We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Naomi Griffin Self. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Naomi below.

Naomi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you share a story about the kindest thing someone has done for you and why it mattered so much or was so meaningful to you?

When my children were ages 7, 2, and 1 I was homeschooling, juggling all the tasks of running a household, and trying to hold together a very unsatisfying marriage, I have a vivid memory of being at the grocery store and seeing an elderly friend there having coffee with someone. I came out of the store with a cart filled with groceries for our 5-person household while wearing my baby, pushing the cart where my toddler sat, and holding the hand of my oldest daughter. I undoubtedly looked as harried as I felt after that particular shopping experience, and my elderly friend jumped up and graciously asked if she could help me to the car with my groceries. As a highly over-functioning young mother with so much to prove to myself and the world, I distinctly remember declining her simple gift of assistance. She kindly insisted and pushed my full grocery cart to my vehicle while chatting with me and my kids.

My eyes filled with tears as I recognized the simplicity of her generosity in that moment and the overwhelming sense of support and love I felt as I received her kindness. It was a transformational moment on my path toward more self-kindness and acceptance of simple graces in the flow of my everyday life.

I learned that for me it’s not the big, grandiose, extravagant displays of generosity that mean the most. It’s the simple, loving, daily acts of service that remind me of my need to receive as well as give in the ebb and flow of life’s daily current.

Naomi, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have always loved singing but I have not always recognized the importance of community singing as a path to self-expression, vibrant health, joy, and social connection.

I grew up singing in church and always enjoyed the aliveness I felt when singing. There was little other music in my household though, so aside from regular piano lessons, the majority of my childhood exposure to music came through church and school.

As an adult, I chose to leave the narrow and highly judgmental church I attended at the time and inadvertently gave up the only space I had ever known for community singing.

A couple of years after I left church, my family of five attended Family Week at The Omega Institute in upstate New York. One morning while there I heard the most glorious sounds coming from the 2nd floor of the Ram Dass Library. I wandered hesitantly up the steps and found myself at the edge of a 40-plus-voice circle where humans were making the most beautiful music together. I stood at the edge, began swaying and singing myself, and at the conclusion of that song I tearfully retreated back down the steps determined to take that workshop the following summer.

I did and for several subsequent years I attended the “Singing In The Stream” workshop at Family Week under Maggie Wheeler’s expert direction.

Those experiences lit inside me a fire not only for more community singing but also for the liberation of my own voice and truth in ways I was refusing to acknowledge even to myself.

Each year when I returned home I longed for more singing that was neither religious, auditioned or performance-based. I found nothing similar in my area, so finally in the fall of 2016 after years of singing with my children each morning as part of our homeschool experiences, I began to imagine myself creating opportunities for others to claim and authentically celebrate their own voices in community. In 2018 I began Chattanooga Singing Circle as a monthly hobby in Chattanooga, TN.

In June of 2022, in the wake of the inevitable consequences of speaking more and more of my truth in my own life, a friend in Knoxville asked if I would come lead a singing circle for her and some friends at her house. I agreed and two years later Knoxville Sings! is a monthly gathering at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church for anyone in the Knoxville area who would like to play with their voice in community with others.

I now also facilitate a variety of singing circle experiences in the Chattanooga area including regular series on topics such as Healing, Peace, Freedom, Fun, and Transformation.

We have so much fun learning new songs in a call-and-echo style of teaching. We sing rounds, layer songs, harmony, and even play with improv together as we explore our voices in a very safe and joyful environment,

I believe strongly that all voices are worthy of being heard and that singing together is a beautiful part toward more healing, love, joy, truth, peace, and play for us all!

It’s my desire to make singing together a normal part of how humans gather. All voices are welcome!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of what I do is seeing the joy that people experience when they hear their own voice, in partnership with others, as a source of delight and wonder. Hearing from singing circle participants the ways their week is brightened, their courage bolstered, and their connection to self and others enhanced through community singing is its own reward! I absolutely love what I do and am convinced that the whole world benefits from more creative expression that deepens our connection to our hearts and each other. I’m so grateful to be able to offer community singing in southeast TN.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

People who see a 40-hour work week as the only way to earn a living often don’t understand or value the work that goes into networking, educating, and building a business as a creative entrepreneur. I see my career as one of creating joyful and authentic life experiences for myself and everyone I interact with. Trusting that The Universe is abundant and that opportunities and connections will come my way as I do the daily work of following the breadcrumbs that are evident on the path takes a lot of patience and persistence. I’m still early in my journey, but I’m delighted to see so many opportunities coming my way each week. It’s hard and joyful work that I believe matters immensely in the world!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yourselfservices.com/
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• Youtube: https://youtu.be/LfNytg7Xg7Q?si=zS2dRVeu7a_jFiIy