12 x 12 = 144 = 9

1.

howthesunrose : When are You-Jason your most authentic self???

Today in Yoga, Tricia led me thru a series of challenging balancing poses.

Tree to Dancing Tree. Half moon. Warrior Three with Airplane Arms. Reverse Half moon. Chaka Khan. Rinse and Repeat. I try my damndest to move through the flow without collapsing or dropping a leg, yet the pain in my ass sends thoughts to my brain with flashbacks of Susan Powter. Stop the Insanity! Muscles spaaazz and quiiiiver. Breathing becomes a moan and I throw it at my fearless leader, Love Flourishing Tricia who is balancing with ease, swimming in her own inner-bliss while still managing to lead my legs to oblivion. “Why is she doing this to me?” I question my skill level and whether or not she really knows me. What is her reasoning for choosing the poses, the order and the extended length? I begin to wonder if I really have time for class at all. My muscles gyrate more and more. The breath in my mouth is now visible frothy foam. For a few seconds I even hate Yoga. But therein this communication lie the yoga, the union with Self, and I realize I’m just resisting.

In the realizing of the resistance, I get it – and I finally let go, smiling into the pain. I know exactly why she’s doing this to me. It’s Because:
A) I’m in the class.
B) She knows I’m capable of strength
C) I can stop anytime I choose - on my own volition

In Reality, SHE isn’t doing anything to me other than speaking from a few mats away, reminding me that my breathing will get me by. I continue to let it all go and allow the pain to become the teacher.

This was a huge lesson for me. There have been times when my manager has made requests for more travel, more concerts, surprising collaborations, etc that require a lot of time and energy. I’ve been crazy to think, “Why is he doing this to me? Why is he adding this stuff ? Does he not know me? Does he not like me? Is he trying to kill me or keep me from having a life?”

Now I get it. He makes those requests because:
A) I’m in the class.
B) He knows I’m capable and strong
C) I can stop anytime I choose - on my own volition

I do it to myself.

So to answer your question, I’m my most authentic self when I remember that I’m in the class, grateful to be learning something, gaining strength and compassion for my ever tightening and slightly swollen gluteus. I am my most authentic self in this now moment.

2.

tommylittlefoot : how did the SPARC theater help you with stage presence?

The Wife of Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, 1st Lady Anne Holton, recently said, “Not all kids are Jason Mraz.”

Is she saying your child’s talent probably won’t be cultivated and carried beyond into adulthood’s economic fulfillment? It makes me nervous to hear this kind of limiting and resigned dialog. I owe ALL of my stage presence and skills to the arts programs that the State of Virginia afforded me as a child. And furthermore, I owe my success to NEVER believing in statistical comments like, “Not all kids will grow up to do what they love for a living.”

I attended SPARC - The School of Performing Arts in the Richmond Community, a program that is very active in central Virginia, nurturing the fundamentals of performance art and people skills. I also participated in Chorus, Band, and Drama in the Hanover County Public School System, and attended a summer music program at the Governor’s School, funny enough. I would love to see the very same programs I benefited from flourish.

I vote for more/continued support for the arts from our State and Federal Governments. Schools have an opportunity to produce any kind of result they choose. They can essentially grow any kind of human they so desire. We should celebrate and encourage the expressive side of learning and living by having Art as a feature in the curriculum, not just as an exploratory.

I think humans are natural born creative artists. Every decision we make in life is a creative choice. All we do is Create! Yet it seems our system educates us away from our passions. Is it too bold to think that school may be killing creativity?

Check out this inspiring Ted-Talk by Sir Ken Robinson. I had the pleasure of chatting with this chap in Vancouver at last month’s World Peace Summit. In this talk he gives a wonderful 20 on this topic. You may want to share this with your family, teachers, school board, etc. And perhaps fwd it to the Governor’s Wife.


3.

diieannuhh : who do you think would win in a fight- a taco or a grilled cheese?

Gooey grill cheese got nothing on taco. Los Tacos son asombrosos.

4.

songgock: What significance does the number "12" have to you?

I never thought of this before today. But 12 does kind of play a recurring role in my life. I always elect to put 12 songs on a studio album. This is the 12th post of 12 questions game, which, incidentally was intended for post yesterday, October 12th. My Saturn is presently in the 12th house. I got braces put on when I was 12. And there are 12 letters in the name “Holmes The Cat.”

In numerology, you can add the two numbers together to create a single digit “birth number.” Here’s what it says about threes. Consider now that my albums are threes (because of the 12 song track listing).

