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Forgiveness frees me. Forgiveness frees you. Forgiveness clears the path. Forgiveness sees through. In one of the most profound conversations of the season, host Lisa Littlebird sits down with the Reverend Canon Mpho Tutu van Furth — Episcopal priest, artist, author, and daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu — beaming in from the Netherlands for a conversation about the most demanding and perhaps most necessary human practice: forgiveness. Mpho is the co-author (with her father, Desmond Tutu) of The Book of Forgiving, which many members of Wholehearted Chorus have been reading together in a season-long book club. This conversation is the living extension of that work — rich, personal, and beautifully honest. Together Lisa and Mpho walk the fourfold path of forgiveness: why "I'm sorry, let's move on" is not the same as repair; how skipping the step of naming the hurt leaves stones in the shoe of every relationship; the way righteous indignation becomes a fortress we hide inside; and why guilt and shame, if left unexamined, become the very thing that keeps us from facing the harm we've caused.  They explore the African concept of ubuntu, an ancient African philosophy meaning "humanity" or "I am because we are”, as a fundamentally different frame for forgiveness, one where healing can only be collective. And they hold a timely tension: the difference between a healthy boundary and a closed heart, and what the epidemic of family estrangement may cost us in loneliness and regret. Woven in: the remarkable story of Lyndsey Scott, Wholehearted Chorus's primary song collaborator this season, whose own profound forgiveness story led to a songwriting partnership across prison walls — and the inmates at Fort Dodge Prison currently working The Book of Forgiving together. The episode closes with the words of Lyndsey's forgiveness song — first spoken, then sung.  Learn more at asongforallofus.com  Wholehearted Chorus concerts are coming soon in San Diego and Monterey, CA this October! wholeheartedchorus.org   The Book of Forgiving is available from book sellers everywhere. Forgiveness and Reparation, the Healing Journey is the other book by Mpho referenced in the podcast. https://bookshop.org/p/books/forgiveness-and-reparation-the-healing-journey-mpho-tutu-van-furth/ac80b5bf984f40cc  Lyndsey and Tony’s story was shared here with permission. Learn more in the 3rd and final conversation with Lyndsey coming soon here in this podcast season. Get “All the Colors” on Bandcamp, as part of her new Work Of Love EP: https://lyndseyscott.bandcamp.com/track/all-the-colors Live well. Sing more.

Before you can answer what is mine to do — you have to get still enough to hear the question clearly. In this conversation, host Lisa Littlebird sits down with her trusted friend, teacher, and sometimes-chorus-member Alexis Davis, a Theta Healer whose work lives at the intersection of the energetic and the deeply practical. Together they explore the inner architecture of discernment: how to know which voice inside you is trustworthy, how to tell a need from a preference, and why our culture's worship of intellect, individual achievement, and constant motion makes it so hard to hear anything deeper at all. Alexis introduces the ThetaHealing framework — accessing a deep brainwave state to work with the belief systems, patterns, and "coding" that quietly run our lives — and makes a compelling case that psychic intuition isn't spooky or flaky: it's a birthright, a compass, and listening is the muscle. Lisa maps this beautifully onto the arc of Wholehearted Chorus's 2026 concert season: how the 15-song lineup is designed to move audiences from resourcing (getting regulated and rooted) to listening (getting quiet enough to hear) to acting (answering the question from a place of clarity rather than fear or reactivity). Along the way they explore: why calm must precede clarity before clarity can precede action; the difference between being a peaceful, soft presence and being a rooted one that can also hold fierce fire; the sustainability of service and how burnout often signals a refusal to get still; and why forgiveness — practiced daily, in the small moments — is the antidote to the cycles of harm we keep passing around. This one is for the sincere seekers, the service-hearted, and anyone who suspects that getting quiet might be the most radical thing they can do right now.  Find Alexis at: https://www.corevisions.net/services-1  Wholehearted Chorus October 2026 concerts in San Diego and the Monterey area, CA: wholeheartedchorus.org

What does it mean to discover what is truly ours to do? In this episode of A Song for All of Us, Lisa Littlebird sits down for part 2 of 3 conversations this season with collaborating song weaver and composer Lyndsey Scott, to explore the lived experience behind Wholehearted Chorus’s 2026 season theme: “In an overwhelming world, what is mine to do?” Lyndsey and Lisa reveal some of the hidden layers inside their curriculum this season… the resistance, vulnerability, and learning to hold the parts of ourselves that simply don’t want to do the work. Together, they acknowledge the value of being witnessed as whole human beings on a spiritual journey—not as polished or perfected versions of ourselves. They also explore the mysterious way songs come into being, including the birth of Lyndsey and Lisa'’s new song “Love Is My Name,” created with Alexis Davis through a practice of intention, silence, attunement, and listening. The conversation includes love as a way of being, the power of compassion to interrupt cycles of trauma, and song as a kind of original currency connecting us across different stories and beliefs. Lyndsey also shares the story behind “The Way Knows,” a wildly popular song in community singing circles that emerged in 2019 while she was biking across the Midwest and wrestling with questions of motherhood, purpose, trust, and surrender. This is a conversation about listening deeply—to our bodies, our lives, one another, and whatever wisdom may be moving through us. About becoming more comfortable with silence and not knowing. And about discovering that sometimes the way forward isn't something we figure out. It's something we learn to feel. Come listen, sing, and remember: you don't have to know the way. The way knows the way. A Song For All Of Us:  asongforallofus.org  Wholehearted Chorus: wholeheartedchorus.org Wholehearted Chorus October Concert Tickets: wholeheartedchorus.org/tickets Lyndsey Scott: https://www.lyndseyscott.earth/ Lyndsey’s New EP, including “Love is My Name”: https://lyndseyscott.bandcamp.com/  The Way Knows: https://lyndseyscott.bandcamp.com/track/the-way-knows  or the Wholehearted Chorus arrangement: https://thebirdsings.com/thewayknows/

