I came across this site yesterday where you “sit” for a musical portrait and end up with a 5 minute musical composition. The site is the Lifehouse Method and one of its creators is Pete Townsend of The Who.
The “sitting” is interesting. The process is as follows.
My composition feels very peaceful to me with an intermingling of energy and movement. It starts off quietly and then brings in an even keeled tempo. Yesterday when I listened to it I thought of it reflecting my down mood but today when I listen to it I feel a simple quality of contentment. I’ll let you listen for yourself.
Ellen’s Theme
(You may need to turn your volume up to hear the audio)
Try it out for yourself at Lifehouse Method. What does your musical portrait express?
I’ve been feeling a down the last few days. We have been having rainy, cool weather that is not good for the fibromyalgia, it sometimes causes a flare in symptoms, and it doesn’t seem to be good for my mood either. Tomorrow looks to be cloudy and cool as well so I am in for another day of gloom, or at least I thought until I woke up this morning and looked outside. There I saw why we need the rain and it gave me some hope that there will be a brighter future.
The field behind where I live has transformed in the last few days changing from bare trees to a lush, green, beautiful sight. And, it will keep on transforming until I can’t see the pond behind the trees. My heart lifted from the depression I was feeling for those moments I looked over the field. It has returned, I am not sure why, but I know that it will leave and hope will return.
What within me is in the way of getting to where I most want to be?
Now that I have examined where I am in my life and where I would like to be, whether it is a tangible goal or a spiritual ideal, I need to examine what is in my way, what is blocking me from progressing to where I would like to most be. When pondering this question we need to look at what is limiting us, holding us back from our desired goal or state.
Limiting Beliefs
Most of the time what stops us from becoming the person we envision ourselves as being are limiting beliefs. We tell ourselves we are not good enough, that we can’t do it, we are not worthy, etc. If I believe I can’t do something it makes sense that I will fail. If I tell my self that I am not good at something I won’t take the chance of exploring an opportunity farther.
I’ve had trouble writing this post over the last couple of days due to a belief I have: I am not a good writer. I tell myself that a lot and at times it makes writing blog posts agonizing. I believe that I do not communicate my ideas clearly. Yet, when I read the comments people leave I find that my belief is not true.
Where do I most want to be in my life?
Ah, this is the question of all questions. Most times when I ponder this question I can feel my heart soar. Even as I write this and think about the question I can feel my heart wanting to burst out and be free of the limitations of self. I feel like that bird with the broken wing who longs to fly once again.
In the introduction I mentioned that this question leads to a goal or dream but Jean at the cheerfulmonk left a comment that it takes a lot of stress of herself if she focuses “on being curious, exploring and having an adventure rather than pushing for a goal/dream.” Her comment made me think about approaching this question with a sense of wonderment. So, rather than approaching this question as having an end result like a goal I can meditate or think about the question with my heart and spirit opened to the possibilities that exist, not to necessarily limit myself to something tangible.
I read through some of my journals from the empowerment workshops I attended on Friendship Island and I found that the answers to where do I want to be in my life usually were images that were more symbolic and less goal oriented. I’ve already mentioned the bird who wants to soar. I also found a rose bush in full bloom, a diamond that shines brightly even though it’s flawed and an image of myself standing on the front of a large sailboat, arms opened wide to take in the love of others.
It’s Open Mic Niteover at Successul Blog at 7pm Chicago time and the topic is the Joys of Being Home and so I thought I would write a little post about being at home and why I love my home.
When you come to visit you wouldn’t be very impressed with the outside of my home. It’s contained in a 6 story, brick apartment building on a major route. After I buzz you in I have you take the elevator up to the 5th floor and walk down a long hallway reminiscent of a hotel until you reach my door. I greet you and have you come in and see my square box of an apartment. It is nicely carpeted, artwork and photos adorn the walls and a mish mash of furniture and electronics scattered throughout.Â
Knick knacks, mostly from my mother and my oldest sister Susan cover the standing baker’s rack from my parents. The dining room table, too large for the room but also passed down to me from my folks, may be covered with unopened mail and magazines. I have you come in and sit down on my sofa that is positioned just so that I can see my wide screen television and have just the right audio from my surround sound system.
That’s when I point out to you that most of the artwork was created by my sister Libby who is a wonderful illustrator and graphic designer. Then I run into my office, the second bedroom of my apartment, and grab out my photo albums to show you pictures of family, friends and my travels. I don’t really want you to go into my office because it currently houses 2 working computers, 2 broken ones for parts to be salvaged from to fix my friend’s computer, overflowing bookshelves with my favorite books and boxes of old software programs and lastly, paper, lots of paper. Enough paper that I could start a recycling plant!
