“If someone asked me to tell them who I am, I’d give them this record,” shares Lila Blue. Throughout their fourth full-length album, Lila comes of age amidst formidable conditions, cherishing music as the ultimate conduit for doing so. Sweet Pea simmers, reveals, writhes, explodes, and revives. Spanning influences from Fiona Apple to Minnie Ripperton to Ani DiFranco, Sweet Pea is a sonic tonic as rich as the sensations of humanhood it so honestly explores. “I want for listeners…” Lila pauses, their tone compassionate and precocious, “to be exactly where they’re at. To feel exactly what they feel.” 

Nashville producer Jordan Hamlin—whose venerable credits include Lucy Wainwright, Indigo Girls, and KT Tunstall among others—produced Lila’s forthcoming album. The pair’s bond began with genre compatibility and a shared, geekish passion for Greek mythology, but evolved into something creatively profound. “Jordan has a deep reverence for what it means to hold space for another artist,” Lila shares. “She coaxed a candor out of me I’m not sure I would have otherwise accessed.”

Candor is power throughout Sweet Pea.


Sweet Pea

There Is A Drought

Take Me Down

High on A Hill

Keep Your Mind On Me

I Met The Devil

Changeling

Lovely Day

Mind Over Matter, Episode 2: Overcoming Self Doubt and Fear”

The song 'Ravens at Dawn' by NeonViperX portrays a sense of unity and strength among a group of people facing challenges together, symbolized by Vikings in battle. The lyrics use metaphors like 'blood and thunder' and 'Viking rave' to represent resilience, camaraderie, and the determination to overcome obstacles as a community.

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Ravens at Dawn

In this episode, Michael talks about Zen Case 55 from the Blue Cliff Record — “Tao Wu’s Condolence Call.” He weaves together insights from the Yoga Sutra, reflecting on fearlessness and the depth of human emotion. Michael discusses how an awakened person experiences a full spectrum of feelings without clinging to them, and how we can cultivate a balance between vibrant energy and steady calmness. Recorded at YogaSpirit in Berlin, Germany on October 20, 2016.

The Awake in the World podcast is brought to you by the generosity of our amazing Patreon supporters, making it possible for us to keep Michael's archive of teachings available to the public. To become a patron, visit: patreon.com/michaelstone.

Best of Awake in the World: I Can’t Say, I Can't Say

Awake in the World Podcast is a library of talks on a wide-range of topics, including bringing mindfulness and meditation practice into daily life; personal and community issues regarding mental health; and social change. The podcasts were recorded at live events so you might hear coughing, airplanes, cars, sirens, laughter, and peoples’ questions—all part of the intimate experience. Michael Stone (1974-2017) was a Buddhist teacher, author, and mental health advocate. His legacy is stewarded by Carina Stone. Podcast funded by Patreon (patreon.com/michaelstone).

LILA BLUE (all pronouns) is a  non-binary and queer folk musician, singer-songwriter, playwright and performer based out of New York. 

They have been performing and composing professionally since early childhood in communally devised theater with the likes of Bread and Puppet Theater and the Lake Lucille Chekhov Project, as well as developing a solo music career. Their projects navigate themes of grief, joy, being queer as the day is long, and collisions with a ghost or two. They have composed music for film and television, most notably for MTV and Lifetime.

Lila is one of the 2024 Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Award Winners from the emerging songwriters competition.

They released their fourth LP, “Sweet Pea,” on Nov. 10th, 2023, on MOXE.  It’s garnered much critical praise including Ann Powers of NPR, “they bring an incredible authority to songwriting and singing...enormous fearlessness and panache….”

They’re currently developing an original musical about the life and work of artist Hilma af Klint.

New tracks tagged #fearlessness