Walking down the stairs, after recording this sample/example of an old song below on the audio bar, I broke through a spider’s single silk thread. It felt gentle on my face as I passed through it. Why does the hand always tend to go straight to face to wipe away the silk. I have read in the past how spiders can ‘jump’ from wall to wall horizontally. They actually lower a thread and let wind or air draft float it around until it catches an opposite surface. They test the thread, and if secure, pull it taut and catch a ride. Strengthening the initial thread if needed to carry spidery body weight. There are many other spidery engineering feats to follow in order to create a full on cobweb. But, being of a Summers’ mindset it was an instant thought of ‘Is this a message!’ Am I a spider in how to perform acts and deeds! Truly? Haven’t got a clue.
I once read a book called ‘The Way of Wyrd’ by Brian Bates about Paganism in Anglo Saxon England. A Shaman sorcerer (Wulf), who used the power of runes to cross into other spiritual realms, took a Christian Monk (Wat Brand) on a journey to show how Paganism was as valuable as Christian philosophy. Runes were self carved, with intricate care, into Willow wood in order to keep them on one’s person for protection against unseen forces. Once accepted into that other spiritual realm you learnt of the complexities in the tapestries of life and how to navigate fate. It was a fascinating read. I carved my own sets of runes into clay, smooth pebble like slate found in river beds and also Willow wood too. The three Wyrd Sisters (Norns) were always in the background philosophy as Web of Life Weavers. Weavers of a Destiny and Time.
Breaking through that morning spidery thread instantly reminded of that book. Also, a thought link to past beginnings of how my ceramic days were shaped in creating figures concerning travelling mystical and mythical characters. Rune carriers, musicians, Shamans, Faerie, etc. It was a very strange time in which to envelop myself into such thinking. I needed a new challenge after the musician days. Pottery was a key adventure in life. But of course, it had to be linked to different artistic inclusions in order to adopt themes of different nature. That being story telling, poetry and….music again. The music dream was dabbled into, linked to wanting some exhibitions to have self written music involvement, but it never found true dawn. On reflecting here, I met some very lovely mystical people around that time in my life. Very influential too.
Making coffee, it went through my mind about how we perceive our past experiences and if they are ever truly worth revisiting for inspirational value. My thoughts are that all experiences are of great value. The trick is to not value them above all else that exists in your life. Too many people I have spoken to over decades have harked back to the powerful entity of ‘Back When….” that they perceived to be superior. Myself included. Recent therapeutic reflections have brought about the re-balance as to realising who I truly am again. Someone with no ego. Well….maybe a ‘Quiet and gently reflective ego’. Selflessly detached and simply existing happily. Waiting to see what comes about next.
That spider’s thread? It gave me the thoughts as to what I had just done musically this morning. And a couple of times over the last few days. Old songs revisited alongside new ones. A thread back to past times that resulted in a finished in the ‘Year of 1980’ made cobweb song called ‘Trust Me’. It was performed by seven individual band members. Having ground down some coffee beans, I put on the kettle. Grabbed a cafetière and spooned in, as said, the wonderfully fresh and aromatic Musetti Paradiso coffee. Waiting for the coffee to brew for a while, I began to ruminate whether I, myself, subliminally broke that thread to past beginnings in order to create a new aromatic and adventurous solo sound. Yeh, I know! Weird hey. Or Wyrd?
And so. Think like a spider. How to strengthen a thread from the initial song in order to afford to carry enough of my weight in order to realise the success of a new adventure. Is it wise to leave the original song with its soul vibe and not move on to create a new song genre/sound? Leave it as it was and re-record it in exactly the same vibe. Ergo, a soul song. Or find out a new vibe that is the current me. Me, as a soon to be 70 year old, who calls himself ‘Frail Autumn’. Frail and in the Autumn of life. Basically, gentle it up a bit. Also. I’m not a soul singer. Even though I wrote this song….I never sang lead vocal on it. Team 23 as a band had a lead singer. In many of the songs, if not all of them (I can’t remember in truth), I sang backing vocals. Not backing vocals in a harmonies related style either. It seemed to be a case of call and response technique I believe.
Anyways, these words above are just a simple reflection brought about from the act of last night’s spidery activity.
Strange how the Mind flows isn’t it.
POSTSCRIPT: This afternoon, after writing the blog, I sang over the above audio. It was interesting that all those high notes were easily reached. So……it does matter what time of the day you choose to sing!
TRUST ME.
Pop ‘n’ pop is population
All around the World
I’m in need of information
My mind’s in a whirl
You see I gotta stop and pop a question
Ask all lovers and friends.
What am I to do?
Where am I to go?
What am I to say?
Well I really don’t know.
This is a burning in my heart.
Everyday now.
Intent on tearing us apart.
In every way now.
What am I going through?
