19-10-2007 08:27

Fiona Mclaren says:

I have been running a monthly SoundJourney since February 2006. So when I was asked by the 'Witch Hiker' to write about my experience of 'doing' the next journey, I thought "sounds simple enough" (pardon the pun!) yet I've found myself procrastinating about putting pen to paper (well, fingers on keyboard really!) 
 
The 'Witch Hiker' was fascinated and interested to know how I 'do' a SoundJourney which is something I find difficult to explain, or sometimes find the words for (which will probably surprise those that know me). Working with sound is the one thing in my life that I feel is completely effortless, for once I don't have to think about what I do, I just do it! My work is based partly on my knowledge of my sound 'tools', which I work with daily and are very much a part of me and partly my guidance, intuition, instinct (or whatever label you prefer to use).  
 
Over the years, people have said what I do is "whacky", "hocus-pocus", "airy-fairy" etc but how many of you have seen someone and asked "are you ok, you look a bit green about the gills?" or no matter how much a friend or loved one says "I'm fine" you just know that that's not true or when you've walked into a room you just know there has been an argument beforehand. What I do is no different, it's just that with my training (in Sacred Sound, Shiatsu and Reiki) and self-development work I may be more acutely aware, observant and sensitive of people's energy.  
 
As there are no two people the same and no two groups the same, no two SoundJourneys are the same. In this particular SoundJourney my sense (drawn from what I saw, heard and felt) of the group energy was to take the journey into a deep, calming, relaxing, meditative state and keep it at that level throughout the session i.e. no really loud sounds to penetrate and break up energy and no loud, energising, invigorating drumming at the end. 
 
The session started with the Tibetan bell which, to me, basically focusses and signals the mind to settle. Then continued with the Tibetan bowls, a mantra and the symphonic gong to clear the mind and take the journeyor into deeper and deeper states of relaxation. The rhythm and grounding tools e.g. shakers and drums were played in a soft, gentle, soothing, rhythmical way and in such a way as to keep the very still, calm sense but to also ground the journeyor. As there was such a beautiful feeling of calm, peace and love at the end I chose to do an 'aaahh' chant for the heart.

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