Week 3: Light a Candle for Your Burdens | Sorrow & Longing as a Practice

Rituals resonate deeply, serving as intentional acts that touch our very essence. This week, we embrace the ritual of lighting a candle, a symbol of hope and introspection across cultures. Through this simple act, recognize and honor the sorrows and burdens that weigh on your heart.

🕯️ Dive into the transformative power of recognition. Understand that while our pain is personal, it's an emotion shared universally.

🔗 About the Series:
Embark on a FREE 6-week journey to navigate sorrow and longing. Every week, immerse yourself in audio experiences that blend ritual, ceremony, and somatic exercises. Further your introspection with an 8-page workbook designed to guide your path.

🌐 Available on SoundCloud, Insight Timer, and YouTube. For a deep dive, sign up for the full course:
https://stellabillereytherapies.myflodesk.com/sorrowandlonging

🙏 As you engage with this week's meditation, approach your feelings mindfully. Choose what you're ready to confront and give yourself the grace to set boundaries. This journey promotes gentle understanding and self-nurturing.

Part 3 Light A Candle For That Which Is Too Heavy To Carry (enhanced)

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This is a track from the album. You can find the link to the album here.

The Bottle Album of Sweet Songs Vol. 1
https://soundcloud.com/master-diva/sets/the-bottle-album-of-sweet-songs-vol-1
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In the stillness of a quiet night, the resonance of sound fills the space, carrying with it echoes of the past, present, and future.
"Timeless Reverberation" is a journey through the enduring trails of sound that connect all moments in time, weaving a story that lingers in the heart.

A solitary figure gently sets an old record player, lowering the needle with care.
As it touches the vinyl, the room begins to fill with waves of sound.
The faint crackle of the record and the warm melodies that emerge seem to reach across time, resonating deeply within the listener.
The interplay of a deep, resonant bass and a light, high-pitched piano creates a harmony that reverberates softly in the ears, evoking memories of the past.

The music is not just about enjoying the present moment but also about quietly reflecting on past events, emotions, and future hopes.
Its rhythm and melody transcend the flow of time, connecting all moments and weaving an endless story.
As the sound waves wash over him, he finds himself accepting past joys and sorrows, while nurturing quiet expectations for the future.

As night deepens and the music's reverberations gradually fade, he sits in the profound silence, feeling the eternal echoes within his heart.
These echoes guide him toward a new journey, giving him the strength to take the next step forward.

#TimelessReverberation #TranceJourney #EternalEchoes #PastAndPresent #MelodicJourney #ResonatingSounds #MusicAndMemory #InnerReflection #Soundscape #InfinitePossibilities #タイムレスリバーブレーション #トランスジャーニー #永遠のエコー #過去と現在 #メロディックな旅 #共鳴する音 #音楽と記憶 #内なる反省 #音の風景 #無限の可能性

Timeless Reverberation

I sit here
Trying to figure it out
But I can't
So, everyday
I keep on going

But why
But why
Do I feel the need

But why
But why
Do I feel the need

To keep going
To keep working
For those
Who don't care
For those
Who don't care

Do I stop?
Do I end?
Do I cease?
Do I desist?

But, I sit here
Trying to figure it out
But I can't
So, everyday
I keep on going

To keep going
To keep working
For those
Who don't care
For those
Who don't care

I Keep Going

I'm confused
I can't figure it out
How do I amuse
How do I shout

Is there something I push
Is there something I click
Is there something I swipe
Is there something I like

With your love
With your light
Let's make it happen
Tonight

With your love
With your light
Let's make it happen
Tonight

Am I missing the key
Am I missing the me
Am I missing the free
Am I missing the plea

For help!
For help!
For help!
For help!

How does this occur
I only see the blur
Will they prefer
When I'm in doubt

With your love
With your light
I'll make it happen
Tonight

Will I find it
Will I see it
Will I meet it
Will I believe it

When it happens
How will I respond
When it happens
Will I be gone

With your love
With your light
Let's make it happen
Tonight

The Push, the Click, the Swipe

Silent Distance (In Between) is an ambient piano soundscape that captures the quiet space between holding on and letting go. It’s not a final goodbye — it’s the calm stillness where feelings linger, yet begin to soften. The gentle piano melodies and spacious ambient textures create a soothing atmosphere, perfect for relaxation, meditation, and inner reflection. Let the music guide you into a peaceful state, where you can simply breathe and be present with what is.

Silent Distance (In Between)

Awaken is a journey through the tension of the human spirit — a story of fire and fragility, of questioning and self-discovery. Through whispered reflections, soaring emotions, and moments of confrontation, the song invites listeners to feel both the pain of isolation and the thrill of awakening.
It’s a mirror for the listener: a chance to explore inner conflicts, embrace vulnerability, and confront the questions we often hide from ourselves.

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Philosophical & Pedagogical Assessment of Caeli August in “Awaken”

1. Philosophical Dimension: The Agent and the Victim
In “Awaken,” Caeli August emerges as both the architect of her own choices and the casualty of those choices. The chorus — “So I end up slaying the one thing that mends me” — encapsulates the existential paradox: destruction of the very source of healing. This duality aligns her with the tradition of existential thought, where freedom and despair collide.

