On a macro level 2024 looks to be quite a year. We have the difficult and bizarre and scary elections in America in the latter half of this year, two dreadful drawn out volatile wars with an appalling humanitarian crisis, an alarming climate situation and no end of other crazy occurrences. It is like a bizarre play where the scenery is shambolic and the actors are deranged and loud.
However, those of us who want a peaceful world where we can live in harmony and consideration with each other and our beautiful world must not fall into despair and apathy.
We have work to do! Every action is preceded by thought and so thought and the energy of life is where we need to put our energy. Darkness can only be dispelled by light so ” light”/”positivity”/’Chi” in all its forms is where we must put our attention. This is something we can all do something about. We can co – create our reality, flowing with What Is, in positive transformative ways. We are always able to reflect and moderate our reactions and then act from a place of kindness at the very least.
Our work this year is first of all to create our own still centre; our place where we can use as an anchor when we feel out of balance, out of sorts. This could be through music, being in nature, breath work or meditation. Create this anchor most strongly and with utmost stillness and positivity. From this place we can act with consideration and perhaps compassion or wisdom rather than ego reactivity. We may not change the appalling macro play that is going on, but we can make our own little world a kingdom of kindness, peace and light. Each one of us can do this daily with a little mindfulness . This is more easy to do if you can touch in with your stillness anchor first.
My life is a little life , held quietly in nature in a quiet backwater of north east Scotland. I teach music every week day and also attend a counselling course . Each day I try to beam out light, love, kindness and peace to the animals, plants and humans I interact with. It is my simple way of making my small patch in the patchwork of life , a patch of love, light and peace. The children bounce out of their music lessons radiant and joyful, the parents who attend the family classes go out relaxed and less care worn and the animals in my home live in sweet harmony . It is our kingdom of kindliness that we invite others to visit.
I was invited , by my piano teacher, to write a song with some simple piano chords ( writing chords is a newish thing for me) on the theme of what is going on in that big bad world right now. This is what came out- maybe it will be a point of transformative listening/reading.
Questions and a Prayer
O humanity, O humanity
I wail for our stupidity
Failing each other, gross cruelty
Where o where will it end?
Cycles of hate, cycles of fear
Leading no- where at all.
Chorus
Hands may hold, hands may tear
Pull the trigger , all will despair.
Trusting, forgiveness, doorways for care.
I’ll hold mine in Prayer.
V2
Brother ‘against brother, sister ‘against sister.
tragedy and loss
Hearts despair, souls are lost.
Can we stop and care?
Cycles of hate, cycles of fear
Leading no-where at all.
Repeat chorus
V3
Give me Jubilance of Joy
Light a candle of care, my friend.
With each and every action
Spread hope everywhere.
No more wailing, only singing
Sincerity everywhere.
The song starts in E minor and uses most of the chords in that family of chords plus a weird one I made up with the help of my piano teacher, which probably has some weird name…it is a very tearing sound of chord. The last verse moves into G major and has a slight Handel feel to it. It is quite free and therefore recitative in style . This suits the gravitas of the lyrics. I could imagine it with a guitar and perhaps also a piano in the last verse making it more upbeat with more percussive rhythmic chords. My chord playing is too rudimentary right now to accomplish that; particularly whilst also singing…..however, I can imagine in my head!
And…..I have finally possibly found a guitarist and a fiddle player, in London, who is also a pianist who want to try collaborating with me. Perhaps I might try this song with them along with some others. After two whole years of finding no one…..I have kept my little light of hope burning…so fingers crossed this little light can now be kindled. I have bought my plane tickets for London for half term- I do so hope it goes well.
I also make a prayer for this personal musical journey alongside this macro song prayer for the big world…..
Abi's World of Music 