What does it mean to fashion yourself into an instrument — to be played by music rather than simply playing it? In this episode, Lisa Littlebird sits down with songwriter and community songleader Brian "Yam" M. Dwyer, a devoted song man living in Bellingham, Washington, whose songs are woven into the heart of Wholehearted Chorus's 2026 concert season. Yam arrives fresh from a car accident that left him savoring every ordinary moment, and that spirit of preciousness and presence threads through the entire conversation. Lisa and Yam are becoming friends in real time — and you get to listen in as they discover just how much they share: a belief that song is a birthright, a direct route to the divine, and sometimes a lifeline. They explore the etymology of the word music (the art of remembering), the wisdom of full-body intuition versus the endless loop of the mind, and what it truly means to be a servant of love. The episode closes with Yam singing "Servant of Love" — the song opening and closing all Wholehearted Chorus concerts this season — a love song not to a person, but to love itself. Come in. Take a breath. The sails are up. 🎙️ Learn more and find all episodes at asongforallofus.org Live well. Sing more. Yam’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BrianDwyersUniverse Wholehearted Chorus: https:wholeheartedchorus.org

What does it mean to let a song hold you when words aren't enough? In this opening episode of Season 2, host Lisa Littlebird sits down in person with her longtime friend and songleading collaborator Lyndsey Scott, who is supporting this 2026 season of Wholehearted Chorus. Over more than a decade of friendship forged in the fires of the Midwest singing community, Lisa and Lyndsey have shaped a shared philosophy: that song is medicine, that it moves us from complexity into presence, and that it can resource us for the hard and beautiful work of showing up in the world. This season of A Song for All of Us holds the question: what is mine to do? In this episode, Lisa and Lyndsey share two of Lyndsey’s songs that are resourcing Wholehearted Chorus this season: "Earth You Hold Us" — a prayer born around a campfire at Joshua Tree in preparation for justice work — and the deeply calming "As I Relax", a song seeded by a single affirmation and designed to help us soften into the uncertainty we all carry. Live well. Sing more. LINKS: A Song For All of Us: https://asongforallofus.com  Wholehearted Chorus: https://www.wholeheartedchorus.org Lyndsey Scott: https://www.lyndseyscott.earth/music Songs: The Heart Is: https://thebirdsings.com/the-heart-is/ The Way Knows the Way: https://thebirdsings.com/thewayknows/ Spirit Found Us: https://thebirdsings.com/spirit-found-us/ Earth You Hold Us: https://thebirdsings.com/earth-you-hold-us/ As I Relax: https://thebirdsings.com/as-i-relax/ Referenced in the Podcast: Littlebird Songleader Flight School: https://littlebirdflightschool.com Gene Keys: https://home.genekeys.com Liz Rog: https://www.centerforbelonging.earth/store/p/song-carrier-toolkit Laurence Cole: https://www.laurencecole.com Holistic Resistance: https://www.holisticresistance.com Village Fire: https://youtu.be/_r1yZzrB6wk?si=wsfOnO40nWe2Wt1m Esalen Institute: https://www.esalen.org Ysaye Barnwell: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ysaye_M._Barnwell Alexis Davis: https://www.corevisions.net Earth Keeper Wisdom School: https://www.earthkeeperwisdomschool.org

Host Lisa Littlebird (Wholehearted Chorus) welcomes Martha Rosenthal, co-author of Learning to Love: From Conflict to Lasting Harmony. They explore moving from polarization to peace through Open-Hearted Listening— a simple, usable practice for couples, friends, and communities. One person speaks, the other mirrors and validates. With Lisa’s partner John Halcyon Styn, they demo turning a tiny household snag into deeper connection. Themes include breath, humility, and the “little willingness” to soften the ego. Martha reflects on 52 years with Don Rosenthal and the enduring truth that love never dies. Subscribe for more conversations on harmony, relationship, and the power of song. ⁠https://asongforallofus.org⁠ Wholehearted Chorus: ⁠https://wholeheartedchorus.org⁠  Martha & Don Rosenthal: http://awakeningtogether.com

