321 thoughts on “The Power of Group Work”

1. Introducing the importance of purpose, responsibility, which includes the quality of our energy, really ought to be mandatory in early education, one wonders why it is not.

2. Working and living in brotherhood is where we all need to go, ‘On that day we felt the power of true group work – a group of people working together in perfect harmony – and the power of this.’

3. There is something beautiful about singing in a group or choir that reminds us of unity and harmony. We seem to have settled for so much less and see unity and harmony as a unique and peak / fleeting experience and not sustainable, but it actually is – it just takes our collective commitment.

4. “This harmony resulted because we all listened to our bodies, and were in harmony with ourselves” – this is very beautiful, and I am here wondering, when we try to think how we should be amongst others in order to be harmonious, we are opening ourselves for sympathy rather than harmony, and that perhaps connecting and loving myself so deeply takes care of everything else and moves me in a way that would naturally be harmonious for everyone else as much as for myself.

5. Working in harmony with others makes the heart sing.

6. We are so used to trying to outperform another, to be better and show our colleagues & managers that we are the best that we forget how beneficial group work can be for us and for those we work with. Perhaps we do that out of an insecurity because we live in such a disposable culture, often companies look at people as a disposable resource: “if one person is not performing we can just get rid of them”. Instead of developing our human capital and ensuring that all of our employees are looked after. If we have that mentality within a business, perhaps competition within the workplace will not be so overwhelming.

7. “At the workshop I discovered that my presence and my way of being is the expression that my body and my voice magnifies.” This is such an important point, our every move and sound carries a communication, which also has an impact on our own body as well as others. Knowing this brings a grand purpose to how we move and speak, as we can reflect a soulful expression to everyone around us.

   1. How we move and express always has an impact on ourselves, and other people, ‘I really felt the difference in my communication when I am connected to my stillness, and my body, and when I am not.’

8. This reminds me of the time, as a little girl, before television, we used to sing together in the evenings, play games and generally be together as a family unit. I feel singing can be particularly powerful at bringing people together in a playful and equitable way that unites and inspires.

9. And cracking individualism is key to laying the foundations for harmony between us all.

10. “I realised that every part of me is communicating and expressing all of the time: and another person receives this communication from my body before I even speak.” I loved reading this. To think (pun intended) that just the one thought we can have is all that we are — A great reminder we have a whole body that is always emanating when we choose to connect to it and allow the expression of who we are.

11. We can accomplish so much more when we work together in groups.

    1. Which makes me question what is truly achieved when we accomplish something by ourselves? Because the truth is we are all interrelated and integrated and so if we have the notion that we have accomplished something by ourselves surely then that very fact alone is enough to negate any true merit?

12. I also love singing together in a group as you can feel when the group is totally together in harmony, not just with the sound of the voices technically, but energetically you can feel that the group has united and the sound that then is produced is simply exquisite and has often brought tears to my eyes too, because it is so beautiful to feel human beings, being together in this way, and because it is such a rare thing to experience this level of harmony on this planet.

13. It is very beautiful to read how an expression workshop can deeply support us to connect with the natural confidence within us. Once this is felt by ourselves we can walk in life with joy, trust and openess. And then being a blessing for all, melting any kind of competition that stopped us from truly connecting with each other.

    1. We are responsible for what we express, ‘I realised that every part of me is communicating and expressing all of the time: and another person receives this communication from my body before I even speak.’

14. When we take the pressure off ourselves, and realise that there is no expectation to live up to, and all we need to be is who we truly are from within, we realise the harmony we can bring and how different it is working as a group than individually, because as a whole there is a greater foundation that every one can build on.

    1. Working, and being in harmony feels gorgeous, ‘When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.’

15. “I know that the sound we made was only possible because of the group working as one, in full support of each other.” So true. There is an online group I’m in, and with much understanding – and no judgement – it feels amazing and everyone is supportive of each other. Thus true service work can get done.

16. How beautiful it will be when we as a humanity have a one unified voice, a one unified way of living and a one unified truth that we live by.

17. It’s true… if it’s possible for us to work together in a short workshop excercise it’s possible all the time, we just have to ensure that we do our part in contributing and commiting and see what’s possible.

    1. Yes Meg – and getting self out of the way – then all is possible.

18. “On that day we felt the power of true group work – a group of people working together in perfect harmony – and the power of this.” There is indeed true power and harmony when we come together in this way. Singing from our inner connection offers us an opportunity to really let go of any anxiety and/or tension that we have but do not always allow when simply speaking.

19. When we get ourselves out of the way we get to experience true group work, it is so powerful and healing to feel what’s available to us when we connect and work in harmony together.

20. It is incredible what happens when we are given permission and held in the all knowng of who we are.

21. Wow. If that is the potential of our expression, or even just a glimpse of it, it is understandable why it feels crushing when our expression is denied or not appreciated.

22. ‘When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all’. Golden line that shows where true support for all begins- within us.

23. Group work gives a clear idea of the extent to which we get way further if we work together in life.

24. “I realised that every part of me is communicating and expressing all of the time: and another person receives this communication from my body before I even speak.” This is such a great point, that we are communicating all the time regardless of if we are talking or not, there is a communication and energetic ripple we emanate continually to one another which means we are constantly having an impact on one another even when alone…

    1. This is a great reminder about energetic responsibility and energetic integrity, being aware of what quality of energy we have in our bodies and making choices to ensure it’s soulful.

    2. We are expressing and communicating all the time, whether we are aware of it or not.

25. I have got to learn so much about my strengths and weakness through group work – the acceleration to be more aware is divinely incredible.

26. I have felt and experienced the power of group work especially in a singing group and how much I felt held and supported to express, to sing together and be a part of something bigger than yourself.

27. ‘At the workshop I discovered that my presence and my way of being is the expression that my body and my voice magnifies’. Makes a lot of sense to be present and in one’s body before making any move as all movements are an expression of where we are at.

28. When we work together aligned to the one true purpose, what we reflect is the power of Brotherhood, confirming that our true power is living in connection to who we are. When we come together as one in love, we together become a movement of love, as such the love we each live is magnified though the union of our bodies and Soul. Yes, we alone are indeed powerful yet united, our might is ‘out of this world’ awe-inspiring.

29. I absolutely love true group work – what we can achieve together is off the planet!

30. For me, the realisation that “every part of me is communicating and expressing all of the time: and another person receives this communication from my body before I even speak” was a very big wake up call as with this realisation came another and that is that each of us has a responsibility as to how we express. If the other person can feel us even before we speak then what we are communicating with is energy and it is this energy that is our responsibility; no big burden though, simply a joy of living in a way where this is totally natural.

31. I have experienced the power of group work several times, it is beautiful to feel when we get ‘self’ out of the way we can discover the harmony and brotherhood on offer when we are committed to true purpose.

    1. When working in harmony and brotherhood, then group work can be beautiful and powerful.

32. I remember the first workshop with Chris James I ever attended. Feeling the group energy and the together whilst challenging at first for me was by far one of the most life changing experiences I have ever had.

33. Oooohs and aaaaahs sung solo can sound amazing. Combine them with another and that amazingness multiplies by hundreds, let alone when done with many others.

    1. We are all returning to being the One voice of God, the many voices of the One being.

34. We don’t know what’s possible if we work together until we put aside our differences, criticisms and problems and actually try it – I reckon we might be surprised at how different life is.

35. ‘The sound that we made was far greater than the sum of each one of our individual sounds put together’. What a beautiful line that can transfer to all our movements.

36. There is nothing more powerful than working together in a group, where there are no self-agendas but the common purpose of working for all. And one of the most beautiful examples is when we sing with and for the group, all together in harmony, and then move in that harmony out into the world.

    1. Absolutely agree – there’s no place for self agendas when we work as a group, it’s about working for something bigger than us.

37. Wow Johanna, you’ve so beautifully expressed how powerful group work can be and when we let go of our individuality and work together in harmony, it is very powerful. What we are capable of in group work combined with true harmony can be absolutely incredible and beyond what our minds can comprehend.

38. It’s very true that working together in harmony is one of our greatest joys as human beings. It definitely should be supported in schools, instead of competitiveness, which could bring about a huge change to society.

39. I cannot turn it on or off every time I speak. What is running through my body before I express is what is being presented in the world.

    1. We’re funnels for energy. We have chosen the energy that is going to come through us long before it is heard in our voices or seen in our movements.

