'Early Years: 1953-1969

Michael Stillwater was born as Michael Korns in Washington, D.C. At an early age he felt an unquenchable yearning which led him to explore both eastern & western mystic traditions. Visual, verbal, musical and theatrical arts attracted him.

His first contact with media was delivering newspapers to the personalities at WTOP-TV, D.C.'s first television station. In 1960, before his years as White House news anchor, Sam Donaldson graciously accepted Michael's invitation to attend his 7th birthday party.

Early idealogical influences included Unitarian Church, Aunt Mary Perkins, (devotee of Mahathma Gandhi and United Nations advocate), and Mrs. Zenz, next-door neighbor with not only a great name but a library of books on Rosicrucianism, Ancient Egypt, and Manly Palmer Hall.

At thirteen, with MoTown pulsing from the radio, he borrowed his mother's Silvertone steel-string. He reversed the strings (a lefty's natural rebellion to a right-hand dominated world) and wrote his first song. A lifelong enchantment had begun.

A haircolor bleaching that went terribly wrong gave him notoriety as the orange-haired kid at Alice Deal Junior High School; this (among multiple ncidents) served to further increase a growing sense of alienation, and deepened his attraction to both the musical and mystical.

He practiced all styles of guitar, and at The Hawthorne School in D.C. he practiced blues guitar with classmate Seth Justman (J. Geils Band, keyboards), taking rock lessons with guitar legend Nils Lofgren, jazz with master teacher Frank Mullen, and migrating to California to spend his senior year at Pacific High, a legendary experimental school/commune in the Santa Cruz mountains, where Buckminister Fuller's dome theory was put to the test, yoga was the primary exercise & avant garde music was all part of the day's curriculum.

Journey to the East:
The Yoga Years 1970-1976

Awakened by an inner call, and seeking distinction from the intellectual domain of his father, Michael took the name 'Stillwater' when he moved into the Integral Yoga Institute in Santa Cruz, California, for the spring semester of his senior year in high school, graduating while studying yoga, chant and vedantic texts. In the summer of 1971 he moved to Eugene, Oregon, where he subsequently attended Lane Community College and the University of Oregon. In addition to his music & yoga practice, he designed and marketed Gracenotes, a line of sepia-tone greeting cards.

Given the spiritual name 'Maitreya', (meaning a 'friend of everyone' and 'the future Buddha') by his teacher Swami Satchidananda, he legally changed his name to 'Maitreya Stillwater'. He studied arranging with pianist/choral director W.A. Mathieu in Marin County, California, and in 1974 moved from Eugene to Santa Barbara, CA with Kristin Mathews, his first wife.

There in Santa Barbara he continued his artwork and songwriting. A sense that his music and spirituality needed to merge continued to haunt and inspire him. He moved to Marin County, California, in the Fall of 1976. Eventually acknowledging their need for different paths, he and Kristin separated and amicably divorced.

Turning to the West:
The Heavensong Years 1977-1989

Michael dedicated his music to healing. Inspired by A Course in Miracles, together with Maloah Devi he co-founded Heavensong, a non-denominational music ministry focusing on contemporary Western chants evoking an ecstatic, non-dual state of consciousness.

Wings of Prayer, Set Your Heartsong Free, and Celebration were recorded and released. He published Windows of Nature, a story-coloring book of parables and inspirational tales. In 1982, with Maloah he moved to Maui. Heavensong Celebration Live!, Serenade, and Shores of Paradise were recorded.

The Heavensong ministry flourished, becoming a center of fellowship for locals and visitors drawn to the exuberance and universal spirituality. Voices of the Heart was released in 1985, giving a classical performance of several of the sacred chants. (On the 20th anniversary of its recording, the chant 'Heart of the Mother', was awarded best chant in the New Thought Songwriter's Awards)

A 1985-86 world tour brought his music to Europe and Australia/New Zealand. One Light and You Belong to Love were recorded. The Celebration Songbook was published. A Course in Marigolds, a humorous parody, was written and published, and he reclaimed the name 'Michael'. In 1989 he and Maloah separated, releasing the Heavensong ministry and opening to a new chapter in their lives. Maloah has lived in Maui and California. Michael moved back to the Mainland, first to Santa Cruz, California, then to Washington State.


Dancing with Mystery: 1990-1998

The 90's was a time of deepening, soul searching, and exploring the edge of life and death. Interest in tantra and emotional healing opened new pathways of expression. Michael's intuitive music developed as a central dimension of his ministry, beginning with the release of Sanctuary in 1990. Together with Lee Ann Macdonald, he began a new life. In California he shared intuitive concerts with former Moody Blues keyboardist, Patrick Moraz. His work with the dying, those in grief, giving birth, and all life transitions, unfolded steadily, with the wild expanse of the Pacific Northwest providing a backdrop and catalyst for his inner journey. His father's death in 1994 was a significant experience for him, awakening a recognition of the power of music at the doorway.

