VIDEOS & GUIDES

Why is it so hard for many musicians and artists to make a decent living? Fundamentally, it has to do with the conflict between the true purpose of the arts and the values of our market-based economic system. The true purpose of the arts is to provide avenues to beauty, truth, wholeness, and healing. However, the market can't put a price on any of these things, and so artists are forced to turn our art into a commodity, a stomach-turning conversion which saps our art of its aliveness and transformative potential. The answer? To align your livelihood with your deepest truths and desires, as opposed to the values of the market. This has the benefit of making your art more inspiring, which, in turn, will boost your bottom line. This video is the first in a series that will give you the philosophical and practical wherewithal to align your livelihood with your Soulforce so that you can achieve what may now seem impossible: the ability to make a profitable, satisfying living as an artist which makes you, your art, and your world more whole and alive. The "musical chairs" economics video I mention: www.youtube.com/embed/7BZ-WGnZMXM 00:00 The archetype of the starving artist - a reality, too 02:20 Pre-launch of my book coming soon! 03:15 “How is an artist to nourish himself in an age whose values are market values?” 05:00 Our economic system pits our love against our survival 05:30 Avoiding money matters is a form of separation that can block the fullest expression of your Soulforce 06:35 Defining an "aligned livelihood" 07:10 What happens when you align your livelihood with your Soulforce 08:50 Overview of the rest of my chapter (and my next few videos) on aligned livelihood 10:30 Marketing as an act of healing This video features an excerpt from Chapter 10 "Aligned Livelihood" of my upcoming book. Read the full excerpt from this video on my website: JosephArnold.com/blog Be among the first to know about my upcoming book "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Artists in Creating a More Beautiful World" by signing up for my mailing list at JosephArnold.com. Joseph Arnold Violinist, Alexander Technique Teacher, Director of the Soulforce Arts Institute

When you learn ancient shamanic powers as a modern day performer, your performances will gain incredible depth and creative power. You will be able to lead your audiences on an entrancing experience, one that mimics the healing underworld journeys of ancient shamans. Is learning shamanism only for indigenous peoples? No, because, in truth, all humans come from shamanic roots. We're all indigenous to planet earth, and so we are all hardwired to benefit from shamanic practices. In this video, you will learn the connection of modern artistic performances to shamanism, about the two initiations required to become a shaman, and will be led on a powerful guided meditation that will show you your unique shamanic powers. This video will benefit artistic performers of all kinds, including musicians, actors, dancers, circus performers, performance artists, and more. The book I reference in this video: "The Death & Resurrection Show" by Rogan P. Taylor 00:00 The benefits of learning shamanism for modern day performers 02:20 A powerful quote from a Lokota medicine man 03:10 Have you ever wondered what a performance is, exactly? 03:50 The root of showmanism is shamanism 05:00 Learning shamanism is your birthright, not cultural appropriation 06:00 The two initiations of becoming a shaman 09:40 Guided meditation into the "underworld" to discover your own shamanic powers 17:50 Healing your soul is the essence of both shamanism and deep, powerful performances Be among the first to know about my upcoming book "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Artists in Creating a More Beautiful World" by signing up for my mailing list at JosephArnold.com. Joseph Arnold Violinist, Alexander Technique Teacher, Director of the Soulforce Arts Institute

Can your dark side make you a great musician or artist? The "shadow" is the part of your psyche that you hide, repress, or deny. But far from being the "bad" part of yourself, it's actually the greatest source of creative inspiration you have as an artist. And the life force energy that results from reintegrating your shadow may be the most life-giving gift you can give your audiences. In this video, you will learn about the shadow, how it can help your art, an example from a real-life Soulforce Arts workshop I taught, and a powerful exercise you can use to reintegrate your shadow. 00:00 Integrating your shadow can make you a better artist 01:20 What is the shadow? 02:30 The benefits of healing your emotional issues by reintegrating your dark side 03:30 The gold in the dragon's lair - reconnection with the mystery of life 04:28 The benefits of shadow work for artists 07:45 Example of a student in a recent Soulforce Arts class - "Is my music too dark?" 10:30 The healing power of the blues 11:10 False cheerfulness is life-denying; to deny your pain is to deny life 15:00 The wholeness that comes from integrating your darkness might be the greatest gift you can give your audiences 15:30 Shadow work exercise Be among the first to know about my upcoming book "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Artists in Creating a More Beautiful World" by signing up for my mailing list at JosephArnold.com. Joseph Arnold Violinist, Alexander Technique Teacher, Director of the Soulforce Arts Institute

