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Forest Walk – by Stephen Fearnley
It’s been 18 years since I left Sydney to live on a mountain, set up a studio with my partner and raise a baby girl. We had no idea how we were going to make it all financially work-out, splitting away from the city to a rural area with low employment but somehow everything always just fell into place. At the time some of our friends said don’t sell your house and leave Sydney , you will never be able to get back into the market ! Of course on the inside Celeste and I said Yay ! Who’d ever want to return ? For us it was a no-brainer. Trade-in a small old semi-house for a mountain top vista ? About half of my place is covered with original rain forest. Its rare and untouched. Normally one associates rain forest with hot climates but this is cool and temperate, full of tree ferns and lichen and chocolate coloured wallabies and wombats. Wisely this rainforest, to protect itself, creates boundaries of harsh prickly plants and stinging nettles to stop intruders. We have also ensured with a lot of fencing that cows and other heavy hooves cant get in – encouragingForest Walk – by Stephen Fearnley
Free to Act – by Celina Tonkin
As Introverts, we are highly critical of ourselves and sometimes scare ourselves out of action. We are so used to our critical habitual thoughts and feelings that keep us stuck in inaction that we believe them automatically and give them undeserving power.The way to freedom to act in the face of these thoughts is awareness. We can’t take a powerful action until we are aware of what has stopped us at the first place. This meditation will help you discover what are the thoughts and feelings that stop you, to acknowledge them and then transcend them. Do not be fooled by the simplicity of the meditation. It is one thought at the time that makes up the story of feeling stopped and unable to act. Awareness will enable you to familiarise yourself with those thoughts, one thought at the time. Be like that little six year-old who was screaming for his mum because he was petrified of the man standing behind the door and the boy could not move, until his mother shone the light at the door and the boy discovered the scary man was just old clothes hanging. The thoughts that stop you from the action are like thoseFree to Act – by Celina Tonkin
The 9 Muses – by Stephen Fearnley
This month composer’s choice is dedicated to Lorrie Kazan – because she is a muse …or maybe all 9 of them rolled into one body ! Its a pretty big call I know but having collaborated with Lorrie during last month’s One Mind Live Guest Guide, I found myself being very deeply moved by her insights and meditations. At home I have a small ceramic shrine that my daughter Jasper made specifically to the nine ancient greek muses when she was a teenager. It’s where I burn incense and light candles and make little prayers. It will be no surprise to One Mind Live members that I think the 9 muses are there to be accessed – from a deep archetypal place, rich in culture, grace and most definately an interface between this world and the world that we are shaping from our futures. The muses are within us all to ask for help and guidance. The 9 muses are: Clio is the “Proclaimer ”- Muse of history (often holding a scroll). Euterpe the “Well Pleasing ” Muse of music or flutes (often playing flutes). Thalia the “Blooming ” or “Luxuriant ” – Muse of comedy (often holding a comic mask). MelpomeneThe 9 Muses – by Stephen Fearnley
Northern Lands – by Stephen Fearnley
This composition is the second in my ‘Mountain Series’ – part 2 of last year’s Composer’s Choice ‘Shambhala’. I have had reoccurring dreams of living as a Tibetan monk since I was a small child. In these dreams nothing much happens – just everyday life in a monastery – but its consistent and vivid every time. And yes I do think this is past life recollection. I don’t come away from these dreams with any great conscious insight but I do take away a lasting feeling of peace and happiness. It always feels like Ive been “topped-up” with peace. I have composed Northern Lands fresh from one of these Tibetan dreams. I have included a header image by Bireswar Sen. Sen was a master miniature watercolorist, influenced by Nicholas Roerich (as mentioned in my Shambhala blog) and the teacher of my teacher Frank Wesley. All of these artists painted the Himalaya for its deep religious and spiritual associations. Then there’s Krista Rodin who mentions in her book “Mantra and Metaphor in Nepali & Indian Himalayan Communities” the deep connection between the mountains and the beginnings of language and associated vibratory tones developed in Hindu and Buddhist mantras from the region:Northern Lands – by Stephen Fearnley