40. “This harmony resulted because we all listened to our bodies, and were in harmony with ourselves. It was a very natural and powerful feeling working together in this way.” When we are in harmony with ourselves we are indeed in harmony with others. In this, true group work becomes very powerful in its oneness with Universal order.

41. Group work is extremely powerful when we come together in harmony and with a common purpose. That is magnified and holds an unstoppable power. NO wonder evil wants us to have issues with group work!

42. The freedom of expression with everything .. speech and singing no holding back but a whole lot of true love along with team work and true group work … yep lets have more of this 💕

43. ” I realised that every part of me is communicating and expressing all of the time: and another person receives this communication from my body before I even speak. ” This is quite incredible, so it would be true to say that one communicates with all that one is, not with just one’s voice.

44. We underestimate when we have the same purpose, group work constellates. When group work comes from personal gain, then it can turn ugly.

    I see this so often at work and it feels uncomfortable. But recently I have had a management team who I am developing, connected with and without perfection, and in the same analogy of ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaahs’, we are coming together, the only thing we don’t do is burst into any chorus or song…..

    This connection is key to opening the door to many opportunities, it’s whether we are prepared to allow that key to unlock the potential.

45. Singing is a big thing for most of us. I know for me I could always sing but never really shared with anyone, it was more a thing I did on my own. I have noticed over the years how the clarity of my voice has changed and the sound it makes has changed. When I read this, “I realised that every part of me is communicating and expressing all of the time: and another person receives this communication from my body before I even speak.” I realised also why it has changed, because my awareness of what is going on around me has changed. The more and more I continue to dedicate to feeling what is going on and not living in reaction to everything the clearer I see things and in turn the clearer my voice is. It’s no longer controlled by the sound or opinions but is an expression or communication of how I am feeling. I love singing, always have and it’s great now to be more free to let this out.

    1. I agree and also singing and music are limited to what they are defined as, in a dictionary. It’s a quality that we are describing and not an action. We often describe other things as ‘singing’ but it’s a movement made not just with a mouth.We can describe people as ‘making music together’ but again it’s a movement together that we are describing, a quality of movement. In this,singing isn’t owned to be a certain way or a certain sound and in fact all along it’s truly been used to describe a quality of movement rather then a tone or a perfect pitch.

46. How we move and therefore express, is self-care 101. It’s a powerful realisation that our presence and way of being is the expression our body and therefore our voice magnifies. When put like that it’s clear that it can’t be any other way, but how often do we try to hide what we really feel by measuring our tone of voice, making it softer if we are angry etc. None of this actually works, it’s just a way of lying to ourselves that our movements and the way we feel will not be felt through our voices. Nothing could be further from the truth.

47. Instead we teach on schools what true group work is we educate in a military way to be in groups, with rules and orders to obey to in working together. But the problem with this way of education is that we will never become together as one but are stimulated to be individual and protective, closed for the natural flow of living life in union, a quality of living that resides in all of us equally so.

48. “I realised that every part of me is communicating and expressing all of the time” Group work is beautiful when we come together to express as a unified group and not as a collection of individuals.

49. To me, one cannot NOT be joyful when singing alone or with a group. It’s crazy how bastardised music and singing is – it’s about expressing hurt, pain, sadness, sympathy and a whole buffet of emotions. Bringing singing back to being about connecting to the inner essence of who we are and expressing from there is a huge healing for anyone wiling.

50. Singing as a group seems to be used a lot in primary school and then everything gets serious and it gets phased out… unless you go formal and join the choir. What you’re describing here Johanna reminds me of the fun we used to have in junior school – the joy that is possible in group work. Singing would be a great way to bring harmony into the workplace and any environment in which people work or live.

51. There is so much out there in the world doing its best to entice us and draw us away from the steadying connection we have with our inner heart. In Group work we have the opportunity to support each other not only to confirm that connection but to also deepen, constantly clearing old ways of being, of expressing and communicating.

52. Group work is a reminder that we are one in essence and eventually, no matter how long it will take – and that timing being totally up to us, we will get back to this one-unified way of being.

53. Thank you Johanna. Group work with true purpose is brotherhood. It is the letting go of self and allowing your expression to be for the group and brotherhood. As long as the group knows the purpose and sticks to it it is a beautiful holding we feel. If the group or you don’t know purpose it is worth the time understanding what the purpose is.

54. Having experienced this type of group work quite some time ago with a singing group run by Victoria you have reminded me of just how gorgeous our voices sounded together as one. And individually too.

55. Johanna your blog highlights how beautiful and harmonious true group work can be when we get the ‘self’ out of the way and connect deeply to others, we feel the power we all bring when we unify in this way.

56. How we live is reflected in all we do – singing and the quality of our sound included.

57. “At the workshop I discovered that my presence and my way of being is the expression that my body and my voice magnifies.” This is profound. I had to read this over and over to get it deeply, as it resonates for me on many levels.

    1. I agree Irena, it is profound and powerful in its simplicity. It makes perfect sense too that our movements and voice magnify the quality we allow in our body, and this is broadcast for all. We are human being radio!

58. What a description – the group and workshop sound heavenly.

59. If we are in harmony with ourselves we are in harmony with others, very true Johanna, and there is such a depth and power to us and when we come together it’s magic, we really can move mountains when we work together in the truth of who we are.

60. Years ago I went to an evening of singing with Chris James in London, and what struck me was although we did not know each other, within a very short time everyone sounded as though they had sung together for years. It was an amazing experience to feel so connected to myself and everyone else in the room.

61. I have been delaying in sharing myself in the area of singing and so I commit to giving myself some time each day to sing. Heaven has given us so much that and how can we hold it back for ourselves? It is the most inspiring to see that when I do not hold myself back that it is reflected back to me in the choices of others.

62. With the music we have around on the radio and anywhere we go really the focus has so much become on the words and nice catchy melodies but no one wonders what the quality of the music is and this is actually so much more important.

63. Great blog Johanna and thank you for sharing your experience. It makes me wonder why we don’t choose to be this way with each other in general life. One thing I note with group work like this is the sense of no identification as an individual but recognising and feeling the responsibility of bringing your all to the whole. I am wondering whether the feeling of this and hence the realisation that we cannot just do what we like without affecting the whole is what we avoid in general life.

64. Once you get to feel something like that, it stays with you forever. It becomes a ‘marker’ in your body of what true group can feel like. From there, it can deepen and expand as well, and even if you don’t feel it again, or group work feels tedious, the marker is still there, a deep knowing of what it truly is.

65. Could what is shared here be the missing link in our world working, not for each of us to find out for ourselves, but as a one unified group of humanity? Imagine the quality of how each of us would express if our foundation was true harmony first within and then with all others.

66. When we feel we have taken something deeper we either settle for that or we allow ourselves to go even more deeper… there is always more but once I have gone deeper a behaviour of mine can choose to sit in comfort which is nothing but delay instead of saying ‘What’s next?’

67. The power of group work is undoubtable. I too have experienced the alchemy that occurs when we sing and live in connection and harmony with one another.

68. In a world that is so far from being harmonious, it’s easy to forget that this is our innately known, natural way to be. We know it inside out. All we have to do to get back to that state of natural harmony is to pay attention to how our bodies feel, and whether what we’re saying is a true reflection of what we’re actually feeling.

69. This was really joy-full to read. When we all connect to where we come from, we can’t help but feel we are all one brining sounds of harmony with every unique expression we breath forth.

70. Group work and harmony, one doesn’t work without the other. And what’s important to note is that harmony isn’t about keeping the peace to avoid conflict, it’s about calling out what isn’t needed, and clearing any blocks that might be stunting the opportunity to go to the next level.

71. Yes, if we were able to show group work without dynamics, taking self out of the equation which is so clearly illustrated here, then that would be such a support to children and young people as part of their education. Thank heaven for Universal Medicine which means we adults also get to continue our education and re-imprint what we have experienced in group work so we can share it with others.

72. Oh yum, I can feel through your blog the power of the foundation of working in a group and taking that out to humanity, how the togetherness is such a strong connection that it reminds us we are actually never alone, we simply disconnect from the all we are from. I am coming back to this blog, it is going to be a reminder for me and part of my reminder tool kit 🙂

73. A true singing group is indeed very powerfull. With no one singing for competition with another or to sound better but to contribute a sound to the whole – wow that’s inspirational.