Number Three – courtesy of CaféAstrology.com

Number Three is a sociable, friendly, and outgoing vibration. Kind, positive, and optimistic, Three's enjoy life and have a good sense of humor. Ruled by Jupiter.

Keywords: jovial, friendly, positive, adventurous, self-expressive. If expressed negatively: extravagant, scattered, superficial.

As lovers: Number Threes are fun, energetic, and willing to experiment. These lovers need space and contact with others in order to feel content. If they feel confined, they will be unhappy and restless. Allowed the freedom to socialize and scatter their energies, they are exciting and happy lovers.

5.

iheartjasonmraz: How many hats do you have now, have you added hats from fans to your collection?

In my personal collection I have only 5 or 6 varieties of the same hat from past touring seasons as well as a few flexfit lids from LifeRollsOn.Org.

And then there’s the hundred plus hats sent to me this past year from random clothing companies and many that were tossed onstage as gifts from generous audiences.

I’ve decided I’m going to autograph the excess hats and get them onto the cold heads of Chemo patients, young and old. My Rad Aunt Sharon is currently being treated for Lung Cancer and has inspired me to share my hats with those in need of snazzy headwear.



6.

vaqkiddo: what is your stand on legalizing marijuana?

Marijuana is already one of the largest cash crops in the United States – I would love to see Farmers thrive and not be jailed.

It would be beneficial for the whole to not spend millions each year incarcerating and rehabilitating growers and users. I think it would actually stimulate the economy to have another taxable good on the market, much like tobacco and alcohol are taxable.

Marijuana is an awesome herbal remedy for most ailments and should be taken very seriously. Its recreational purposes should not be abused and those committed should clear the space for it, just as you would if you were going to have a 5-hour massage or take LSD. In every case, I think it needs to have an intention for use; a time and place, for spiritual and healing purposes.

In my opinion, marijuana is NOT a gateway drug. Most people experience this euphoria through alcohol first.

One in 25 deaths around the world is caused by alcohol consumption, and booze is now as damaging to global health as tobacco was a decade ago, according to a new study in the British medical journal the Lancet. – June 29th, TIME.com

7.

rosequartz21 What are you grateful for today?

I woke up this morning and this was the first text on my phone: “Hey Dood. Thank you again. Your fans are the best. They are a good crowd to play to as an opener. You are a great and generous headliner. You rule. Can’t wait to play/write with you again.” – Brett Dennen.

THANK YOU BRETT DENNEN.

I am grateful for that acknowledgment. Brett is someone I look up to. His music, his being, his actions - all good – every bit of it true. It was my pleasure to share this past weekend with him and his righteous music as we welcomed almost 50,000 people over the course of 3 days. If you haven’t checked out Brett Dennen, do so now.

www.brettdennen.net

8.

paw00paw: if you could break a record which would it be?

Free diving. At most I can hold my breath for maybe a minute and that’s if I’m okay with panic’s underwater disco. The current record for holding one’s breath underwater is 11 minutes and 35 seconds. That’s nutty.

9.

brandibomb: what is your favorite thing about Oceanside?

This.

10.

zainybrain: What would you say is your greatest flaw?

This is a tricky question, because I don’t want to create for myself that something is wrong or out of whack. I love whole Me as I am. But there are many people I admire for their wit and comedy and quickness to make light of a situation. Sometimes I find that I am very “matter-of-fact.” This makes it difficult to act or pretend I am someone else, which would be fun from time to time. I guess my flaw is that sometimes I can be too self-aware.

11.

J. Thomas Mraz: What is all this?

I’m not attempting to change the world in one blog or with one song. I’m just trying to keep the conversation moving along. My voice is just a small contribution to the big ongoing conversation that helped man live past his 40s. It’s the same conversation that overcame apartheid and is the same conversation that is establishing equality for all. It’ll be this conversation that will eventually lead to marriage equality and the end of all wars. I trust it is this kind of open dialogue that will bring a few more people up in the world with love and happiness as something they use in life to the point that they can pass it along to their kids. This is age old vernacular and its all been said before by many a hippy and scholar alike. I’m just one man’s view of life. And I enjoy my freedom and realizations in the telling of it. This is the era of the seeker; those redesigning their lives for sustainability and those redefining the God Myth for the one love and fair treatment of all of Earth’s inhabitants. I think this is an important time to be alive and I am grateful to be in action. You reading this means you are in action too. Welcome to our renaissance.

12.

nadiette: Besides your music, what do wish to be remembered for?

I hope the Eulogy goes:

He lived poetically,
He loved romantically,
He laughed authentically,
And he cried unapologetically.