Awakening

On the road today, staying in a beautiful home.  A wonderful place to rest and practice.  Walking in a nearby park, I came across four Native American Burial Mounds.  These simple, poignant, natural, mysterious and inevitable reminders of the one fear that always comes true - death.  As I pondered them, I was grateful for the life, opportunities, family, friends & love that fill my life.

After lunch I practiced a bit, then recalled the Burial Mounds.   Being open to the notes that might arise, I listened carefully as I played.  Might the notes wrap the shroud with respect.  A whisper arose and I followed gently.  Another whisper - somewhat surprised I trusted and followed further.  Could this be my humble tribute to these lives that passed?  To all life that will pass?  I made some notes as the whisper quieted and then I rested.

Passageways

I stumble upon one, then another.  No guarantee that the desired outcome will be obtained.  Moving through the dark, a point of light shimmers, moves, disappears to reappear.  I listen, step through and persist.  Beginning again, and then again a form emerges.  One passageway leading to another, and then again it could be, but is not - so I explore some more.

After resting, I begin again.  A happy accident embraces my ear. Enthusiasm soars as I continue to follow the whisper through the first passage and then find another way to sound the second one.  Pausing to work out a section of arpeggios, I begin the search again.  My hands move with their own knowledge and another passage, different, yet pulling the previous material along appears.  Be free I whisper to myself, trust the process. Look again, with stillness within.

Listening to a take from earlier today, my mind hears a conclusion.  After playing this through I am not convinced, but listen more and then just maybe the path through is clear.  One more taping.  Then I put my guitar to rest.

Trusting, that my mind will play with this as I sleep.  Tomorrow if I wake, I'll begin again.

Photo by Paul Albertella