I offer these reflections without judging my fellow human beings who see this important matter from other perspectives. That said, let's sit back, open mind and heart...and
"Listen to the music play..."
Music to be Born by...heartbeats to drumbeats...
Mickey Hart is my inspiration for this post. Those that know my affinity for the Grateful Dead are probably amused and not surprised.
Michael Hartman (his given name) is a modern day "Michaelangelo." Mickey uses his talents in so many ways to help his fellow passengers on Spaceship Earth. While working on another post, I came across an article that mentioned a project he did called "Music to be Born by."
"This soothing, 70-minute soundscape, originally created for the birth of Mickey Hart’s son Taro in 1983, was intended to transform the coldness of a hospital birthing room into a warm, rhythmic environment for the process of labor and birthing. However, after requests by several friends to use the album for their own birthing processes, Hart decided to release the recording for the general public. The music consists of Taro's heartbeat (recorded in utero) overdubbed with bass harmonics (provided by Bobby Vega), drums, and wooden shakuhachi flute (played by Steve Douglas). Music to be Born By was issued in 1988 as part of “THE WORLD” series (now part of the Mickey Hart Collection made available by Smithsonian Folkways)."
Note: 1988 is the same year Eileen brought our musical son, John, into this big concert hall of life...
Music in the Womb...BabyPod
First study to show foetuses can hear sounds as young as 16 weeks
Pregnant women between 14 and 39 weeks took part in the study
Music played via an intravaginal device, and via speakers on the bump
Found 87% of foetuses responded directly to intravaginal sounds
Moved their mouths and tongues 'as if they were trying to sing'
Do Babies Hear in their Mom's belly?
As a result of what I'm learning from this post, I added some musical touches to this rally sign and will bring it with me today as we stand in solidarity for an endangered group: our pre-born children...
For this afternoon's rally, I also modified this favorite tee that my friend Ray gave to me...
Our World Needs Musicians More Than Ever to Help Heal Our Divisions...
The Grateful DEAD in a Pro-LIFE Post???
Sure! And I'll let the band tell us how...AND, amazing but not surprising...a cover that features a female lead singer AND female drummer...Cool, huh?
...and a post about sobriety...Sober Deadheads, Huh???
(from this post) Hunter and Garcia both had a certain amount of experience to draw on in writing and singing about being homeless, on at least semi-indigent, living in cars in their early years of first acquaintance, crashing where they could.
This post is still Furthur proof of something my friend Steve often intones:
"There's a Grateful Dead song for every occasion..."
Babies are what YOU eat...
I was watching a video that said babies in the womb can learn tastes from what their mothers frequently eat...and may want those after they are born...
...So, choose wisely...
"In another time's forgotten space Your eyes looked from your mother's face..."
The lyrics in this Grateful Dead classic seemed appropriate for this post.
Franklin's Tower
Lyrics By: Robert Hunter
Music By: Jerry Garcia, Bill Kreutzmann
In another time's forgotten space
Your eyes looked from your mother's face (note a)
Wildflower seed on the sand and stone
May the four winds blow you safely home
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
I'll tell you where the four winds dwell (note b)
In Franklin's tower there hangs a bell
It can ring, turn night to day
It can ring like fire when you lose your way
[tOM here: See "Dead Ringer" link at end of this post)
God save the child who rings that bell (note c)
It may have one good ring, baby, you can't tell (note d)
One watch by night, one watch by day
If you get confused, listen to the music play
Some come to laugh their past away
Some come to make it just one more day
Whichever way your pleasure tends
If you plant ice, you're gonna harvest wind
In Franklin's tower the four winds sleep (note e) Like four lean hounds the lighthouse keep Wildflower seed in the sand and wind May the four winds blow you home again
(a) Robert Hunter's lyrics in "Box Of Rain" are "Your eyes looked through your mother's face" (b) the lyrics in "Box Of Rain" are "You ask me where the four winds dwell" (c) the lyrics in "Box Of Rain" are "God help the child ..." (d) the lyrics in "Box of Rain" are "It may have one good ring left ..." (e) this is the lyrics in "Box Of Rain" and the studio recording, but Jerry mostly sang "I'll tell you where the four winds sleep." Thanks to Dan Franzen for pointing this out.
All Are Welcome Here...
Post-Partum Post...
--complete project offered by Smithsonian Folkways (click here for info)
--A few years ago, I got to enjoy this demonstration and more as part of an event sponsored by the combined efforts of NYC's Hayden Planetarium and the American Museum of Natural History...
