I visited Trinity College Library in Dublin, Ireland a few years back and had what I consider an amazing experience there.
I was standing on steps, waiting with many other people to be allowed admittance into this magnificent space.
I arrived at this moment feeling pretty calm & healthy despite the joyful vibrations of extreme anticipation. Libraries are special places for me and I was about to enter the oldest library I had ever visited.
Suddenly, my heart starting beating twice as fast. My palms became sweaty. My face flushed into a raging shade of red. It was hard to breathe.
I became frightened and witnessed the negativity of those first thoughts. Am I ill? What is wrong with me?
I frantically began to retrace (in my mind) what I had to eat, the level of physical exertion I had been expending, etc., etc., coming to the conclusion that I was still healthy. This was ’something else’.
I watched my mind decide to view the physical symptoms as evidence of karma at work. No one was around who would challenge my viewpoint, for a change, so I began to just take some long deep breaths to calm down this body .
Finally, I was allowed into The Room which immediately took even more breath away………..but, at the same time I became infused with a fiery impulse to investigate What Was In There For Me. I gave my feet complete permission to lead me around and within one minute of this absent-minded ‘absorption trip’ I came across this harp in a secured glass case perched on a large pedestal. As I stood there and gazed at this harp my body started calming down to a more relaxed state. My breath returned. It felt as if I had just returned …………………………………. home.
The body is a powerful antenna that picks up signals from a multitude of sources both internal & external. How we interpret these signals has everything to do with how our emotional minds process incoming information. Also, many of us have put ourselves in a position where we have relied on others (family, friends, our culture,) to define us to ourselves thereby weakening our inherent ability to discern reality clearly. Labels become words, and words can be limiting and hurtful. “You’re sick”. “You’re crazy”. “You’re paranoid”.
The information on the harp in the glass case describes it as “the oldest surviving Irish harp”, erroneously associated with Brian Boru, a high King of Ireland who died in 1014.
Before leaving for Ireland I had been practicing Brian Boru’s March. It was the very first tune I learned on my new harp.
1. Never try something you haven’t practiced when in front of an audience.
We had our harp gig last night. Six of us (4 harps, 2 flutes) in a beautiful church by the sea. One of the other harpists suggested we cover the carpet with a white sheet that she brought. It will help us see the strings better. (Seeing your strings when playing the harp can be challenging depending on the floor. Patterned rugs (think: oriental) are the worst.) I really didn’t think it would help, I was comfortable with the blue carpet. However, I went along with the group……something that is quite customary for me.
I couldn’t see my strings! It was sheer luck if I got the right note! Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. All that practice………………….oh woe.
Most harpers (harpists…I still don’t know the difference) position their hands so that their fingers find the strings by feel. I can do that too. But not for the tunes we were playing last night. I was carrying the bass lines of the music which required left-hand arpeggio’s and my eyes! Oh well.
They say we learn best by our mistakes.
Once again, I’ve learned to say, “No, thanks”…….no white sheet for me.
I love to turn the page to the new month on my kitchen calendar. I practice staying present in the month that is and try not to peek ahead to whatever next month’s picture or saying is. It does require some discipline.
Today, the quote for March is from Rumi.
“We have fallen into the place where everything is music”.
How perfect for March, Pisces time.
I haven’t practiced my harp for many weeks. First, I cut my finger. Badly. There was no way I could play my favorite tunes. Of course I could have continued practicing with one hand. But, I didn’t. I tried to figure out why I didn’t, but I couldn’t. So, I just went with the flow and now it’s easily a month later, the harps are sadly out of tune, but my finger is better. It’s time to return to my practice and just in time since the harp ladies have presented me with a group gig that we need to practice for. It helps me when I know there’s something to practice for.
I’m seriously interested in music as a healing modality and I’m thrilled to see music coming to the forefront as a way to practice peace evidenced just this past week with our best Philharmonic Orchestra traveling oversea’s. YES!! This is how we can achieve peace. Put it in the airwaves and begin to eliminate all of the sound clutter that keeps us stressed and anxious.
So….in honor of Rumi, Pisces, March, and World Peace I think I’ll go use these fingers on some harp strings.
Right Now!
Akim is a wonderful teacher and/or role model for our youth today. He delivers a very important and timely message within his chosen form of Hip-Hop music and Rap style of talking. I am grateful that he is out there helping to create a more peaceful world.
In my wildest dreams, never did I see myself performing the harp in accompainment to one such as he. As some of my closest friends have said,
“You just can’t make this stuff up!”.
Anyway, check him out by clicking on the link above. And if you ever get a chance to see him, do it! Sometimes, you just never know who is going to have an impact on your life. Isn’t that a good reason to practice kindness towards all?
The dissemintating moon phase slides in softly, easily.
Mercury is completing it’s retrograde period and we are moving easier to Center now….just a few ripples in the pond…….no tsunami here. We are grateful, yes?
It’s that time again…….time to practice all those wonderful Celtic tunes on my harp. Get out the green clothes. Dance a jig…….or two.
The album cover here is one of my harp teachers. She’s from Ireland and travels around teaching traditional Irish tunes by ear. The amazing thing is that I’ve actually learned to play from her………..and other wonderful teachers as well.
Gratitude to the teachers……………………….
Click on the album cover to go to her website and try to catch a performance if you can!!
I just love this picture of Krishna. I yearn to sit under a tree, play some music, and have that wonderful backdrop of mountains behind me. My preference would be the harp though…..I don’t have the right stuff for the ‘wind’ instruments! Picture found at: http://www.roerich.org/collections.html
Tonite I have my ‘beginner’s’ class once again and my intention is to lead them in a sweet, gentle vinyasa to “Awaken the Spine”. Have you noticed how many back aches are out there????
Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear?
Can you remain unmoving till the right action arises by itself?
-Tao Te Ching
I visited Trinity College Library in Dublin, Ireland a few years back and had what I consider an amazing experience there.
