Carlos: on the power of Music, time, power, and defining love

"Love is an embrace."

Image from http://www.carlosnavae.com/

Where did you come from? What brought you to Wellington?
I come from Acapulco, Mexico - very hot weather, right in the Pacific, south of Mexico. I come from a seven-member family. I’m the second oldest son. 

I came to visit NZ in 2004, and then I stayed. I did not go back to mexico until 3 years later, in 2007. 

My initial reaction towards Wellington was: “What the Hell, man~? This is Mexico upside down.” From chaos to order. From messy to organised. From mischievous to honest. Where I come from is more water and sand and palm trees. It’s green, but lots of sun, so bright, so hot. Over there is more of the sea - tropical feel. Here in NZ is more like nature, bushy, many many shades of green, and very very bluest skies. The sun is not very bright as the sun in Acapulco. It’s bright, but it’s different. The shade of the light, the texture of the light is very different. I know the difference between a sunny day in Wellington and a sunny day in Acapulco. There is a difference in the air. The sky looks kind of like bright blue. Here: more fluorescent. Acapulco sky cannot be so fluorescent. It’s a light blue. Here is intense. Over there is soft.

That was my first impression: Very green. A very peaceful and quiet place. 

Did it feel too quiet at times?
Yes, at times, when I first arrived - can be too quiet. I got used to it. 

What do you think about Wellington?
Wellington is great how it is. Wellington for the better would be: balancing the roads and the streets to the amount of people that have cars. And also, what can make Wellington better is, by some miracle, the weather can be sunny every day. 

What about ... for bars to pay musicians better?
That’s fine. Everybody can do whatever they want and that’s fine. And so can I. I choose my niche and they choose theirs. And we live in harmonious disharmony. You work with the ones you can agree with and deliver your worth. That’s how I get rid of my problems. 

How do you deal with problems and confrontations?
l love to talk face to face - communication, and [for] things to be settled. It’s important for us human beings to be informed,  communicating how we feel, and also with a level of tolerance - always. Because you never know what goes on in the life of another person. Their actions might not be personal. So what i’ve learnt is, you also learn to agree to disagree, and be happy with that. 


Define - and undefine - love.
I would define love as a basic understanding of love, of how everybody understands it. I assume most of us know love is a feeling you get in your chest, when you see or feel or hear something that creates that feeling of peaceful excitement, with the heart pumping. That’s love.
When you eat an ice-cream and you love it, or when you swim and you go into the water with that sensation, that’s love. Love is to feel happy.

Happy with something?
Being it material, a person, a sensation. Love is different for everybody. How I would describe personally love [is based on] how I understand my body and my emotions. Like right now, drinking chocolate, I love it, I say it because I feel it, my mouth is reacting and my body is reacting, and I’m happy. It could be linked to pleasure. It’s a lot of feelings at the same time. Pleasure, happiness, contentment.

Love is embracing. Embracing those feelings. Love is an embrace, is that bridge that connects things. 

Now un-define love.
The universe; The cosmos; vibration; dog and owner; nature and mating; seasons; the birth of the star...Happy birthday, star! The birth of planets; spring. There’s probably seasons in the cosmos. 

Yeah, seasons are the Earth’s way of loving itself and what’s on it.
Yeah....yeah... Far out...

Light; music: music is again vibration; Laughing: Laughing with tears; dancing. 

What about pain?
Many of us have different perceptions of what love is. So therefore I can say love is the embracement of triggered emotions. Someone can say that they love pain. Coz love is greater, deeper, bigger. 

Love is that crack where light comes through.
Where there’s love there’s pain and sadness. In the balance of reality, you can be stuck on love. You can get stuck in darkness and pain. Limbo pain. But not everybody can do that: getting stuck. Most people would have both. And people learn to know themselves, and they can decide or choose where to be. 

So love is a choice. 
Yes, it’s a choice. It’s like: the problem is not the problem, it is the way you’re looking at the problem, the way you’re reacting to the problem. Either make it worse or make it better.

Now that I can see the pieces together, I can see what you’re saying: pain leads to love, that’s like that little crack that you discover - to see the crack and let the light through. Boom!

Coz one who’s really unhappy is either so closed up on themselves, or lashing out on others.
I discover some of the behaviors of depressed person is a self-destructive behavior that’s almost unstoppable, and the person can look for any excuse to piss off people around them whether consciously or unconsciously. The result comes from that behavior is that people get further and further [when] they keep [up with] that attitude. 

Tell me about how good it is to not be part of Jehovah’s Witness.
Best thing ever. There’s this guilty feeling 24/7. So no more: “Am I doing the right thing?” feeling. No more hiding. No more restrictions about who should be my friend. 

Or what song you can sing.
Or who saw me with who, and when. Oh my God. 

