"Cindy is an incredibly talented artist and an amazing motivational speaker! Wow! I am definitely her # 1 fan!"
Sonia Ricotti
Author, Mastering the Law of Attraction
THE MIRACLE BEHIND THE VOICE
The rhythm of my lungs, rising and falling. The life giving air, moving in and out. With gentle ease, smoothly flowing. Like a graceful breeze floating by. My voice emerges with power and passion.My long awaited miracle has occurred…
This is the story of a little girl with big hair, a wild smile and a giant voice who defied the odds to live her dreams. Let me start at the beginning:
I have known my entire life that I was destined to be a performer and by age 7 I had declared that I would have my own albums and tour the world. Like any journey on the road to achieving great dreams, there are obstacles to be conquered; challenges that shape who we are and force us to find greater strength within ourselves.
At 10 days old, my mom noticed that I was wheezing and turning blue (and not in a cute smurf kinda way). Soon after, my parents were at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto and were told that I was having heart failure. My survival rate: only 20%. By 11 days old, I had my first heart surgery, followed by 2 more at ages 5 and 14.
When I had my 3rd heart surgery, the hospitals were overbooked and so I was released only a week later with no follow up therapy. As a result, I coped with chronic pain and a damaged lung for years to follow. Let me explain: In order to reach my heart, the doctor’s had to pull back my scapula and cut through vital nerves and muscles. Like any major impact to the body, I needed to heal. Since I had no physiotherapy or massage following the surgery, my muscles froze in a clumpy kind of way, restricting my range of movement and causing me great discomfort and pain at all times. I was in such pain that until 3 years ago, I did not sleep through the night.
How does this relate to my dream to sing?
For years, my ability to sing was dependent upon how much pain I was in that particular day. If I was having a good pain day, I could breathe somewhat well into my body and lungs, producing some lovely singing. If I was having a bad pain day, my torso would be constricted causing my breathing to be shallow – I had little or no way of supporting my sound. In other words, my singing was flat and airy due to the lack of supported breathing. Just to get through a phrase was a challenge. Time and time again I would have a bad pain day, go into an audition or competition, sing badly and be torn apart by the panel. With each mounting criticism, I grew terrified to sing as I never knew what would come out of my mouth – it was just too unpredictable. Eventually I drew the conclusion that I just wasn’t meant to sing and gave up. I turned to teaching singing and piano privately. I often found myself telling my students “Go after your dreams. You can accomplish anything you put your mind to!” And then it hit me. Who am I to preach to these kids when I am myself had given up? What a hypocrite I was.
During that time, I was studying spirituality and learning about the law of attraction. I said, “Universe, I choose to live in a free and flowing body. Show me what I need to do to heal.” A month later I was at a teaching conference in which an osteopath was talking about the body in relation to performing. I started treatments with him – he gently moved the bones in my torso, releasing tension and opening up spaces. Within weeks of treatment, a miracle happened. I slept through night for the first time in 15 years. I laid in my bed weeping with joy. I also felt muscles moving that I had never felt before and my breathing was deep and open within my torso. Suddenly, I was singing beautifully every day, consistently.
As a side note, after working with the osteopath, I worked with a massage therapist who helped the muscles to ‘un-clump’ themselves. Now I am getting chiropractic treatments to readjust my spine as it was displaced due to the muscles being stuck for so many years. I am also working with a personal trainer to stimulate the nerves and muscles that were cut. After 3 years of non stop therapies I am very close to being pain free once and for all.
Late 2006, I released my debut album, Don’t Rain On My Parade. I am so unbelievably blessed and grateful. Singing with joy and freedom truly feels like a miracle.
I am now working as a singer, speaker and writer, striving to passionately empower others to unleash the courage within themselves.
