Friday, August 3, 2012

Friday Calm: The Golden Tree of Life



It’s interesting—my Friday Calm postings more often than not include water—still surfaces mirroring (or hoping to inspire) an inner peace.

But calm can often be in the least expected places (just as repose can be situated at the very brink of toppling), and the golden tree of life must include a certain turbulence as well, within which stillness is somehow kept safe.

I remember so well the summer morning when I stood beside a redwood-shaded creek at the Russian River quietly drinking in Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto which drifted from the open window of a cabin on the other bank like slow silvery ripples on the deep green swimming hole—until I was interrupted, disturbed, agitated.  The calm was shattered, not to be regained.

And on the other hand, I’ve been finding great stillness of spirit within Verdi’s lively and continually forte or even fortissimo early opera Attila.  That dynamic music creates for me a deep pool of calm.





image:  the golden tree of life, ThereseNicolas

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