Playing For Change – Connecting The World Through Music

http://playingforchange.com

 

The Playing For Change Band’s 2012 “Back to Our Roots” Tour hits the road this summer throughout Europe and Brazil. Grandpa Elliott has his passport ready and harmonicas in his pockets. One thing I know for sure is that wherever Grandpa Elliott goes, the roots follow. I’ve known Grandpa for many years and he is the King of Conviction. Whenever and wherever he performs he gives it everything he has, and brings so much soul and emotion to every note and every word. The PFC Band feeds off of his spirit, and together with the audience we create a better world, a place where we are going to make it as a human race. Sometimes the music is all we need to be set free. Grandpa may be a blind man, but he sees the light.

For example, check out this live video of  “A Change Is Gonna Come” from Folsom, CA. When I watch and listen to this performance I have no doubt that a change is coming and that with music we will all persevere.

There is so much diversity and talent in this band, and together on the stage they create music that breaks down walls and builds bridges. Don’t miss a chance to see Grandpa and the band live this summer and celebrate the “Back to Our Roots” Tour with your PFC Family!!

Playing for change is something I have been more than aware of for a long time. The feel of it captures me and anyone I show it to. The meaning is as it says “Playing for change” To try and change our world. Some of the videos are more than amazing, people from all over the globe playing instruments of all shapes and sizes and people singing from all corners of the world. All with one common goal, “Change” On here I took part in “Blogging for change” When I see something that has roots to change our world, I am “IN THERE” in a big way, same as me doing a blog here and there for http://www.masterpeace.org

Change is change, and any change moving forward is a good one. Sadly these movements never get far as people think “Waste of time” I have heard this so many times. So I ask, do we give up? So we forget our world is heading to a big white flash? Are some happy the end of days is upon us and have accepted it and say “Why bother” Well let’s put it into context. The people who rule and ruin this planet make up about 1%, the rest of us; the 99% ARE THE VOICE. In one day, we could all stand up and say “No” These are what these movements are all about, but there is so much apathy when it comes to “Change” We all want it, but not enough really want it, that badly to do something about. Hey, I used to do the same.

So playing for change, same as “Bloggers for peace” is the same thing, just different ways. Add your voice, do a blog, get in touch, you need spend no money. When I see these things the first thing I look for is “Please enter your Credit card details here” All I am doing is sharing music, beautiful music, sang by people of all races, creeds colours and cultures. The people who actually do the sound, the singing and more are from all over the planet, from the USA to South Africa, to Africa, to Russia, India, Australia, Israel, and Iran and all over Europe and South America and anywhere else you want to mention. This is a GLOBAL movement, so jump in. Here are some songs, free to listen to, that should kick start some people into wanting to spread this word. Many are quick to spread their word on this earth, maybe we all should spread other, new words?  I will let you listen and you decide.

One Love 

War/No More Trouble

What a Wonderful World

Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay

Stand by me 

Imagine 

Redemption Song

Don’t Worry

Gimme Shelter

One Love, One World, One Peace…………

Blogger for Peace.

I would like to thank fellow “Blogger for peace”  DAY ONE Barbara @ http://looneyatoms.com/ for bringing this to my attention. I seen on another bloggers page the “Bloggers for peace” badge and stole it, lol. I had NO idea there was a Blog for it here http://everydaygurus.com/2012/12/20/we-can-make-a-difference-right-here-right-now/  from everyday gurus I just thought it was a cool saying. So I am going to join this, and once a month do a blog on the Peace movement. Anyone that knows me, will have picked up, like Barbara did, I am a Blogger for Peace, so I was part of it without knowing I guess.

I would say EVERYONE has a look at this, because one blog at a time, one reply at a time, one song, one saying, just trying, we may get Peace. I won’t give up on it, and I know you won’t either. Anyone that craves War, craves it for financial gain, or is a Soldier who likes War. As a Blogger for Peace, I would say these people are the architects of War, and they must be stopped

I will add the “B4Peace” to my blog here, in a show of solidarity with others who crave peace as I do, I love it, and it speaks to me in a way of Peace

This here is in my Blog and has been since the start http://prayingforoneday.wordpress.com/about/ Under “Why I hope” it says:

We live in an world full of love, but also we are fed violence through the media. A world that is more connected through technology, but less connected than ever as people.

We don’t interact, and the world has become a corporate machine, where money  rules over the heart.

One person at a time, one blog at a time, one conversation at a time, we CAN change our world

Shaun

So all along my ideology of Peace was there, I just didn’t know it. But I will add more.

I think we live in a world where War is for profit and blood flows all over for a small percentage of people can add an extra zero to their bank balance, they make me sick. I did a blog a while back, and the theme was “We don’t want war” http://prayingforoneday.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/this-picture-speaks-1000-words-kindness-and-hate-war-all-in-one/ This picture below speaks volumes, A man from the USA and a Man from Iran, at the London Olympics sharing a Hug. We the people don’t want war, we want peace, we want to love and share and help where we can, we want to share cultures and be part of each others cultures and give a shit.

Kindness on a GLOBAL scale, we don’t see this much do we?

