Watering the Heart-Root
Donation protected
WATERING THE HEART-ROOT: SONGS & CHANTS FOR EMOTIONAL & SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING
By Mindy Benowitz, Ph.D., L.P.
Watering the Heart-Root is a set of healing tools designed to help us grow into our fullest, happiest, and most authentic selves. Created with 30 years of psychology experience, the project includes original songs & chants for singing and meditation, as well as workshops to learn how to deepen well-being.
The songs & chants are ready to be recorded!
Please join me in bringing them into the world!
Some of the songs & chants focus purely on emotional well-being and others have a spiritual focus. They are designed for an inclusive spirituality that can resonate with people who are “spiritual but not religious,” have a religion they are comfortable with, or haven’t thought much about their spirituality but are curious to explore it.
At the heart of this is my belief that we have to know and love our own selves to be able to create communities where there’s dignity, respect, and equality for everyone.
Your contribution helps water the world’s heart-roots!
HOW TO HELP
(1) Your FINANCIAL support:
Any contribution is greatly appreciated! Recording the songs is a huge project. Your donation not only helps produce and distribute them but ensures a professional quality as well. You can contribute anonymously (to the public) if you’d like. (You are NOT obligated to give a tip to GoFundMe. When prompted, just mark $ 0.)
OR, contribute by mailing a CHECK to my office: 2908 Humboldt Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55408.
I'm happy to be offering perks for your contribution. Check out the list below!
(2) Spread the word!
a) You can SHARE this campaign on social media, by email, or word of mouth!
b) Connect me with sources to publicize the recordings and the workshop.
THE STORY
Who I Am
My name is Mindy Benowitz. I am a Licensed Psychologist in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I've been providing psychotherapy in private practice since 1988. To learn more about my practice, please visit my website, www.mindybenowitz.com.
I'm passionate about the process of how we learn to transform difficulties and live with more inner freedom and ease. I’ve used a wide variety of emotional, physical, and spiritual techniques over the years to help myself and my clients. This project focuses on one set of tools: songs and chants that I composed for singing and meditation. The workshops I created use these songs and chants, along with other engaging activities, to teach powerful principles of how to deepen well-being. In the workshops, I also share personal anecdotes to help illustrate some of the principles and possibilities.
The Project's Roots
It started about 35 years ago, when I was a stressed-out grad student. Anxiety was giving me stomach aches and I needed more help. I started using ideas found in books on guided imagery and affirmations (positive messages repeated to yourself). I learned to meditate regularly on affirmations and wrote some of my own. Over the years, I put melodies to a number of them. Meditating on them and singing them helped me to be more open to receiving powerful dreams and experiences that further helped me grow, which deepened my belief in the healing messages, and led me to receive even more love and support — in a beautiful cycle of learning and connection for which I feel extraordinarily grateful! They have been a beautiful complement to other healing activities, such as psychotherapy and bodywork, helping me to not only improve stomach and back pain but also heal traumatic experiences, let in more love, feel calmer, and be able to better assist others.
Although I originally wrote the songs and chants just for myself, I occasionally offered them to friends and clients and then, later, in workshops. People felt moved and helped by the songs and asked me to record them for their own use. These songs & chants are meant to be shared--and now they are ready to be recorded! But, the cost of recording them is outside my current financial scope--so I’m asking for your support. Please join with me to spread healing and well-being!
THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT
In the next year, I'll record up to 25 songs & chants and have them available for download and in hard copy. They'll be organized into playlists or sets according to their themes (see that list on the pic above with the yellow background). I’ll sing the melodies and am working with talented composers, Diane Benjamin and Maureen McFarlane, to write accompaniment and harmonies. Other singers are ready to harmonize with me, and Ofer Geller is standing by with his hand drums.
Please help produce these digital recordings!
Your contribution will pay for:
PLEASE BRING THESE SONGS TO LIFE WITH YOUR FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION!
What’s Already Been Done:
I’ve been working hard to get this far and I’m excited to be at this point! Here are steps I’ve already taken:
· Obtained permission to use the few lyrics that came from other authors’ books.
(e.g., Shakti Gawain; Margo Adair & William Aal)
· Had sheet music prepared.
· Sought extra vocal coaching.
· Lined up some of the instrumentalists and vocalists.
· Hired talented composers for the harmonies and accompaniments.
· Found a professional recording studio that's a great fit.
· Designed the cover art and workshop graphics.
I am looking forward to sharing them with you all!
