Artist: Elsa Ayllon Vega Szeinfeld

Original recording date: circa 1981

This was a homemade recording that my Mom (Mama Elsita) made with her mom (Mama Polita) in 1981. It was an artistic production of Ecuadorian folkloric and indigenous music, that was performed in Arlington, Virginia November 19, 1981. They, along with other performers, wore Indigenous traditional dress. My mother and grandmother recited the introduction of the production in Spanish and Quechua (an indigenous language).

This is the English translation of what my Mother is saying: Here we are, amidst the landscape of our land, to offer you some modest melodies of our people, with rhythms and folkloric motifs from our Ecuador. Let us transport ourselves to Incan times, when the sun shone brilliantly in the clear and healthy minds of ingenious warriors. The Indigenous person, an expression of naturalness and simplicity, of native essence, as old as the people themselves. Everything that emerged from the land came to be called folklore.

The English explanation of what my Grandmother is saying in Quechua: She is welcoming the audience and letting them know that they will be performing indigenous music as an offering for the audience.

The song you will hear in this clip is called “Atahualpa”, composed by Carlos Bonilla Chávez in the 1940s. It is a song type called "Yumbo". The song blends traditional Andean music elements with contemporary sounds. It showcases intricate melodies and rhythms characteristic of Latin American music.

The song is about the last Inca emperor in the 1500s in Ecuador. In the 16th Century, the Incan Empire stretched from modern-day Colombia to Chile. Soon after that, as we know, European Colonization was forced, and it led to the collapse of the Incan Empire.

I am very proud of my mother, and her pride of the indigenous in Ecuador, which leads to my own pride about my heritage.

My mother would have celebrated her 97th birthday this past weekend.
From “Las Mañanitas” lyrics:

El día en que tú naciste

Nacieron todas las flores

En la pila del bautismo

Cantaron los ruiseñores

The song was written by Alfonso Esparza Oteo and has been performed by many great Mexican artists, including Vicente Fernandez.

Feliz cumpleaños, Mama Elsita 🎉🥳

Cover image: Mama Polita, Young Brigitta, and Mama Elsita before a park performance.

UNO Souls is a wellbeing organization that centers and nurtures each person so they may blossom into their fuller self. ✨

Artist: Elsa Ayllon Vega Szeinfeld

Original Recording Date: circa 1969

On this day (March 4), the 21st anniversary of my mother's transition, I would like to give her a tribute. Elsa Maria Policarpa Ayllon Vega Szeinfeld was a gifted musician from Ecuador. Sadly, there are no professional recordings of my mom performing. Thankfully, there are at least home recordings of her performing on either the piano, the guitar, or the accordion, along with singing. She also played the harp and the organ. She composed her own music and lyrics. She was a poet, a writer, and an artist. I will be highlighting her recordings here on UNO Camino Musical - through UNO Souls.

This piece is called La Malagueña Salerosa. This song is about a woman from Málaga, Spain. Lawrence J.J. Leonard wrote this in his blog: This song is a well-known “Son Huasteco” song from Mexico. It is in the public domain the same way the famous song, Cielito Lindo, is and also is very well-known in the Americas. Incidentally, Elpidio Ramírez registered the lyrics in 1947. However the song was already known as a type of “Huapango” which is a type of song written “long before the construction of the Cathedral of Huejutla.” In other words, it was already a well-known ballad. So, there seems to be no real claim to the song for Ramirez.

One thing that I know for sure, is that music is the universal language of love. Music is a connector, especially now. The post prompt is "What's on your mind?" Well, a lot... but at this present moment I am feeling joy because I found the memory drive with my mom's musical recordings.

🎼 Although the recordings are not high quality, I am grateful to have them. I will post her recordings on UNO Camino Musical - through @unosouls

UNO Souls is a wellbeing organization that centers and nurtures each person so they may blossom into their fuller self. ✨

Join us for a fascinating podcast chat with the authors of 'Discovering the Spiritual Wisdom of Trees' Beth Norcross and Leah Rampy.