All I’m asking you.
All I’m asking you.
Is please
Trust me.
Trust me.
Trust me.
Trust me.
Standing on top of a mountain.
Shouting out to the World.
I’m in need of some loving.
I’m needing somebody to love.
To open up my eyes in the morning.
Feel somebody close.
What am I to do?
Where am I to go?
What am I to say?
I really don’t know.
This is a burning in my heart
Everyday now.
Intent on tearing us apart.
In every way now.
What am I going through?
All I’m asking you.
All I’m asking you.
Is please
Trust me.
Trust me.
Trust me.
Trust me.
Gray Summers 
Great song! Great photo! No, it doesn’t matter when we sing. Only that we do. (The painting is very nice too. Yours?)
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Thank you Friedrich. I wish the painting were mine. 😊 But no, it is from the free WordPress photo library. Although…I have recently bought some synthetic Princeton Velvet Touch watercolour brushes. A few years ago I bought a little palette of 12 Schmincke half pans too. Four travel brushes, a little Faber Castell fold down water pot, some Khadi hand made paper and a pocket sized paints pallette carry! Perfection. I have a lifelong dream of actually trying to attempt a bit of naive watercolour painting. Best outdoors in order to simply relax. Fingers crossed it can be a little treasure of an activity. See what you’ve done Friedrich! You are indeed an inspirational artist.
I have loved singing around the house recently. My last few blogs, over the last few days, have been getting down naive presentations of my new songs onto the Mac. This is so I can reflect on the melodies and see which ideas develop. As to where to take them onwards…..who knows.
So pleased that you said ‘we sing’ as an observation. I am so glad that you too find spirituality in the act of singing. It is a wonderfully therapeutic activity that cannot help but make us smile.
Cheers Friedrich. All the best.
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Thank you so much, Gray! As for singing, it’s best if I close the bathroom door when I’m in the shower 🙂 Regarding your plans for watercolors, I think it’s a very good idea. Why? Whether we’re musicians, painters, or artistically inclined in some other way, we should definitely explore other art forms. Without classical music, especially Bach, my art, and specifically my minimalist work, would look very different. Am I an expert on classical music? Not at all, but it offers a wide field for reflection, opens doors (or at least a crack) to a related artistic endeavor. What emerges as a “work of art” shouldn’t matter. Unless, of course, we want to pursue two paths simultaneously, like Haubenstock Ramati. Cheers and all the best to you too, Gray!
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I love that ‘swirly’ effect you get from being in the bathroom and singing soothingly to yourself. When the shower glass door seems to bounce the echo gently around the room.
I have no Mind’s Eye Friedrich, so can never bring up a visual inner image to paint. I do not see anything when closing my eyes. No colour whatsoever. A grey canvas with nothing else at all. Aphantasia is a strange addition to one’s life. So everything is based on what I see in reality. So painting will only be a therapeutic pastime in order to find a sense of calm. Mindful in purpose.
Now I have quickly ‘YouTube looked’ at your mention of Haubenstock Ramati (I confess to never having heard of this gentleman) I can imagine you yourself painting whilst listening. I read with interest when you have discussed in your writing here on WP regarding music and how you paint listening to specific pieces. This content of fractured sound and emotions, on initial listening to Ramati, is a style I have never heard before. I wonder at how it will affect the emotional senses. It will be interesting to take a long listen to his music having now heard the style. Funnily enough, it will definitely be with headphones on and eyelids shut. That is how I perceive his music would have its greatest listening experience. Albeit, with a grey canvas background and a complete lack of colour visually dancing in the mind.
Recently, my songwriting is simply a way of achieving an inner calm. It only exists now for keeping the mind active. Clay too was a wonderful medium to use for similar relaxation and focus purpose. The other senses? New Age music was on constant play when parked in the VeeDub Bus down at the Ynyslas Dunes when the making of essential oil aromatherapy synergy recipes was also therapeutic. It always had that ‘hippy’ background vibe. I always remember your thoughts on the use of musical sound accompaniment when you painted certain works. I therefore imagine that music must be very inspirational in the way you react emotionally as to affecting your finished pieces. Now I am wondering if aroma is additional to the holistic ambience in your wonderful creations. 😊
Cheers again Friedrich. Your contributions here are always so very much appreciated. All the best.
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Thank you so much, Gray! Yes, I remember you talking about your “seeing,” an interesting phenomenon. But I have to tell you that I don’t have an inner eye either. Instead, a mental program is constantly running, with the word “Why?” at its core. That is to say, my analytical approach is heavily emphasized. Of course, I’ve also experimented with essential oils, but I don’t have any particular experience with them. Alcohol is completely out of the question, but that good old hippie plant can certainly help broaden one’s perspective.
