Name: Lent Reflections 2023 by Laurence Freeman: Saturday after Ash Wednesday by WCCM
Duration: 4 min 8 s
Description: Lent Reflections 2023 by Laurence Freeman: Saturday after Ash Wednesday

Widen

The Forêt des Cedres (cedar forest) is one of the most unusual of the forests and green spaces of the Luberon massif, given the oriental origin of these large trees. At an altitude of 727 metres, the cedar forest was originally planted with seeds from the Algerian Middle Atlas, back in 1861.

Due to it's altitude and distance from major towns and roads, the forest is very quiet and makes for a perfect recording location. I arrived an hour before sunrise intending to record the spring dawn chorus. As I approached the entrance to the forest I heard a nightingale singing so I slowly approached, getting as close to the bird's song post without disturbing it. I setup my mics using the "tree ears" technique: spaced omnis with the tree trunk acting as a natural baffle. 

Sony PCM A10 + 2 x Lom Mikro Uši (tree ears technique)
02.05.2022

Common Nightingale - Forêt des Cèdres du Luberon, France

DON'T LET SUN GO DOWN ON YOUR ANGER

Echoing through a flooded cypress tree forest, first a Barred Owl hoots, and then joins a second to fuss back and forth. Deep voiced Pig Frogs and shrill crickets are a sonic backdrop. Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida, August 2022, recorded with Usi Pro omni pair and Zoom F3 recorder.

Owl Swamp

Evening at Étang de Ravoir

Proverbs 31:1-31

Lent Reflections 2023 by Laurence Freeman: Ash Wednesday

Lent Reflections 2023 by Laurence Freeman: Saturday after Ash Wednesday

Lent Reflections 2023 by Laurence Freeman: First Sunday

Late morning in Palupõhja village Alam-Pedja nature reserve, Estonia. Different little birds are chirping in the trees next to the village road when suddenly a black woodpecker comes and bangs his drum four and a half times. The recording was made in the late morning of April 17, 2023

Equipment used: Zoom F3 digital recorder An Azden microphone pre-amplifier/mixer Primo Microphones with EM172 capsules. Recorded 32 bit 48kHz

Black woodpecker drumming

I wasn't certain what to title this track. Then as I was recording it, a stink bug crawled onto my computer (who is the being of which I said "Om Namah Shivaya" to at the end of the recording). So I thought I'd title it for this insect. While they do stink, "stink bug" doesn't seem to be the nicest name for this beetle. So I titled it "Geometric Master of Walking Meditation", since to me they look like some sort of abstract geometric African art, and they walk in a slow manner that appears reminiscent of walking meditation. I wasn't certain if I would definitely title it this, but then it flew up and landed on a photo of Thich Nhat Hanh doing a walking meditation in a lotus flower garden, which made me feel certain that I should indeed stick with this title.

Instruments:
tenor guitar, flutes, tin whistle, tingsha bell, triangle

Geometric Master Of Walking Meditation

Audio channel of The World Community for Christian Meditation with news, interviews, talks and music. Contact: Leonardo Corrêa (leonardo@wccm.org)

Lent Reflections 2023 by Laurence Freeman: Saturday after Ash Wednesday

WCCM

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