So I throw my hat into the “Blogger for peace” movement and if you give a shit, yes YOU, join in. I am aware any day War could be on my doorstep, and this is the ignorance sometimes, if we can’t see war, we are immune to it so we don’t give a shit. But for the people all over the world in War, at War on in Civil War, we must put ourselves in these people’s shoes to show we give a  damn about them. We must blog and the then blog some more, and then just in-case, blog again against this Global War Machine I hate with every fibre of my being. If you have morals and love and care, then take 20 minutes out of your day and join this “Bloggers for Peace” movement, the more who do it, the more may listen. Never say never. Once I  thought WWIII was a given, it was going to happen, now I am not so sure. We are close. Name a county not in, or at war or in civil war, you will be hard pushed to produce a list with any substance.

So we must all come together, the VAST MAJORITY and say, with one voice “NO” We don’t want to kill each other. And tell this 1% to take their money, run for the hills and let people who will rule FOR US not against us, and allow these people to run a world where hope can be seen, where solidarity can be felt and expressed, where we can say to a fellow human, from anywhere “Are you ok”  I am in, and I will be in harder and harder, as this is a subject close to my heart and my being, this is just my opening blog, expect harder blogs than this to come, I hope I can do “Bloggers for peace” some justice

DO IT!

Join in!

War

I often show this video, it means more now! 

After seeing all of this, take the 20 minutes, or deny ignorance! 

Why music can heal your heart

Music can heal the heart

For my 16oth blog here, I wanted to do something with meaning that we can all relate to, well for me anyway, you will have your own

♫ This blog is, well what says it is. The picture above says it all. Music is medicine for the heart. For me, it always has been. When I have been up, down, in the middle, music has took me places my mind needed to be. Making love to my partner there are songs we love, we can all relate I guess. There is a song for any and all feeling we have. There are songs from when I was a kid, some make  me feel good, some bad, they bring back differing memories each song.

One thing about music is, it heals, it helps, it comforts, it brings hearts together and it is universal in the way it speaks to us. These are a collection of songs that have special meaning to me. Feel free to tag your own video in with a reply. These songs all have a amazing and profound meaning to me, so I thought I would share with you all

Let the music send the message ♪

These songs are for you all.

Bruno Mars – Just The Way You Are

Bryan Adams – Heaven

Chris Isaak – Wicked Games

Bon Jovi – Always

R.E.M – Everybody Hurts

Take That – Rule the World [In Session — At Abbey Road]

John Lennon – Imagine 

Michael Buble – Lost

Bob Marley – Stir it up

Pink Floyd – Comfortably Numb (Live 8 concert)

Billy Joel – Innocent Man

Some will like them all, some will like none, but that is what I love about music, there are no rules. Just your own.

When we place ourself in a private bubble from life

Some place themselves in a private space

 

When it became clear to me all these years ago I had Chronic Pain and other stuff wrong with me, I did not think it would impact my life the way it has. When I was told, I was still working and still active as a football coach and manager (Soccer for anyone in the USA)

Then the pain came, and the pride took a mauling. I wasn’t the same me, I had become someone I didn’t like, I had to learn to like myself all over again, and it was the hardest thing I have done, and to some extent, still doing

I speak to many people in pain, and just by listening I am helping them, and sometimes when you really listen you can tell that the person’s life is not what it once was. There is the argument, and this, again, is where my guilt comes from, when I realise somewhere, people are worse than me, people are dying, and live in a worse place than I do. But I have to remind myself this is my life, my story I am writing about, and I do it to help both other people and myself

I am blessed with my home, my kids, my partner, and my close family who I miss terribly. I say miss terribly, because when the pain came I placed myself in an imaginary bubble, where I was safe. And this is common for people to do. I stopped visiting people and made up excuses when people wanted to visit me. This is normal behaviour, and I cry a lot knowing I want to be with loved ones more. I am missing life due to the pain, and the bubble I am in, so I must fight! I must, in my late 30’s break away from it before I am stuck for good, but I am sure too many people care for me and love me for them to allow me to do this

Somewhere in my subconscious I know I had or have to change this. I harbour ideas of getting back into Football management, and then my head drops as I know it will hurt. So I have a decision to make, do I stay in this bubble in pain, or do I get back out there and face the word, and be in a bit more pain. The answer is very easy, but doing it is not. I have tried so many times to break the bubble, close the door on the bubble, only to step back inside when my pride got dented for whatever reason.

When I see people I have not seen for say 10 years, they think I am the same Shaun, and I am, but they don’t know the pain, they don’t know how the pain hurts just me, but the people around me. My family love me and I am blessed in knowing this, just typing it brought a smile to my face. Long story, something happened today, with a family member that made me smile

So we all have a bubble, some stay in it for a short time, some longer, some never escape it.  I know many people who suffer depression do this, they have another word for it, they just “Hide away from the world” I call it “In my bubble” So when I speak to people who do likewise, we help each other.

A girl I know just helped me, a small act of individual kindness from a woman I love. What she just did made my day and put a smile on my face and I can’t thank her enough. So even today, both the girl I am speaking about and I learnt something. And that is what living is, learning to cope, and learning what is happening when you step out of the bubble, or allow someone into your bubble. The people in my house get in my bubble, not many others do. A girl I know just entered it

For anyone living in a bubble, or hiding from the world, know it does not have to be this way, you can show your face, you can go out, you are brave enough and you can do it. Why do I know this? I know this because every time I blog, or share, I open my private bubble to the planet. So anyone who does a blog and hides from the world, you are not alone to the world, you are asking strangers to enter your world.

I hope people understand what I am talking about here, for me it is very personal

More Love, less hate

Shaun

I dedicate this to a young woman I love more than she knows 🙂