Haubenstock Ramati isn’t one of my favorite composers, but I wanted to mention him because he was significant in both fields, music and art. Incidentally, so is Schoenberg, who is undoubtedly more important to me. (Are you familiar with his paintings?) I should start seeing painting as relaxation again; instead, I put incredible pressure on myself and start doubting myself when a painting doesn’t turn out well, but we’ve already talked about that 🙂
All the best again, Gray!
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So you totally understand the condition too. Whilst teaching a course called ‘ACTivate Your Life’… ACT meaning Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness was at the centre of therapy considered. The NHS asked 3 of us nurses to train and then present the course to the local community. It ran for three years. We ran the course twice a year with four sessions over a one month period. The two female nurses asked if I could my ‘morning’ voice of deep frequency to tell the story that requires closure of eyes and imagining sitting in a beautiful spot, for example, a riverside, and place worrying thought intrusions on a leaf at let them float away downstream. I said ‘I have no idea why I am talking of this as worthwhile because I can actually see nothing at all!’
Luckily one of doctors was in the group on that occasion and, after my descriptions, told me I probably had Aphantasia. All my life there was no clue that it existed. I believed that ‘mind visual ability’ was a play on words and an unintentional affectation. A play on words. Strange how we perceive life’s memories in our condition isn’t it.
I studied Chronic Conditions Management at Masters level to support my nursing. Complementary Therapy was my own choice for considerations to aid symptoms and aromatherapy was fascinating due to the fact that it had true scientific markers due to analysis of the plants, herbs, etc. extractions themselves. Still have many high quality books that are the go to’s for research. Pain control was my main interest at that time. I still chant/sing the full Medicine Buddha mantra and used it to prepare my sinking into anaesthetic oblivion. 😊 That alongside the homeopathic choice of Arnica to aid both the ‘shock’ of the procedure and the bruising after surgery. Essential oils have been looked at for assisting negative emotional factors too.
On retiring five years ago, I actually wanted to become an aromatherapist practitioner. But suddenly realised that DIY on the house, gardening and then music came calling again. And so, I dabble with oil synergies now. Have never tried the hippy plant at all in life Friedrich. But appreciate its contributions in aiding specific symptoms can be very beneficial.
I did support Deaf students in education and a fair few went in to various art courses. So did see very many images of famous painters’ works. Had to translate and give voice overs for the students on the Signed presentations. So learnt about artists life stories too. This on old fashioned video tapes for students coursework markings. But that would be around 30 to 32 years ago now. As expected, the lack of visual memory means that most connections as to who is who as artists has long gone now. But Schoenberg does ring a bell. Very akin to Edvard Munch style?
Music is no longer an ambition to be successful Friedrich as I am 70 years old this year. So it is now a wonderful pastime that gives much pleasure.
Sorry this was so long Friedrich. Thank you for your reply. 🙏🏽
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Oh man, we’d definitely have so much to talk about! Your explanations are so interesting! You’ve been able to gather so many valuable experiences. Yes, I consider mindfulness exercises (and meditation is, in a way, also a mindfulness exercise) essential. A very special thank you for reminding me about aromatherapy. I only have a vague idea of it, as I’ve tried out scents in a completely pragmatic way and only afterwards explored what the ones that resonated with me represented. Bergamot is a particular highlight. With thanks and best wishes 🙏🏽
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Thank you. It seems life has been a case of stumbling over opportunities. But I have never fully investigated many interests. Always something else comes along. You, in all your written uploads, show a very interesting life too. And of course, it is so nice being on WordPress and having interactive exchanges with others that are positive. It brings a great sense of feeling uplifted.
With aromatherapy and essential oils, with the scientific investigations, there can be much seen regarding molecular structure and the actual chemistry that can identify specific actions to suit pharmacological needs. But they have to be used with extreme caution really. Much knowledge is required to use them safely. I believe safe external use is paramount. Internal use is a definite ‘No’.
The coffee table aromatherapy books largely promote the long standing known safe types that assist to alleviate symptoms or improve an aura of well being. But even they carry explanations for avoidance. Epilepsy and Pregnancy are two areas for massive choice consideration for example. Also, prescribed tablets may be doing the same action. You do not want to raise or lower therapeutic values into dangerous levels through interactions.
As you say, Bergamot is a wonderful choice. Earl Grey tea anyone? My go to is Cedarwood Atlas. Or Geranium Bourbon. We could never use aromatherapy on our General Ward because no smell/aroma has a generic ‘liked by all’. Hospice care, however, does have aromatherapy interventions on their treatment agenda. Aroma has a powerful effect on the brain’s limbic system with psychological and physiological responses. One person’s love for Lavender can bring a massive dislike of the herb for another. Spicy, fruity, floral, herby, etc. aromas in eau de cologne or perfume is a great example of personal preference and the effect on emotions.
🙏🏽 too Friedrich.
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