74. How many groups and group dynamics leave you the space to be yourself and to express freely? Universal Medicine (and of course its student body) promotes our true expression in every way.Pretty special organization!!!

    1. In a class of it’s own and yet so available for all.

75. In understanding the fact that we are expressing all the time, not just when we speak, but rather through our every movement, we realise that the quality of presence and connection the we hold is what we are magnifying. There is no doubt that when we bring this awareness when working together as a group, that the quality we are magnifying is heightened. The power of one is mighty, however the power of many united is far mightier.

76. Thank you Johanna for sharing your amazing experience with opening up to your voice through true group work. I have experienced these courses and they are extremely powerful as not only the voices harmonise but our whole bodies come into harmony with each other, it is indeed heavenly to feel the power of true Brotherhood through singing.

77. Sounds amazing, pun intended! – hahaha – but seriously you have reminded me of the joy that come from singing with others. As a group we are far more powerful than as individuals so it’s no wonder the world is set up to keep us separate from ourselves and each other. Imagine if we came together in all areas of life in the way that your group came together to sing, now that would be something, big industry and greed wouldn’t stand a chance against that type of power.

78. “I discovered that my presence and my way of being is the expression that my body and my voice magnifies” – this really stood out for me and made me realise how there is something else already going on before an issue manifests itself, and how often what is most obvious is only an outer manifestation and trying to fix that symptom would not change anything really.

79. The key then, to true group work, is our willingness to be open and transparent with each other, and let go of that which has been in the way of this – and appreciate in full, every step taken in this regard, for it can surely be felt in our sound. Our sound being merely representational of the quality of our being, movements and relationship with the All in our everyday lives.
    Such amazing potential awaits those willing to go there, doesn’t it…

    1. Every time I see you Victoria my body sings and I am not even someone who usually sings. Such is the power of love and transparency you emanate and inspire amongst those around you – it only takes one to ignite the world!

80. Totally beautiful to re-visit this blog a few years down the track Johanna – and feel the power of what was shared in voices united on that day in Perth!
    It continues to blow me away, in my work with people and voices, that we are far more capable of experiencing such unification and the power of it in a group, than we would usually give ourselves credit for.
    Love everything that you’ve shared here, thank-you.

    1. I find the same Victoria. Working with people and their voices and sound and song is an amazingly powerful way to unite everyone, and it happens instantly. The harmony of not just the sounds but the coming together of all for the one purpose is always stunning. How amazing would it be if we were able to do this with our speaking voices as well.

81. I have experienced one of these workshops too Johanna and recall feeling very similarly to you. To create sound with no expectation of it other than it comes from the stillness within, was a very beautiful experience and quite exquisite to hear as a group. To translate this into talking or discussion is a lot harder I suspect, but certainly gives a marker for what true harmony within a group feels like.

    1. When sound comes from energetic harmony and true stillness then it has the potential to inspire more of the same but when it comes from fragmentation and discord then all it can do is promote separation.

82. ‘And I ask, if that is possible, then what else is?’ – anything is possible and everything is possible. The true harmony of holding each other equally in love and living this in our everyday interaction no matter what those interactions may be or how society judges the contribution of these interactions will change the world as we have known it into ‘True Brotherhood’ in action.

83. Working together in harmony is truly awesome. In times of disasters this is powerfully demonstrated. How bad has it got to get before we stop fighting each other and instead come together to work and live as the one humanity we are?

84. I have never enjoyed singing but singing with Chris James has opened up something in me. I can feel this is an expression I have shut down and when I do allow myself to sing I feel a joy and a power within me. This is a huge support in recognising that I have a lot to say and offer.

85. What I love about group work is that it unites all our strengths together in a complementary way so our collective effect is so much more productive and supportive than if we only work alone.

86. So true Johanna, the power of working together is far greater than when we try to work as solitary or separate units. The key is however inherent in what you’ve shared, as it is the harmonious quality in working together that brings the true power to it. If that is not there, then the group work lacks the ability to bring power to whatever it is the group is attempting to work towards.

87. We underestimate how powerful we are together when we’re all aligned despite the fact that we witness the power and devastation caused by group work that is based on corruption and disharmony daily around the world. We forget that there is true power in harmony and that it’s an illusion that the ‘evil’ power at play is mightier.

88. Beautifully expressed Johanna. We get taught that singing and expressing is about being the best and if you’re not that then don’t bother, nobody wants to hear you. You remind me that humanity desperately needs each and every one of our voices.

89. I experienced a beautiful meeting of women yesterday where the power of group work was also palpable. We had met at The Spherical Living Clinic in London where Sara Williams was hosting a Well-Being for Women monthly Sunday meeting. The chairs were not placed in rows, as in the last meeting, but around the sides of the room which created an almost elliptical shape. This meant we could almost all see each other and rather than this being an uncomfortable situation, because of the relationships with ourselves and others we had been developing over the past few years, there was a feeling of openness and equality. We were invited to say something whenever we felt to and to come in to the open space created by the group. Whenever anyone spoke there was a real acceptance from the rest of the group and everyone felt supported and confirmed in their sharing. This was an empowering exercise for those who were speaking and also those listening. It was clearing and healing. We all felt that. We made a deeper connection not only with each other but with the truth that was being shared.

90. When we work together and feel the harmony amongst us, it is possible that we are also able to achieve the difficult with the greatest of ease, as there is a tremendous amount of power in group work as everyone works together, and there is no individuality.

91. I love these words you share with us Johanna, “When we are in harmony with ourselves we can naturally be in harmony with others, this supports us all”.

92. I have also done some group voice work. When I began I could feel my need to stand out, receive recognition for my voice, getting the notes I say right, sounding good, not singing out if I didn’t get the right note. After a while this changed as I let go of what I thought should happen and I just enjoyed singing in a group, the harmony that we sang was exquisite. There was no effort or trying is just happened. Even though we all had our own unique sound, the beauty of us all singing as one was simply gorgeous. You can’t help but ponder on how this is a reflection for how we can be in life and that we can choose a more harmonious way to be together.

93. The power of an individual connected to their heart and not run by individualised thoughts is huge. A group of such people working as one can move mountains.

    1. So very true Golnaz… and perhaps even build a pyramid, or two 😉 The key is in the quality the group holds in it’s intention to be acting as a group. If the purpose is truly for the evolution of humanity, then mountains can be moved absolutely.

94. When we commit to our true expression and feel and understand others, their expressions too, also if they are unloving, we can walk in more awareness and observation, and even then we will be masters of working together. Working together is not an ideal, it is with all the learnings that we go through in life a way of appreciating the whole and the fact that we can only truly move forward if we work together.

95. True group work is the absence of individualism and self, and recognition.

96. When we work together in harmony magic happens.

97. Wow. This is such an inspiring display of how we are by default to be together in harmony, co-existing, co-working, even without intending it so, just by simply allowing our each expression to be in full. So beautiful.

98. I used to want to do everything on my own. It was quite an exhausting way to live and I placed a lot of pressure on myself. These days I prefer to do things with others as part of a team. Not only is it way more fun, we all contribute our part and the whole that is made up is incredible. No one person could do that on their own.

    1. Great sharing Nikki. This has been true for me also. When I work with others I am able to access far more wisdom than I can access on my own. The I appreciate myself the more I open up to others and appreciate what they have to offer.

99. This is a beautiful reminder Johanna of the power of group work, experiencing this level of harmony and brotherhood is truly amazing.

100. When a group work together in harmony, the pressure/anxousness lifts off, the flow and beauty sink in and the stillness prevails.

101. Thank you Johanna for a great sharing of your experience of the beautiful harmony of group work singing. I have attended both Victoria’s and Chris James’ workshops and it was amazing how quickly we were able to open up to each other and feel our voices coming together in song from our bodies.

102. This is such a powerful presentation Johanna, as it highlights the power of us all when we work together in harmony, surrendered to being guided by our love within through our bodies. If such harmony can come so instantly and magnificently in a singing workshop imagine how our world would be if we chose to live this way every day, open to allowing our love be our guide through all we do. It is clear and we have witnessed this throughout the ages, that we are mighty beyond measure when we are unified by love in Brotherhood.

103. I’ve experienced being in a singing group with Chris James on numerous occasions where within the first hour, the group is singing or toning in absolute harmony. It is astounding to feel. Strangers with no training and just simple instructions from Chris, connecting with themselves and making sound. If this is possible in singing then surely it is possible in other expressions.

