Sing Your Heart Open! with Elizabeth Lavenue
Elizabeth Lavenue Vocal Studio & Ministry
Hello and welcome to my first newsletter! After 25 years of teaching (and learning), the time has arrived. As a voice teacher and minister, my passion is to awaken Spirit in each heart with love, compassion, and humor. My hope is that this newsletter can deliver a tiny piece of that to you and help us stay connected.

In these days of stepping into the unknown, singing and gathering online can continue to uplift us.
I'm excited to announce that I'll be providing the following offerings via Zoom:

  • Vocal technique for all levels of singers, all musical styles
  • LGBTQ+ singers
  • Vocal rehabilitation for professional speakers/actors
  • Vocal health
  • Sacred song gatherings
  • Sound healing/meditation
  • Full ministerial services, including weddings, memorials, life transition support and spiritual guidance
"I am the very model of effective
social distancing"
Music by Gilbert and Sullivan
Lyrics by Eliza Rubenstein

In this newsletter, you'll also find:


“Elizabeth guided me with kindness and support into unfolding parts of myself that I had unknowingly kept locked in my tight muscles in my throat. She is not only a teacher; she is a gifted healer for anyone who wants to discover their personal power through the power of their voice.”

Carla Nomaiia, Nomaiia Yoga Therapist
Mother's Day Digital CD & songs for 50% off
Songs for My Mother is a collection of spiritual and gospel music chosen by my mother, Nancy Lower, and recorded in 2013. My mother died on May 14th, 2019, yet continues to be one of the biggest inspirations in my life. To read more about her amazing life, please visit my Blog.

This music comes from the Christian tradition, and resonates with the universal feeling that lives at the center of each spiritual tradition: love. The message of hope and remembrance of the Divine can uplift each of us during these times of uncertainty and restlessness, opening us to gratitude for the many blessings in our lives.

To purchase, visit my website to buy via PayPal ($10.00). I will send you an email with the MP3s.
"We are so damn glad we picked Elizabeth to officiate our wedding! Elizabeth handled our questions and sometimes disagreements, with patience and humor. She had my back during the ceremony, and I felt it. It made it so I could relax and enjoy each moment. I have heard over and over how different our wedding was and how people felt like they were brought together as a community. Elizabeth made that happen. Wow, we are so very grateful!"

June S. McCandless, bride
Distance Weddings Available
As an ordained minister, I'm performing "socially distant" weddings here in our backyard or another outdoor location that is safe for all involved. The ceremony is still warm and welcoming, even 6 feet apart, and I'm careful to use separate pens for the signing.

Please visit my website for detailed information and a contact page. To read more about how and why I became a minister, check out my blog. New blog entries are in the making, so please check back often. I would love to hear from you, so please share your comments and reflections on the blog, or you can email me.

Sacred Song Circle on Tuesday May 12th, 7 to 8pm ( via Zoom)

All are welcome for an hour of sharing sacred songs together. Y ou don't have to be a singer to join us. Le ad a song that is deep in your heart (all traditions/musical genres are welcome) or just join in the singing and connections with others. On Zoom, we won't be able to hear the other singers (only the one leading will be unmuted, due to the feedback), but we can definitely feel the energy each of us brings to the circle. If you want to teach us a song, please send me the lyrics in advance here and I will have them up on the screen. Feel free to share this with your friends!
Become the Sky from Rum i

I fell in love with Rumi when I returned from my first trip to India in 1989. This poem has stayed with me all these years. Timeless as ever, this poem resonates clearly with our current challenges:

Inside this new love, die.
Your way begins on the other side.
Become the sky.
Take an axe to the prison wall.
Escape.
Walk out like someone suddenly born into color.
Do it now.
You’re covered with a thick cloud.
Slide out the side.
Die, and be quiet.
Quietness is the surest sign that you’ve died.
Your old life was a frantic running from silence.
The speechless full moon comes out now.
~ Rumi
What books are you reading these days, to uplift and inspire?

I've been a part of a meditation practice/study group, diving deeply into Joel Morwood's book
The Way of Selflessness (which I highly recommend for all seekers). I've found this book is best experienced (both in reading and in practice) with a supportive friend or group to move through the clear and comprehensive guidance about finding the Truth within. The book is available for purchase

Kimberly and Jim Carson have written a wonderful book, Relax into Yoga for Chronic Pain, to guide those dealing with chronic pain through simple yogic teachings and postures, with deep wisdom and insight. You can buy it from them directly.