At the centre of the labyrinth one day recently with my friend Kris who had her camera with her.*
The day of the concert arrived and I still hadn't written more than one verse of the song. I wasn't feeling it ... and the worst thing is to force something that's not coming. So I let it go and turned to good old Dandelion ... who always lives up to her name (see below for part of the reason why I gave her that name):
In keeping with the dandelion as a flower, every time the drum is played, powerful vibrations will spread far and wide with positive results (reminiscent of a wish being made, the dandelion being blown and the seeds being dispersed.
I have a deck of the small Self Mastery cards, each of which has a different positive value or quality on it and a little message to go with it: Love, Peace, Transformation, Healing, etc. They sell them at the Raj Yoga centre for about $20 - $40TT by the way, if anyone is interested. Nice gift.
About one hour before the concert, with no new song to sing, this was my only hope. I decided to do a "call and response" song using several 'qualities' from this deck (as my lyrics) and the vibrations of Dandelion (as my music). When I went up to perform I told the audience I would be performing a call and response song called GLOBAL CIRCLE. I explained briefly that the positive vibrations of the drum will emanate globally and that the meaning of the words we use in our call and response will go out to touch people like gifts.
So ... I drummed Dandelion and sang/chanted various words I'd chosen ... and then the audience echoed what I had sung in the same melody.
E.g.
Me: Love, Love, Love
Audience: Love, Love, Love
Me: Peace, Peace, Peace
Audience: Peace, Peace, Peace
Me: Joy, Joy, Joy
Aud: Joy, Joy, Joy
Me: Release, Release, Release
Aud: Release, Release, Release
... and so it went for about 3 or 4 minutes, with different words. People were echoing the words/melodies and some were swaying to Dandelion's constant rhythm. While it was great as is/was, I wished that no one felt shy about being really loud. So for the last 'verse' where I/we repeated LOVE for each of the four lines, I said (before chanting out the last line): Okay, let's REALLY be loud with this last one!"
My request was instantly answered by a cute little girl dressed in hot pink (slippers, pants, tunic and headband) waving a flashing silver wand, sitting in the second row with her father. "LOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVE!!!!!!!!!!" her little voice screamed out above the moderate adult tones, magic wand flashing.
My immediate response was to shout: "Woohooooooooo!!!!!!" into the microphone and start clapping and laughing. It was a great moment.
After the concert I went to the little girl. Her name is Sarah and she's "four and a half". We chatted for a while about Santa, her flashing magic wand and a few other things. I found her to be very open and brave. When her mother came along, I said: "Sarah is really friendly and chatty."
"No she's not usually at all," the mother said. "She's actually very shy, but somehow she's taken to you. I think it was the music. She was singing along ... and then the way she she screamed out at the end. She loves music."
"Maybe she was drawn to this as well," I said, touching my beloved pink garland which I had worn to the concert. "Looks like her favourite colour is pink."
"Not just pink. HOT pink!" the mother exclaimed.
When I was leaving I went to Sarah, who was playing with a little glowing bouncing ball.
"So I see pink is your favourite colour," I said.
"Yes."
"Do you like this?" (pointing to my garland around my neck)
"Yes!"
"You want it?"
"Yes!"
I took it off and put it around her neck. It was the same colour as everything else she was wearing. She looked up at me her eyes sparkling ... and went back to playing with her glowing ball.
In keeping with the dandelion as a flower, every time the drum is played, powerful vibrations will spread far and wide with positive results (reminiscent of a wish being made, the dandelion being blown and the seeds being dispersed.
I have a deck of the small Self Mastery cards, each of which has a different positive value or quality on it and a little message to go with it: Love, Peace, Transformation, Healing, etc. They sell them at the Raj Yoga centre for about $20 - $40TT by the way, if anyone is interested. Nice gift.
About one hour before the concert, with no new song to sing, this was my only hope. I decided to do a "call and response" song using several 'qualities' from this deck (as my lyrics) and the vibrations of Dandelion (as my music). When I went up to perform I told the audience I would be performing a call and response song called GLOBAL CIRCLE. I explained briefly that the positive vibrations of the drum will emanate globally and that the meaning of the words we use in our call and response will go out to touch people like gifts.
