“Each and every atom produces a particular sound on account of its movement, its rhythm or vibration. All these sounds and vibrations form a universal harmony.”
~ Pythagoras
“You can look at disease as a form of disharmony. And there’s no organ system in the body that’s not affected by sound and music and vibration.”
~Mitchell Gaynor
Sound, music and vibration are available to provide a healing balm, an encapsulating immersion, a communion and connection.
The more base our thoughts and vibration the more stuck in lowly muck we may stay. As vibration moves to the higher realms, a lovely sweet level of universal harmony may be found.
So raise it up! Vibrate in the higher qualities using nature, sound, and music to help in the elevating process. The harmony of the universe is waiting.
“Get out into the sunlight — out where everything is — with a vibration that is so dominant that those who annoy you; those who don’t agree with you; those who make your life feel uncomfortable don’t come into your experience, because your vibration — through your practice — has become so clear, so pure, so clean, so in keeping with what you want, that the world that revolves around you just feels like that. That’s what you planned.”
-Abraham
“To enter into the initiation of sound, of vibration and mindfulness, is to take a giant step toward consciously knowing the soul. We need the courage to enter into ourselves with the great respect and mystery that combines the faith of a child, the abandon of a mystic, and the true wisdom of an old shaman.”
Summertime and the livin’ is easy. And simple. And very sweet.
Feeling the energy of the fully evolved season, we meet Summer head on… then need a rest, a nap, a respite.
“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the blue sky, is by no means waste of time.”
-John Lubbock, “Recreation,” The Use of Life, 1894
From The Sapphire Girl’s August book club “extra” selection, The Art of Doing Nothing, by Veronique Vienne, here’s some sage advice on napping inside (but hammocks under a shade tree are also highly recommended!):
“Recipe for a Gourmet Nap
The long afternoon nap is for sleep connoisseurs – it’s an after-dessert delicacy. To make sure you wake up refreshed, follow these easy steps.
1. If you don’t have shutters, draw the blinds or the curtains. The room should be bathed in a soft, restful glow. 2. Kick off your shoes. Only remove garments that are constricting or that would rumple badly. You want to be somewhat dressed up for the occasion. The gourmet nap is a formal affair. 3. Glance at the clock, take off your watch, and decide when you want to wake up. Trust your subconscious to nudge you when your time is up. 4. Lie down under the covers but not between the sheets. 5. Close your eyes and image that you are in a small boat, about to embark on a short journey. Pull up the anchor and let the boat drift. The water may feel choppy at first, but soon the waves will diminish and you’ll be sailing on a smooth sea. 6. You’ll be awakened by a bump – your keel is scraping a sandy bottom. Drag yourself out of bed slowly, as if you were pulling your skiff onto a beach. 7. Throw water on your face, stretch, open the window. Don’t rush. You’ve plenty of time ahead of you.”
The Montana Folk Festival’s three day gathering of musicians and singers under the big sky has just wound down and what a celebration it was! A jubilant romp featuring diversity of culture, sound and life stories, it was a joyful noise raised up at 5600 feet in downtown Butte, Montana. Six stages with music playing simultaneously presented the traditions of the people musically.
What diversity! From Nakoa Heavy Runner, an Assiboine Blackfeet man, playing a hand drum and chant/singing about life and love to a ten women mariachi band playing everything from traditional Mexican folk (with superb fiddle playing, singing and horns) to Patsy Cline and the Orange Blossom Special – and yes, I said all women! – the only all woman mariachi in the United States. Mariachi Reynas de Log Angeles are pictured below in their stunning traditional purple mariachi outfits.
There was the glorious, soulful expression of gospel by Maggie Ingram & the Ingramettes. Speaking of service, family and love between songs, with the matriarch sitting on stage bearing witness to this testament of song, these women brought such love and passion to the stage. What harmonies and voices! What belief!
Swamp Dogg was a favorite with his rhythm & blues, soul sound, and witty, profound repartee about politics, wars, and being on the wrong side of things (and the cost of those stanches). This man has experienced so much in the world and his music exhibits much of these years of trouble and promise. He later shared the stage with musicians and singers from West African Highlife and The Dardanelles for a talk on how they each created their music called “Song Masters”. Such diversity here, but still as one of the excellent singer/musicians said at the conclusion of the workshop: “we’re not that different after all.” (Matthew Byrne from Dardanelles, a traditional Newfoundland band made up of superb, young musicians.) *Swamp Dogg is pictured below in canary yellow – he wore it well!