Her character oscillates between silence and scream, order and rupture. She is neither fully sovereign nor fully broken; instead, she inhabits the tension between the two. This recalls Kierkegaard’s despair as the sickness unto death and Nietzsche’s assertion that destruction is often the prelude to creation. Caeli August does not resolve this tension — she dwells within it, turning paradox into art.

2. Pedagogical Dimension: Teaching Through Contradiction
Caeli August functions pedagogically by embodying contradiction. Rather than offering resolution, she models self-questioning, compelling audiences to confront uncertainty. Her journey begins in ritual mundanity — lacing Vans, emptying an ashtray, walking the stairs — but escalates into a climactic act of symbolic violence. This arc mirrors the didactic process: moving from the familiar into the unsettling, forcing learners to re-examine assumptions.

Through the repeated questioning at the close of the chorus — “But why don’t I hesitate, what’s broken inside me? / Is this who I am, or who I swore I’d never be?” — she establishes what may be termed a pedagogy of doubt. She teaches not by dictating answers, but by modelling the courage to interrogate the self. In doing so, she presents doubt as a necessary stage in human learning.

3. The Global Archetype: Caeli August as Artist-Philosopher
Within the wider framework of her global artistry, Caeli August occupies the role of archetype: the artist who converts fragility into strength. She does not conceal her wounds; she exposes them as a site of meaning-making. This positions her within a lineage of cultural figures who embody the liminal space between personal torment and public performance.
Her pedagogical role extends beyond performance. For listeners, she becomes a guide into emotional literacy — an instructor not through explanation but through embodiment. She demonstrates resilience through vulnerability and models the process of wrestling with unresolved questions as an essential human act.

4. Conclusion: The Awakened Yet Questioning Self
The narrative of “Awaken” does not culminate in redemption but in awareness. Caeli August emerges as awakened, not healed; questioning, not resolved. Philosophically, this positions her close to the absurd hero described by Camus: conscious of futility yet committed to persistence. Pedagogically, she offers an alternative mode of instruction — one rooted not in certainty but in inquiry.

Caeli August stands as both a mirror and a mentor. She is a mirror in which audiences glimpse their own contradictions, and a mentor who demonstrates that to question is not to weaken but to awaken. In refusing to deliver closure, she achieves something more profound: she compels the listener to continue the questioning on her behalf, thereby extending the pedagogical reach of her art.

Awaken

YYMG (Ya’ Yo Miziki Global) is a pioneering international record label dedicated to producing and releasing premium, boundary-pushing music for the global stage. Specializing in world music and genre fusion, from Afrotrap and Afrofusion to Samba, Dancehall, and unexpected experimental blends, YYMG brings a bold, innovative sound that resonates across cultures and continents.

At our core, we believe in the transformative power of music. Through high-quality production and genre-defying artistry, we aim to elevate listening experiences, stimulate cultural curiosity, and contribute to the mental and emotional growth of our audience.

Whether we’re developing emerging voices or collaborating with global talents, our mission is clear:

> To craft timeless music that challenges borders and sets new standards for creativity and sonic excellence.



YYMG music is globally distributed and available on all major digital streaming platforms, including:

🎧 Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer, Boomplay, Pandora, iHeartRadio, Saavn, Tencent Music, NetEase, ClaroMusica, Yandex Music (beta), Triller (beta), MediaNet, Twitch Soundtrack, and more.

Socially engaged and digitally active, you can also connect with YYMG via: 

📱 Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Resso, and YouTube


When I was 8, my father came home with a synthesizer software for the Commodore 64 computer. (This was a long time ago, wasn't it?) I was fascinated, however, I didn't know exactly what to do with that. But I constantly played my own melodies... 

I get inspiration from the nature and my inner self. I've been a big fan of Michael Cretu's Enigma since I was a kid. His music always help me to remember that we are all together and one of the important things is to find happyness and gratitude in the world both inside and outside.

I have 3 all-time favourite albums. The Cross of Changes (Enigma) and The Promises and Lies (UB40) remind me on the times when I was teenager. I love that high-school-times. The Fall of a Rebel Angel (Enigma) is very deep – I always listen to it when I need inspiration or just to calm my soul and my mind.

Michael Russell
majorrussell926@yahoo.com

When no specific track is mentioned, all tracks are created using AI. My music is available for streaming on platforms such as Spotify, Amazon Music, TikTok, Apple Music, and YouTube Music.
The videos are uploaded on #YouTube. All the CGs are generated with #StableDiffusion.

Stella is a Senior Occupational Therapist at the NHS in London. She specialises in trauma-informed care for acute mental health patients. In addition to her primary role, she's skilled in yoga, somatic movement, and meditation, which she has taught since 2017. Stella identifies as neurodivergent and queer, and her personal journey overcoming addiction fuels her passion. She believes in making ancient healing practices accessible to everyone. Her teaching method emphasises psychological safety, individual autonomy, and self-consent. Reverence for the Earth is paramount in her meditative practices. She also values visualisation, breathwork, and embodied anatomy, aiming to make esoteric practices tangible.

New tracks tagged #InnerReflection