Co-regulation through singing together
Mothersong Chorus
For Women & Nonbinary Folks
Looking back, down the lineage, I know this much is true. The ancestors used to sing.
Not on the stage, maybe.
Not in a concert hall.
Singing was part of daily life.
Washing the clothes. Shelling the beans. Rocking the baby.
Sing and you soon learn the secret. Singing makes life easier. Where life brings grief, songs bring solace. Song helps us remember that whatever happens, we don't have to go it alone.
Today, in an era where music making is often outsourced to your media app of choice, most of us have lost touch with the power of community singing.
In doing so, we've lost something of great value and power.
We recover this power when we approach singing as our ancestors did - by bringing it out of the concert hall and back into the nourishing fabric of every day life as ceremony and self-care.
This was an incredibly powerful experience that nourished and inspired my mind, body and soul. Mothersong gave me dedicated space and time to be fully present for myself. This medicine helped me move and work through several significant transitions where I felt grounded. I found myself taking long walks in Golden Gate Park to sing with the trees. What unexpected calling of delight!
— Christy, San Francisco
Singing to repair, nourish and renew
There's a word for what happens when we sing to connect with one another. It's called co-regulation.
Co-regulation describes the way that, when our nervous systems receive cues of safety from another person, we can settle from activation into ease.
This process plays a vital role in child development as, through co-regulating with a caregiver, a little one learns to self-soothe.
But it doesn’t end with childhood. Throughout life, co-regulation supports mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health and thriving.
Especially for those of us with attachment wounds stemming from a non-ideal childhood, (which, let's face it, is many of us,) co-regulation fosters more stability, calm and peace.
That's why, in Mothersong, we approach singing as co-regulation.
To sing together in this way can feel like a supportive hug from our most trusted person, helping us move from rupture to repair.
On a community level, singing in this way helps to reweave the torn threads of connection in our world, moving us from isolation into the nurturance of reciprocity.
I appreciate the songs and their message, the gentle and safe space to grow, the diverse and wise community, learning music by ear, and Noe! Noe’s song leading is Empowering, uplifting, healing, gentle and oh, her voice is so beautiful. I recommend this group to Everyone I know! But especially anyone who needs to be held.
— Deepa, San Francisco
A most unusual singing circle...
If you've sung in choruses before, chances are you've still never experienced anything quite like Mothersong Chorus.
Why?
Well, in Mothersong, our focus is different from what people experience in a typical high school chorus. Our group is designed with soul nourishment in mind.
We don't stand on risers. Instead, we sing in a circle.
Rarely do we stand still. More often, we sing while walking, swaying, or finding a movement that feels good to our body to do. This helps ground us in our bodies.
When time of year permits, we sing by candlelight, to help us enter into relaxed state.
Our meetings follow a consistent, simple flow so that you always know what's coming next.
These accommodations and more help to co-create an ambiance that supports deep self care and attunement.
No risers, no-one telling you to smile... Just a group of caring souls, gathered round to drink deep from the well of song.
Some details
Mothersong meets weekly for two seasons a year, in spring and fall, with registration opening in August and February. The group runs in two cohorts who come together at the season's close to share our songs with friends and loved ones.
Mothersong San Francisco meets Thursday evenings, 6 – 7:30 PM at Golden Bridges School, 503 Cambridge St., San Francisco
Mothersong Pacifica meets Tuesday evenings, 6 – 7:30 PM, Pacifica, private residence in Sharp Park. (Google Oceana High School for approximate driving distance.)
Exciting news - we are looking to add an East Bay cohort as well, starting in Februrary. But we need a venue! If you have venue ideas, or are interested in a possible East Bay chapter of Mothersong, please email me at noevenable@gmail.com. (Or scroll down to the very bottom of this page to opt in for updates.) Thank you!
For all other cohorts, spring registration is now open, and spots are limited. We recommend early registration to secure your spot!
What We Sing
- Hypnotic sacred rounds and chants
- Layer songs in three and four part harmony.
- Gorgeous world folk songs.
- Original songs by fellow current songleaders in the oral tradition.
- Songs so beautiful, you won't believe how easy they are to learn
- Note re: cultural responsibility and respect. As a white bodied song leader, I recognize the harm caused by cultural appropriation. I take responsibility for preventing that harm in the following ways.
- 1) In the case of songs by known BIPOC composers, I teach only songs for which I have been given the composer's direct permission.
- 2) In the case of traditional songs belonging to the folk tradition, I teach only songs that I have sufficient learning and experience to represent with accuracy and respect.
I’ve always wanted to learn to sing harmonies and felt intimidated and like it might just be too hard. Under Noe’s guidance, it felt like weaving; I’ve found my voice, confidence and such joy! It’s honestly like magic. This weekly song circle fills me up in every (good) way, and I can’t imagine my life without it. And the nougats of wisdom sprinkled into songs are shared is really quite profound!
— Elizabeth, Pacifica
Teaching Style
At Mothersong, we learn songs the way the ancestors did - by ear. There's no sheet music and no sight reading required.
Here’s how it works – I sing a line, the group sings it back. That’s it.
Little by little, layer by layer, we weave these threads of melody together, allowing us over time to build up song arrangements with ease.
Our in person learning is supported by a treasure trove of high quality practice recordings, made with care by singer-songwriter Noe Venable.
So between meetings, you can take the music home with you to enjoy.