Thank you--I am SO GRATEFUL for your support!
Warmly,
Mindy
Note: If you are currently a psychotherapy client of mine, please know that my professional ethics lead me to not accept your financial donations to this project other than purchasing the recordings and other materials if you’d like to. I’m truly grateful to you for considering donating, even if I can’t accept it.
PERKS LIST (in U.S. dollars):
$10 to $49: STREAM OF SUPPORT
BEAUTIFUL CARD or STICKER OF CHANT LYRIC ON ARTISTIC BACKGROUND:
“Love is all around me, I fully let it in. Love is full within me, I freely let it flow.”
(Or possibly of “My whole self is supported by the earth” or “I belong in the Universe just the way I am”.)
AND: You will be thanked on the project’s Facebook Page (unless you chose “Hide name” or “keep anonymous” when donating.)
$50-$99: RIVER OF SUPPORT
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD OF VOLUME 1! I’ll send you a download code for the first CD/Volume!
PLUS: All the perks from the Stream of Support level.
$100 to $199: WATERFALL OF SUPPORT
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD OF ALL THE CDs/VOLUMES. I’ll send you download codes for all of the songs & chants! AND: INVITATION FOR YOU AND A FRIEND TO ATTEND A THANK-YOU WORKSHOP OR SING-ALONG I’ll be offering in 2019. PLUS: All the perks from the lower contribution levels.
$200 to $1,499: GREAT LAKES OF SUPPORT
GIVE A GIFT: 2 SETS OF ALL THE CDs, and 2 sets of the artistic stickers/cards of chants.
AND: DIGITAL DOWNLOAD of “Heart Nourishment: Meditative Messages for Well-Being." Spoken affirmations recorded by me and set to beautiful harp music by Terri Tacheny. Will be for sale on my website, but free to you! You can practice meditating on the spoken words of the songs & chants!
PLUS: All the perks from the lower contribution levels.
$1,500 to $3,999: OCEAN OF SUPPORT
PRIVATE HOUSE WORKSHOP. For folks who live within 2 hours of Minneapolis. A two-hour workshop at your home for you and the friends you invite. I will give you input on the song list.
OR: 5 copies of all volumes of the CD! Give lots of gifts!
PLUS: All the perks from the lower contribution levels.
$4,000 or more: SEVEN SEAS OF SUPPORT
CUSTOM WELL-BEING CHANT. I will write a chant & melody for you or with you. We will talk for 20-30 minutes via phone or video chat to help us choose the wording and style that matches your heart’s wish. I’ll record it (a cappella) and send it to you as an MP3 recording. I will retain the song ownership and publishing, and you will own the recording to reproduce as much as you’d like.
Or: 10 copies of all volumes of the CD—Holiday gifts to lots of friends!
PLUS: All the perks from the lower contribution levels.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
How do I donate anonymously?
During the donation-making process on my Gofundme page, you will have the option to choose to hide your name & comments from the public. I will be able to see it, but it won’t be visible publicly. For more details on how to donate anonymously to this campaign, see this page:
https://support.gofundme.com/hc/en-us/articles/203687114-Making-a-Donation-Anonymous
If I donate anonymously can I still get a perk?
Yes! I will be able to see the names and contributions of people who choose to remain anonymous on my GoFundMe project page.
What if I don’t want a perk?
If you’d rather not receive the perks listed for your contribution amount, either send me an email to tell me ([email redacted]) or contribute anonymously (see above) and tell me in the Comments section that you are declining the perks. (Comments from anonymous contributors are hidden from the public page).
Is my contribution tax-deductible?
While the goal of the project is to help people, I am not an official charitable organization and contributions are not counted as charitable deductions. You can check with your tax advisor about whether it is deductible as a business-related expense.
Can I send a check instead of making an on-line contribution?
Yes! I can note your contribution to the amount raised on the Gofundme site, and we'll save the credit card processing fee. You can mail a check to me at my office: 2908 Humboldt Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55409 USA.
What if you raise more than the project’s goal?
If the total contributed exceeds the cost of the project, the funds will be used to give scholarships for people to attend workshops and to receive free recordings.
What if you don’t raise the full goal?
If the full goal isn’t reached I would have to cut back on instrumental accompaniments and other vocalists or ask them to volunteer instead of giving them a stipend. I also might need to record only some of the songs & chants . The budget would also automatically decrease because of fewer credit card fees.
Can I contribute if I don't live in the United States?
Yes! You need to use a major credit card. Gofundme will automatically convert your country's currency into dollars without an extra fee from them.
