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Today trying to compress thousands of pages of journals, sketches and notes into one 50-page section of my new book feels a bit like trying to pack the contents of a house, or perhaps a whole forest, in a carry-on bag.
It helps me to shift the simile to the making of perfume or essential oils. I see myself putting the petals of many flowers in the alembic that will produce the fragrance. The most delicate blossoms, like jasmine, require the the older, slower way of cold enfleurage, developed in southern France in the nineteenth century.
I bring the plants and flowers I have gathered to the chassis, a framed sheet of glass. There is a layer of wax or tallow inside the frame. I gently press my blossoms into this medium. When all of their essence has been absorbed, I replace them with fresh flowers, and repeat this process until I am satisfied that the medium is saturated with the aromatic essence, which will now be released by alcohol. Yes, this can work...
It helps me to shift the simile to the making of perfume or essential oils. I see myself putting the petals of many flowers in the alembic that will produce the fragrance. The most delicate blossoms, like jasmine, require the the older, slower way of cold enfleurage, developed in southern France in the nineteenth century.
I bring the plants and flowers I have gathered to the chassis, a framed sheet of glass. There is a layer of wax or tallow inside the frame. I gently press my blossoms into this medium. When all of their essence has been absorbed, I replace them with fresh flowers, and repeat this process until I am satisfied that the medium is saturated with the aromatic essence, which will now be released by alcohol. Yes, this can work...
7 comments:
Beautiful Robert...may the essence of the stored pages drift through your heart as your fingers move across the new blank pages creating the aromatic blend of a great read from within the journey lived...the finer hues visible to the hearts that openly await.
It is an odd feeling to look down and see what we think we need has been lifted into a whole new adventure in living life as we used to know it. But it is beautiful to look through the heart and see such a fine tapestry being woven within the web of life...thanks so much for the vision - comes at a perfect moment for me personally.
When I am writing, I sometimes have in mind a related metaphor of crushing rocks to make diamonds.
I have been practicing a difficult and fast passage on my violin and my teacher advised that I focus on the first three notes of each bunch of six. Last night, I dreamed that I was looking at a (dream version) of Van Gough's "Starry Night" in which each star was made of three smaller points of light (both white and blue in colour). Taking a more distant perspective, the overall effect of the painting was hypnotic and beautiful. I see this dream as an endorsement of my violin teacher's advice.
Hi Nigel,
Inspiration harmony and balance seep out of your words above - I felt your words left a dream definition that was far more balanced than what you had been experiencing...inspiration is a gift leading one forward. Without feeling I wouldn't find synchronicity unfolding in my life as it does...but then we are all unique aren't we!
Irene
Dear Irene, thank you for your kind words. The dream was very inspiring, and has indeed led to improved performance of the piece I have been practicing. The idea that the page is composed of "clusters" of notes ended up being very important: putting the emphasis on the first note of each cluster has been central to being able to play the whole section quickly. Thank you dream helpers !! Interestingly, I have been trying to squeeze practice into my work lunch break. The best choice of venue has turned out, intriguingly, to be a local visual art gallery !
Bye now...enjoy the symphony breaking through from the diamond within Nigel. Roberts artwork shared within his blog is also full of expression on a feeling level...I have enjoyed it greatly as well. I read 'Dreaming the Soul Back Home' gratis the public library. I'm enjoying the deer that have decided to transverse our yard over the past few days :)
Just a short note to say that my violin performance last night of "Introduction and Rondo Cappricioso" (Saint-Saens) was the best I have delivered so far. My thanks to all dreams, bloggers and dream-bloggers. The celebratory breakfast the next day was at a restaurant called "Picasso".
PS: Deer for me suggest gentleness: a wonderful quality.
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