I was seen with my neighbors, Jewish or Catholic. I was [told to not continue] hanging out with people that I was not “supposed to; I was seen in the club dancing with this girl really close, and I was not supposed to; I was going on Christmas day as I was invited for a piece of cake and have to refuse for religious reasons; and then they offered me to sit and have a drink of hot tea which I accepted, I was just hanging out with them and I was told off. It was just sitting down at a table for Christmas, which has pagan origins therefore not Godly. Because well, Jesus historically wasn’t even born then. So reasons for their celebration is mundane. 

All those things, I don’t miss them.

Was there anything positive?
Yes! Singing. Music. Public speech. That’s a great thing to teach someone. To communicate. Stage presence. Being able to actually be in the centre and have a speech about a subject, make yourself understood for an audience. I think that’s a good thing. As a musician I got all of those things from that - from Jehovah’s Witness: singing three times a week, speaking in public once a month, to 200 people. 

Another great thing would be sharing. Community. With people that are not judgmental, people who are not frenetics, not lunatic. You find genuine, loving, giving people, caring. That was cool, because you can always count on them. 


Would the world be alright without religion?
I think religion as a group of belonging by making it a brand - that’s wrong. Like: “Hey, I am Catholic.” “I’m a Jew.” It’s like “I am Puma”, “I am Adidas”. You’re just a T-shirt, just shoes. The separation of religions is wrong, I think we should have a common system of gratitude for things. A universal religion.

But isn’t that what every religion is trying to accomplish?
Yes, but according to their own [script]. That’s where it’s wrong. It’s a loop, it’s never ending. Certain religions condemn. Jehovah’s Witness condemns strictly Muslims and Catholics, Because they believe in the false God, and they’re lost, they don’t deserve their kingdom, they need to die, gotta be destroyed. 

I read this primary [school] book [for children] about Muslims recently, about how Muhammad was converting everybody, and those that didn’t convert was chopped [to death]. When I was little, I was told that they follow the wrong God, they believe in Satan disguised as God. 


So what do you see as the truth?
Truth I see it is: the world is chaotic. Religion found a way to exist. What’s supposed to happen. I think all human beings, we have such a vast difference of perspectives on what life is. We have a basic understanding. The minimum of one...we are creators, we created this reality, we created religion, war, planes, cities... All these things. There is chaos. It is chaos and you need to deal with it. 

How should we deal with it?
Well, you create bubbles with people you love; [through] what you can do to change the world: go on a quest to change the world, you need to change your [own] world. You need to make your world beautiful and awesome so you can flourish and leave behind [something] for the next generation. And that is your contribution. If we wanna make a change we have to think in [terms of] generations. We can’t think [only] of ourselves, but what am I going to leave behind for people. 

Think about all these different people. There are people who decide to be emo, to be vampires, gang members.,world leaders - and they just have the power of manipulate, blinded by power.

Imaging if you were Obama, Putin, or [one of] the Rothschild family. Can you imagine yourself in their shoes? No, [we] have no idea. We are so vastly different. We are positioned in many places, all of us, and we have to make our own reality in the best way possible and deal with the chaos that is around us, perhaps our little contribution will ripple and make a change. Our life is vast. Just contribute. Make it beautiful, as long as it lasts. 


Even if it doesn’t. 
Yeah, make it beautiful now.

I’m describing life in the city, how I see it as a city boy. But I believe that truth is found in nature, in coexisting with animals, trees, plants, insects. We don’t have to worry about religions or the Rothschild family [if] we live in nature, in harmony with birds, with seasons, with water, with the grounds... [then] life is so much better, more rewarding. 

Our advancement in technology is too brain focused. You need to work on your heart your stomach, your balance, you feet. You know? like, feel the ground. Feel the vibrations, feel the sound.

In modern city life, we’re on the computer most of the time, car, microwaves, all these millions of things to do and get distracted with, advertising, marketing -- It’s fucking world war 2015. All of this would be great if for my nature to actually just focus on one thing, like planting watermelon or tending a coconut field - Getting familiar with something alive. 

Well, what’s the next thing? Having cell phone attached to our skin. When are we ever gonna be ever alone? When are we ever gonna be [more] aware of life? 


Where do you see yourself in 2 to 10 years’ time?
Somewhere in Australia, Europe or Mexico. Definitely travelling. That’s how I see myself: Moving around the world. I could be sailing, might be joining the Alternative Sailing Community. 

I’m a skateboarder. I like the sea. I like dancing as well. Movement. Maybe I can build my own sailing community. 

​

Tell me about the power of music.
Wow! I think it’s what keeps us alive. I think it’s what keeps the harmony of the universe in place. Vibrations, it’s healing: the vibration is what keeps it moving, consistent and together. 
You are vibration, and I’m also a vibration . 

