Dear friends💜,
It is July! I am partial to this month—not only because my birthday rounds it out, but also because I love the sun, the warmth, and the vivid green that stretches for miles and miles, field after field. I always think the green in Iowa in July, before the corn tassels, is like an ocean rolling in the wind—or as close as a Midwesterner can get :)
I’ve had some time this month to rest and explore what my body is trying to teach me, which was much needed. I’ve been working through pain, tightness, and constriction, giving my body permission to let things go. I've also met with some wise women recently, and they sense a real shift in the world, in the cosmos, in our bodies. It’s easy to see the movement everywhere—chaos unfolding, swirling—but something brand new seems to be emerging for humanity. A deeper sense of truth and light that doesn't need to be fought for.
My body is so used to the fight, but when I started to tell myself I didn’t have to fight the darkness, things started moving. I can’t quite explain it, but I sense a deeper rootedness, peace, and unshakable truth.
Rooted in that pure light, this poem came to me one morning (which will probably turn into a song).
I am the heartbeat.
I am the light.
I am the colors.
I am the night.
I am the waking.
I am the sleep.
I am enough,
more than enough for me.
I am the bird
singing in the trees.
I am the sky,
vivid blue inside of me.
I am the breath,
the breath of the wind and sea.
I am the joy,
pure joy -- dancing free.
— Mary Jane Knight
I also finished a song I started in Ireland. On the third day of my trip, I visited a secluded holy well and climbed the hill behind it to find a small cave. I sat just outside the entrance, and the short tree canopy hovered just above my head. It felt like the trees were breathing with me as they gently rose and fell. Although I didn’t write as much as I thought I would on that trip, the words for this song came to me in contemplation. I’m excited to share the first part with you.
Last week, my family discovered a treasure close to home I didn’t even know existed—when we went up to Dubuque, Iowa, to drop my kids off at strings camp. St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Dubuque has the fifth largest collection of Tiffany windows! They were stunning. There’s something magical about art that light passes completely through. The colors were magnificently layered in the glass, and the stories they told were so full of hope and gentleness.
I truly feel like we can embrace this Angel of Victory and the light shining through her. That beautiful light doesn’t even come close to the brilliance of the light of our souls—and we don’t have to fight to let that pure light in anymore🔥!
I’m so excited to head out tomorrow to the National Women's Music Festival, where I’ll be competing alongside two other incredible artists in the Emerging Artist / Who's Got Talent Competition! I also have the honor of offering two workshops—one on vocal meditation and another on vocal empowerment.
If you’d like updates before August 1st, follow me on Instagram or friend me on Facebook! I hope to share a taste of this incredibly empowering festival—and hopefully some videos too!
I also designed a Rising Free image and turned it into a 3-inch, dishwasher-safe sticker! :) If you’d like one, just reply to this email with your address and Venmo me $4 @maryjaneknight—I’ll be mailing them out next week!
OR find me IRL anytime—I’ve got plenty :)
And finally—at the end of the month, on my birthday—I’ll be releasing the full music video for my song “Gathering”!
You may have seen a preview this spring, but the finished video is truly magical, and I can’t wait to share it with you. Keep an eye out on YouTube on July 30th!
I am really hoping you can enjoy some rest and/or time with family this month. And as always, sending lots of love and light💜🔥,
Iowa Local Opportunities!
If you're local to the Iowa City area, our next Voices of Healing Singing Circle will gather on the second Sunday of this month—July 13—due to the music festival, but we’ll return to our usual first Sunday schedule in August.
I’d love to have you join us on Sunday morning, July 13!
Please register below so I know how many to prepare for—and if finances are tight, just use the code BEMYGUEST.
Otherwise, please note that Knightingale Voice Studio is on Summer Break until July 27th. I’m soaking up some music-making and lots of family time!
Feel free to book ahead or reach out with any questions about studio offerings—especially the monthly subscription sessions!
Wishing you a warm and joyful summer! 💜Mj