This festival is Free! and allows all ages to absorb themselves in the stories of myriad cultures told in song. The festival proved to be a beautiful coming together of music and people played against the backdrop of an old copper mining town, magnificent architecture and mountain views! Sharing the experience with the closest of friends made it all the better!! Hope to go back some day….
“Somehow, by some outrageous grace, a new day has been given. There is no greater miracle than this. Allow yourself to receive the benediction of pure presence, for it is your birthright. It is wired inside you and yearning to erupt from your totally untamed wildness. For when it does, an avalanche of clear beauty is unleashed, sending love stories, wild music, and sweet poetry into the stars and supernovas, seeding the galaxies with your unique light.”
-Matt Licata
Those words are so stunningly beautiful. I too want to “erupt into untamed wildness, and unleash an avalanche of clear beauty” just as Matt Licata writes. May you too feel the avalanche of “love stories, wild music, and sweet poetry” moving “into the stars and supernovas, seeding the galaxies with your unique light.”
Oh my goodness yes, I wish this for you, for me, for all our relations!
How better to celebrate the freedoms we have then to be alive in each moment, with every molecule of our singular unique self brought to fruition. What a huge gift this freedom! To be able to live our highest truth without involvement from imposing powers not our own. Huge sacrifices have been made for these gifts.
Evolved and evolving, present, aware living are the fruits of this free life. Letting our being creatively express on the palette of the vibrant planet. Feeling deep gratitude. And yes! bringing to being all of our singular unique selves.
don Miguel Ruiz’s four agreements provide a path for deepening into the simple life that is clear, uncluttered and transformational. On the road of life’s journey these are simple tenants of being in the world that can be life changing and enhancing when expressed in each moment. There is ease and comfort here. Remembering.
Ruiz creates an invitation of exploration. What could living this life road look like? Feel like? Although simple, these four agreements require a constancy and attention. Truth in action. Awareness.
1. Be impeccable with your word.
2. Don’t take anything personally.
3. Don’t make assumptions.
4. Always do your best.
Simple.
Life changing.
I believe the first tenant, “be impeccable with your word”, means not just spoken words but thoughts too… keeping it true and right in thought and word – impeccable. A tenant to aspire to.
Ruiz’s little book, The Four Agreements, explains the tenants further, but each person can evaluate the truths hidden within each one for themselves. There’s a tiny pocket version too – perfect to slip in your purse or backpack.
I love that this Ancient Toltec wisdom is still with us in 2014 and can be slipped into a backpack in tiny book form….. continuing to help us become wise, wild and free!
“Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use your power of your word in the direction of truth and love.”
“Whatever happens around you, don’t take it personally… Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves.”
“If others tell us something we make assumptions, and if they don’t tell us something we make assumptions to fulfill our need to know and to replace the need to communicate. Even if we hear something and we don’t understand we make assumptions about what it means and then believe the assumptions. We make all sorts of assumptions because we don’t have the courage to ask questions.”
“Under any circumstance, always do your best, no more and no less. But keep in mind that your best is never going to be the same from one moment to the next.”
“To be Toltec is a way of life. It is a way of life where there are no leaders and no followers, where you have your own truth and live your own truth. A Toltec becomes wise, becomes wild, and becomes free again.”
Wiley, curious, handsome/beautiful, loyal, these creatures cross my path often. Fox seem like the perfect combination of cat and dog – a wild and free version. I’ve read that they keep the same den for multiple generations – roots are important to their tribe.
We have a den nearby and a red fox that passes through often. I hope he enjoys his home here near ours.
The photos in the gallery above are all of red fox even though their colors are in a range from black to beige, with a nice red in between too!
Love when these curious, intelligent, four legged, grace my day with their wildness and questioning faces…
“Men have forgotten this truth”, said the fox. “But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.”
From The Sapphire Girl’s August book club “extra” selection, The Art of Doing Nothing, by Veronique Vienne, here’s some sage advice on napping inside (but hammocks under a shade tree are also highly recommended!):
the stories of myriad cultures told in song. The festival proved to be a beautiful coming together of music and people played against the backdrop of an old copper mining town, magnificent architecture and mountain views! Sharing the experience with the closest of friends made it all the better!! Hope to go back some day….
don Miguel Ruiz’s four agreements provide a path for deepening into the simple life that is clear, uncluttered and transformational. On the road of life’s journey these are simple tenants of being in the world that can be life changing and enhancing when expressed in each moment. There is ease and comfort here. Remembering.