What do Spiral Dynamics stages Orange, Green, Yellow, and Turquoise look like in the arts? This video features an overview of each stage plus many examples of each stage as it shows up in the arts. Spiral Dynamics is a developmental model that describes the various stages of evolution that humans go through both individually and collectively, and which can help us understand how the growth of consciousness affects all areas of life, including the arts. Learning about how each stage shows up in the arts can help you grow and develop as a person, and then make art from that more developed place. Doing so will benefit your artistic life at all levels: how you feel, how you create, and the impact your art has on your audiences. The best starting place to gain these benefits is simply to learn about developmental models like Spiral Dynamics and begin applying them to your own life. Watch Part 1 of this series, which includes Purple, Red, and Blue, here: https://youtu.be/vbW077wDh_U The description of each stage includes the following: - Basics, including an overview of its worldview and sphere of concern, core values, motto, and percentage of world population at this stage - How a society at the stage views the arts and artists in general - A selection of specific manifestations in the arts - How the stage views mistakes and success - A list of examples 00:00 Picking up where we left off in my previous video 01:10 Orange 06:19 Green 11:11 Yellow 18:24 Turquoise 24:30 How you might feel about each stage depends on your own stage This video features an excerpt from Chapter 7 "Spiral Dynamics & the Arts" of my upcoming book. Read the full excerpt from this video on my website: JosephArnold.com/blog Be among the first to know about my upcoming book "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Artists in Creating a More Beautiful World" by signing up for my mailing list at JosephArnold.com. Joseph Arnold Violinist, Alexander Technique Teacher, Director of the Soulforce Arts Institute

What do Spiral Dynamics stages Purple, Red, and Blue look like in the arts? This video features an overview of each stage plus many examples of each stage as it shows up in the arts. Spiral Dynamics is a developmental model that describes the various stages of evolution that humans go through both individually and collectively, and which can help us understand how the growth of consciousness affects all areas of life, including the arts. Learning about how each stage shows up in the arts can help you grow and develop as a person, and then make art from that more developed place. Doing so will benefit your artistic life at all levels: how you feel, how you create, and the impact your art has on your audiences. The best starting place to gain these benefits is simply to learn about developmental models like Spiral Dynamics and begin applying them to your own life. The description of each stage includes the following: - Basics, including an overview of its worldview and sphere of concern, core values, motto, and percentage of world population at this stage - How a society at the stage views the arts and artists in general - A selection of specific manifestations in the arts - How the stage views mistakes and success - A list of examples 00:00 Overview 02:30 The arts at stage Purple 08:00 The arts at stage Red 11:50 The arts at stage Blue 16:10 The importance of integrating all the stages This video features an excerpt from Chapter 7 "Spiral Dynamics & the Arts" of my upcoming book. Read the full excerpt from this video on my website: JosephArnold.com/blog Be among the first to know about my upcoming book "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Artists in Creating a More Beautiful World" by signing up for my mailing list at JosephArnold.com. Joseph Arnold Violinist, Alexander Technique Teacher, Director of the Soulforce Arts Institute