In this heart-centered episode of “A Song For All of Us", Wholehearted Chorus founder Lisa Littlebird is joined by her fiancé John “Halcyon” Styn for a raw and uplifting conversation about love, growth, vulnerability, and gratitude in relationship. Together they explore what it means to “stay in harmony” — both literally (as choir members) and emotionally, through the everyday work of partnership. This episode explores the podcast theme of bridging hearts across difference through the lens of intimate partnership. (For more about the theme of the full podcast series, listen to the short podcast introduction.) They discuss the value of radical honesty, gratitude practices and how harmony in love isn’t about never clashing — it’s about learning to listen and come back together. The episode weaves music, laughter, and spiritual insight — including Lisa singing her original “Bridging Heart Song.” Through playful humor and deep reflection, Lisa and John model how authentic communication, gratitude, and commitment can transform relationships into spiritual practice. Featuring:  Lisa Littlebird — Founder, Wholehearted Chorus | Songleader | Podcaster  John “Halcyon” Styn — Love Ambassador | Daily Gratitude Host | Men’s Coach  Subscribe for more conversations on harmony, relationship, and the power of song. https://asongforallofus.org John: https://lifestudent.com  Wholehearted Chorus: https://wholeheartedchorus.org

In this intimate dialogue, Lisa Littlebird sits down with friend and Wholehearted Chorus member Alexis Davis to explore the 31st Gene Key — the evolutionary path from arrogance to true humility as a pathway to healing collective division. Together they unpack how real leadership emerges not from perfection or performance, but from courageous self-honesty. Lisa and Alexis dive into how our hidden parts can be met with compassion instead of shame, and how singing together reveals our truest vibration — the part of us that can’t hide behind words. They examine the ego’s subtler forms of humility, the trap of righteousness, and the liberating power of curiosity, self-forgiveness, and relational interdependence. This episode is a masterclass in heart-led growth: from self-flagellation to self-acceptance, from convincing to emanating love, from independence to sacred interdependence. The conversation closes with a live rendition of one of Wholehearted Chorus’s 2025 season songs, “Humble”, by Chhaya I-chèle — a collective prayer in song reminding us that when we bow low in humility, we lift each other up. A Song for All of Us Podcast: https://asongforallofus.org  Alexis Davis, Theta Healer & Guide: https://www.corevisions.net/  Wholehearted Chorus: https://wholeheartedchorus.org

In this heart-opening conversation, choir leader and podcast host Lisa Littlebird sits down with actor and Vedic meditation teacher Jeff Kober to ask how we move from polarization toward lasting harmony. Referencing the Gene Keys (especially Key 17 on opinions → farsightedness → omniscience, and Key 51 on trust) as a compass, they explore the fear-driven “survival self,” tribalism, and the ego’s twin traps of smallness and grandiosity. Jeff shares how daily meditation practice has helped him dis-identify from fear, and he shares a story from the stage about leaping into the unknown and discovering real-time trust. Together they reframe spiritual practice as process over product, anchored in service and community—where a shared purpose creates a field that lifts everyone. The episode closes with “When We Sing” by Olivia Fern—an invitation to feel, receive, and join the chorus. https://jeff-kober.com  https://asongforallofus.org Wholehearted Chorus Concerts: San Diego, CA Tuesday, October 14, 7:30-9pmat the Joan Kroc Center in San Diego Wednesday, October 22nd, 7:30-9pmat the Golden State Theater in Monterey, CA

In this episode, Lisa speaks with Richard Rudd, the author of ⁠The Gene Keys⁠, about the intersection between spiritual contemplation and music. This beautiful and optimistic conversation centers how the The Gene Keys can be used to expand our exploration of how we might move from polarized division to harmony.  In the process, they cover a range of terrain, including their late, mutual friend Don Rosenthal and virtues of empathy, refinement, and even marriage on a path of devotion. ⁠Podcast: ⁠ https://asongforallofus.org ⁠The Gene Keys:⁠ https://home.genekeys.com/ Gene Keys referenced in this episode: 13, 25, 29, 50 The song shared in this episode is Starsong + Get Together, by Lisa Littlebird and Chet Powers: ⁠https://thebirdsings.com/starsong-get-together

In this episode, Lisa talks with Sorah Nutting, one of the singer-songwriters in the group MaMuse.  We talk about how the songs grow us up, the wisdom of humor, revealing our shadows as a liberatory practice, our lives as a microcosm of the whole, and how the complex search for lineage can help us come closer to home. For more information about this podcast: https://asongforallofus.org For more information about Mamuse: https://mamuse.org For more information about Wholehearted Chorus and get tickets to our upcoming concerts with MaMuse: https://wholeheartedchorus.org

In this short intro episode, Lisa explains the intention of this series and some of the recurring concepts and themes that will weave through the upcoming conversations. The upcoming concerts with The Wholehearted Chorus & MaMuse are: October 14 - San Diego, CA *RESERVE TICKETS* October 22nd - Monterey, CA *RESERVE TICKETS*