Meet India.Arie - Kent Rautenstraus

A Guide for Spiritual Living
MIND
Science
of
®
DIVINITY
DEFINED
India.Arie
Awaken to Your Pure
MAY2014
2014VOL.
VOL.87
86NO.
NO.53
MAY
PERFECTION
31 Inspired Living
Daily Guides to
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.”
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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.
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MAY 2014
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13
A Beofing
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
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Science of Mind
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.
MAY 2014
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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
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.”
“It’s a process many
of us go through:
spiritual maturation,
spiritual awakening;
clearing out the old
and starting anew.”
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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.
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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
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
“I talk to God
as someone who
deeply loves me.”
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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,
Powerful s
“Spirit has your back.”
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Science of Mind
Intention
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!”
MAY 2014
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