We are on the cusp of the first ever Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus on Sunday 1 April around the world; a never-before-heard conscious wave of human song around the Earth for Earth and Earth Community; to celebrate, give gratitude and praise. People have visited the website from New Zealand, Australia, India, Japan,Tanzania, South Africa, Romania, Czech Republic, Greece, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, UK, Ireland, Canada, USA, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Brazil. The pinned post on the facebook page has reached over 2,700 people.
I thought this might be a good time to speak to what l mean when l use the word ‘song’ here. One is the way Rumi speaks to at the end of the poem in the Earthsongwave video in the Introduction and in the Home page of the website about the song we are, of Earth.. “each note is a need coming through one of us, a passion, a longing pain”. The ‘Be your note’; the note we are regardless of whether we are actively singing a particular song or not is one of the meanings of song here. We can practice 'our note' to sing/be our note more clearly.
In researching Earthsongs specifically, the following is just a taste of what l, with others, am hearing. First l will speak to my experience of the tree and forest singing (see Stories page). The tree was aware of my presence, the tree itself taught me the song in 3 parts, the forest was aware of both the tree singing and my participation in the song; perhaps not in a human ‘intelligence’ way of awareness but perhaps of an even greater intelligence. Certainly my experience was one of such deep truth l have been/am willing to surrender to/follow that song rather than the line laid down by my current culture; to follow that intelligence perhaps currently more known as ‘nature-based’ intelligence towards practicing and being my unique note which is another story. I wonder whether Earth Community taught humans how to sing and we have forgotten. Since then l notice sometimes l’m in a very ‘open’ feeling in myself when the experience of hearing songs happen. Sometimes they come unbidden and when l least expect them. In my research this can also be the experience of other people.
Sometimes l wonder if the trees offered themselves in sacrifice to be shaped and sung in a different way for breathe to pass. The singing trees were spruce trees which were made for making violins in this place. When l heard the Cairngorm mountains in Scotland sing, they sounded like bagpipes. What if bagpipes were made to replicate the song of the mountains in Scotland. Perhaps that’s why the sound of a bagpipe stirs the soul so deeply. I’ve heard the song of the canyons in Utah. They sound like flutes. Maybe humans created such an instrument to mimic the song of the canyons. What if the relations between place, person, and instrument is not a coincidence; interbeing and reciprocity. Is there a song that is distinctly human? A song of humanity?
Nature-based cultures have always heard and sung with Earth and Earth Community. The Songlines of the Aboriginal People, for example, are probably the most well known; recreating their particular unique songline with particularity of land and in so doing recreating the land; a weaving between a unique song and land alongside Ancestoral ways. Maybe we are creating holes in Earth’s weaving by not singing the songlines of our lives. I am curious that more people seem to be hearing Earthsongs now though, and why now? Sometimes l wonder, at this time when Earth is struggling to rebalance, can she be singing to us of her longing for us to hear her, her song, her cry? If so, how magnificent to respond to such destruction with song, yes? How can l not sing back! And you?
You can see more information on the Earthsongwave Dawn Chorus 2018 facebook page and group. There are further ways l am exploring around Earthsongs too......
By Wendy Robertson Fyfe. Foundher/Creator of Earthsongwave
collage: Doug Van Houten