Monday, November 12, 2012

Sound and scent

 I used to read a book a day, but lately I have been a slow reader. The pile of books by my bedside has been the same for a month now, and the weekend papers last me all week (the latter is always the case, in fact - I like to stretch them out, pretending that every day is Sunday). I know I will get back to my usual reading pace, but I am still finding it difficult to concentrate, and my eyes get tired, so I am giving them a rest and indulging in the audio and olfactory instead - ok, and Downton Abbey.


At the moment I am using jojoba oil with a drop of geranium or mandarin essential oil as a moisturiser. This actually suits me better than the Dr Hauschka facial oil I was using before. I have been burning clary sage oil and using it as a massage oil and in the bath - this oil has a euphoric effect, and I reckon it might be a good choice for people suffering from SAD at this time of the year. I use it whenever I feel lethargic or depressed, and it is great for PMS and period pains.

 

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"... I felt a little bit disenchanted and empty of inspiration, and I thought the best thing to do would be to stay at home in England and live by the sea, so I bought a kitten and did lots of home cooking and walked to the ocean every day and ... was trying to rebuild myself" - Natasha Khan, in Bat for Lashes - Letting Go of Ghosts - Creating The Haunted Man (beautiful video).

This reminded me of Lesley Garner's words and, of course, the healing quality of the feline-human relationship (speaking of which, in the week I discovered I am sharing my house with a mouse, getting a cat has moved to the top of my list of priorities, though I realise I need to shift my focus from what I don't have to what I already have, and trust that the cat will come when we are both ready).

Apart from Bat for Lashes, David Byrne and St. Vincent's "Who" has been playing on repeat - just the one song; I haven't bought the album yet. When I first heard this it was via the video clip, so now the audio and visual are inextricably linked for me. I wonder to what extent watching the video for a song prior to a pure listening colours our experience of it.


1 comment:

  1. I go through spurts with my reading. I'll go a few months reading at a frenetic pace and then I'll go through a few months not reading much at all. I need to get back in the habit.

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