Today, the day following my most compelling date in the Gregorian calendar (the 11th day of the 11th month), I had one of those real difficult ones. You know, a challenge at every turn and a real test to maintain peace, to smile within, to feel still and happy. Given the remarkable sense of humor in this ‘stage’ we call life, towards the end of this day full of self-induced clouds, I was to meet a young Russian singer for an interview.

     This young lady had really impressed me with her stage and singing talent three nights prior, on November 9. So here I was waiting for the subject of this interview when, without noticing the door open, into my presence glided this lady of light… a bright star penetrating my clouds of thought?
     Later that evening, after returning from the restaurant location of our interview to put pen to paper for this story, I received an e-mail saying that in the Northern Hemisphere there had just occurred, on November 8 and 9, a full lunar eclipse, and during this eclipse a most remarkable event in the heavens: a Grand Sextile of Planets. Some call this the Harmonic Concordance of 2003, others refer to this six-planet configuration as the Star of David. Some ancients link this Harmonic Concordance or Star of David to a Lightness of the Heart or Lightness of Being. But more of this later. Now I shall start at the beginning.
     Walking day after day along Liteiny Prospect, on my way to and from Nevsky Prospect and my favourite building on Ulitsa Chekhova, I became captivated by a poster about a concert to take place on the evening of Sunday November 9 with a singer I had not then heard of. Was it my higher self talking or was it the poster? Or the energy of this singer portrayed in a red dress, black hair, striking eyes, and with an incredible presence?
     Whatever it was, the stubborn streak within my mind, then focused on other business projects, was progressively worn down to the point that three days before the concert I declared to one of our associates that she must try to get us seats to this concert and also arrange an interview with this singer. “How do you know you will like her singing?” I was asked. “I just do,” was my reply.
     Seats were secured. The night of November 9 arrived. We met the father of the singer; despite his many tasks he welcomed us like family friends. The Oktyabrsky Grand Concert Hall filled up. People of both sexes, of all ages, children to teens, to young adults, to babushki.

     The performance started. Half time arrived ever too quickly, and I heard one comment from a motherly spirit about how nice it is to hear a young lady really sing. Then, during the second half, I was surrounded by this light of happiness, my face in constant smile that I so often associate with lightness of being – a heavenly state. This singer, portrayed in that fateful poster in a bright red dress, is not just a singer, she is a potential world star on the horizon, although in this case I feel the horizon will soon be transported to the present day, for all the world to share. This feeling is supported by the fact that this singer’s CD is already one of the highest selling CDs here in the very competitive city of St. Petersburg, despite no major PR machine behind her. This is a singer who herself says: “Singing is my destiny. For me it is better to sing than to talk. I cannot imagine living without a career as a singer.”
     Which brings me back to today, the day of the interview. What lit up my evening, my heavens on November 12 after a cloudy, cloudy day? Was it the simple experience of interviewing this young star? No, more it was a case of coming into her heavenly space, sensing a divinity in her presence when she came to meet me, and then after I overdid the questions about her history, her family, her other interests in life she spoke with conviction: “Ask me more about music, about singing!” When I broke the etiquette of the meeting on another occasion, a rebuke quickly came my way, in a most gentle, non-offensive manner. But at no time did the presence of this young lady quaver at all from light and love. That’s it. That’s what lit up my evening. This lady radiates an internal light and unconditional love and she allows those within her energetic space (which expands to all in the hall during her concert) to feel a soul connection with her, reflecting the connection we all have with each other but have mostly forgotten about. No wonder I feel an unconditional love for this lady: Is this not what we all seek to be, to find, in this human life? Light and unconditional love, where love is a gift freely given with no expectations or attachments.
     So who is this young lady who, aside from brief singing ventures in Egypt and countries close to Russia, has not yet travelled the world? I would compare her in the same breath as a young Princess Diana. This young singer, who traces to noble blue blood in her own genetic family tree, in my opinion, will one day help re-unite a fragmented world, in this case through song and beauty. She will help put Humpty Dumpty back together again (when all the king’s men couldn’t), just like when the beautiful Monarch butterfly dissolves the most stubborn human anger, hatred, greed, resentment and negative aspects of strength by landing on or by the body of a needing human. How? By simply radiating its beautiful butterfly colours and vibration of unconditional love or “being”. This young lady possesses her own unique and very special vibration and she is called, simply, Zara. But do not limit your thoughts about this lady’s singing talent based on her physical age. She also does not want any concessions to be made to her because of her physical youth. As she says: “Age should not be a factor in reviewing my performances on stage.” Zara is a professional singer and actress who says: “I have to sing, to perform.” Not for self grandeur. As she says: “I do not sing for the sake of glory but because this is needed by many people.” She accepts and her parents also belatedly accept: “Song is my destiny.”

     Zara in Persian means gold and in ancient Arabian terms means internal light. There are these words again: “internal light”. In light exists the seven visible colours of the spectrum, and colour connects to music, as each colour resonates to a key on the musical scale. Hindu philosophy says each of the seven musical notes and colours resonate with the seven subtle bodies surrounding our flesh body. The great metaphysicians Goethe and Steiner both stated that there is no need to get ill or to age past maturity if one’s own primary colour controls in one’s aura are not disturbed, or if disturbed are returned to harmonic balance. So musical and rhythmic harmony can lead us to the gateway to eternal life. Goethe was adamant that colour/light and music play a vital role in our physical and spiritual evolution, while noted astrological writer Linda Goodman was emphatic that “colour and music and our recognition of their power and the proper use of this power is what will save us from Goetterdaemmering.” Music, of the quality Zara sings, is certainly one significant way to help restore harmonic balance to our auric bodies and to mother Earth.
     There seems no need to know Zara’s surname or family name. Zara fits all occasions. Read about Princess Zara in the story by famous writer Nikolai Gumilyov. Or just talk with her present day stage decorator, friend Airopetian Gamlet, who sees Zara as an Eastern princess, which inspires his stage settings.Like the moon and sun and stars on stage on Sunday November 9, coincidentally as the Star of David formed in the heavens around us.
     Zara is said by leading Russian pianist Mikhail Aptekman to have definite links with the cosmos because she, even at age 14, could sing grown-up romances about love and sorrow when it was clear that she had not experienced that yet in this lifetime.