Innocence | The Call | Initiation
Allies | Breakthrough | Celebration
Part Two: THE CONCLUSION. This set continues with the Hero becoming more aware and looking at himself more deeply. He begins to recognize how much he was building walls around himself and starts his true ReINCARNATION. He knows that although this journey is his, he cannot complete this trek alone. He begins searching for and making Allies - starting with his Phoenix, Philyra. She becomes his guide and his strength. The music starts to build and becomes more gutsy or charged. You can almost feel the Breakthrough as the energy changes and the Hero pushes forward. He digs deep and questions what he is Missing in life. During his journey, he learns it doesn’t "seem so funny to cry" and he lets go of all that was holding him back and discovers the importance and "the meaning of goodbye." As he lets go, he realizes and reminds himself, “I have Everything I Wanted. It’s always been right here.” In almost complete and total "rapture," the Hero picks himself up as if his "feet were on fire" and "keeps movin’ on." In his new found State of Mind, he begins to celebrate. In his Celebration, you’ll hear the music shift and the feeling of hope, light and his triumph takes over. You can almost see him coming out of The Ravine with Philyra next to him, his hands in the air, tears of joy in his eyes and his heart swollen with gratitude as he summits the mountain into the sunlight. The Hero has arrived and conquered!
And so, there it is.
My story. My journey from the darkness into the light. This is the soundtrack to my personal “trek” in rediscovering myself, the music, finding my sobriety, facing my addiction and ghosts, letting go of my fears, learning to cry again and all of the in-betweens. This has been an extremely personal and incredibly emotional story for me to tell. I hope my usual struggle to express myself will be overcome in this collection of music and its story. As in every story there are always supporting characters or Allies and mine is no exception...
My husband, Darren Jones, never left my side in all of this. D, when I was completely Underwater, drowning in my darkness and "struggling to breathe" you were my life boat and my breath! You are my rock and MY hero! I am a better man because of your patience and love. Thank you for ALWAYS showing up and NEVER giving up! I love you, hubby, always and forever!
The "soundtrack" to this story wouldn’t have been possible without the help of a friend who became a mentor. Susan Morabito, I would never have been able to create this without your guidance, support and encouragement to make the leap with my music and once again become a Dreamer. Thank you for always answering my texts or making time for a phone call – no matter how ridiculous my question – and always sharing your knowledge, insight and wisdom! I am a better DJ for it! I love you!
Thank you to Bodhi Calagna and Remix Your World! Bodhi, every part of me thanks you for helping to Bring Me Back to Life! You have “remixed” my world, my life; my future! You taught me the way to The Hero’s Journey and guided me out of The Ravine. Without you, I never would have met Philyra, my Phoenix and podcast’s namesake. Thank you for helping me get back to doing what I love and teaching me to see with my heart! I love you!
To my CIJ classmates, you kept me going through all of it! I watched as you danced with me! All my love and giant hugs to each of you!
THIS SET IS DEDICATED IN LOVING MEMORY TO:
~ZSOLT SIMON-HERNANDEZ~
We recently lost Zsolt but I know he was in the studio with me when I recorded this set. Zsolt is the friend responsible for setting all of this into motion. He was the first to make me start questioning why I was no longer DJing. We were on the beach several years ago and he asked, “how can you just let it all go?” He couldn’t understand how a DJ would just “stop playing” music – for him, his passion for music was his driving force. It was such a simple thing for him to ask and yet so profound and life changing for me...
A year later, I was DJing (for the first time in almost ten years) poolside at his home, Casa Muni, in Puerto Vallarta. That party was the beginning of me coming out of “retirement.”
Today, I release R7: Philyra | ReINCARNATED Part 2 for him. I love you, Zsolt. You will forever be in the DJ booth with me. In my heart, I know you are Going Home and will be dancing your ass off when we meet, again.