SongCare, the name he used for intuitive song within a healthcare framework, met with welcome, respect, and admiration within both the medical and hospice communities. Arc in Time- A Retrospective, his first CD anthology, was released in 1992, followed by Everywhere A Child Is Born (now titled BirthSongs) in 1995, intuitive music for birthing. Song Universal, a multi-artist release featuring Michael's music sung by the World Choir and the song Body of the Goddess, was published by Seventh Round Records in 1996.

In 1996 he began sharing music at the bi-annual Centerpointe Research Institute retreat, the meditation technology company of founder Bill Harris. (His performance and facilitating at these retreats continued, for the next twelve years). He also began his European travels, introduced to Norway through publisher Reni Hagen and working with depth psychologist and spiritual guide, Doris Laesser. He began to co-lead Art of Presence Retreats in Europe and America, and Dark Retreats in Switzerland.

Renewing residency in Santa Barbara, California after 20 years absence, he recorded and released Rocked in the Cradle (now titled JourneySongs), in 1998, along with Woven, commissioned by a national healthcare system. Turn to Me, one track on Rocked in the Cradle, was awarded in the 2001 John Lennon SongWriting Contest.


Above the Horizon: 1999-2001

In 1999, together with longtime friend and Emmy-award winning film composer Gary Malkin, Michael founded Companion Arts, Inc., a media development company for creating a more heart-centered world. He moved back to the Bay Area in early 2000, expanding his musical ministry through ChantWave celebrations, SoulVoice: Intuitive Singing Workshops, SongCare songportraits, and further development of Companion Arts projects, as well as presenting at conferences nationwide.

In November, 2000, with support from Nathan Cummings Foundation, Fund For Global Awakening, and a large community of advocates, advisors, and networkers, Companion Arts released Graceful Passages: A Companion for Living and Dying, a book and 2 CD set of spoken word & music. Together with such distinguished speakers as Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Ram Dass, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rabbi Zalman Schachter, and other mentors, Michael delivered a guided meditation for relaxing into the ground of being, accompanied by symphonic music and choir. As the first volume of the Wisdom of the World series, designed to model heartful living and the practice of presence in an intimate way, Graceful Passages became the most widely used audio resource for palliative care and hospice.

In August, 2001, the MasterPeace Conference at Stanford University was a landmark in the use of music with spoken word, bridging the head and heart, featuring Michael's ChantWave music together with Gary Malkin, Christina Quinn, and other musicians.

In September, 2001, Care for the Journey was launched, initiated as a donor-sponsored program to bring Graceful Passages and other helping resources to individuals, families and healing professionals throughout the nation.


Music & Wisdom in Service: 2002-2005

Moved by the humanitarian impact of Graceful Passages, a nonprofit entity (Companion Arts) was determined the best form to serve the ongoing educational and service dimensions of the work. To fulfill this need, the name and ownership of the media company changed to Wisdom of the World, Inc., and Companion Arts now serves as the nonprofit. Supported by individuals and organizations who believe in the power of applied compassion and music for healing, the mission of Companion Arts is to utilize the arts to address the spiritual and emotional dimensions of transition, helping individuals, organizations and communities embrace change as a pathway to meaning and connection.

Grace In Practice was the initial program, bringing the awareness of healing music to palliative end-of-life care providers. A Lloyd Symington Foundation grant supported this work in cancer clinics in America and Canada. Under the guidance of healthcare consultant Mary Matthiesen, the focus towards healthcare professionals was reinforced.

Care for the Journey: Sustaining the Heart of Healthcare is an educational initiative designed for healthcare professionals. Both programs are offered through healthcare organizations around America.

The Wisdom Project.net was established as a web portal into all of these projects.

Invited into public schools through poets in the California Poets in the Schools program, Michael began regular visits to elementary classrooms throughout the area, giving young children an experience of their poems turning into songs.

Invitations for presentations continued through the Care for the Journey program, from Harvard, Baylor Medical Center in Dallas, Dartmouth, and other institutions, interested in new applications of the arts into healing sciences.

Executive director for Companion Arts, content creator for Wisdom of the World, Inc., and artist/founder of Inner Harmony/Medicine Music, Michael received the Elisabeth Kubler-Ross award for Excellence in End of Life service, together with co-creator Gary Malkin, Roshi Joan Halifax and Frank Ostaseski, from the Chaplaincy Institute for Arts and Interfaith Ministries.



