Jessi & Yam welcome their listeners into a conversation with artist and educator Aaron Johnson about the ways intentional closeness can interrupt oppression. They discuss singing as a form of resistance, love as a disrupting force, beatboxing, anti-racist song circles and the transformative qualities of tender touch. Jessi shares a brand new song inspired by Aaron’s words and work. Aaron encourages listeners to take a risk. The podcast lives to see another day.

If you'd like to learn more about Aaron's offerings or attend one of his many workshops, check out The CUT Project, Holistic Resistance, and Grief To Action. You can also connect to Aaron on Instagram @holistic_resistance.

The lyrics for today's song teaching are :

Risk Something
(by Jessi Rado)

What is it
that I feel
that I have to lose
being here
open-hearted with you?

What is it
That I feel
That I have to give
Being here
Taking a risk with you?

If I don't risk something
Will we see what's possible, ever?
Let it mean something real
To you and I

If we would risk something
And do it gently together
What if Love could grow and fill
The spaces between us?
MmMmm

Give something
That’s worth something
To you

*This show was written by Jessi & Yam, engineered and produced by Traesti, and edited by Yam. Additional music and sound effects for today's episode were sourced for free or with permission from freesound.org, pixabay.com and premiumbeat.com.

Special thanks to Full Bloom Sanctuary for making the recording of this episode possible, to all of our listeners and patrons who so enthusiastically bolster this work, and to our top patrons Alyssa B, Amanda B, Jesse F, Dawn M, Helaina P, and Timmo for sharing in reciprocity so freely with us. Your support makes so much possible.

Join our Patreon community to attend our next online singing circle!

INSTAGRAM : @blissisordinary
PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/blissisordinary
CONTACT : blissisordinary@gmail.com

Jessi & Yam welcome their listeners into an intimate conversation about Real Love, their lasting affinity for voicemails, and the song-centered origins of their 7 year relationship. A young listener submits a song about how good it feels to be alive. Yam talks about how making music and making love are the same thing. Yam & Jessi share a song about being reminded to let go called Your Love Reminds Me. Major crush energy abounds.

The lyrics for today's song teaching are :

Your Love Reminds Me
(by Yambaby)

Your love
Reminds me
To let go of my mind
and die into my heart

Your love
Reminds me
To let go of my mind
and die into my heart

To let go of my mind and die
I'll have to die a million times
To let go of my mind and die
I'll have to die a million times more in this life

*This show was written by Jessi Rado, Engineered and Produced by Traesti, and edited by Yam. Music interludes for today's episode were provided in part by Shamsi Bluesky and LaLa Robinsong. Additional music and sound effects for today's episode were sourced for free or with permission from freesound.org, pixabay.com and premiumbeat.com.

Special thanks to all of our listeners and patrons who so enthusiastically bolster this work, and to our top patrons Elizabeth C, Sara M, Amanda B, Jesse F, Dawn M, Helaina P, and Timmo for sharing in reciprocity so freely with us! Your support makes so much possible.

INSTAGRAM : @blissisordinary
PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/blissisordinary
CONTACT : blissisordinary@gmail.com

Jessi & Yam share a special song from one one of their youngest listeners, and the two of them have a conversation with community grief tender Alexandra 'Ahlay' Blakely about whales, dreams, ancestors, and her burgeoning communal healing project, 'WAILS : Songs for Grief'. Ahlay shares several songs, including one from her upcoming album entitled ‘Apprentice’.

If you'd like to learn more about the WAILS project and other facets of Ahlay's work, you can check out her website, bandcamp, instagram, or YouTube channel.

Additional live audio clips provided by Siena Tenisci of Pacific Healing Circles.

Additional music and sound effects for today's episode were sourced for free or with permission from freesound.org, pixabay.com and premiumbeat.com.

The lyrics for today's song teaching :

Apprentice

(Pt. 1)
I trust this grief
To return me
Again
Again
Again

(Pt. 2)
This work is holy
Soul cleansing, slowly
Again
Again
Again

Special thanks to all of our listeners and patrons who so enthusiastically bolster this work, and to our top patrons Amanda B, Jesse F, Dawn M, Helaina P, and Timmo for sharing in reciprocity so freely with us! Your support makes so much possible.

INSTAGRAM : @blissisordinary
PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/blissisordinary
CONTACT : blissisordinary@gmail.com