Larger Than Life

Luciano Pavarotti, opera's biggest superstar, sadly past away this past week. Pavarotti radiated an intangible magic both with his voice and charisma that helped him win hearts throughout the world and gave him a SuperStar status everywhere he went.

He was beloved by generations of operagoers and pop fans alike for his breathtaking high "Cs" that gave him the crown as the "King of the High C's" for the ease with which he tossed off difficult top notes.

The way that he approached singing also taught me something quite powerful about the how to direct energy, focus it, and make it flow with great ease that has influenced by my career not only as a musician but also as a strength trainer and martial artist.

Many don't know that he started as an elementary school teacher and then, when he failed at that, as an insurance salesman. Like many boys, he loved soccer more than his studies. But one thing is for sure, if you've ever listened to him sing one of his trademark arias, "Nessum Dorma" by Puccini, you'll hear one of the most magnificently powerful voices the world has ever heard.

I had the most incredible opportunity when I studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music to hear him give a master class in our small theater to some of our most gifted singers. He arrived in a gorgeous gold Bentley with all the fanfare you'd expect from an artist of his stature.

He was a massive man and yet no matter how larger theater or arena, his girth and moreover, his charisma gave him what I call Zeus Presence - a commanding power without force or need to prove anything as a human would.

One of our finest singers made us proud that day singing an intensely beautiful aria with passion and elegance. Pavarotti applauded onstage just as loudly as anyone else. However, after the applause died down, his words rose up from a brief moment of silence where he simply said, "Bravo, bravo."

Then softly, without taking on the bravura of needing to show himself as a master, he spoke very softly but with an intensity that sent chills up my spine. He said, "You express your power with great passion. But, you might also try it like this...."

After a brief moment of silence, he began singing what had just been sung with a magnificence that I'll never forget. From the silence came this extraordinary voice that was not constrained by earthly bonds.

Unlike what was heard just a few moments before by the other singer, Pavarotti began the same phrase softly instead building it with a crescendo. Yet, in spite of the softness, his voice had the immensity of scale that seemed to come from the focused power of the whole universe instead. You could even tell it would be that way from the silence before.

It wasn't loud and boisterous and the vibrational intensity seemed to quake every cell in my body in its crescendo - as well as everyone else's. It was one of those life-changing moments we never forget.

To this day, I try to remember that tremendous intensity doesn't come from just being loud and using all my muscles. Even human will or testosterone alone are not going to make something more powerful if your mind is bound by earthly confines - limited thinking.

You will become insanely more powerful and strong when you gage the correct flow of energy with the focus of your mind rather than engaging more "muscle techniques".

True strength doesn't have to be forced and comes first from the direction of your mind which is either bound by limited thinking by us trying to be stronger humans OR greatly enhanced by us thinking outside the envelope on a much larger scale.

In the silence before a massive weight is lifted, before important words spoken, the moment before the bricks are broken with the bare hands, before the paint touches the canvas, before the hairs on the violin bow touch the strings, before the note is sung - THESE are the moments where you gather the power of the universe to focus them into what you're doing.

You're either thinking like a human OR with the effortless commanding power that Zeus might exude as he gathers the great winds into the thunder clouds and whirling Tornados of Power.

This is why in CoreForce Energy, the focusing of power through more "expanded thinking", muscle and skeletal alignment, and congruency of action gives people massive increases in strength and speed.

Pavarotti sang like Zeus might - with effortless power and expanse. He will always be Larger than Life with a voice that will Sing through the Ages. May we all inspire as he did...

To Your Strength and Mastery, Garin Bader

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