We'll explore the profound connection between trees and spirituality. Tune in and celebrate the wisdom of trees!

Available here: https://a.co/d/aJ9TP12

UNO Souls is a wellbeing organization that centers and nurtures each person so they may blossom into their fuller self. ✨

I am honored to be chatting today with Mary Davis – Mary is an UNO Soul.

Mary Davis is a spiritual teacher and author of the books, Every Day Spirit: A Daybook of Wisdom, Joy and Peace, and the Every Day Spirit Gratitude Journal. She shares daily inspiration from her books with her social media followers as well as practices that unveil moments of spirituality in our daily lives. Mary is trained as a nurse and volunteers as a bereavement counselor for parents who have lost children and in hospice care. She has a house by the sea and lives a quiet life in harmony with nature. Learn more at: www.everydayspirit.net

Listen to Mary speak about where she got her inspiration for writing her books. Hear her beautiful words about the importance of nature and awe and inspiration.

Words of Wisdom from Mary: “Our thoughts matter. Our love matters. And we really can make a difference in the world.”

Thank you for chatting with me, Mary! We are grateful for you!

UNO Souls are beacons of light in our community that can be guides for loving each other, uniting, living in peace. I honor the light in all of you 🙏💕 .

UNO Souls is a wellbeing organization that centers and nurtures each person so they may blossom into their fuller self. ✨

I am honored to be chatting today with Leah Rampy – Leah is an UNO Soul.

Leah has a new book coming out called “Earth & Soul: Reconnecting amid Climate Chaos.”

After giving numerous presentations on the dangers of impending climate change, Leah became convinced that something was missing from the conversations. With experience as a teacher, professor, corporate and nonprofit executive, and leadership consultant, she began a decades-long journey to understand what lies beneath our unwillingness to change our interactions with the natural world. Her growing commitment to reweaving soul and Earth has been informed by leading over a dozen pilgrimages and many more retreats, extensive reading and research, her contemplative practice, and the wisdom of the living world. Leah lives in a cohousing community in Shepherdstown, WV, with her husband David. They have two adult children.

✍️ Listen to Leah speak about why she decided to write Earth and Soul (4:00)
🧑‍🏫 Leah talks about the audience for her book (7:20)
⚡️ Hear Leah talk about the urgency of us doing something about climate change (9:00)
💡 Leah explains that her book addresses that climate change is here – so now what? (10:45)
👂 Leah mentions the terms that climate scientists are using to describe the situation at this time (12:45)
🌎 Leah speaks about the deep spiritual connections to the world around us – being at risk (14:00)
🫶 Hear Leah speak about the tangible things that we can do to help right now (16:00)
🧘 And most importantly – hear Leah speak about the spiritual journey that has to accompany the tangible things that need to be done (Soul Journey) (16:50)
✨ Leah says to follow the lead of kids’ “awe and wonder” to guide us in this soul journey (18:00)
💆 Hear Leah explains how to take care of ourselves – especially when we feel more fragile as we are on this soul journey – and we open to moments of loss and grief, as well as the joy (22:30)
🪴 How do we connect to the living world? Leah explains that it will not be through language – but rather through our senses (25:00)
📝 Hear Leah speak about her writing project (27:30)
🌱 Find out how Leah nurtures her soul (31:00)

Checkout Leah’s website, LeahRampy.com, where you can preorder the book and link to her through her newsletters and social media.

Thank you for chatting with me Leah, we are grateful for you!

✨ UNO Souls are beacons of light in our community that can be guides for how to navigate life's moments of change. I would love to chat with you – please reach out! I honor the light in all of you. 🙏🏽💕

✨ Find us on YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook at @UNOsouls! You can also visit us at unosouls.com. #UNOSouls Chat #podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Pandora and more!

#meditation #health #soul #nature #change #wellbeing

UNO Souls is a wellbeing organization that centers and nurtures each person so they may blossom into their fuller self. ✨

I am honored to be chatting today with Maria Rodriguez for Hispanic Heritage Month – Maria is an UNO Soul.