By Mindy Benowitz, Ph.D., L.P.
Watering the Heart-Root is a set of healing tools designed to help us grow into our fullest, happiest, and most authentic selves. Created with 30 years of psychology experience, the project includes original songs & chants for singing and meditation, as well as workshops to learn how to deepen well-being.
The songs & chants are ready to be recorded!
Please join me in bringing them into the world!
Some of the songs & chants focus purely on emotional well-being and others have a spiritual focus. They are designed for an inclusive spirituality that can resonate with people who are “spiritual but not religious,” have a religion they are comfortable with, or haven’t thought much about their spirituality but are curious to explore it.
At the heart of this is my belief that we have to know and love our own selves to be able to create communities where there’s dignity, respect, and equality for everyone.
Your contribution helps water the world’s heart-roots!
HOW TO HELP
(1) Your FINANCIAL support:
Any contribution is greatly appreciated! Recording the songs is a huge project. Your donation not only helps produce and distribute them but ensures a professional quality as well. You can contribute anonymously (to the public) if you’d like. (You are NOT obligated to give a tip to GoFundMe. When prompted, just mark $ 0.)
OR, contribute by mailing a CHECK to my office: 2908 Humboldt Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55408.
I'm happy to be offering perks for your contribution. Check out the list below!
(2) Spread the word!
a) You can SHARE this campaign on social media, by email, or word of mouth!
b) Connect me with sources to publicize the recordings and the workshop.
THE STORY
Who I Am
My name is Mindy Benowitz. I am a Licensed Psychologist in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I've been providing psychotherapy in private practice since 1988. To learn more about my practice, please visit my website, www.mindybenowitz.com.
I'm passionate about the process of how we learn to transform difficulties and live with more inner freedom and ease. I’ve used a wide variety of emotional, physical, and spiritual techniques over the years to help myself and my clients. This project focuses on one set of tools: songs and chants that I composed for singing and meditation. The workshops I created use these songs and chants, along with other engaging activities, to teach powerful principles of how to deepen well-being. In the workshops, I also share personal anecdotes to help illustrate some of the principles and possibilities.
The Project's Roots
It started about 35 years ago, when I was a stressed-out grad student. Anxiety was giving me stomach aches and I needed more help. I started using ideas found in books on guided imagery and affirmations (positive messages repeated to yourself). I learned to meditate regularly on affirmations and wrote some of my own. Over the years, I put melodies to a number of them. Meditating on them and singing them helped me to be more open to receiving powerful dreams and experiences that further helped me grow, which deepened my belief in the healing messages, and led me to receive even more love and support — in a beautiful cycle of learning and connection for which I feel extraordinarily grateful! They have been a beautiful complement to other healing activities, such as psychotherapy and bodywork, helping me to not only improve stomach and back pain but also heal traumatic experiences, let in more love, feel calmer, and be able to better assist others.
Although I originally wrote the songs and chants just for myself, I occasionally offered them to friends and clients and then, later, in workshops. People felt moved and helped by the songs and asked me to record them for their own use. These songs & chants are meant to be shared--and now they are ready to be recorded! But, the cost of recording them is outside my current financial scope--so I’m asking for your support. Please join with me to spread healing and well-being!
THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT
In the next year, I'll record up to 25 songs & chants and have them available for download and in hard copy. They'll be organized into playlists or sets according to their themes (see that list on the pic above with the yellow background). I’ll sing the melodies and am working with talented composers, Diane Benjamin and Maureen McFarlane, to write accompaniment and harmonies. Other singers are ready to harmonize with me, and Ofer Geller is standing by with his hand drums.
Please help produce these digital recordings!
Your contribution will pay for:
PLEASE BRING THESE SONGS TO LIFE WITH YOUR FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION!
What’s Already Been Done:
I’ve been working hard to get this far and I’m excited to be at this point! Here are steps I’ve already taken:
· Obtained permission to use the few lyrics that came from other authors’ books.
(e.g., Shakti Gawain; Margo Adair & William Aal)
· Had sheet music prepared.
· Sought extra vocal coaching.
· Lined up some of the instrumentalists and vocalists.
· Hired talented composers for the harmonies and accompaniments.
· Found a professional recording studio that's a great fit.
· Designed the cover art and workshop graphics.
I am looking forward to sharing them with you all!
Thank you--I am SO GRATEFUL for your support!