So ... I drummed Dandelion and sang/chanted various words I'd chosen ... and then the audience echoed what I had sung in the same melody.
E.g.
Me: Love, Love, Love
Audience: Love, Love, Love
Me: Peace, Peace, Peace
Audience: Peace, Peace, Peace
Me: Joy, Joy, Joy
Aud: Joy, Joy, Joy
Me: Release, Release, Release
Aud: Release, Release, Release
... and so it went for about 3 or 4 minutes, with different words. People were echoing the words/melodies and some were swaying to Dandelion's constant rhythm. While it was great as is/was, I wished that no one felt shy about being really loud. So for the last 'verse' where I/we repeated LOVE for each of the four lines, I said (before chanting out the last line): Okay, let's REALLY be loud with this last one!"
My request was instantly answered by a cute little girl dressed in hot pink (slippers, pants, tunic and headband) waving a flashing silver wand, sitting in the second row with her father. "LOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVE!!!!!!!!!!" her little voice screamed out above the moderate adult tones, magic wand flashing.
My immediate response was to shout: "Woohooooooooo!!!!!!" into the microphone and start clapping and laughing. It was a great moment.
After the concert I went to the little girl. Her name is Sarah and she's "four and a half". We chatted for a while about Santa, her flashing magic wand and a few other things. I found her to be very open and brave. When her mother came along, I said: "Sarah is really friendly and chatty."
"No she's not usually at all," the mother said. "She's actually very shy, but somehow she's taken to you. I think it was the music. She was singing along ... and then the way she she screamed out at the end. She loves music."
"Maybe she was drawn to this as well," I said, touching my beloved pink garland which I had worn to the concert. "Looks like her favourite colour is pink."
"Not just pink. HOT pink!" the mother exclaimed.
When I was leaving I went to Sarah, who was playing with a little glowing bouncing ball.
"So I see pink is your favourite colour," I said.
"Yes."
"Do you like this?" (pointing to my garland around my neck)
"Yes!"
"You want it?"
"Yes!"
I took it off and put it around her neck. It was the same colour as everything else she was wearing. She looked up at me her eyes sparkling ... and went back to playing with her glowing ball.
Absoultely delightful story Elspeth!
ReplyDeleteLove the little girl and her hot pink outfit and her loud, loud voice giving VOICE to LOVE in your song! So glad your song worked out well for you too.
Great idea you came up with in the end.
Success at last!!!!
Bravo!
Reading this I'm only wondering if you asked her the question: Do You Believe in Santa Claus? Although I guess you wont ask a 4.5 yr old as that would be like establishing there is even a questioning there and I take it she does if you discussed him.
ReplyDeleteBut I've been wanting to ask everyone that since Sat night when I realise it was St Nicholas Day...6th Dec in some parts of the world. It's actually the question of the day on Intent today so hopefully I'll get some more answers...But you or anyoneelse who visits this blog are welcome to vote on my blog http://universalcollectiveprayer.blogspot.com and the poll is on the top left of the post I wrote bout it...
As you will see I do believe!
To me believing in Santa Claus comes from the same place that girl's enthusiastic shouts of love came from...
Glad your concert went well!
Magical Elspeth
ReplyDeleteThanks, All.
ReplyDeleteMeady, I don't believe in 'Santa' as a man dressed in a red outfit, just as I don't believe that 'God' is a man with a long beard and deep voice living in the sky. But I wouldn't scoff at anyone who thinks that of either.
To me this is more of an energy than a person. On Christmas Eve I feel there is a special power in the air. Maybe it's the energy generated by the collective wishes of millions of children around the world? Maybe there is the energy of 'Something' that visits Eart? Who knows???? We don't know everything - so anything is possible. When C. Eve rolls around I actually still ask for things (intangible things) - in the way that I might have written to Santa as a child - and feel that they will be delivered (and they always are). We can 'ask' for things or 'give thanks' for things on other days of the year too ... but there's something about C. Eve that maximizes the effect for me.
if you read my blog you will see it is along those same lines...like not necessarily believing in the image we have in our mind by traditions but a spirit...
ReplyDeleteYes, I had read it.
ReplyDeletecool...
ReplyDelete