Reimagining the holidays

Hi there! It’s Philip, Lisa’s husband and cofounder of Finding Sanctuary.

In her last post Lisa talked about how music is an instant way to change the vibe of a space and how the right music can take you from zero to sanctuary in moments.

I have always loved holiday music and sacred music. As the son of a minister, sacred music was woven into the fabric from which my formative years were fashioned.

I think that sometimes we turn to the holiday music we grew up with as a way of recreating the past, of inhabiting those shining moments of our childhood one more time. It gives us a sense of continuity, of connection with the past, And given how filled with uncertainty this year has been, I think that urge is probably stronger than ever in most of us in this particular season.

I find that with myself, however, I lose something when I focus so strongly on the past—I lose the nuance of the present moment, in whatever way it is showing up. 

This has been a year of unexpected things. And so, as I like to work so many unexpected elements into the music that I write, I thought this was a perfect time to build a bridge between the centuries-old melodies I heard as a child this time of year and now—this remarkable time in which we find ourselves. I wanted to try to capture some of that nuance in the framework of music we may already know and love.

I’ve taken these themes of these Christmas carols, turned the melodies around, in some cases added beats, and added a freshness that casts each familiar thing in a new light, something to commemorate this most remarkable time. And with that, we can work to intentionally create positive memories of this holiday season that will stay with us as we move forward through the coming year.

The album is called Dominium Christmas. You can hear the album in its entirety on my Bandcamp site and listen as much as you like. It’s also available for download, for yourself or as a gift.

I’ve ordered CDs that come with a download code, and I will have them in hand next week to sign and send out. If you’d like one, or would like to gift one this holiday season, you can pre-order one right now.

This is a year of looking at things sideways. While things may not look as we expect, we have the opportunity to reimagine the world, ourselves, and the inner sanctuary we create for ourselves with an entirely new perspective. 

With deep appreciation,

Philip

P.S. The amazing Dominium album art at the top was created by Isabella Baquerizo. Isn't it amazing? You should follow her on Instagram.