Maria is the President and CEO of Vanguard Communications, a PR agency she cofounded with a business partner when she was 27 years old. Their mission is to advance social change and champion causes to help protect the health and well-being of our planet and its people. She has been honing her skills at social marketing, media relations, multicultural/multiethnic outreach and event production for more than 30 years. She is the daughter of Spanish immigrants. And I am proud to call her my friend.

🌱 Listen to Maria speak about her story and her family’s immigrant story (2:05)
👩‍💼 Hear about how Maria started her business – Vanguard Communications (5:20)
🧑‍🎓 Hear about Maria’s innovative paid internship program called “Comunicadores for the Future” at George Washington University (9:30)
💗 Listen to how Maria and I met through our love for giving back to the community (13:20)
🤝 Maria and I are board members of the Girl Scouts of the Nations Capital – hear our Girl Scout stories when we were young (16:00)
🚀 Hear Maria talk about how she made the mission of Vanguard Communications very mission-oriented. The foundation that she set in place is to help improve people’s lives, communities, and the world (22:10)
🪴 Hear about how Maria nourishes her soul (30:00)

Words of Wisdom from Maria: Live Your Life Today and Everyday

Thank you for chatting with me Maria! We are grateful for you!

✨ UNO Souls are beacons of light in our community that can be guides for how to cope through this collective moment of change. I would love to chat with you – please reach out! I honor the light in all of you. 🙏🏽💕

✨ Find us on YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook at @UNOsouls! You can also visit us at unosouls.com. #UNOSouls Chat #podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Pandora and more!

#meditation #health #communicating #social #change #wellbeing

UNO Souls is a wellbeing organization that centers and nurtures each person so they may blossom into their fuller self. ✨

Breathing exercises are amazing, because what we know for sure is that we are in touch with our breath at any moment. And also deep breaths can help minimize anxiety, stress and all kinds of emotions.

Today we're going to practice Bumble Bee breathing, also known as Humming Breath. This breath will relax you if you've been feeling angry or if you have a headache.

I invite you to make yourself comfortable by sitting or laying down. Close your eyes. If you're comfortable with that, we'll start with just a deep releasing breath in - and a deep breath out. Every deep breath helps you to relax more.

We're going to start with taking three belly breaths or diaphragmatic breaths, breathing in. Breathing out. Two more times now we’ll breathe in through our nose and breathe out with a hum. The louder you hum, the more you will relax. Let's take three bumble bee breaths together. Breathe in through the nose and breathe out – hmmmmmm.

Breathe in - and breathe out. Hmmmmmm. Breathe in - and breathe out. Hmmmmm.

You might have felt vibrations in your face. This breath calms our body and our mind.

You can practice this breath two times a day if you'd like.

Thank you for spending a few moments of your day with me. Please let me know what you think of this breathing exercise.

I honor the light in you. ✨

UNO Souls is a wellbeing organization that centers and nurtures each person so they may blossom into their fuller self. ✨

This breathing exercise is powerful — what we know for sure is that our breath is available to us at any moment. Taking deep breaths can help minimize our anxiety, stress, anger, sadness — supporting all types of emotions.

Today we're going to practice alternate nostril breathing. This breathing technique can have wonderful health benefits, and it can really help if you're feeling overwhelmed. I invite you to sit on a chair or lay down on the floor. You want to be comfortable. Close your eyes if you're comfortable with that.

We'll start with just a deep, relaxing breath in and a deep breath out. Every deep breath helps you to relax more. Using your right thumb, close your right nostril while inhaling through the left. Now exhale by covering your left nostril with your ring finger and breathe out through your right.

Inhale again, but through the right nostril. And then exhale through your left. That is one cycle. Repeat this three more times. Now just release the hand. Take a few breaths here in stillness. Feel the effects. You can practice this breath two times a day if you feel you need it to bring down anxiety. Thank you for spending a few moments of your day with me.

Please let us know what you think of this breathing exercise. I honor the light in you. ✨

UNO Souls is a wellbeing organization that centers and nurtures each person so they may blossom into their fuller self. ✨