Warmly,
Mindy
Note: If you are currently a psychotherapy client of mine, please know that my professional ethics lead me to not accept your financial donations to this project other than purchasing the recordings and other materials if you’d like to. I’m truly grateful to you for considering donating, even if I can’t accept it.
PERKS LIST (in U.S. dollars):
$10 to $49: STREAM OF SUPPORT
BEAUTIFUL CARD or STICKER OF CHANT LYRIC ON ARTISTIC BACKGROUND:
“Love is all around me, I fully let it in. Love is full within me, I freely let it flow.”
(Or possibly of “My whole self is supported by the earth” or “I belong in the Universe just the way I am”.)
AND: You will be thanked on the project’s Facebook Page (unless you chose “Hide name” or “keep anonymous” when donating.)
$50-$99: RIVER OF SUPPORT
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD OF VOLUME 1! I’ll send you a download code for the first CD/Volume!
PLUS: All the perks from the Stream of Support level.
$100 to $199: WATERFALL OF SUPPORT
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD OF ALL THE CDs/VOLUMES. I’ll send you download codes for all of the songs & chants! AND: INVITATION FOR YOU AND A FRIEND TO ATTEND A THANK-YOU WORKSHOP OR SING-ALONG I’ll be offering in 2019. PLUS: All the perks from the lower contribution levels.
$200 to $1,499: GREAT LAKES OF SUPPORT
GIVE A GIFT: 2 SETS OF ALL THE CDs, and 2 sets of the artistic stickers/cards of chants.
AND: DIGITAL DOWNLOAD of “Heart Nourishment: Meditative Messages for Well-Being." Spoken affirmations recorded by me and set to beautiful harp music by Terri Tacheny. Will be for sale on my website, but free to you! You can practice meditating on the spoken words of the songs & chants!
PLUS: All the perks from the lower contribution levels.
$1,500 to $3,999: OCEAN OF SUPPORT
PRIVATE HOUSE WORKSHOP. For folks who live within 2 hours of Minneapolis. A two-hour workshop at your home for you and the friends you invite. I will give you input on the song list.
OR: 5 copies of all volumes of the CD! Give lots of gifts!
PLUS: All the perks from the lower contribution levels.
$4,000 or more: SEVEN SEAS OF SUPPORT
CUSTOM WELL-BEING CHANT. I will write a chant & melody for you or with you. We will talk for 20-30 minutes via phone or video chat to help us choose the wording and style that matches your heart’s wish. I’ll record it (a cappella) and send it to you as an MP3 recording. I will retain the song ownership and publishing, and you will own the recording to reproduce as much as you’d like.
Or: 10 copies of all volumes of the CD—Holiday gifts to lots of friends!
PLUS: All the perks from the lower contribution levels.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
How do I donate anonymously?
During the donation-making process on my Gofundme page, you will have the option to choose to hide your name & comments from the public. I will be able to see it, but it won’t be visible publicly. For more details on how to donate anonymously to this campaign, see this page:
https://support.gofundme.com/hc/en-us/articles/203687114-Making-a-Donation-Anonymous
If I donate anonymously can I still get a perk?
Yes! I will be able to see the names and contributions of people who choose to remain anonymous on my GoFundMe project page.
What if I don’t want a perk?
If you’d rather not receive the perks listed for your contribution amount, either send me an email to tell me ([email redacted]) or contribute anonymously (see above) and tell me in the Comments section that you are declining the perks. (Comments from anonymous contributors are hidden from the public page).
Is my contribution tax-deductible?
While the goal of the project is to help people, I am not an official charitable organization and contributions are not counted as charitable deductions. You can check with your tax advisor about whether it is deductible as a business-related expense.
Can I send a check instead of making an on-line contribution?
Yes! I can note your contribution to the amount raised on the Gofundme site, and we'll save the credit card processing fee. You can mail a check to me at my office: 2908 Humboldt Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55409 USA.
What if you raise more than the project’s goal?
If the total contributed exceeds the cost of the project, the funds will be used to give scholarships for people to attend workshops and to receive free recordings.
What if you don’t raise the full goal?
If the full goal isn’t reached I would have to cut back on instrumental accompaniments and other vocalists or ask them to volunteer instead of giving them a stipend. I also might need to record only some of the songs & chants . The budget would also automatically decrease because of fewer credit card fees.
Can I contribute if I don't live in the United States?
Yes! You need to use a major credit card. Gofundme will automatically convert your country's currency into dollars without an extra fee from them.
Organizer
Mindy Benowitz
Organizer
Minneapolis, MN
