If you go to any musicians’ or singers’ LinkedIn threads, or community singers’ forums, you will always find when there is a discussion about what singers take to keep going, the mention of a ubiquitous throat lozenge, Fisherman’s Friends. Strange little flat oval tablets that are so strong they singe the hair off your nostrils when you breathe out and cauterise your throat so that you can carry on singing.
I was addicted to these, famously so, to the point where students and participants at my expression courses and retreats would find bigger and bigger boxes of these potent little things to give me. I used to suck them all the time. In fact, if I didn’t have them, I would feel quite a bit of mental discomfort, feel that my throat would clog up and get a bit raspy. I would have to clear my throat a lot, and generally singing wasn’t as enjoyable. In fact, when it comes down to it, I really felt that I needed these things to keep singing.
Then about 14 years ago, a very good friend gave me what I thought was some very strange advice… and that was just to try giving up gluten and dairy in my diet. Well, the first thing that happened was that I gained at least another half an octave of vocal range. Of course there was a bit of ‘letting go’ that had to happen as I had some smaller addictions (not as bad as the Fisherman’s Friends) like French baguettes, butter, and Brie cheese… preferably all together, in equal quantities.
Along the way, lots of other lifestyle choices opened up to me that I also had never considered – like not drinking alcohol any more, or smoking anything. This was all a very natural evolution. I started to feel more balanced and natural and found my own rhythmical way of living that actually supported my body and my music.
Along the way, I also took off 45kg of weight. I can barely lift 20kg nowadays – just imagine having a 45kg sack strapped to your back and carrying that on stage every time you had to sing and perform. So you could say that I have chosen to let go of a lot of stuff, so to speak, and the effect has been quite extraordinary. I am 64 now and I was singing at a festival recently, and really, really enjoying the feeling and sound of my voice. It felt effortless, unlimited; it felt like it could reach any note wherever I wanted to go, almost angelic in its quality, but with a strength and clarity. I was deeply appreciative of how it felt, and the journey that had got me there.
And guess what? I also realised that I had kicked the habit of Fisherman’s Friends, and that the best friend for my voice was simply me being truly me.
By Chris James, Singer/Musician/Voice teacher, McLeans Ridges, NSW, Australia
Further Reading:
How I Lost Weight: Sustaining a Weight Loss of 12 Stone & Counting…
The 6 best ways to lose weight authentically (hint: it doesn’t involve fad diets or gym memberships)
Addicted? Who? Me?
530 Comments
Amazing Chris! This is a beautiful example of what self-love and committing to being who you are led to deep healing. You are an inspiration for us all and your ability to give up your addiction sounds like it was effortless due to your commitment to love.
Its often those first steps that are the hardest when attempting to give something up. But once we start to feel the effects of a certain food or drink on our body, it becomes very simple to cut it out of the diet, as the body is very quick to send a message about how the discomfort it feels.
And Chris your playfulness has become even more play full, no one can deny the joy in your eyes and face. It is simply the truth of living the real you they/we get.
Oh I love that Chris, I remember trying one once and yes, it singed my nostril hairs and I never went back – to consider this was all part and parcel of being able to sing better – it just goes to show what lengths we will go to for what we want.
Chris you are a stunning example of what it is to sing with connection and the fact that the greater the connection to our essence, our Soul the greater the power and grace is so effortlessly and naturally expressed through our voice.
One loving step leads to another and then another, until all that is not loving falls naturally away, leaving us with the love and truth of who we really are.
Very beautiful Jill and nothing beats feeling and living all of who we are. The more we embrace the love we are, the more we have to share with the world. It is our responsibility to live love not only for ourselves but for the rest of humanity as well because everything we choose impacts on the rest of the universe.
Our voice box either amplifies ‘all that we are’, or it ‘amplifies all that we are not’, depending on the choice of energy we are aligned to: Soul or spirit. The former, being our true self, is a silky expression that falls out of us with no effort. The latter is a strain to maintain.
“I was deeply appreciative of how it felt, and the journey that had got me there.” – I think this is really important, allowing ourselves to value and appreciate when something feels truly good, like we’re genuinely being ourselves and expressing that and appreciating how we got there, and by appreciating it can help to make it a new standard in our way of living…
I realise many people would not understand what it means to be themselves, and honestly we shouldn’t until we can feel that in our bodies, and with the supportive and clear environment we can absolutely feel much more.
What a great reflection you are to others Chris, when we see someone living so simply and so naturally healthy – one can not help but be inspired.
Chris this is testament to the fact that we can take one small step towards true love and our whole world changes.
Shows that the truest, best and most effective weight loss method is simply choosing to be responsible for the way we choose to live