nidra.

Yoga Nidra Meditations includes:

♥  Twenty-four scripts written by the author and twelve of the world’s master teachers including:

Sri Swami Satchidananda, Swami, Shankardev Saraswati, MD, Kamini Desai, PhD, Uma Dinsmore-Tuli, PhD, Amy Weintraub, Rose Kress, Marc Halpern, Viviana Collazo, Stephanie Lopez, Robin Carnes, Karen Brody, and Jennifer Reis.

♥  Clear explanation on everything about yoga nidra.

♥  Complete guidelines for practicing effectively.

♥  How to lead others.

Author Julie Lusk, MEd, E-RYT-500, NCC, has specialized in yoga, relaxation training, guided imagery, and meditation for decades. An international writer, recording artist, and workshop leader, Julie is talented in bringing the best out in others through her depth of knowledge, natural lightheartedness, and caring nature. Julie’s six books include Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation & Stress Relief, Yoga Meditations, and two volumes of 30 Scripts for Relaxation, Imagery, and Inner Healing.  See her complete catalog of books & audios here. 

Praise for Yoga Nidra Meditations

“Julie is a master at helping us relax. In her new book she offers her own relaxation scripts, as well as a sampling from other gifted teachers, that guide us in the essentials of relaxation for different states of body and mind. This book is one to keep on the bedside and buy a couple for stressed out friends, they will thank you.”
—Nischala Joy Devi, author of The Secret Power of Yoga, The Namaste Effect, and The Healing Path of Yoga

“This beautifully written book is well-laid out, easy to follow, and is chock full of helpful and powerful information. The relaxation scripts are incredible and are sure to assist in helping everyone to find more peace, ease, and healing in their lives. This is a much-needed guide in times of discomfort and stress.”
—M. Mala Cunningham, PhD, C-IAYT, counseling psychologist, university faculty, and specialist in medical yoga, neuroscience, and mindfulness

“Julie Lusk’s inspirational book provides an indispensable guide to the healing practice of Yoga Nidra…Julie’s expertise and generous heart shine through and make her the perfect companion to guide you along the Yoga Nidra path. This is a book to be treasured and returned to over again.”
—Jilly Shipway, author of Yoga Through the Year and Yoga by the Stars

“Having experienced several of the Yoga Nidra practices from this book, taught by Julie herself, I can confidently say that they are immensely enjoyable and relaxing. Each practice guides you in a unique way, but all of them leave you with a profound sense of well-being.”
—Zac Parker, MA, RYT-500, online programs coordinator at Yogaville

“Julie Lusk has captured the essence of Yoga Nidra, meditation, and beyond from the great masters, present and past, and has added her own great contributions. Highly recommended.”
—Larry Payne, PhD, E-RYT500, author of AARP’s Yoga After 50 For Dummies and Yoga Rx

“Julie Lusk created this work in the spirit of Yoga Nidra—with relaxed expectation of divine blessings—and she effortlessly transmits that peaceful joy through these healing scripts…Julie brings together an inspired crew with centuries of combined experience to make this path of deep healing available in our daily lives.”
—Judith Boice, award-winning author of The Green Medicine Chest and practicing naturopathic physician

“Julie Lusk’s clear, direct, joyful voice explains everything you ever wanted to know about Yoga Nidra. Whether you are a novice or an experienced practitioner, this is your go-to reference book, explaining how, where, and when to practice it, the philosophy behind it, ways to get the most out of it, tips for instructing others, and a whole cache of scripts…her sheer delight with this practice shines through every joyful page.”
—Belleruth Naparstek, ACSW, BCD, author of Invisible Heroes and producer of the Health Journeys Guided Imagery and Meditation audio library

“Master yoga teacher Julie Lusk has enthusiastically and lovingly taken the ancient subject of Yoga Nidra and made it useful and relevant for today. The meditations are clear, practical, and uplifting. It truly reveals our source of genuine peace and happiness in such a delightful yet helpful manner. It’s a fun read—and a treasure.”
—Lilias Folan, author of Lilias! Yoga Gets Better with Age, host of the television series Lilias, Yoga, and You, and known as the First Lady of Yoga

“A timely and much needed manual…this practical book offers such a rich variety of practices that have been tailored for this modern era and address a broad range of benefits that readers will be inspired to engage. Yoga Nidra Meditations is a must read for everyone wishing to experience and interweave Yoga Nidra and its marvelous benefits into their daily life. ”
—Richard Miller, PhD, developer of iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation and author of Yoga Nidra: A Meditative Practice for Deep Relaxation and Healing

