One of the participants described it as follows:
On a rare summer’s day in June a group of nine met at Coda Music in Dorset for a workshop Music , Dreams and Self Renewal. The venue, old farm buildings, have been converted into a modern music studio by Susan and Oliver Nares. The workshop started with introductions and the sharing of peoples’ journeys. It was left to us each to decide on what ‘journey’ meant to us. What emerged was a wide range of life experiences with some common threads, particularly around the importance people attached to the journey of their inner lives. Music and other forms of creativity played a significant part in linking the inner and outer journeys.
Susan then led us in an exercise of toning the sounds of the chakras using the vowel sounds. This helped the group to tune in both musically and spiritually. More than one person commented on the lovely energy of her leading of the toning. And at the end of this session she urged us to grunt
'urgh' to ground the energy again which amongst other things helped us into the short break for refreshments.
We did a free improvisation using the wide selection of instruments Susan had provided including a range of ethnic percussion instruments. Most of the time it had a chaotic feel about it and Clement tells me that that the imp in him had great fun playing that up! However there were some odd moments when the music seemed to jell for a while.
Next we worked with Maxwell on dreams. He took us through some of his experiences of working with his dreams as a way of touching into the worlds of inspiration. He invited us each to share a dream that has some significance for us. He also counselled us not to fall into the trap of interpreting other people dreams but to stay with the images and the energy of the dream.
Lunch was a shared picnic in Susan’s garden amongst the freshly blooming roses, lavender and honeysuckle. After lunch we carried on for a while with sharing dreams.
Clement then took the theme of dreams into a new realm by introducing a process for taking dream images to provide a structure for an improvisation. He asked us to take one image from a dream and draw it. We then each talked about it. From what we said Clement linked it to a particular stage of an Alchemical sequence. The Alchemical sequence represents the stages of the cycles of experience we all undergo throughout our lives. Very briefly the NIGREDO is night time, death,
stuckness, floundering around in the mire, etc. After a while in this 'dark night of the soul' the moon appears, supplying a pale white illumination. This is the
ALBEDO: water, purifications, things dissolving. The CITRINITAS (the Yellowing) comes just before dawn with faint
colourings, implying the coming new life. Images of fermentation, feeding, awakening, extending or multiplying. Finally the
RUBEDO: the sun is fully up, resplendent and magisterial. The new vision is fully formed: images of wholeness, which may be many things. So, the diurnal rhythm is related to psychic processes.
Through how we each described the dream image and the emotions and feelings we associated with it, Clement linked the image to one of the four stages. Luckily we had dream images that corresponded to all the four stages and so four groups (including one group of one) for the improvisation were formed. Each group in turn according to the stages of the alchemical process improvised between themselves using the feelings and images of their dream images as a source of inspiration in playing and listening to the other. All the other groups coloured and supported the themes that were emerging. What was fascinating to see was how a point would come when the process of the improvisation was needing to move on into the next stage and a new theme would take shape led by that group. Having started with the repetitive theme of a leaden thump of beating drums, the improvisation moved through different moods to end in an energetic joyful climax. The whole piece had an amazing amount of energy in it and was distinctly different in quality from the earlier free improvisation.
Susan asked us how we would like to finish the day. With the energy still with us from the last improvisation there was a desire to finish the day with another. This time it was Steven who was encouraged to lead us with a beautiful guitar improvisation which drew the rest of us in contributing our own musical signatures. Thank you to Susan, Maxwell & Clement for your contributions to the day. And thank you to the Nares family for the use of your kitchen and garden as well other behind the scene support. It was a great day.
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