104. If only we were taught this in our early years – how amazing and powerful would we all be!

     1. Yet we do know it in our early years Tamara, it’s more that we have enjoined or looked up to the adults around us and how they work or not work together and put our true way of working together to the side. Really we are coming back around to what we’ve always known when we work as a group.

        1. The Education system also teaches us to compete together instead of working as one.

105. It feels like we’ve slipped as a humanity in regards to what music is supposed to be, a unifier and supporting us to return to who we are. These days music feels more like the opposite, something we use to distract ourselves from feeling who we are within. So what you share is great since it’s reminding us of the true purpose of music but also why we have music, and what the whole purpose of us being here is, which is working together as a one humanity.

106. I love the realisation that every part of us is expressing all of the time. It is so very contrary to the limiting perceptions of expression and communication we are taught. There is no time when we are not expressing – even when we are not saying what we feel, that is saying something. And so we have a responsibility for our expression all day long and to embrace this and to work with it can be so very liberating. What is more, that sense of feeling and reconnecting to what is innate in us and then expressing it outwards is very beautiful and carries a depth of harmony beyond our common understanding.

107. I get the sense that true group work can come in many forms, and each time it does, there is something there for each person involved to experience and to learn from. So this means that we who are reading this blog do not have join a singing group or an expression workshop to find the truth in groups, but simply to live and allow the power of group work to be a part of our everyday lives.

108. These lines say so much Johanna, “I realised that every part of me is communicating and expressing all of the time: and another person receives this communication from my body before I even speak. “So true that we are ever communicating before any words are spoken, and we can all feel the quality of this communication. This awareness asks a deeper responsibility of us, and how we move through life.

109. Thank you Johanna for sharing the harmony found in true group work, I too have experienced the powerful effect that harmony through sound workshops can bring. So playful so joyful and healing all rolled into one.

110. Johanna, I have felt this harmony in my workplace when we work closely together as team – there is a deep appreciation and respect for what each of us bring. When there is some disharmony it is felt by everyone and we try and nominate this quite quickly. When I think about it there are many opportunities in my week to do group work – often as individual human beings we don’t always appreciate how powerful group work is.

111. This is exquisite to read Johanna, the power of group work, working in harmony is the most amazing experience. If you are able to experience joy and harmony in your group singing, then it would definitely be possible to experience this same quality in other types of group work as long as everyone are equally open to it, working together without comparison, judgment or need for recognition. The quality of work will be out of this world.

112. “I discovered that my presence and my way of being is the expression that my body and my voice magnifies.”

     I have experienced this also and I was cringing while I read this of the idea of singing, but mainly cringing at being aware of the magnification of my quality.
     But I know this to be a lie as I have been more than happy to allow unloving choices to snowball and magnify loads of times if not still allowing such now. So this has got me wondering what if I appreicated rather than avoided how my glory can and does magnify? Thank You Johanna.

113. “I realised that every part of me is communicating and expressing all of the time: and another person receives this communication from my body before I even speak.” So true Johanna. We pick up so many clues about someone before they even open their mouth to speak. Body language, posture, and even our emotional state can be read by others before a word is spoken.

114. This is exquisite, to experience the power of group work, working together in harmony is absolutely amazing. I agree, if we all worked together in harmony, fully supporting each other, imagine what we will emanate, produce and share? Pure joy, making work, life and everything else like living heaven on earth.

115. Dear Johanna,
     Your article highlights the power of connecting to our bodies before we speak or move, this connection naturally expands and we connect with others in the group, super charging what is sung, or expressed. Recently I watched a group of people perform a harmony, and whilst their technique and sound was superb, there was a lack of connection between them. It left me wondering about the true potential that is possible with connection.

116. When we hear one bird singing to welcome the new day it is beautiful and when all the others join in the full dawn chorus it is uplifting as each has their own expression and together it is Divine music. It is the same when we sing and work in harmonious group work together, we offer something special for all to hear and be inspired by.

117. A beautiful experience shared Johanna! I can imagine some of the gorgeous sounds your voice made together in harmony and shared with humanity, I agree what a huge difference it would make if we all did this in our everyday lives!

118. It is beautiful to experience the true power and harmony of what is possible when people get themselves out of the way and come together in this way. We may be great alone but together we are extraordinary.

119. The power of group work is indeed far greater than the sum of it’s parts. The evolution possible when there is harmony within a group is out of this world. Literally.

120. The quality of expression vocally is a reflection of the quality of connection with our body. So true Marika, I can hear the difference in my voice which is so much richer when I am present in my body!

121. ‘ At the workshop I discovered that my presence and my way of being is the expression that my body and my voice magnifies’, yes presence is key, it is so worth to have ‘ check-in’ moments with ourselves throughout the day, checking are we in our body or in our head, for there is a world of difference!

122. I wonder what would be possible in this world if we all worked together… I reckon it would be speculator, nothing would be impossible.

123. When we work in harmony together as a group there is the powerful potential for working in harmony with other groups, and other groups, and other groups to restore Brotherhood to Earth.

124. It is beautiful to be reminded of this, and feel the power of group work, when we are in harmony, we can move big things. As a group we can have an enormous impact, much more powerfull than the sum of its parts.

125. ‘Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that such an amazing sound could come from me, but now I know that it is there…’ I have found this in group work too,especially in the workshops of Chris James. It’s as f the group work supports, invisibly holds us to reach our potential and if we are willing this is exactly what happens and we find ourselves much greater and beautiful in our expression than we had imagined possible.

126. “At the workshop I discovered that my presence and my way of being is the expression that my body and my voice magnifies.” This is an incredible discovery. Humanity was lifted on this day.

127. Johanna, I have experienced the power of group work and it is so powerful. It is sad that sometimes we let our need for individual recognition get in the way. Thank you for reminding me about what is possible when we work together in true harmony.

128. ‘When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.’ The absolute power and beauty of group work and thank you so much for sharing your experience of this awesome workshop which sounds so divine.

129. ‘On that day we felt the power of true group work – a group of people working together in perfect harmony – and the power of this’.- Johanna your experience has been an example of what you have stated in this comment. If living and being in Humanity was just like your experience of this group, which would be amazing. It shows that it is up to each person to make the choices that are open to be true to who they really are and all they bring to life and then join with others knowing that everyone is equal and have the same light. This blog is a reflection of what is possible.

130. There is something magical about a group working together with no dynamics and a united purpose, when I have felt this I absolutely know it’s possible to change the world.

     1. Yes, so true Meg. I usually groan when I hear the words ‘group work’. In my past experience it has brought out the egos and tensions as often there has been one or two people who want to dominate the group, some sit back and say and do nothing, while often a small handful do the actual work involved. Since attending Universal Medicine I have found that it is possible for groups to work in harmony and achieve their purpose with a minimum of fuss. This has helped me enormously when I have then had to work in groups in other situations and I know that I can be a stabilising force when I stay steady and connected within myself.

        1. That’s amazing that you recognise you can be a stabiliser within a group, I find that I learn so much about myself when I work with other people, my strengths and my weaknesses are super highlighted, as well as many things I need to work on, that are simply not so obvious when I am working on my own.

131. Thank you Johanna for a beautiful blog, showing that it all starts with our own relationship with ourselves first, this then, reflects to others. “When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.”

132. “When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.” When we are working in harmony together, there is no judgment, no competition, we are all working together for the same purpose.

133. It is amazing that the sound we make when we are in harmony with ourselves is so beautiful. It is well said that if we are not in harmony with ourselves we cannot be in harmony with others. I have experienced this in so many committees and why aren’t we taught this? It feels so logical and would save so much time.

134. This is very inspiring Johanna. I imagine the world would be a completely different place if we worked together in this way. I can also see that we can bring the power of group work to all of our interactions with others by choosing it for ourselves no matter what the circumstances.

135. “When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.” This should be the basis of everything we do. To work together in harmony is a true way of living, it is brotherhood and our true way forward.

136. Beautiful sharing Johanna – “When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.” When we have an experience like this of true brotherhood it can be overwhelming because we know we can all live it when we choose to – the world will be changed by this.

137. I have found voice workshops to be a marker for me, to take it out into life “When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.” I have felt harmony in the singing group and so this has enabled me to live it out in my life. Amazing how powerful it can be to sing within a group, we can become aware we all have something to unique to share that makes the whole, the different tones and expressions complement and support one another. No one aspect is more important and yet they are all important in their own expression.

