I’m sitting here waiting for Stephen to mix the recording we did of this week’s live meditation. Suddenly, an idea for a blog post has occurred – and the fact that this happened at all is the subject of this post. I’ve been the tech-girl for One Mind Live and though Steve and Samo (my nickname for Naomi Carling and, incidentally, her nickname for me) have been urging me for over a year to start blogging, I’ve had this big juicy excuse that I am just too busy uploading goodies for our members and doing routine maintenance on our site. So, what’s changed? About three days ago I found myself levitated up out of the state of relative inertia I’ve been bogged in for over a year. I found the Herculean effort that had been required to accomplish the daily required tasks associated with all things digital was now so much more than enough that it propelled me into new areas of my to-do list. You know that part you use a light grey font for because you want to keep track of it but you don’t want to put any pressure on yourself to actually have to accomplish it?When Allowing Isn’t Pretty – by Naomi Janzen
Slow Light in A – by Stephen Fearnley
For this months composer’s choice, Slow Light in A , I’ve once again returned to the Australian landscape for my inspiration: The south-east coastline of Tasmania , Australia, is windswept and wild and even when the sea is being whipped-up into a freezing-spray, one can still see the coastline for miles… Far-sight and long plateaus of purples with swells of blue and highlights in ochre. Calming, unwinding and horizontal landforms- the biggest skies you ever did see. ‘Slow-light’ because even with a gale blowing the clouds and shafts of sun are somehow moving slo-mo in this vast panorama. View from Cape Bruny Lighthouse, Tasmania– photo by Stephen Fearnley, June 2016 The sheer size of this landscape also sets the tempo for the music: A slow unfolding, up and down the scale of A major with 10 instruments interweaving at random intervals over a 40 minute cycle at 52 beats per minute. Each interaction never repeating – always slightly different, like a biosphere made of sound waves which you sit inside off and simply, easily, relax. ‘A’ is traditionally regarded as the key for stimulating the third eye. Slow Light in A will assist you in softening your tensions and bringing downSlow Light in A – by Stephen Fearnley
Shambhala – by Stephen Fearnley
“For many, the most symbolic aspect of a mountain is the peak because it is believed that it is closest to heaven or other religious worlds” This painting by Nicolas Roerich was the starting point for this month’s composer’s choice. Its called Vanishing Ice and if you google search his images you will find a huge list of paintings by this enigmatic artist. Roerich is a complex character being an adventurer, a spiritualist, a writer, an archaeologist and painter. He moved in high political circles in the USA, UK and India and was connected to the theosophical movement and produced a vast amount of magnificent oil paintings in the field , travelling extensively through the Himalayas, India and the rest of the world. He spoke many languages and wrote a book called Shambhala ( not to mention the set designs for Dhiagelev, the setting up of art and yoga schools in New York and perhaps a spot of spying…) Shambhala is a mythical kingdom from Tibetan and Hindu Tradition – mythical in italics because in the modern sense the word implies not real ~ Shambhala points to many cultures’ stories of a place where enlightened humans have created aShambhala – by Stephen Fearnley
Inside Justin Pearson’s Mind Palace …
Where I get waylaid by a painter at a sculpture show… At this years Sculpture at Hill View there is a lot to see : set in the gardens at the the former vice regal summer retreat of NSW Governors (from the 1880s to the 1950s), this substantial party house on a hill is a splendid venue for hosting art events. I was there for the sculpture – and so much good work to see- spilling out of the pines, around terraces and finishing with the vista-backdrop of Sutton Forest . This is a very generous exhibition space and the ever changing garden makes perfect for revealing the artworks as you stroll about. Inside the main house the exhibition continues and this year Justin Pearson’s work dominated the walls. So much so I was stopped in my tracks. How long has this been going on ? Look at these enigmatic pictures ! I dont really know Justin that well but here are a series of works, so intriguing, I found my mind tumbling with associations of Blake and Dante’s Inferno and Opera and John Percival ceramics and Daumier drawings , the Swiss symbolist Arnold Böcklin and even the video game Samorost – I had that special experience whereInside Justin Pearson’s Mind Palace …