Music is magic. Music has the ability to hypnotise, to take you out of your body; Music has the ability to take you back in time. You close your eyes and hear this song and you remember this experience in your life, so you actually travel back in time. Music touches your sensations, 


It’s so abstract. Music is one we enjoy but cannot see (except on music sheets of course).
Yeah, man, that’s it. Music is the thing you can see through a receptor: through somebody dancing, through dust moving, through electricity. You can see shapes, sound working through water. It takes a form depending on which is the medium. 

How do you communicate with music?
I communicate it through singing, dancing, an instrument - that’s how I connect with it. 

I personally think that singing is so important. For everybody. For all human beings -- to open your chest and your throat, and inhale and exhale with that sound. I think, singing should be like a health-measure, to keep fit. Doctors and clinics tell you to keep running, [maintain] good nutrition, but they forget [to tell you to] keep singing, keep dancing. They suggest you to go to the gym, sign up with Les Mills. Fuck Les Mills. Sign up to a singing [or] dancing school. Connect to your body. 

The power of music is happiness. It also brings sadness. It brings all the emotions. Music is so vast, the power of it embraces so much. 

Just like love.
Just like love, exactly. I wouldn’t be surprised if music and love are the same thing.

I think that’s very fair. It is said that music is the sound from heaven and that ancient egyptians moved pyramid stones with sonic waves.
I believe that is true. I believe people should experiment with it. People should open their chest, it brings your breathing, your core to your centre. It’s like tuning: you fine tune your body. 


What is your advice on life?
Just to remain open: open to positive things, open through the ups [and] downs of life, be open to go through them, open to be quiet, and be active; to be aware, to observe; to listen to your surroundings: the surroundings tell you how you are; and open to listen to people - the good things and bad things to say about you; to evolve, change for the better; be aware of who you are. And um...The world is a really chaotic and can be a hard place to live, and we can make it a loving place, through you and me. 

Keep tuning in order to make yourself and everybody else happy. And the less is better. The simpler the better. The less friends to have around, the more time you have for them. You know? It can be more meaningful. Don’t worry about having lots of friends. Coz it’s just vanity. More quality. 

We all have to go through a journey. Discover yourself. Learn from yourself. You are not the same you from yesterday, from a minute ago. 

Be aware that we are gonna be apart, and to not be sad about parting, or afraid. Just embrace it, embrace our departure, and our journey towards departing. To be aware of that is important.

I know that most of the days, when you’re young, you think about death, but you don’t truly compute that we’re gonna leave. We ponder. You realise you have things to do, that tomorrow you [will] have disappointment, you plan your holidays for March and you never think you’re gonna die. Everyday we should live as if we’re gonna die, so we make everything meaningful and everything that we do meaningful.

Allow yourself to make mistakes, but forgive yourself, and forgive others for their mistakes, too. As you make your mistakes, you grow to improve, so do others. It’s easy to say, but if you do it enough you come to understand it. That’s how I come to understand it. How many things that could have done better. But don’t hold on to it. It’s important to learn forgiveness. 

So powerful, forgiveness...One of the greatest virtues. And it’s also like, "I’m not bothered~".
Exactly. You feel resentment. If you keep it for too long, it starts to eat you up, because that’s a creation from your ego. It’s your creation, so you’re gonna feel it. But you’re gonna understand yourself, what you want. 

Be aware of what you’re feeling, and do something about it. Meditate a lot. Empty your mind.  

It’s important to look at yourself, look at your habits, look at what you’re doing, look at your reactions to words and certain experiences, how you behave in social settings and how you feel, how your actions are affecting your surroundings... Look at yourself and see whether the road you’re walking is contributing to your own well-being

And others.
And others. Exactly.

Keep on laughing. Laughter is so good. Laugh and laugh lots. If you notice that you haven’t laughed for a long time, make it happen. Bring it out. Laughing is medicine.

Be aware of your dose of singing, your dose of laughing, your dose of exercise, your dose of sex (if you can), you just got to make it happen.

And the only limit is [in] your head. If you do something without thinking, you’ll probably do it. But if you do something and think too much about it, and ask too many questions, it’s self-sabotage.

Be aware of self-sabotage. Choose to not self-sabotage.


What about family?
That is a funny subject. Life is funny. Life is so vastly different and surprising. Not everybody has the same understanding as family. Some people live with a family. Some people can’t live without the family. Some people love their family. Some people hate their family. Some people have to have a family coz they have no choice. 

This is [a] personal subject when you talk about family. I think family is always gonna be that spiritual link: your mom can feel you, your dad can feel you, you and your brothers have that connection. There’s the gene[tic] connection, blood connection.

Whether you be with your family or look at your family that’s different. 

I think it’s important to keep in touch, for closeness, for caring. 

