Suzy Mclaren leads a study of voice, prayer and meditation at the Nelson Healing Center in Sturgeon Bay
Suzy McLaren is a classical singer, a professor of Voice Science and a member of the Voice Foundation at the Julliard School of Music. In mid-August she comes to Door County from her home in Sedona, Arizona to facilitate a 3-day exploration of the Divine Feminine as expressed in poetry, music and through its heritage in western spiritual practice.
Throughout decades of teaching and consultation McClaren also focuses on healing through the use of sound. She previously worked in conjunction with otolaryngologists in the Minneapolis area to solve functional voice disorders in patients. She continues to trace the heritage of the spiritual power of voice through an exploration of the roots of chanting and prayer as expressed in musical forms like the Gregorian Chant.
Her upcoming workshop will include a portion devoted to understanding the beneficial use of chants. She will assist students in learning to hear and express the Cantus, the song of the soul, a melody which resonates uniquely within each of us. Cantus is Latin for ‘singing’ and represents the earliest form of polyphonic musical composition. The Cantus Firmus, typically exemplified in the Gregorian chant, was organized, codified, and notated mainly in the 10th to 13th centuries, with many of the melodies going back several centuries earlier to a synthesis of Roman and Gallican chant. She will explain and demonstrate how we have used music since time began for much more than entertainment.
“Light and wisdom meet and are mirrored in each of us in our illumined selves,” says McLaren, “Feeling and sound reflect this illumination.”
McLaren will also explore a study of the chakras, the energy centers of the self in sound. Students will learn about the power of sound as a means to healing and completeness.
Dr. Melissa Nelson and Suzy McLaren invite you to, “Gain a greater understanding and then experience the power of the body’s energy from within and outside the body as it is affected by hearing, making and sharing sacred sound.”
The Workshop begins on Friday, August 13 with an introduction from 7 – 9 pm. On Saturday it will take place from 9 am ‘til Noon with a lunch break until 1:30 pm and then runs until 5 pm. Sunday will close with prayer and meditation from 10 am until Noon. The cost to attend is $50. Reservations can be made by calling the clinic at 920.818.0045.
The Nelson Healing Center is located at 44 S. 2nd Avenue in Sturgeon Bay. You can find out about other services, classes and learning opportunities online at www.NelsonHealingCenter.com.
