The Symphony of Life

The mind often bounces around from thought to thought aimlessly, whether we are conscious of these drastic, impulse movements or not. It's almost as though these thoughts arise from within us and are most of the time uncontrollable as to what filters through our stupendous psyche.

I believe that most humans go about their day to day existence living 60% in the past or future, leaving the remaining 30% in the present moment. Have you ever actually realised what this present moment feels or even sounds like? You know those simple moments when you're just walking down the stairs for instance, with no thoughts cluttering your mind, just flowing in that very moment. Or when you're sat by the window on that long train journey home and you take your gaze outside to see the buildings flying past you with the gentle, colour washed sky blending into the perfect canvas painting. You just stop and look... not a single thought flowing through you, just observing in pure bliss. Until your phone buzzes of course and completely ruins that tiny moment of ecstasy. For me, that was the start of realising the present moment. It's like a little grey area that no one talks about because we live in such a fast paced life with loads of constant information coming at us through the internet, deadlines, traffic etc. We rarely take the time just to slow down.

I slowed down. I slowed right down. Right into that grey area- the little purgatory state where you become at one with the universe and just flow. I began to listen to the sound of my own breath, focusing on that little transition between breathing in and out... like another purgatory state where only stillness occurs. The sounds of the nature became more apparent as I slowed down, hearing for the first time the lively chatter of the birds outside and how many distinct individual voices were singing melodiously out loud. Listening to the breeze gliding through the trees gracefully and rustling the branches, is a similar feeling to washing your hair after a long day, so refreshing and smooth as you feel all those worries slowly drain off your scalp. I hear the sudden creaky floorboards and obnoxious pipes echo in my house, so much life but so little life at the same time. Everything slows, as the gentle ticking of the clocks around me start to become a rhythm of their own. My heart beats at such a steady tempo, while my body ever so gently sways to the pulse of my veins. The droplets of water outside, seamlessly falling in consistent pattern... how is it so harmonious? Almost as though the droplets are all in flow with the beauty happening outside. And then that sudden realisation kicks in, the realisation that everything is connected.

The orchestra of life starts to come alive. Is it jazz, is it funk, is it blues? It's almost like the music of life has no genre. But all of the sounds work together so flawlessly, you hear the melody of the distant chattering crowds, laughing, shouting, gossiping. It all flows together perfectly. The birds, giving some kind of call and response melody to the crowds, almost like a horn section in bebop jazz band. The pounding heart, the distant footsteps, the clocks ticking away all give a drive to the music. The rhythm of life that keeps everything in time, all flowing in unison- similar to a drummer with a thousand kick drums. Now the wind is evergreen, it flows through all and is heard only when you listen. Kind of like a keyboard player, glueing everything together and so subtle but effective. But little do they know when the keys want to fly, they can truly fly like an eagle with wind under its wings. Everyone always forgets about the poor old bass player. But you see the bass is one of the most important sounds to be heard as it keeps all the music grounded with just a few simple notes. The bass is always felt and heard, but it's only apparent when our focus is drawn to it. Kind of like the vibrations we feel around us. Ever closed your eyes to meditate and you suddenly hear a knock on the door? The knock almosts sends you into oblivion as it drags you out of that deep meditative state. Vibrations are everything and everywhere. We feel the vibrations and hear them but never think twice of it. How is it that if someone shouted next to a piano, it would hum a gentle noise in response to the shout? How is it that the vibrations of our voice somehow travels to the piano and vibrates the strings which resonate at the corresponding frequency to give that soft, gentle, hum? I think it's because everything is connected- literally. Imagine if there was an invisible source of energy that constantly flowed through everything at all times, giving life, giving love and even hatred to all. What if when we meditate and hear the music of life, we tap into that flowing energy, surrendering ourselves to the ever so abundant chi of unconditional love? I for one could definitely believe this energy exists and that we are all play our own instrument in this worldwide orchestra of life.