Try musical painting: Des pas sur la neige
Inner vision for self discovery
In my previous post, we journeyed into Claude Debussy’s La cathédrale engloutie. While there is a very clear theme or “idea” in the song, our experiences of that idea may vary. In comparing notes, between your musical painting and mine, you will start to get an idea of how there is a scale or range of possibilities within an idea or theme. Meaning, we all have the same ideas (beauty, justice, etc) playing out “within” us and “without” us, but their expression will vary based on our own level of engagement or awareness of them. Plato talked about this at length (forms and ideas), as have others before and after him. As much as I like philosophy, there is nothing more important than experience to understand this.
So let’s continue musical painting, and use these paintings to synthesize our orientation to ourselves and the world around us. Like before, I’ll share my own inner vision with you below, but I encourage you to take a few deep breaths and try yourself first.
Like before, take out a piece of paper and a pen or start a new google doc if that’s easier, and start writing 10 seconds after you hit play on the song right here.
Open yourself to the possibility that there is something beyond what you hear, and wait for what it is. It may be a visual. But it could also be a feeling. Allow it to expand. And it will speak.
Do not interrupt anything that you notice. That will break your flow. Give it space and allow it to lead you. Continue writing once you start, without breaks. And please let me know what you put down!
I’ll share what comes up for me below, but please try yourself before reading on.
There are robed members of the church. Watching from a distance. Their hands held, solemnly observing the event. It is disappointing and yet there is a quiet hope, off in that distance. To see the members of the church. Because all hope was lost, until they showed up. There have been few things quite this terrible in the town. And as all the townspeople gather to watch, they can’t help but notice the presence of God looking over them. And suddenly, they start to wonder why he had not done anything to prevent this calamity. And look around at each other, and the members of the church, wondering where to go from here. Not everything can be fixed. But how nice would it be, to have God watching over them now. Had he been before? Or does it even matter? That he’s here.
The perfect segue into our next journey. See you then!