Re-Creation: 2006-2007

After ten years of spoken word/music project development, Michael produced and released ChantWave at Grace Cathedral (Inner Harmony, 2006) his first Chant CD in twenty years, since Voices of the Heart (Inner Harmony, 1986). For people drawn to a trans-traditional spirituality, this recording delivers a uniquely powerful and evocative celebration of Oneness via music.

He also co-produced Winterfaith (Wisdom of the World, 2006) and The Heart of Healing (Companion Arts, 2006), both in collaboration with Gary Malkin.

His marriage to longtime teaching partner, Doris Laesser, coincided with a relocation to Zurich, Switzerland, establishing a European base of music and ministry. American tours twice a year keep him linked to the communities he has longtime connection with.

During this time Michael created hundreds of SongCare Originals, wrote Passports, provided consultancy to healthcare organizations, co-facilitated retreats with Doris, and offered healing music and community transformational events and workshops worldwide.

During these years he also was a keynote speaker at conferences, guest minister in churches, and delivered training for musicians in the healing application of song.


Song Without Borders & The Honoring: 2008

The Honoring Ceremony emerged in early 2008 as an evolution of SongCircle, a group sharing of SongCare. Michael envisioned a movement for awakening the song of the world, called 'Song Without Borders'. The first phase was an offering of TeleSong ceremonies of spontaneous song, offered freely as a gift to selected individuals and organizations, and then as community events featuring The Honoring Ceremony. Sing It Forward was the name of the gifting opportunity recipients were given to pay for another community to have this experience.

To allow for tax-deductible contributions to this vision, the nonprofit Companion Arts offered to provide fiscal sponsorship of Song Without Borders activities.

Through additional donations to this vision, in the summer of '08, The Honoring CD: Songs of Healing, Empowerment and Awakening, was produced. In the Fall, O Great Spirit, a live concert recording of chants, was released. The universal chant Feels Like Home was produced together with Seattle musician/producer Rick Bakken.

SongSourcing & Filmwork: 2009

SongSourcing, a method of integration through spontaneous songmaking (formerly SoulVoice), developed into multi-cultural educational practice for adults and children. Honoring Ceremonies, supported by Song Without Borders, began to be offered in Europe and America, and over the phone (TeleSong). The 4th annual Art of Presence Retreat for healthcare professionals was offered in Assisi, Italy. European and American tours continue to be offered (see schedule). In the Fall of 2009, Michael began to develop a film through Song Without Borders- In Search of The Great Song, to inspire and encourage viewers to reconnect to their inner song.

As part of this vision, an Honoring Ceremony at Fernwood cemetery was filmed, called 'Honoring Our Ancestors'. In December, Michael flew to Melbourne, Australia, to interview world spiritual leaders at the Parliament for the World's Religions and aboriginals in Byron Bay, Australia.

In Search of The Great Song: 2010

To revitalize the structure for Companion Arts, the nonprofit which Michael had co-founded, offices were moved to Boulder, Colorado, under the management of Susan Osborne and Leland Hoover.

Throughout 2010, In Search of The Great Song filming continued (a Song Without Borders project fiscally sponsored by Companion Arts), with filming in Switzerland, Italy, Estonia, Germany, Sweden, Scotland, USA and India.

The work, conceived as a documentary miniseries, will include one episode dedicated to the work of American Choral Composer and National Medal of Arts recipient, Morten Lauridsen.

YouTube uploads of clips from the film were seen by 25,000 viewers.

The 5th annual Art of Presence Retreat for healthcare professionals was offered in Assisi, Italy, and a Healing Power of Song retreat was offered together with Wolfgang Bossinger (founder of Singing Hospitals) and Katherina Neubronner

Emergence: 2011

As the year begins, in recognition of the specific focus of its mission, a new nonprofit sponsor is sought as an organizational home for the humanitarian arts work of Song Without Borders.


SUMMARY:


Catalog: Michael has composed and recorded a large body of healing music and continues to bring forth new recordings. In addition to his independent record label Inner Harmony, he continues to create therapeutic songs for individuals and couples.

Retreats: Michael offers workshops on intuitive singing and facilitates Art of Presence Retreats in America and Europe. These retreats are for healing and honoring of the whole being, an inquiry into the nature of living truth, conducted in partnership with his wife, Swiss psychotherapist Doris Lasser Stillwater.

Healing Songs: These can be intuitive songs for individuals and couples (The Honoring), or for small gatherings, groups and teams. Both services can be provided by phone.

Conference Speaking and Music: Michael performs and delivers keynote addresses and workshops at conferences and retreats both in America and internationally with an emphasis on themes of presence, the healing power of song, transitions, creativity, and personal/planetary transformation.

Photography: Michael is a photographer of nature and abstract imagery; here you can view samples of his work.

See Video: 'The Song of Home

To contact Michael: