I heard, Sunday June 23, 2013, that our beloved Nelson Mandela was in critical condition, and my heart ached. "Oh no!  I never told him," I thought.  Soon after, there were false reports of his passing.  I grieved and felt regret, "I never shared the song that he inspired within me."  When I learned he was still alive, though in critical condition, I was flooded with gratitude. I still had a chance to somehow let him know he had touched the Spirit of this Dallas born woman he'd never met.

I sent the song to his people at The Nelson Mandela Foundation and received a kind reply that they would see to it he heard the message.  I don't know if he ever heard it, but it was a lesson to me all to not procrastinate in sharing my gratitude and appreciation for those who touch my Life.

I wrote "For Nelson" around 2004 with a dream of sharing it with him personally in Gratitude for his role in my personal transformation.  

It was his sharing of Marianne Williamson's "Our Deepest Fear" quote, that became a turning point for my belief about myself and what I am here to become... the brightest Light I can possibly be... not just for myself, but for my entire human family.  And this is true for each of us.

Marianne's quote had been credited to Nelson on a printout hanging outside the door of Martin Radar, one of my acting teachers at the North Carolina School of the Arts.  It changed my Life and I gave him total credit until years later when I realize he was simply paying the message forward.

And this is what we are all here to do.  It doesn't matter from where wisdom originates nearly as much as how it lands and the impact that it makes.

So, thank you Nelson, for living so courageously, for your sacrifices for freedom, and for shining so brightly your light touched those who never even got a chance to know you. I Love you deeply and forever.

Sincerely,
Leela Vox

PS
Thank you to Kyle Whitford and Craig Benelli for the arrangement and to Laura Berman for the background vocals.

I Love you all so much!!!
xoxo

FOR NELSON
-by Leela Vox

I don’t sing for your approval
I don’t live my life for you
I don’t mean to be disrespectful
But finally I’m being true to me
And who I’m here to be

It’s funny how we shrink in corners
So that others won’t feel small
But in truth to help each other
It’s better if we stand up tall and soar
So they will know there’s more

CHORUS
Nelson, I owe it all to you
I think I heard you say
That soaring is ok
Nelson, you said to be a light
So that others might
Look and find their way

Now before my life is over
I have told the Universe
I will live the life I’m meant for
Even though I know it hurts to grow
So through the pain I’ll go

REPEAT CHORUS

BRIDGE
To the other side, perspective is a Godsend
Now I realize how beautiful it’s all been

It seems to me we have a duty
To repay the gift of life
Take it in and ask for second’s
A life half lived is such a crime so fly
The limit is the sky

CHORUS
Nelson, I owe it all to you
I think I heard you say
That soaring is ok
Nelson, you said to be a light
So that others might
Look and find their way

CHORUS 2
Nelson, say thanks to Marianne
You took it and you ran
And so did I, and so will someone else
Nelson, you paid a heavy price
For turning on the light
So I could see the answers in myself
And now I’ll give to someone else.

For Nelson

Sexy Soul Sunday is an ear-gasmic celebration of Spirit, Body, and Mind!

A shame free zone for candid conversation of Sex & Spirituality. 

A place to cultivate aliveness as we navigate thriving in wholeness as fully expressed, liberated human beings enjoying our totality of being, including sexual pleasure and Spiritual ecstasy.

This kind of programing can help heal the world.

01 Sexy Soul Sunday - Episode 1 - 9 6 14 - Bryan Reeves

I was encouraged to sing by my friend Suzanne Whang, so I did.
Thank you.  I was also encouraged to record by my friend Steve Postell, so I did.  Thank YOU for producing!

I was also inspired by Dana Cooper's lyrics and Susan Werner's delivery of them to get out of my own way, and break through an old fear of public singing and recording… so I did.  =)  Thank you both.

This song has been my anthem for self expansion and personal healing this past year in Los Angeles. I hope it inspires you as it has me, and that you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed recording.  

You can get more Dana Cooper music at:
http://www.danacoopermusic.com/store

And Susan Werner's recording, which inspired me, can be found on the Time Between Trains album at http://susanwerner.com/music/

"Standing In My Own Way"  - Leela Vox (written by Dana Cooper)

First released in 1967 by Buffalo Springfield, For What It's Worth, is still relevant in 2016. Thanks to my friend, Steve Postell, for this spontaneous jam and cover. #ConsciousCountryGirl #LeelaVox #BuffaloSpringfiels #Progress #ConsciousCountry #LA #Vote

For What It's Worth - 1967 - 2016 Cover by Leela Vox

Lyrics: 
Revolution 2.0
by Leela Vox and Steve Postell

VS 1: When I hear talk of wars to fight it's right or wrong black or white but I've been contemplating shades of gray. When I see soldiers in the streets protecting me with M-16s I ask myself how long the guns will stay. 

CHORUS: 
And it would be so easy for us all to stay asleep, 
To take things at face value; not ask what lies beneath. 
Is BLAME the only real solution? Let's accelerate our evolution. Turn an old idea into a new one. Don't you think it's time for a revolution? 

VS 2: 
Heard a man on the radio; said someone’s watching who wants to know what books I buy so they can track me down. Well I guess by now big brother knows, I bought a copy of The Emperor Wears No Clothes; let freedom ring! That's my favorite sound.

CHORUS: 
And it would be so easy for us all to stay asleep, 
To take things at face value; not ask what lies beneath. 
Is HATE the only real solution? Let's accelerate our evolution. Turn an old idea into a new one. Don't you think it's time for a revolution?

BRIDGE: All around the world hearts are breaking from the toll that hate is taking The crack in our foundation bringing us down 
Forget about borders, forget about prizes The only way that we can rise is to see each other and find some common ground

VS 3: It's hard to know what's really real when the news has an entertainment feel, and high alerts mean higher ratings too. We all have an inner war it's a battle we just can't ignore, America the world is watching you.

CHORUS: 
And it would be so easy for us all to stay asleep, 
To take things at face value; not ask what lies beneath. 
Is WAR the only real solution? Let's accelerate our evolution.  Turn an old idea into a new one. Don't you think it's time for a revolution?
Don't you think it's time for a revolution.
Don’t you think we can find some resolution?