Invitations
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There are many ways to cultivate our conversations and songs with our Earth Community. Here are some ideas to get you going. You may also have your owns ways, better ways, too. If you are willing to share them on facebook page, please share.
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1. If you do not have a journal already, choose or make a journal so you can record your experiences of singing with the date and place. You may like to draw and paint your experiences as a place to play and experiment. You can also use the journal to track any significant continuities, when something different happens, or any memories that come during this time. Write the journal and any dreams in the present tense which makes it more 'alive and living' when you write/read your words again. Do look back at your journal if this is new to you, you may see some links that you hadn't recognised earlier.
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2. ‘Wildsing’. Wildsong is singing that is spontaneous; comes from the 'wholeness' of a person/group/place at a particular moment out to and for the Earth and Earth Community. There are many ways to wildsing and listen to the wild songs of the world and Community. Bird songs come naturally to birds. What song might naturally be yours? Some wild songs might come through hearing, literally, a voice out loud on the land which may be in relation with you. Some might be more of an inner felt sense, feeling into some notes deeply within your body might bring you towards your unique soul song. Some may come through a nightdream. Some may come when you use your imagination to imagine the song that you are in, of the person or being you are with. Experiment….play….. Journal and record your experiences, you might find a poem surprisingly uttering from your lips about your experiences. Sing your words out on the land, maybe to a particular being, a tree, a bird, a shell..listen.. see what happens.
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3. Wander somewhere on the land, somewhere you feel drawn and also safe in the sense of not physically on a cliff edge. Take with you a scarf or something you can use as a blindfold. You may want to do this with a friend or not. If it feels ok, speak out loud what you are going to be doing, maybe ask for permission there. Then blindfold yourself. You may want to stay still or you may want to move. Offer your attention to sounds. What sounds can you hear? Whose sounds are they? Where are there silences? How are you feeling when you hear particular sounds and silences? What/who do you imagine? Where do you feel these sounds in your body? Maybe sounds want to come forth from your body through your mouth…maybe some notes? Just let them comes however they sound. Continue, though it may seem strange if you have not done this before. Be aware of any sounds around you too as you sing the notes. When you are ready, take the blindfold off. What do you notice around you. Maybe you can offer this in different places and see what you notice, whether different sounds from the land, from you. Maybe the same place at different times of day and season. If you don’t use one already, buy or make a journal, date and write your findings there. Maybe use colours see what images come. If there are two, or a group of you then just see what happens with the notes that come from you all. You may want to do this invitation with a friend; the friend can ensure you are safe. You can then swap places.
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4. Bring your attention to listening at some point in each day to cultivate your hearing; what sounds do you hear of the human and ‘more-than-human’ world. At other times you might wander for longer somewhere on the land. Listen. Listen to the every tiny, loud and inbetween sound. listen to the trees and see if each makes a different sound, listen to the sounds of different birds, listen to the sound of your footsteps, listen to the clouds moving, mountains, river, rainforest, desert, wherever you are, listen to the wind or no wind or breeze, listen to what is at 'the edges' of hearing, listen to your heart, allow yourself to be surprised...What impacts do the different sounds have on you; your senses, imagination, feelings, thoughts, your body. Make a journal and track your experiences. Maybe use colours too. It’s not about ‘being a good artist’, it is a way of witnessing your life, remembering your song; of not going back to sleep as Rumi's words remind us:
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you
Don't go back to sleep!
You must ask for what you really want.
Don't go back to sleep!
People are going back and forth
across the doorsill where the two worlds touch,
The door is round and open
Don't go back to sleep!”
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