Humans are by nature perceptive and compassionate beings in tune with nature and with others but these qualities are usually lost in the deluded busyness of life. The more exposure we have to the stresses of life in a busy world the more important it is that we make the time to relieve the pressure and still our chattering monkey mind. Continue reading
The Greeks original paradise was called the Garden of the Hesperides, and they associated it with Zeus and Hera and with a serpent-entwined apple tree. Dryads were nymphs associated with trees and water. In Greek mythology, the three nymphs The “Hesperides” were daughters of either Nyx (Night) or the heaven-bearing Titan Atlas. Continue reading
I have always loved music and have always loved the sound of wooden flutes. Once long ago I discovered a recorder in a second hand shop and a little booklet explaining how to use it. I tooted on that recorder whenever everyone else was out of the house and I day dreamed and dreamed about becoming a flute player.
Time passed and I met my husband to be. He had a silver flute that he tooted on when everyone else was out of his house and he day dreamed and dreamed about becoming a flute player. We tooted to each other, became close friends and confidantes. Eventually we married and decided to move to the coast to live a very simple lifestyle. We stripped our possessions down to the basics and sold our “tooters” to secondhand dealers and moved.
Today I enjoy the simple pleasures like making music with friends. I don’t “toot”, I sing and drum, and use whatever I can find to use as a percussion instrument. But the tooting never stopped and by that I mean the music in my head and in my dreams.
This week I received a tweet from my friend Robin Easton. Robin is an Author, Blogger, Speaker, Musician, Nature Photographer, Adventurer, Hiker, Canoeist, Camper, Potter, Glass Artisan, Gardener, Traveler, Lover of Life and Laughter. The link she tweeted was to a wonderful piece of flute music. TheKeithESmith was so inspired with Robin’s Naked in Eden book that he created a lovely piece of music for her.
If you have visited her blog then you will know how connected to nature Robin is. You will know the source of that connectedness is her capacity to love without reservation; to allow love to fill the spaces and places within where fear once had its stronghold. And you will know she’s a self-taught musician.
Naked in Eden is a story based on Robin’s life, the story of a young woman’s awakening, as she turns away from death, and walks into the arms of Life.
‘You must be mad to live in the bloody jungle, mates.’ Not mad exactly, just disconnected and seeking more meaning and adventure in their lives. An eccentric free spirit who never quite fit in, Robin Easton saw her soul mate in Ian—a rugged, rowdy Aussie who wanted out of the confines of his family’s business. Together they planned their Great Escape: to live off the grid in a remote area of Australia’s Daintree Rainforest.
But as their Jeep wound its way closer to the tiny black dot on the map, Robin couldn’t have fathomed just how the jungle would test her mentally, physically, and spiritually. As she came face to face with her fears of deadly snakes, leeches, and man-eating crocodiles, she began to unravel the mysteries of life and death, love and loss, and nature and humankind. Hidden in the forest mist, she discovered our biological relationship to the natural world and our unique place in it.
Allow
Love will flow in just as swiftly as it flows out.
I was raised in the backcountry in a family that encouraged vocalization, musicality and improvization. No one was left out. Everyone old or young was encouraged to vocalize in any way they wanted to, and to make music on instruments that were available or to create their own. The whole idea was to have a good time.
Some of the melodies and harmonies we produced when I was young still ring in my ears today, and my memories of these wonderful musical times tohether still bring me much pleasure.
When exposed to city life I was astonished to find only those children who were outstanding vocalists and musicians were encouraged to sing traditional music and to play typical instruments avaiable at music stores, and all others were channeled towards sports, science clubs, etc.
I did have a pleasing voice but I was chagrined to find that I was allowed to sing in choirs only if I read the music and followed it. I was also astonished to find that one was expected to just listen to music on radios, records, etc. when in the company of others, rather than singing along with it.
Today I am delighted to say I do make improvised music with my friends. In their midst I am allowed to scat sing, create melodies and harmonies, inject bird calls, and animal sounds, and any other sound I choose to produce from my throat, or from any object I choose to use as an instrument. Freedom to enjoy simple pleasures is heralded in our looseknit group.
I had many vistors this summer as I always so. Among them were children from cities who had not made any improvised music since they were in nursery school. They were so shy and reluctant to just let go and have fun. They were worried about how they might sound to others. [she rolls her eyes] Well, we changed that. We had even the most reluctant teens joining in and enjoying the simple pleasure of making improvised music.
Where did music snobbery come from? Making music is our birthright. Everyone can make music and no one ought to be reluctant to do so in the company of others.
Below are three videos that illustrate some improvised vocal and instrumental music.
1. I consider making music to be a simple pleasure that we all can enjoy. What are your thoughts?
2. Do you make your own music or create new music when you are alone or with others or both? Or are you a listener only?
3. If you have children or grandchildren do you encourage all of them, musically talented or not, to make their own improvised music and create their own improvised instruments?