If we don't, it’ll be like chopping away our roots. Good luck for surviving.
Exactly. It’s my family. I will make the best effort. I always imagine myself with a family. I always imagine myself being really close to my children, be quite confident in communicating with them, be trustworthy, build that trustworthy relationship with them. It’s cool with some things, it’s always loving, it’s always understanding. If it’s hard it has a reason behind it. The reason is this. We’ll explain why it broke down. Not just a reaction with no background. Everything that happens needs to be grounded, and backed up by powerful and meaningful information. 
So, mm, but I imagine like, being that, how do you say uh... Being that...inspiration, but also be playful.


How do you perceive time?
Wow! Time! This is my life subject!  

Never understood time quite well. Never work with it quite well. Time is relative. Time doesn’t exist if we don’t measure it. Time is perception for each individual. It’s kinda important because we live with it, everybody’s understanding of time is seconds, minutes. Things we count. So in the modern world we have to be aware of time, and we have to work with it. If we accept time, we should work with it. Otherwise I would never arrive at this interview if I didn’t respect your time. If I choose to live here [on earth], then I have to live with it. That’s my journey which i’m trying to fix. I’m enslaved by it.

Everybody’s sense of time is different. For some it’s immediacy. For some it’s fluid.
But we’re programmed. To work, activities. 8 hour shifts.

And once you start sailing for example - do you think you’ll be able to gt out of that sense of time?
Hell yeah! But even when you work in the field, timing is important. Here comes the sun, it’s sunny, I need to keep my plant watered. It’s rain season now, I need to plant now. And then, I reap. So even if you’re out of the city, time finds you. It’s like, Hallo, you can’t get away, you have to exist with me. 

So what is time?
Time is chance. How many chances have I got in this 1 minute. Realities.

That’s amazing. You’re saying there are multiple possibilities.
There’s already things in time like seasons, whether or not it’s already specified, but that doesn’t mean it’s time, it’s structure. 

But timeless - say, that you live in a close environment, where sunlight is the device. And it’s day time every time! And there is plants and fruits, and there is flowers. So you live in a place where everything just grows! imagine this big field. Where section A there is spring, section B is autumn, section C there is summer, section D is winter. What happens to time? and there is the night area. So you can choose to be at night. What would happen then? that would be a crazy experiment. Imagine that world, imagine you are born in a world where you are born where you can choose. Or, today, I want snow. You just go to the section with winter.

We have to work with it in the best way possibles. For ourselves and others! It's always the same conclusion. We’re not alone. That’s the thing.

Would/Do you like to be alone?
No. I already have the choice to be alone. I would get bored. My doses of aloneness, I take those. And then I take a dose of playtime. They’re both important. 

What would be your spirit animal?
I believe my spirit animal is a whale! Everytime I imagine a whale, I see myself in the water singing, “Wooooooooooooooooh!” I have this connection. I was singing the Argentinian national anthem like this big whale, in the middle of the sports stadium in Hamilton. And I felt that I was not alone. Since that moment, it’s been following me. So then, I see myself as that. 

Yesterday, I was swimming, and I felt like a whale. Confidence in water, oh man, changed my life. So important. It’s like this fear, when I had this near death experience with an overdose, I saw my life going through, [I saw] myself when I was little... I had this trauma. And I decided that I should do meditation with my best friend at that time, and I didn’t tell her that I was traumatised, but I decided to pull out and dropped it with her, and I saw the panic and anxiety coming. As we were sitting outside the garden, I was panicking inside, but I decided to not give it importance. And I decided to not be afraid of not having control. I let go. Even if it could cost my life, I decided that if it was my time, it’s my time. And the moment that happened, I saw the anxiety, when I decided to not fear what’s happening, I felt I could hear, I could feel the ground, the trauma vanished, the trauma dissolved. 

And then this new feeling of life came, and confidence, security, that the universe’s got you. For a purpose, there’s something else, something big, you’re back up. Boom. Again you’re not alone. So it’s the same thing I deal with the swimming trauma, I went there, and put myself in there, facing the fears on my own, and just go in, without fearing to die, or to have control, just go. Make it happen, make it work. Feel confident.

So my teacher asked me, “Why didn't you tell me about your trauma?”
I didn’t think it was important.


Message for the world - with three words:
I would say: love. It’s like, duh --. And then, forgive. And, laugh. Then there’s many words. 1 too many. And sing. Yeah. Instead of laugh. So, sing-laugh. Sing and laugh at the same time. 

Don’t underestimate yourself.

Nor other people.
Or others. Don’t underestimate yourself or others. 



You can book gigs and concerts with Carlos or Carlos' band for public and private functions via the contacting details below --
Email: carlosmusicnz@gmail.com
Facebook: @CarlosNavae
Music: https://soundcloud.com/carlosnavae
For  updates on concerts & gigs: https://www.facebook.com/CarlosNavae

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