Last summer, friends, my mother was dying. She was ill for many months and was as helpless as a baby for the last year of her life. I had scheduled and paid for a week at Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp in August, shortly before which she took a turn for the worst.
She told me she wanted me to go and enjoy myself, so I had to choose between being there for her and dad and doing as she wished. I chose to go, for a number of reasons I won't go into here unless your responses to this prompt me to.
At fiddle camp my whistle teacher was Seamus Mac Conaonaigh of Galway. I won't review his classes in this post, but I would take another class from him if I got the chance. Some of the students in my class insisted he teach us an aire, not a very easy thing to do. For some reason, he agreed and we voted between two he offered us. I voted for the winner and it turned out to be called the Parting of Friends (only in Gaelic and I can't spell it without a bit paper hunt).
When camp was over I raced home in time to spend two more days with Mom. She was comatose but was nonetheless aware of my presence.
The morning after she finally went on to peace, my family visited her church to plan the memorial service with the minister. I mentioned at that meeting to the curate (assistant pastor) that I wanted to play an aire in the sanctuary (a favorite place of Mom's). She gathered up my family and we went in. I played it a couple of times and we left. As we did, the curate, a musician, spoke softly to me to come back after our other meeting and find her.
I did. She led me back into the santuary and said. Ok play that again. when I did she said. Again. And Again. I played that aire perhaps thirty times over. And as I did something remarkable happened.
I began to feel I was pushing my feelings out the whistle. Singing them, throwing them, barfing them?! Out they came. And I could SEE them. They were like ripples in the fabric of the universe.
After a while I was finished. My helper came up and spoke softly with me a few moments then left me there to meditate. I felt so releived you wouldn't believe.
Now whenever I am feeling sad about or remembering Mom I play that little aire and it comforts me. Thank goodness for music and what it gives us. I'm a religious skeptic in many ways and hope I don't start anyone preaching their beliefs at me (it won't work) but I know there is a spiritual side to us humans and I'm no exception. And I know that music is part of that picture. And whistles gave my music a voice.
NancyF
A spiritual whistle story - a bit long sorry
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brewerpaul
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Daniel_Bingamon
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They say that the origins of music come from the 'crying out' of a person.
There is a scripture in Romans that says the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express'.
This is one of these things that goes beyond our understanding. I say just enjoy it. Music is an amazing thing.
Nacy, thanks for sharing that.
There is a scripture in Romans that says the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express'.
This is one of these things that goes beyond our understanding. I say just enjoy it. Music is an amazing thing.
Nacy, thanks for sharing that.
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dfernandez77
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talimirr743
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That sounds pretty neat. Could you tell me which chapter and verse that is? I might find it before you can reply but it would make the search easier.Daniel_Bingamon wrote: There is a scripture in Romans that says the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express'.
-Derek-
might be nice to have as a sig file or to do up as some nice calligraphy.
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HeronMark
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Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.Daniel_Bingamon wrote:
There is a scripture in Romans that says the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express'.
That sounds pretty neat. Could you tell me which chapter and verse that is? I might find it before you can reply but it would make the search easier.
NKJV
Psalms 150:4 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! --Even Fipple Flutes
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Re: A spiritual whistle story - a bit long sorry
Thats a lovely story.
It is my personal belief that you dont nessissarily have to be religious to be spiritual.NancyF wrote:I'm a religious skeptic in many ways and hope I don't start anyone preaching their beliefs at me (it won't work) but I know there is a spiritual side to us humans and I'm no exception.