A Guide for Spiritual Living Science ofmind DIVINITY DEFINED India.Arie MAY MAY 2014 2014 VOL. VOL. 87 86 NO. NO. 5 3 Awaken to Your Pure PERFECTION 31 Daily Guides to Inspired Living
Divinity Defined India.Arie Listening to the Voice Within Kent R au t enst r aus India.Arie calls it as she sees it. We are not our brokenness. We are not our challenges. We are not the shape of our bodies or our skin or our hair. We are the soul that lives within! When we know this, we can then tap into the limitlessness of the Spirit, and we can be greatness and inspire the same in those watching us. 12 Science of Mind MAY 2014 www.scienceofmind.com
By embodying her own lyrics that she is divinity defined, this singer-songwriter and producer taps into the totality of Spirit. Known for her soulful, poetic singing and songwriting, as well as her personal integrity and authenticity, Arie inspires a global legion of fans. It has been 13 years since Arie broke onto the national music scene, and last year the 38-year-old artist released the most intimate, illuminating and personally fulfilling recording of her career, her fifth CD entitled, SongVersation. After a four-year, self-imposed hiatus from the public, Arie emerged living in a state of deep gratitude and grace from deeply applying spiritual principles and New Thought teachings, in part gleaned from visiting Agape International Spiritual Center in Culver City, Calif., and Center for Spiritual Living, Seattle. Things aren t perfect, or easy, but what I understand now is that life is not about avoiding pain; it s about going through it and continuing on Growth is what we are here for. I always wanted to meet Stevie Wonder, Arie said, and the Universe said, Yes! She not only met Wonder but wrote and recorded two Grammy-nominated songs with him. www.scienceofmind.com MAY 2014 Science of Mind 13
A Being of Light I am divinity defined I am the God on the inside I am a star, a piece of it all I am light I Am Light India.Arie Simpson 2014 finds Arie more content than ever. I love where things are on and offstage. being more me in both my life and career. God is amazing, that s all I have to say. Listening, even when it s hard Listening deeply and acting on Divine guidance are gifts that Arie received during her recent times of spiritual contemplation. For three years, she worked on an album project entitled Open Door. Then, in 2012, in a moment of blinding clarity a moment she says led to the perfect unfolding of events the recording project fell apart. I heard the words Stop Now! As painful as these words were to hear within her soul, Arie trusted the strong intuitive voice. The resilient artist gave herself just a weekend to regroup. She began creating again, collaborating with longtime writing partner Shannon Sanders, singer/songwriter David Ryan Harris and songwriter Michael Ruff. I just started making music I loved. I trusted my intuition through every line and note of every song on this album, following the flow. Profoundly spiritual lyrics poured forth, as did evocative melodies. Arie engaged spiritual artists from the United States and Turkey, blending Western and Eastern music modalities, to cocreate a unique sound. 14 Science of Mind MAY 2014 www.scienceofmind.com
Arie expected that her new album concept could take a couple of years to complete, the normal gestation period for her previous recording projects. This time, however, everything came together quite differently. The ease of the flow is always a sign that I am in the right place, doing the right thing, she said. SongVersation (Soulbird/Motown), the title of the new CD referencing a spiritual conversation, was birthed in just six months. Arie got the message loud and clear. I listened even when it was hard. And I trusted what I heard, which is always my prayer. The shaping of an artist India Arie Simpson was born in Denver, Colo., on October 3, 1975. Her first name was chosen in honor of the birthday of Indian leader Mohandas (Mahatma) K. Gandhi, which coincided with her expected arrival date. Her It s a process many of us go through: spiritual maturation, spiritual awakening; clearing out the old and starting anew. middle name, meaning lion in Hebrew, blended well with her first and last names, said her parents. At 13, her parents divorced and her mother, Joyce, moved the children to Atlanta, where Arie developed a keen interest in singing, playing guitar and songwriting. One time, she and her stepmother attended a church fellowship that showed a film of Amazon natives worshipping. A woman turned to Arie and said, They are all going to hell because they don t know Jesus. Arie was incensed. I was just 14, but I clearly thought, Why would God send them to hell when they re worshipping God as they know God? A spiritual awakening in that very moment began inside the eighth-grader. As a young adult, she had a revelation about songwriting. When I started tapping into my own sensitivity, I started to understand people better. It was a direct result of writing songs. www.scienceofmind.com MAY 2014 Science of Mind 15
During this time, Arie met community leader/activist Dr. Mildred McClain, who quickly became Arie s beloved spiritual mentor and honorary godmother. McClain sensed that music expressed Arie s true divinity. I had this sense that she was going to do something great on Earth. She was immersed in Spirit. I told India, You re going to be a superstar and will minister to people. Listen Up For excerpts from Arie s latest album, SongVersation, visit www.soulbird.com. Arie discussed the return to her spiritual roots when she appeared on Super Soul Sunday with Oprah Winfrey in January. 16 Science of Mind MAY 2014 www.scienceofmind.com
McClain s prophecy was spot on. Commercial success followed in short order, and at the age of 18, Arie signed a recording contract with iconic Motown Records, primarily because the label s president gave her advice that greatly resonated, Never compromise your artistic integrity. You cannot fly until you break the shell The next years unfolded with very high highs and very low lows. An emotionally abusive relationship and new and deeply interpersonal songs and albums followed, with Grammy Awards won. Arie had a private meeting with South African President Nelson Mandela, and received sisterhood mentoring from bestselling author Toni Morrison and U.S. Poet Laureate and Science of Mind s 2014 Spiritual Hero of the Year, Maya Angelou. Her worldwide fan base increased I talk to God as someone who deeply loves me. simultaneously with a painful lawsuit and significant health challenges, including ulcers and issues with adrenals. I had the torture of hearing the inner voice and not listening to it. Arie leaned into her music during this time, collaborating with musical giants along the way, including Stevie Wonder. Being so gifted and dedicated to the craft of music, however, brought a realization. I felt accomplished but emotionally poor in many ways. Music had become her entire life. I didn t have the energy to nurture anything else. All of these life experiences compelled Arie to take a journey to remembering to risk everything to tell the truth, to seek balance and to deepen spiritually. These days, Arie remembers to take good care of her body by prioritizing her health. She speaks up for her truth, even when it is occasionally difficult. She renews her spirit in a beautiful, sacred setting in Hawaii, and prioritizes gatherings with her family and close friends, as well as heartfelt conversations with the Infinite Creator of her being. I talk to God www.scienceofmind.com MAY 2014 Science of Mind 17
as someone who deeply loves me, Arie says. I say, Show me what to do. Her inner voice always guides her. McClain senses a spirit born anew in her godchild. When McClain became ill recently, Arie wrote for her godmother the song, I Am Light, featured on SongVersation. I was very, very sick when India sent me the recording. I started crying the toxins out of my body. This girl is phenomenal. Dr. McClain, now experiencing restored health, continues to remind India that, Spirit has your back. Powerful Intentions Arie visions these intentions for her life: To spread love, healing, peace and joy through the power of words and music; to be a living example of acceptance; honoring of cultural diversity; the interconnectedness of humankind; the elevation of consciousness of humanity; and above all else, to be an example of the truth that love wins and to do it all while being true to myself. By aligning with the Spirit within, she boldly lives her intention immersed in the Creator s perfection. God bless us all on our journey, she says. May we learn our lessons and receive all of our blessings! 18 Science of Mind MAY 2014 www.scienceofmind.com