Your Registration Includes
VOCAL INSTRUCTION
A full season’s worth of energizing weekly vocal instruction, plus our final concert and celebration!
COMMUNITY
Participation in a vibrant musical sangha of women & nonbinary folks on a shared journey of vocal liberation.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
High quality practice recordings like these to make learning easy.
MINDSET PRACTICES
Learn powerful practices to help you step into your fulness of expression, drawing on Noe’s expertise as a certified hypnotherapist and spiritual counselor.
Our Meeting Locations
- Large
- Well Ventilated
- Air Purifiers Running
Singing with Noe and Mothersong Chorus is a highlight of my week. Noe is like a calm, grounded fairy sprite who infuses us with her presence, wisdom, and care. No matter how I feel when I arrive, I always leave feeling better.
— Lissin, Pacifica
Frequently Asked Questions
Q – Do I have to be a mother to join you?
A – Absolutely not! Many of our members have never borne children. While our group name Mothersong Chorus might be interpreted to refer to the human experience of mothering, it also refers to the song of the mothering Earth.
Q - Can I drop in to try the group before I commit?
A – Yes! Drop in trials are available for the first few weeks of the session, and may be purchased alongside the full season. When you click through to register, just look for the option to book a drop in for your desired group.
Q – Can I bring my child?
A – Yes, children of all ages and genders are welcome, provided they are of an age to either join in the singing or do quiet self-directed activities nearby. (No screens, please.)
Q – Do I have to be a “good singer” to do this?
A – You do not need to be a confident singer, or an experienced one. This is a “come as you are” group. All voices welcome, no experience required.
Q – Do I need to know how to read music?
A – No. All songs are taught the traditional way, by ear.
Q - What is your COVID policy?
I’m happy to share that in several years of running this group in person post COVID, we have had no known COVID transmission via our gatherings. (Touch wood!)
I attribute this to the conscientiousness of our members, and ask all to join us in that conscientiousness by observing the following precautions.
- Please check in with yourself on the day we meet. Are you experiencing any symptoms not related to a pre-existing condition? Do you have any known COVID exposures?
- If either of the above conditions are met for you, please do a home COVID test that day before joining us.
- If you feel iffy, even with a negative COVID test, please stay home.
Furthermore, on our end, we guarantee:
- Reasonable sized group to avoid overcrowding in our meeting spaces.
- Adequate ventilation
- At least one high quality air purifier running to help with air flow.
Anything else you’d like to know? If so, please don’t hesitate to email me at noe@noevenable.com.
During my time with Mothersong, I deeply appreciated the inclusive and accepting atmosphere fostered by Noe. As someone with a recently changed voice and appearance, I had concerns about fitting in, but Noe’s reassurance and genuine support made me feel not only welcome but celebrated. The choir provided an incredible space for me to learn, grow, and connect with a diverse group of amazing people through the power of music and shared experiences. It was a truly transformative and uplifting journey that I will cherish forever.
— Seneca, San Francisco
If you're nervous...
So, maybe you're curious to try this, but you've got some concerns.
If so, please know that I get it!
Singing can feel vulnerable. Parts of us may find even find it scary.
Parts might wonder, what if I can't do it?
What if I make a mistake, like singing a wrong note?
What if I feel too nervous?
If you have any parts thinking this, I'd like to speak directly to those parts now.
Anxious parts, worried parts, shy parts, I promise you - whatever your level of experience, what you bring is enough, and this group is a place to see and celebrate that.
This group will meet you where you're at, in your authenticity, and will help you gradually move a little beyond that point on a journey to recover your authentic voice.
Just think - what would it feel like to reclaim that power, that freedom, that sense of play?
This group will help you do it!
Singing in Mothersong is a powerful experience! I feel the wonder of becoming whole, every time.
— Hilde, San Mateo
Financial Exchange
The cost of this group works out to approximately $25 per 90 minute meeting, payable either up front or in monthly installments.
Your financial support covers Noe's teaching and planning time, venue rental, liability insurance, tithing to the songleaders whose songs we carry, and the online systems that help me serve you.
While the sustainability of this group depends on most paying the above rate, we also have a limited number of scholarships available.
You may apply for a scholarship here.
Thank you supporting Mothersong Chorus at the rate you can afford, and for letting us support you.
It takes a village!
About the Director
Fifteen years ago, singer-songwriter Noe Venable made this Zimbabwean saying her motto: "if you can walk, you can dance, if you can talk you can sing." Since then, she has helped more than three thousand bay area individuals and families discover the power of community singing as a tool for healing and renewal.
Noe’s other offerings include Forest Voices Chidren's choir, and Noe's Garden Magical Music Class for babies and toddlers. She is also children's music director for the California Revels.
In addition to her work as a songleader, Noe maintains a one on one spiritual counseling practice, supporting highly sensitive women in mental, emotional and spiritual healing through the modalities of Internal Family Systems, Depth Hypnosis, and Applied Shamanic Counseling.
Noe holds an MTS from Harvard Divinity School, and is an ordained interfaith minister of the Foundation of the Sacred Stream.
Noe lives, works and plays on unceded Ohlone Ramaytush lands (Pacifica, California).
So what are you waiting for?
Come try out Mothersong Chorus and let us support you on your path to healing reconnection. We look forward to welcoming you!
Not able to join us this time around, but want to stay in the loop?
All good! In that case, please enter your email below for occasional updates on future opportunities for co-regulation through singing together.