138. Thank you Johanna! We are not designed to live or work on our own. We have so much to bring to each other to support, and in that also support so many others. It is easy to get caught up in our own little cocoons – as this is largely how we are brought up. True community engagement and loving support of all, coming from our own basis of self-love is so important. It is what our societies, and the world’s systems at large need.

139. Group work is the key to brotherhood and it is through brotherhood that we return to Heaven.

140. This sounds so beautiful Johanna. There is so much joy in singing with others. It has been my experience that there is a lot of comparison when it comes to singing….Am I good at it? You are so much better than me. I can’t get up and sing in front of people because I am not good enough. These things take away the joy that can be there. And what you describe is so much more.

141. ‘I discovered that my presence and my way of being is the expression that my body and my voice magnifies.’ I have found that this is the key – thank you Serge Benhayon for offering such profound awareness.

142. When working in a group we get to appreciate all that another brings as we feel to truly open up to another. The beginnings of brotherhood.

143. Thanks, Johanna, for this reminder that ‘my presence and my way of being is the expression that my body and my voice magnifies’. Note to self to check what is the quality of that way of being I am in fact magnifying.

144. “When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.”
     So beautiful what you experienced Johanna- the power of your own voice and the true power of group work. Who would have thought you could experience this from singing oohs and Ahhs.

145. Johanna this is a beautiful sharing and a awesome reminder of the power of true group work. There are many pearls of wisdom to reflect upon here, this is one that stood out for me – ‘I realised that every part of me is communicating and expressing all of the time: and another person receives this communication from my body before I even speak.’

     1. It’s easy to forget sometimes how much our body actually communicates before we even open our mouth. For me this is a reminder to not hold back my expression about how I live, as my body is already showing it. If my vocal expression does not match the level that is lived in my body, this is surely going to affect my body, and this is not ok.

146. ‘I really felt the difference in my communication when I am connected to my stillness, and my body, and when I am not.’ – this is a powerful point Johanna. As the quality of our presence does indeed effect the quality of our communication and what we are choosing to share with the world. And the quality of the way we live and the choices we make is reflected through the quality of our presence. As when we choose to live in harmony with our stillness, we are choosing to be in harmony with All. It is very natural for us to be in this way together. When we choose to honor this we can re-build trust and support and inspire each other to deepen our connection to Soul, together, so then we can then naturally express this power of oneness to the world.

147. Johanna thank you for this great post. I too have participated in Victoria Carter’s powerfully healing workshops and have felt the harmony and unity possible when we let our guards down, allow ourselves to be vulnerable and express from our hearts. “This was awesome because the sound that we made was far greater than the sum of each one of our individual sounds put together.” This is the true power of true group work .

148. Johanna you beautifully demonstrate the power of group work and love ‘When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.’

149. What an awesome example of true group work. Individual voices coming together as one. Thanks Johanna for sharing this joyful experience.

150. A group is the collective choice of every-one. When every-one respects his expression and does not hold back, the harmony of one builds into the harmony of the group. Singing in a group is a majestic experience of harmony before, after and throughout all the way, a harmony which is reflected by what we choose to live personally. There is no perfection sought in groups, but the choice of even one within the group to not hold back, the whole group feels the pull to be lifted, and the subsequent choices of every-one in response then determines the form of how the group has chosen.

151. Absolutely wonderful Johanna, thank you for sharing and thank you for bringing it to life for me. I have experienced something similar with Serge’s work and can give 100%feedback that his work is deeply life changing.

152. “When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.” This is the key – being ourselves and as much as we can bring harmony to ourselves and from there we come together and when we have purpose we can do so much. But quite often in group work, we bring only half of ourselves and are not really sure why we are there so that’s why it often ends in tears and usually left with 2-3 people holding it all together. Your blog Johanna shows that there is another way possible.

     1. ‘quite often in group work, we bring only half of ourselves and are not really sure why we are there so that’s why it often ends in tears and usually left with 2-3 people holding it all together’ This is a good point sarahflenley If we do not commit in full and bring all of ourselves to the table nothing can truly work likewise having a shared purpose is paramount in group work. It keeps everything whole and together and stops fragmentation, complication and chaos bringing harmony and order and the power that Johanna Fredericks speaks of here.

153. “When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.” This is just so true Johanna, but also as you have shared, the power when in a group is just so magnificent. It can be super challenging, but also super amazing. Either way, providing an amazing opportunity to learn about ourselves.

     1. Yes on that about learning about ourselves and to open up for people too. It is admitting that all those times of hidden miseries and individualities we actually still come back to: brotherhood, and that we can not do it without to come back to our full strenght and power. To me this is an innate truth now, and again confirmed by your blog and experience, which is again – talking about us all.

     2. Well said Raegan, group work can be super challenging and super amazing but also a very supportive way to go deeper in our understanding of ourselves.

154. I joined the choir in school but couldn’t sing the way they wanted me to so was kicked out!! Ouch and from then on I thought I had a terrible voice and never sang not even in the shower which is crazy because it’s smokin hot and super sweet!!

155. The group work you participated in feels like true brotherhood Johanna, and I have also felt the beauty and love when participating in group work when doing Universal Medicine events

156. “When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.” I recently spent a week-end with Chris James, his UK band and another 20-30 participants expressing and singing and working in groups. The harmony that we experienced with each other in activity and in singing was beautiful- we were able to let go of old patterns and ways of behaving as we saw them arise or reconnected with them in our bodies and consciousness. The way we held each other in love and grace for this to unfold was inspirational. I feel I have a new marker in me now and am finding my relating changing as a consequence.

     1. ‘The way we held each other in love and grace for this to unfold was inspirational.’ Beautifully expressed Elaine and thank you for sharing.

157. This is a truly lovely sharing Johanna. I can relate to a few Group Sessions I attended with Victoria Carter, and the amazing sounds that we all made together was so unexpectedly beautiful and Powerful.

158. In true group work it is not about each person any longer but what we can bring all together, Then what we bring as each person, as we do all bring something unique, just gets magnified and more powerful. I am learning that what I bring within a group, is equally important as what others bring. We are all needed, no one is better or less.

     1. Beautifully expressed Mariette, thank you.

159. The true harmony of group work is simple heaven to my ears, body and soul. Thank you for this joyful blog Johanna.

160. I have just attended a Healing Power of Sound workshop with Chris James and discovered the fun and strength in group work as in a very short time a fairly large group wrote the lyrics and tunes for songs with everyone contributing and sharing and the process of the evolving short songs brought us all together.

161. Groupwork does greatly improve the power we have, it is that what is making it possible to do great things.

162. Workshops like this presented by Victoria Carter and Chris James are so liberating. It takes so much effort and strain to hold back expressing what we feel inside. At these workshops I love to watch people’s faces and bodies relax and feel the lightness and playfulness return as we are given permission to be and express ourselves. It’s like we become kids again. Our bodies become more expressive, more fluid and free moving and without the individual walls we create from holding back, we all feel so easily connected to one another. This brings the ease and joy back to group work.

163. Beautiful sharing, yes indeed there is much power in supporting one another in group work. We are amazing as individuals however when we come together, truly extraordinary things can occur.

164. “The sound that we made was far greater than the sum of each one of our individual sounds put together.” What a beautiful way to experience the power of humanity Johanna. We can evolve and unfold so much faster when we work together. There is real need to bring this awareness to the world especially in our society where individuality is king.

165. Wow! To the power of harmony and working together- (who would have thought – it is all about brotherhood?!) that experience sounds awesome! Thank you for sharing that it begins with harmony within ourselves.

166. When we experience what true group is we re-connect to true brotherhood which is our natural impulse and expression. When it is felt, it feels like we have ‘come home’ because it is our most natural expression – when we are not living in this way, we can feel deep sadness. What your article exquisitely shares, is that in order to feel working in harmony with humanity we first have to work in harmony and in connection with ourselves. Beautiful.

167. Group work in this manner is the harmonising of our different forms of expression and what this brings to humanity is much larger than the sum of it parts. Imagine if the human race worked this way together as one big family – truly mind boggling!

168. I can really feel the power of group work as well and live this every day in my work. It is so fantastic to feel that all the group is committed to having harmony in the group and when we are not this we all feel it. Thank you, Johanna.

169. Johanna, you have taken your expression to another level. Expression takes so many forms of which I am becoming more aware of every day. Any holding back in one area affects all other areas. It feel like from your blog that in order to connect and bring more to humanity through expression – group work in whatever form it takes is the way to go, but firstly we need to re-claim ‘Expression’ in all forms for ourselves. Your joy and expansion can be clearly felt. Thank you for sharing.

170. oooooooooooh – what a contrast there is between the ideal we have of being an individual ‘star’ and this singing in togetherness you describe Johanna. Beautiful too that you show here we are always making a choice between these two ways. Its inspiring me to choose harmony with humanity in all I do.

171. Johanna reading this again it is great to feel what working as a group can bring. Certainly there is a call for us to build harmony with others. I love what group work can show us when there is no sense of competition or comparison- just true expression.

172. Isn’t it ridiculous how hard we often try to achieve something and how much we accept to practice for it just to hit the perfect note at the perfect time or do the right and perfect dance move? And yet from what you are sharing there is no perfection and hard and ever repeating practice necessary, all that is required is to not try to fit ourselves into something but to express from us. Simple and no exhaustion needed.

173. Wow, this was really beautiful to read. The power of people working together shown here by your harmonies, is immense… and utterly divine.

     1. I agree Samantha. The sound of people singing together in harmony feels like a divine dance within the universe. And then there is the majority of music we hear today which is what I find disturbing to hear.

174. Very powerful, what you are sharing Johanna. This feeling of brotherhood, this way of being together is truly divine. When nobody in the group is sticking out, everybody sings in tune with the others, the magic starts. Wonderful.

175. I love what your share about the power of group work in harmony. You mentioned that it is on each of us to be in harmony with ourself first. So it is in our own responsibility how group work is – amazing or not so amazing. It is good to know because with that knowing we can all start to look at ourselves first instead of blaming others.

     1. This is true for me too, Ester. As Johanna stated: the power of group work in harmony starts with the harmony within ourselves. That gives us the responsibility about our part in group work before we start blaming others or expecting others to do that for us. And the end result is magic beyond our imagination, if each of the group members chooses harmony within themselves first.

        1. I love what you share here Monika, about our own responsibility and that it is up to us how we come to a group, the way we present ourselves and how we are in a group. Being at work is also being part of a group and every morning when we go to work, it is our responsibility if we are in harmony or not.

        2. Great topic, Mariette: group work at work. I absolutely agree with you, each of us either adds or reduces to the harmony in the group at work with our own inner harmony as the start.We influence things beyond our imagination and the responsibility it brings for each thought, action and movement is big.

176. Johanna, what a perfect and joyful expression about harmony. No matter the activity, the harmony is there when we express from our natural selves working together for a unified purpose. Expressing and living all of us every day is a great beginning.

177. Thank you Johanna. This is really beautiful, and reminds me of a different kind of ‘working as a group’ that I have experienced – where everyone involved was feeling pressured, and wringing ourselves trying very hard to meet the target – and this comes with an euphoric adrenaline rush, tricking us to think that we are ‘enjoying’ the process, only to leave us with huge exhaustion. “When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all” – this makes so much more sense.

     1. I’ve experienced this too Fumiyo – the pressure and stress of having to perform and meet a set of ideals or expectations that often causes us to disregard caring for ourselves in the process – all for the sake of supposed teamwork! The results might look ok on the outside, but everyone who has worked on the product or team feels exhausted or pushed or resentful etc. I love the way that true group work is described here in that it must always start with a harmony with ourselves that then naturally supports the harmony and purpose of the group.

     2. Yes, when working together in harmony Fumiyo it feels both effortless and joyful.

178. Thankyou Johanna. “I really felt the difference in my communication when I am connected to my stillness, and my body, and when I am not.” This is so true. I love singing in a group that has this connection.

179. Beautiful Johanna, I have similar experiences when singing with Chris James and the choir. It is truly amazing when you are singing together in harmony with each other the sound is heavenly and very power-full.

180. So true Johanna, the power of working together in group echos harmony and all get to feel its resonance.

181. Very inspiring Johanna. ‘When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.’ – so true that the power of a group working together harmoniously is far greater that each one of us working individually.

182. Sometimes I find myself being fed up with group work, because I think I know how things should be done, but then it takes so much time until everybody is on board and together as equals. So I forget in the process that outcome and results comes second, first come people, quality and connection.

183. What a great blog post Johanna. The power of group work in singing together…I’m inspired by the harmony that you all felt.

184. I too have felt the power of group work through Victoria Carter’s groups and it was amazing! More recently I have been working within an editing group where we work together to group edit blogs and I have been blown away by the true power, support and love we offer in this process. I can now see that each group session shows we all have something to offer and bring and that this is the way of the future. Working together brings greater responsibility, care and appreciation of the fact that life is about connection and people.

185. It felt amazing to feel the power of your singing group working together, by first each person deeply connecting to their bodies and themselves.
     It makes so much sense, if we are not deeply connected to ourselves and therefore in harmony, how can there be any real harmony in a group?

186. I loved reading the transformation whilst oohing and ahhing from singing connected to yourself as a group, to then singing outwardly to humanity. It felt very beautiful and powerful. This reminded me of how would it be if we all expressed from who we truly are everyday, not for ourself but for humanity- how inspiring would that be!

187. This was lovely to read and I can feel your enthusiasum and how much it meant to you. It sounds Amazing, I would have loved to have been there with you; and I could feel the difference when you said you turned outwards to humanity – very powerful and healing.

188. What a super post Johanna, so much learning to take from this regarding group work, and when you all sung for humanity I could actually feel this change in your words, the joy in the true power of yourself and with others, and singing for the all. Completely beautiful.

189. Hi Johanna, I can feel the freedom in singing the oohs and aahs rather than having a certain way or pitch to sing in – very freeing indeed!

190. Reading your story Johanna I too felt the harmony and the soothing notes you all sang. A beautiful reflection that a group in harmony is amazing. It is the blessing of the accumulation of individuals in harmony. More special that what any individual can achieve by oneself.

191. I have also experienced what you describe here Johanna. I sing with a monthly group and ​as a choir​, ​ and I have been on many workshops with Chris James. It truly is amazing when we sing in harmony as a group.

192. Yes, it would be awesome to be taught the power of group work from a young age. I have 3 young children and am deeply inspired by Johanna’s blog. It was a joy to read.

193. What a great presentation of what true group work is capable of. Amplifying each other with our unique expressions as one.

194. Thank you Johanna for your blog. I doubt I will ever get into that singing stuff and have avoided it like the plague all my life, so no change there.
     I have noticed that by stopping, pausing and taking 3 long slow deep breaths in through my nose and out through my mouth, my body feels more still. When I speak after I can actually hear my voice tone is coming from the depth of my body. It really is profound and it is telling me how different I ‘sound’ when I am not speaking from my body.
     On another note – The Power of True Group work is incredible. I have had some experience of this and realise that this is when the magic starts. Things move and flow and it all happens fast. If no one is in judgement of themselves or others or comparing or wasting an ounce of their time worrying about this or that and just focusing on what the purpose is – you get true meaning and you get Unity and Equalness.

195. So beautiful to read Johanna. Your blog totally blows the idea that singing is about songs and lyrics out of the water. Singing is about expression of truth and about letting all the beauty that is inside out. Thank you for sharing.

196. Group work can be quite exposing, but when we let go of that restrictive feeling and open to just being ourselves, expressing what we truly feel, it restores trust within ourselves and others and it is very joyful. And as you express Johanna, “When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others and this supports us all”.

197. I have also done this workshop with Victoria Carter and know exactly what you mean. Complementary to what you have shared Johanna, there is a sense that comes from working in groups like this, that we are all very held and supported in our expression and even though it is actually incredibly exposing – it is beyond beautiful at the same time. Let’s just keep expressing! We can have this wonderful experience in our every day connections with people when we open our mouth to speak! Truly awesome.

198. My wife Victoria Carter always says that every person has a true voice. I have watched her over the years assist many to re-connect to this fact. Yes, she has an amazing technical understanding of how the voice works, but her greatest gift is her ability to meet people for who they are, and allow them to embrace and enjoy this simple fact. For so many of us, our voice is held back, shut down from years of not expressing the truth that we know, or it is a manufactured voice, a reflection of the persona that we feel we have to put out to the world. Yet it is amazing how healing and freeing it is once you let go of society’s impositions, and your own restrictive ideals and beliefs around singing and your own voice, and sing with the freedom of knowing that however it comes out, it is enough, because it is your natural voice.

     1. Yes Adam, I love to sing and have shut down, a decision that brings with it much sadness. I can relate to the ideals and beliefs you say here especially around what I ‘should’ sound like instead of letting go and trusting that what comes out is enough. Thank you.

     2. Yes this is her greatest gift Adam- I totally agree. It is heavenly sent.

199. That is very beautiful. Thank you Johanna. I feel a lovely warm glow within me from reading this.

200. A great confirmation Johanne that it takes all of us. Beautiful.

201. You have so beautifully captured what is possible when each person plays their role, more and more I am understanding that we are all a part of the whole and all equally important.

202. It is so freeing to be given permission to just make sounds from our body and not needing to conform or fit into anything else. It is exquisite to hear all these natural sounds come together and become one as we are naturally meant to express, just like the rays of the rainbow combining to create pure white light.

203. It would be great if we were taught in school that we are expressing all of the time and it is our way of being that speaks loud and clear.

204. “When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all” How glorious we can all be when this is made our priority in life. Thank you.

205. At a point in the future we will all come to know the feeling and power of working with brotherhood and harmony and it all being one and the same.
     Thank you Johanna for bringing the future to us now and thus give us a sense of what is coming, guaranteed.

206. Hi Johanna, yes, why don’t we work like this together? I have seen a bunch of reasons – group work that is going well is really confronting because whatever issue you have becomes visible to yourself and to the others in the group. Much better to reduce the group so we can hide.

     However, if everyone in the group decides to respond – and the word is ‘lovingly’ but also ‘gently’ and ‘firmly’- to these issues, everybody feels safe to deal with whatever is happening. As a result the work of the group gets better and better. It is quite amazing when it happens.

     1. It’s a good question Christoph . . . Can you imagine if businesses and schools etc were all operating from this knowing and way of working together, in harmony and with responsibility for our own quality that we bring to the group. It would be Amazing and so Divine.

207. Johanna, I can feel the sense of celebration behind your words as I read your blog. I agree that harmonious group work is indeed very powerful. I especially enjoyed reading about where participants faced outwards and sang to humanity. Thank you!

208. Group work is so powerful and revealing of how when we only focus on ourselves as individuals we miss the true magic of working together in harmony.

     1. True Vicky . . . and we also miss the true magic of God.

209. I love the image of a circle of people facing together singing together and then turn outwardly and singing to humanity. This feels so symbolic of how we can work together in groups, building a true expression and then sharing this with others.

210. The power of group work – this is key to changing the world.

     1. I like how you say this Lee, “The power to group work – is the key to changing the world.” This tells me that the world is not ready/willing to change, since working together is already a big challenge for many, let alone group work.

        But for us, the Students of the Livingness, who know and are willing, group work will give us this heavenly boost that will help us to do, and bring about, the grand works which we can not imagine at this moment of time.

211. Amazing how much power we have being in a group ! Thanks for sharing this and inspiring us to be open to any groupwork.

212. Johanna that is so beautiful, and a wonderful reminder of what is so easily possible when we each connect to our own essence and as a group express together for the benefit of all.

213. Wow!

214. Johanna, that was an inspiration to read, so much truth. Thank you

215. wow, this is really lovely to read Johanna, ‘Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that such an amazing sound could come from me, but now I know that it is there…’ I was told as a child that I was tone death and so I stopped singing, I didn’t want to inflict this on others, but attending a Chris James Big Sing event I also felt how naturally lovely my voice is.

216. What stood out for me was this line “This harmony resulted because we all listened to our bodies, and were in harmony with ourselves. I feel when I am connected with my body it is all there but when I am not the individualism creeps in and harmony is gone.

217. What an amazing experience of expression in group work. This gives me pause to ponder why all group work is not like this and whether it could be. Thank you for sharing this Johanna.

218. ‘My presence and way of being is the expression that my body and voice magnifies’ This line jumped out at me from your writing Johanna. Thank you for sharing how ‘when we are in harmony with ourselves, we can be in harmony with others’. So beautiful.

219. Johanna, I love the line you wrote “a heavenly ‘turbocharge’ to our voices”. this line describes for me the power group work in a few simple words. If we start to work together as a group we will connect to our heavenly origin and start to bring this haven back on earth for all of society to benefit from.

     1. Yes I love this phrase too nvanhaastrecht. I loved when I got the feeling into those words because that is exactly what it felt like.

220. It is divine to feel your own voice and sound merging in harmony with a group. It is like the sound becomes the one note, from the one soul. An ever expanding wave from the epicentre of our united hearts, resonating throughout the universe.

221. Hi Johanna, I really enjoyed your blog. Until now I hadn’t realised the voice is a magnifier of my quality of energy, thank you for sharing.

     1. Yes Melinda and if our voice is a magnifier of the quality of our energy being expressed then the way we move is also equally as expressive and powerful and this realisation has made me understand that my whole body is actually a microphone of expression.

222. That is beautiful Johanna “When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.” This makes me aware that being in harmony is not something I only do for myself, but that there is a responsibility in this that how we are has an effect on everyone.

     1. Exactly Diana. I have found that the harmony with self is the key and the responsibility of how we are with others is automatically then taken care of. Harmony produces Harmony.

223. What a beautiful experience you share with us. I am someone that sings alone which symbolises how I live that way too and don’t allow the support of others as much as I could, even if I work in groups all the time. Big revelations, thank you!

     1. Yes what a great revelation katinkadelannoy. For me your comment has taken what I was doing further for me. I looked at it more from the side of what caused me to not sing with others, then how I experienced the power of us all singing together after we each took responsibility for our own breath and way of being.
        But I can see now that the fact that I sang on my own and because of that contracted quality- that that was also a direct reflection of how I was in the world. Acting soley because of the hurts and then missing out on brotherhood.
        Thank you for your sharing.

224. Group work…so powerful.

225. Thank you Johanna for sharing your experience , we have all come from the one and been in the illusion of being separated from that one , but in truth are just waking up to the fact we are always connected and when we again align with that oneness everyone gets to see and wake up to the truth we are one.

     1. Absolutely Paul and it is so powerful- literally like a super charge.

     2. I would add to that, that we’ve also come from the illusion that we are the ‘only’ one (or at least if not the ‘only’ one, one of the ‘better’ ones), when in truth we are ‘all’ equally the ones. Feeling the unity and lack of separation between us, is for me, where the power of true group work lies.

226. Beautiful, Johanna; just beautiful!

227. Beautiful. A group of people in harmony with themselves, in harmony with each other expressing together out to humanity – what a power!

228. It is lovely when we choose to connect to the stillness within ourselves and express from there and it is super-powerful when we can work as a group with the same quality and in harmony as it brings out the best of us in a joyful way.

229. I have a whole body “wow” feeling going on after feeling you share this Johanna. There is so much power in this and it feels amazing to bring this to our everyday. Thank you.

230. Thank you Johanna for sharing your experience of group work and how valuable it is. It would be lovely if this were taught at schools and more emphasis was given in working together as a group, we would not have all the separation and divisions that we have in the world today. If the common goal is for humanity and not for ourselves and we all worked towards a harmonious way of being then we would begin to see a very different and more loving and caring world.

231. Thank you for this blog. I have also experienced the pure joy of doing group vocal work with Victoria Carter, and the feeling of singing in Heavens Choir is still with me. When there is no focus on how well (or not) we sing, we are free to just make sound that come naturally from our bodies. So lovely and so true – group work is super powerful.

232. Thank you Johanna for this very inspiring and beautiful blog. I have had issues with group work and with my voice nearly all my life. I have overcome the issue with group work through Universal medicine. Group work is – as you said – the turbocharge to everything.
     Maybe now it is time for freeing my voice ;o)

233. I too have experienced the amazingness that is Victoria Carter and working within a group playing with sound. It is as you described divine and it feels as though we are sounding with the Angels. There is so much beauty in connecting with our true voice and the group work only magnifies this as you said it reveals ‘the power of true group work – a group of people working together in perfect harmony – and the power of this.’

234. I love how you shared that when we are fully with ourselves, connected to and in our bodies we – from out bodies – will be working together harmoniously naturally. It is only when the self or the mind kicks in that we lose this innate ability and natural way of being.

235. It is a truly beautiful experience to have, working together in harmony to create harmony as one. Lovely.

236. Thank you for sharing, every word you shared reminded me of when I had also experienced this exercise. When we faced outwards it felt so heavenly, we could no longer see each other but I could feel the other ladies behind me singing from their hearts also and this surreal feeling knowing I’m not alone and we all have this quality. True brotherhood, harmony, support and absolute joy. Still to this day I feel such a strong connection to these ladies that they were there with me.

237. I find the way that I sing or talk is such a great reflection of the choices I had been making until that point. When I have been connected to my presence, my expression comes more from my whole body and the voice sounds and feels full. When I have been in my head, the voice sounds and feels thick and without its power. It’s a great way to explore how our choices affect our expression and way of being.

238. Being in harmony with ourselves first, it is only natural to be in harmony with others. We can support each other. So true, Johanna. I have experienced the same with the workshops with Chris James. We sang together and as we were all in harmony at one point I felt such a support, that I lifted, e.g. my voice jumped an octave and there I was singing at a height I never reached by myself. It even didn’t feel like I was singing, via me the group was singing. Heavenly feeling.

239. What a beautiful unfolding to the re-discovery of your true voice and the understanding that when you open your mouth to speak or sing, all that you are at that moment is expressed as well. And yes group work is truly amazing at any time, but combined with sound and singing it is magic producing. When you sing just for you it can be so beautiful, but once you make a commitment to support the others in the group the sound that is expressed is divine. There are no individuals at that moment in time, just a sense of all. Imagine bringing this into every part of our lives.

240. As I re-read this blog I wrote over a year ago I am re-inspired and can appreciate the power of group work. I love that the power of group work far surpasses the sum total of a group of individuals. . . this is magical!

     Now, as I think about teaching and working with my colleagues – how much can we actually learn and do as a group together if we each take responsibility for being in connection with ourselves.

241. Really beautiful and really simple. Love it Johanna! “I know that the sound we made was only possible because of the group working as one, in full support of each other.” I have also learned to appreciate how amazing group work as you can feel that each one brings an angle unique to the matter allowing to go deeper and deeper and deeper without the need to imposing your view of the matter. When the group is able to build upon each other sharing it’s as inspiring as awesome.

242. This blog has so much relevance to the many situations we live in when the power of a group could be embraced and produce so much more than the sum of all the individuals. It is no accident that the event being described was affiliated with Universal Medicine, which is offering people the possibility to work together without dynamics and with harmony and equality. This is to be celebrated!

243. I love this part of your blog Johanna “I discovered that my presence and my way of being is the expression that my body and my voice magnify” – wow this really calls for us to be responsible with our presence in all that we do, so that when we speak, we are bringing harmony to all.

244. Gorgeous and inspiring blog. I too have done a similar workshop with Chris James and was delighted when I listened to my body and allowed my voice to reach a beautiful high tone after always telling myself I could only sing deeply.

245. This blog begs the question why we are not all taught from young that “every part of us is communicating and expressing all of the time: and another person receives this communication from our body before we even speak”? Not only are we not taught this, but from a young age we are molded, subtly manipulated even, to only express what is deemed acceptable by the adults around us. In many situations our expression as children is disallowed rather than being encouraged. We are all familiar with the saying “children should be seen and not heard’ and it is still around today! It is very freeing when one reaches a place in life when they feel that they can express, and not only express, but feel the difference in communication when one is connected to their inner-heart and speaking or singing from that most natural place with-in.

246. Thank you Johanna, for re-reminding me of the importance of being in harmony with ourselves, and how powerful this is, within group work.

247. Singing is a great example of this…”When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.”

248. Beautiful Johanna I love your comment at the end, when you say if this is possible what else is there we can achieve as a group? The joy of your finding and giving yourself permission to sing again is awesome and then experiencing the power of the group singing is immense. As you say, what else can we achieve when we connect to ourselves and work in harmony? What other obstacles can we overcome when we make connection and love our common foundation?

249. Oooo Johanna this blog shows us the power of group work and I repeat your question why are we not taught this from an early age? It would be so beautiful if young children who actually know this were allowed to feel it and what wisdom they would bring into adulthood. The joy and harmony of working with others.

250. It’s crazy the things we let get in the way of working harmoniously in a group; comparison, competition and jealousy are killers, but when we let go of these the results are truly wonderful.

     1. I agree Fiona so often when you mention the words group work it conjures up images of conflict and compromise and raises many a moan and a groan and complaints and reluctance. But what if true group work was actually very supportive and essential to our self-development? That we could possibly discover and realise things in groups that we would take lifetimes to discover on our own?

251. I love this sharing of what expression can do – from building it as an individual, to feeling its true power as a group.
     Certainly there is a call for us to build harmony with others.
     I love what group work can show us when there is no sense of competition or comparison – just true expression.

252. There is certainly great power when we take part in true group work, I have limited my experience of this, but when it has occurred the results have always been incredible. So much more seems possible, true harmonious group work is surely the future we want.

253. A great sharing.

254. Johanna, what you share is truly beautiful, I especially love how you express this ‘When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.’ – this is gold, so each and every one of us expressing in harmony, allows a rhythm and harmony with others, and we all then are part of a whole with no one part greater or lesser. This is very powerful, can you imagine all of us living and being in the world like this, my heart sings as I feel what you’ve shared and what is possible for us all. Thank you for allowing me to feel this experience with you, and in you being there and doing this, you allow me and others to do it also.

255. That sounds like a great workshop, thanks for sharing your experience Johanna. It is amazing how much we communicate all the time before even speaking.

256. “when we are in harmony with ourselves we can naturally be in harmony with others, and this supports us all.” Absolutely. And of course it’s never too late to begin our part in working like this in life nor to share ourselves in this way with young people. I am beginning to truly appreciate “expression is everything” and the responsibility this brings. I’m also feeling the joy and celebration in your writing thank you Johanna.

257. Johanna reading this again it is great to feel what working as a group can bring. What you’ve shared is so different from the many groups in the workplace, where people are mistrusting and out for what they can get for themselves, not asking what can we do if we truly work together. Great to reflect on.

258. Hi Johanna, ‘When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.’ – Thank you for this reminder.

259. Thank you Johanna for sharing your experience – it is so powerful when we work together in harmony, without any competition or comparison with others.

260. What an awesome experience, thank your for sharing.

261. Awesome Johanna. I love your sharing of your expression and the experience of the power of group work and the support this offers.
     “When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others; and this supports us all.”
     A great line and most inspiring, thank you.

262. We stayed in a circle and faced out – singing to humanity …. in Harmony. Wow … powerful. Thank you for sharing.

263. I know it’s amazing and actually this brings tears to my eyes as I feel the truth of how we can connect to everyone by listening, staying connected to and responding to the rhythm of our own body. How simple is that! I used to think, and still do sometimes, that being in harmony was to walk the same steps as another or that you have to do the same thing at the same time as another, but life is showing me time and time again that that is not true harmony at all, but what you speak of certainly is.

264. Wow, reading your words, I can feel the amazing strength of the group, and how awesome that experience must have been, thank you for sharing!

265. I can feel the power and glory in this blog! Thank you, Johanna

266. How glorious! Thank you Johanna for this joy.

267. ‘When we are in harmony with ourselves, we can naturally be in harmony with others;and this supports us all.’ Hear Hear, simple and true. Just beauty-full Johanna.

268. Thank you for sharing – what really stood out for me today was “I discovered that my presence and my way of being is the expression that my body and my voice magnifies” a great point to reflect on. Very inspiring.

269. Beautiful.

270. This is perhaps one of the most amazing things I have ever read. Thank you so much.

271. I love how you write about how the group work became turbo charged when you sang to humanity. I have noticed that group work has such power when we can get past ourselves and work as a group – we can build harmony in all our actions in this way. Ariana, UK.

272. Beautiful playful example of the importance of being in harmony within ourselves, so that our expression is naturally harmonious to all – and then to express in full. Every bit we contribute matters – without our part the full harmony will not happen.

273. Sounds like an amazing experience. Thank you for sharing.

274. Yum, yum, yum… How absolutely exquisite Johanna. Thank you so much for sharing your experience of true group work. Very inspiring! Oooooohhhhhh, ahhhhhhh, ooooooo… 😉

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