An overview of Spiral Dynamics, explanation of common misconceptions, and how it relates to the arts. Spiral Dynamics is a developmental model that describes the various stages of evolution that humans go through both individually and collectively, and which can help us understand how the growth of consciousness affects all areas of life, including the arts. First developed by Prof. Clare Graves in the 1960’s, it shows that each stage of development is characterized by a unique worldview or values system, one that builds on—but is no longer limited to—the previous stages of development. In his own words: "Briefly, what I am proposing is that the psychology of the mature human being is an unfolding, emergent, oscillating, spiraling process marked by progressive subordination of older, lower-order behavior systems to newer, higher-order systems as man's existential problems change." — Prof. Clare Graves, developer of Spiral Dynamics In this video, you will learn what Spiral Dynamics is, answers to its most common objections and misconceptions, as well as some areas of connection with the practicalities of life as a musician or artist. It features an excerpt from Chapter 7 "Spiral Dynamics & the Arts" of my upcoming book. Read the full excerpt from this video on my website: JosephArnold.com/blog 00:00 Benefits of learning Spiral Dynamics 03:20 Quote from Prof. Clare Graves 03:55 Overview of Spiral Dynamics 07:50 Spiral Dynamics helps you understand the culture wars at a deeper level 10:26 Common misconceptions - does SD open the door to oppressive hierarchies? 15:40 Listing each stage and its basic characteristics 17:50 Why SD is essential for artists Previous videos on the meaninglessness crisis: Awakening from the Meaninglessness Crisis https://youtu.be/c6CBYMp2hz0 Is Life Meaningless? A Solution from the Arts https://youtu.be/kUMXV4SJA70 Be among the first to know about my upcoming book "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Artists in Creating a More Beautiful World" by signing up for my mailing list at JosephArnold.com. Joseph Arnold Violinist, Alexander Technique Teacher, Director of the Soulforce Arts Institute

In order to awaken from the meaninglessness crisis that pervades our society, you need to grow your consciousness. The truth is that the meaninglessness so many people feel simply comes from having too limited a perspective on life. Unfortunately, the predominant perspectives in our society are modernism and postmodernism, neither of which give us a positive direction or a meaningful life. But when you grow your consciousness, you can transcend these perspectives and embrace something more meaningful. The great news is that artists have a vital role to play in helping individuals and societies grow and heal. And the first step to embracing this role is to grow your own consciousness as much, and as quickly, as possible. Learn what the growth of consciousness actually means in this video. It features an excerpt from Chapter 7 "Spiral Dynamics & the Arts" of my upcoming book. Read the full excerpt from this video on my website: JosephArnold.com/blog Previous video on the meaninglessness crisis: https://youtu.be/kUMXV4SJA70 00:00 Quote from Ken Wilber 00:48 What's in this video 02:48 Overview of the meaninglessness crisis 04:16 Begin excerpt of my book, the key to resolving the meaninglessness crisis 05:40 When your consciousness grows, what is actually expanding is what you are conscious of 06:24 Why growth in consciousness is essential for societal healing 07:10 Example of topsoil erosion 08:45 How growth in consciousness impacts the arts and helps artists create a more beautiful world 11:25 Is growth in consciousness really enough? 14:00 Preview of next videos Be among the first to know about my upcoming book "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Artists in Creating a More Beautiful World" by signing up for my mailing list at JosephArnold.com. Joseph Arnold Violinist, Alexander Technique Teacher, Director of the Soulforce Arts Institute

Many in our society have the feeling that life is essentially random and meaningless. This can be a scary and depressing point of view, one which leads to many individual and societal problems. In large part this point of view comes from modernism and postmodernism. Modernism says that the universe is no more than a collection of lifeless atoms, bouncing around in an infinite void. Postmodernism says that meaning, truth, and purpose are only social constructs of an oppressive power hierarchy. Neither of these leave us with a positive purpose or meaning to life. What's the answer? And what can artists do to contribute to the reclaiming of purpose, truth, beauty, and meaning? Find out in this video! It features an excerpt from Chapter 7 "Spiral Dynamics & the Arts" of my upcoming book. Read the full excerpt from this video on my website: JosephArnold.com/blog 00:00 Is life meaningless? 01:30 What's in this video, and other upcoming videos, on the meaninglessness crisis and Spiral Dynamics 02:26 Begin reading my excerpt, quote from Ken Wilber 04:10 The meaninglessness crisis is a cultural fragmentation that results from the denial that truth, meaning, and purpose can, in principle, exist. 08:23 "While there is certainly a place for questioning traditions and morays, for many artists who hold such beliefs, beauty, technique, and authenticity are essentially off the table, and so all that's left to do is to ironically critique their own attempts at creation" 10:50 "And it is only art created from this more evolved way of being that can inspire our society at large to grow out of the chaos caused by our current meaninglessness crisis and into something more beautiful and life-giving." Be among the first to know about my upcoming book "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Other Artists in Creating a More Beautiful World" by signing up for my mailing list at JosephArnold.com. Joseph Arnold Violinist, Alexander Technique Teacher, Director of the Soulforce Arts Institute