Lullaby

Mebenji

Brick created on 28/05/2008 @ 09:27

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When I can't sleep I will often play a music CD set to repeat, turned down low, just enough to hear and in my mind I follow each note, one by one. Even when there are chords or more than one instrument playing or even when I play one of the CDs I have which has music and sounds from nature I will concentrate my attention to one melody line at a time. I might follow the bass - or the treble later on, or switch from one instrument to another. Really doesn't matter.

The idea is to focus my attention onto something else other than that I am not sleeping or what has been going through my mind too much with not end.

It doesn't have to be good music. Indeed I don't want it to be so good that I want to hear more or better, or feel any great stimulating emotions arise form it. Nothing like that. I have certain CDs which are calm, with no wildly fluctuating highs and lows, loud to soft and back again. Because I play the CD several times over, (depending on length of CD and when I do sleep, how long I have slept for) I also don't want the beginning and the end of the chosen C D to be very different. So that when it begins for the second, or third or whatever time, I am not startled. For me this works quite well.

I particularly like Riley Lee playing a Shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute. Comes in many sizes. Hand made.) though this is particularly fine and beautiful to listen to - it is also very meditative, often peaceful. It can feel close as a hug yet as big and wide as from horizon to horizon or mountain top to valley floor.

There are many of those very inexpensive music for relaxation CDs around. Some have sounds of nature included. I have many of these. I do need to have a variety and change what is in my C D player often. None are TOO familiar.

I have many tranquil classics, for solo instruments - piano, guitar, flute, violin, cello are most common. Adagios excerpts of longer works. I tent to keep big orchestrations and the most modern composers for the lounge room.

Music is like a body and a world to me. It has, I think, quite literally kept me alive. Without having music as a place to go, something to hold onto, to redirect my focus when I'm looking decidedly down hill- I would not be here now.

I think my worst fear would be if I ceased to be able to relate to music on any lever at all. Feels bad enough that I can't sing much anymore, and my voice half the time is not musical when I try - what would happen if I could no longer hear music via my ears (if I lost my hearing very much. I have just lost a bit...) or what is in my mind, I was unable to appreciate and respond to music? That would be like removing a couple limbs I think.

Sometimes I sing or hum a soft, lullaby-like song or two, when I am not having too much trouble sleeping. The other night it was The Mamas and The Papas "Dream a Little Dream of Me" (not sure that is it's exact title) and Chris Williamson's "lullabye" (still gives me shivers).

I wonder does anyone one else have songs they sing or hum, like lullabies to themselves or someone else?

The moon is an excerpt from the best photo I ever got by far. The reat I have done on the computer. It is not much like the painting I once did, when I felt I was losing my music and drowning in a turbulent sea, on a very dark and stormy day. this is when music isn't just to survive. Hope you like.

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Comments

28/05/2008 @ 11:09 zorro said

One of my favourite songs to relax to is Henry Mancini's Moon River - I love it so much I am having it as my music to go up the aisle to for my wedding - played by a string quartet :)
28/05/2008 @ 13:01 UMxx said

One of the things I do when I just can't get to sleep is play a dvd of george bush's speeches - I am over being annoyed by it - that took a while - now he just bores me to sleep - I think because I just turn off. UM
28/05/2008 @ 13:07 Mebenji said

Why didn't I think of that? A little 'Shrub' should to it every time!
29/05/2008 @ 10:26 cate said

The CD on Australian birdsong does it for me .
Moon River is just beautiful Zorro , an all time classic.
UM how original;
mebenji I love the Japanese flute will look up Riley Lee( ((hugs )))
29/05/2008 @ 11:20 UMxx said

music is soothing, exciting and calming but if I want to go to sleep monotony is best. I wonder if I could get george dubya with wind chimes?
29/05/2008 @ 13:48 Mebenji said

NO Max Bigraves, please! I don't want 'horrific/tragic unforturnately no one told him/hier to get a day job' music.' You hear me, S1?
:) -Mebenji
26/07/2008 @ 01:43 Mebenji said

Oh, & etiher Swon never did hear me or is more a gentleman than we have suspected...:) I'm sending this brick to a friend no on BWW - seeing what people have written hear, I trust there will be no forthcoming objections? If so I am sure I will hear about it, right? (& a brick for apologies will be in the works).
-Mebenji