“This book is a treasure trove of Yoga Nidra scripts from the author and other noted masters in the field…You will find scripts for children, teens, men, women, or anyone in chairs, as well as a multitude of purposes and intentions. No teacher or practitioner of yoga is complete without a Yoga Nidra practice, perhaps the simplest yet most profound experience that yoga has to offer.”
—Anodea Judith, PhD, author of Wheels of Life and Anodea Judith’s Chakra Yoga

Print & eBooks

Audiobook 

  • Audible  – Free with Audible trial. Instantly get Yoga Nidra Meditations with this exclusive link.
    • Bonus: Free 3-month Audible membership for new members!
  • iTunes
  • Amazon
  • Yoga Nidra Meditations Audio Supplement here
NEW! Yoga Nidra Meditations: 24 Scripts for True Relaxation
NEW! Yoga Nidra Meditations: 24 Scripts for True Relaxation
Experience peace and deeply restorative rest that heals your body, mind & spirit. Features 24 Yoga Nidra scripts written by author Julie Lusk and 12 of the world's master teachers. Enjoy 6 levels of relaxation for a joyful meditative experience. Learn to use yogic sleep to revitalize your inner reservoir of intuitive understanding and unconditional joy. Audiobook available. CLICK the blue title link above to find out more...
Price: $19.99
Quantity:  

Go to the CART to review your order & check out.  

Gain from Guided Imagery & Relaxation

by

Guided imagery and relaxation are so much more than nice things to do if there’s time.  They are important life skills to know about and practice regularly.  Both are powerful mind-body-spirit techniques that elicits therapeutic relaxation; awakens and activates the natural ability for self-healing to occur; helps with changing behaviors and habits; and uncovers your inner truth and life direction while stimulating the intuition.  Everyone can do it.

Do you want to unlock your highest potential, experience many types of guided imagery first hand, and understand relevant scientific principles? Check out my schedule for upcoming workshops.

“Many common diseases and health complaints can be treated directly with mind-body techniques.” reports Dr. Herbert Benson, the Harvard Medical School scientist who coined the term “relaxation response” 35 years ago.  He states that “study after mind body study, carried out with the most careful scientific protocols, produced incontrovertible evidence that the mind can indeed influence  – and heal the body – even down to the genetic level.” Along with appropriate medical care, mind body techniques are used for health improvement and can eliminate problems associated with anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, insomnia, PMS, menopausal, peri-menopausal and breast cancer hot flashes, nausea, pain, premature aging and other disorders to the extent that stress is a factor.  Now consider that 80% of all illness is either caused by or made worse by stress.

In addition to the powerful and positive effects of relaxation and guided imagery on physical health, it is invaluable and reliable for tapping into one’s inner source of divine intuition and wisdom.  Plus, behavior change, musical performance, sport and athletic ability can all be strengthened with the regular use of relaxation and guided imagery. It can be used to reveal inner guidance with respect to one’s life direction.

Guided imagery, also referred to as creative visualization, is intentional daydreaming whose aim is to magnify the positive aspects of the mind-body connection. First, focused breathing and/or progressive muscular relaxation prepare the body for guided imagery and creative visualization.  Next, the mind is purposefully guided in a process similar to daydreaming.  The difference is that in daydreaming the mind is allowed to go wherever it pleases.  Instead of this, the mind is directed in a specific and special manner.  For example, a guided imagery exercise might ask you to focus on a setting or environment that feels safe and comfortable.  This can be experienced and accomplished by mentally seeing the setting, feeling or sensing the environment, or using the senses of sound or smell.  As Belleruth Naparstek says, “there are many right ways to experience guided imagery.”  Get more about relaxation, imagery and meditation here.

So, now what? If you want to feel your best, and even prevent or conquer long-term medical problems, it’s time to get back to your yoga, meditation, and visualization habits.  You wouldn’t skip brushing your teeth everyday, would you?

If you’re like the rest of us and could use some help, so either join a local class, get together regularly with like-minded people to support each other, and get your DVD’s and CD’s back out.   I am delighted to offer a selection of yoga and meditation classes in the Cincinnati area.  Plus, I have retreats and conferences coming up.  Check out my schedule.

If you prefer here’s some book and CD resources on mind body relaxation to benefit from.  Click HERE to buy my Real Relaxation: Yoga Nidra CD.

Donate to support my website & our dog Breezy … Click her pic. Thanks!

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