Rigor and Precision

In his orientation Jack advises we practise Marriage of Sound and Breath with ‘rigor and precision’.

Kum Nye ‘Time’ exercises (WIR page 8) helped me to relax and focus more finely.  I have been experimenting with 45 minute sessions, building up to the suggested 3 hours/day.

 I have tried:

Listening to music on headphones

Listening to TV without the picture

Listening to sounds randomly arising in the environment

First, Magdalena Kožená singing in German. At first ears and throat separate, then getting lost in thoughts of Eustachian Tube and memories of tonsils, adenoids, childhood ear/nose/throat problems. Bach singing in the tissue of my throat. Rhythms of strings, wind, voice, crisp German consonants. Electro-chemical message sparks from ear/throat to eyes, squeezing tears; present chemistry overtaken by 18^th century emotion. Then getting swept away in pictures as the flavours of an emotional past mix like dye into my present bloodstream. The colours and shapes of the sounds continue to throb and course even after the music stops.

Switched on Saturday morning TV and assaulted by excess of sound. Sitting, eyes closed, away from screen. Almost unbearable: whole body trying to get away, mind wandering. Strident music, voices, rapid changes, applause. Some voices pull my attention more toward content than others. Throat tightening to the point of pain (especially on the left side) and often filtering down into heart center. Rarely voices send waves into the head, shimmering opening at crown. Very few voices harmonise in throat and heart.

Receiving random sounds in ‘silent’ mornings and afternoons. Hearing sound in the silence. Silver-paper thin sound of moving blood. Thoughts as shadows, echoes; grey in comparison to bright colours of external sounds: children in distance, car revs and dies away, overhead far off plane, birds chattering a multitude of different songs, creaking in the house, barking dog.

It would be interesting to build a whole retreat around this exercise: balancing with Kum Nye ‘Time’ exercises, reading, writing and sharing experiences.