Wilderness Rhythms:
Playing music to enhance the nature experience
by: Chadwick Howard Clifford
2012
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Published by Chadwick Howard Clifford at Smashwords
Copyright 2012 by Chadwick H. Clifford
Cover by Tania K. Marsh
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Table of Contents
Introduction: The River Runs Deep
Section One. Music and Nature
Chapter 1. To Be In Nature
Chapter 2. River of Song. Discovering a place for music in nature
Chapter 3. Ancient Cedar Branch Flute
Section Two: My Journal of Playing Music in Nature
Chapter 4. My Groove in the Grove
Chapter 5. Killer Bears and Blindfolds
Chapter 6. Ginger and Ginseng
Chapter 7. As Ancient as Fire
Chapter 8. Sitting Rock
Chapter 9. Mississippi Without Music
Chapter 10. Le Tour Music Combo
Chapter 11. Frail'n the Ol' Banjo
Chapter 12. Descending Mist of Awareness
Chapter 13. Last Note
About the Author
Other Books
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Introduction: The River Runs Deep
On a rugged hillside in the Highlands, waters trickle down over a series of steep rocks into a valley. It is here where a little stream called Nature forms. Its banks are covered with vines and its waters flow clear. This stream has yet to have been dammed or polluted. A ways downstream, a pool forms within a meadow. Another stream empties into the pool here as well. Like the first stream, it has never been polluted and its waters run clear. This stream's name is Music. The water of the two streams mix in the pool before travelling through the outlet. Enough flow is created at this point to declare it a river. The name of this river is Music in Nature, which comes from the two streams that formed it. Along its deeper sections, where the water is cool, a fog often floats over its surface, which seems to accent the sounds of the forest with distinct clarity. And like all rivers it flows to the ocean, but, the Music in Nature River does so at a tremendous speed—almost instantaneously. This ocean is also special and has been called many things, such as: Heightened Awareness, Inspiration, Connection, and Serenity. It is the Music in Nature Rivers speed and clarity on its way to the Heightened Awareness Ocean that make it special. Neither stream that formed the river, alone or doubled, equals the power of this unique combination.
The idea of music in nature is nothing new. Well, perhaps in the world of academic research it is—as I had found back when preparing a graduate thesis. In relation to my interests, music is generally known to be a most powerful leverage on our emotion. Likewise, experiencing natural spaces holds powerful benefits in terms of re-creation, rejuvenation and much more. The combination of playing music in the nature has otherwise been with us throughout history.
However, I suspect the awe-inspiring and exceptional benefits of music in nature too often go unnoticed or unexperienced by many today. One rarely hears anything about music in nature beyond campfire songs served up with marshmallows, or New-age like meditations featuring nature and music sounds on a CD. I do enjoy the fore mentioned on occasions myself. But, at a deep-rooted level where one approaches music in nature with purpose: the combination can equal something greater than its composite parts, propelling one to a sense of heightened awareness, serenity, intuitions and more.
Adding music to the nature experience is the quickest and perhaps the most powerful way I have found to connect with nature and the moment. It brings the clarity of a quieting mediation but goes beyond because it is emotionally charged from the power of music. It even captures some of the benefits reserved for those who would spend extended periods of time in the wilderness. The results surprise. It is during such positive nature experiences that people develop a bond with nature, which in turn brings one closer to an unfeigned stewardship over it.
For purposes of this book, Music includes playing instruments (i.e., live music), whether on guitar, banjo, fiddle, shakers, drums, and wind instruments like flutes or voice. It may be played by oneself in solitude, in a group, or simply heard as a listener (of live music). It is the timeless engagement of music that has entertained throughout cultures and the ages. Nature in turn, is any place that natural elements can be appreciated, but it need not be remote sects of wilderness. It may be in a national park, a local land-trust or simply the view of a spider in the grass. It is a place that guide one's thoughts and senses to dwell on nature.
In writing this book, I outline a collection of ideas and experiences that brought me to value the experience of playing music in nature. These experiences have been steeped in the knowledge gained from using music in nature when teaching outdoor skills and doing related research studies. Also included are various experiences with music in nature that coincided with the writing of this book. In as much, I hope there is sufficient opportunity for you to find insight and motivation towards including music in your nature outings and to find the unique benefits waiting there for you.
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SECTION ONE: MUSIC AND NATURE
The first section of this book outlines a trail of thoughts and experiences that led me to begin playing music in nature. Chapter One considers how the activities (excluding music) we engage in affects the nature experience. Specifically, how the items we surround ourselves with can move our thoughts closer to or further away from nature. The next chapter recounts certain influential musical experiences I have had with music in nature. Chapter Three catches up with the present moment as I collect wood for making an instrument from a special tree. In all, this section highlights how music in nature may offer powerful leverage on emotions, moods, and awarenesses. Section Two follows in-the-moment experiences of playing music in nature that shed light on the many benefits.
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Chapter 1. To Be In Nature
One underlying motivation for writing this book, and I would assume this stands true for many authors of nature related books, is to bring others to further appreciate and care about nature. It matters little if the book is a guide to identifying the local songbirds; a camp-skills guide on how to set-up a tent; or stories that romanticize a wilderness adventure or tale. The result is that readers take another step in developing their own connection with nature. These connections can lead to a lifelong, caring stewardship over nature.
Those who act pro-environmentally
doubtlessly learned to care about nature
through positive nature experiences.
It stands to reason that the higher the quality of nature experiences one has, the more likely that he or she will care about and protect those areas. So, it is important to have some understanding to which sort of nature experience offers the higher quality. Obviously, this boils down to an individual's interests and tastes but some broader generalizations can be made too.
Streams
As a canoeist knows, deep water is found where the current flows fast. This is where you go to avoid the rocks or getting stuck in the shallows. Activities focussed on nature are the deep waters flowing quickly towards a connection with nature. Some more obvious examples of activities focussed on nature include: wild edible plant collecting/viewing, bird watching, exploring animal tracks and trails, walking in nature, bushcraft, snow-shoeing, and star gazing.
The more the focus is on nature, or naturally occurring objects, the better the chance of developing a connection to natural places—assuming the activity is enjoyable and memorable. However, just because an activity takes place in nature does not make it a nature focussed one. Let us explore this just a little more, with a brief discussion on activities in nature.
Activities focussed on nature.
Many nature seers and writers of old have spoke of the timelessness of the nature experience and how activities that include motors, gadgetry, and even thoughts that belong to the urban centres, should be avoided during a wilderness experience. This is because all of the activities, gear and objects we involve ourselves with carry meaning and memories. So we do not want surround ourselves with mental ties to things unrelated to nature and our time there. For example, I am environmentally conscious and love to go canoeing. I also think that the canoe is an icon of the forest. I have two canoes, one is plastic and the other Birch bark. The plastic boat was bought at a local store in town, but was made and transported from hours away. The bark boat was made by hand and with friends in the woods over the period of a week. I also possess a lot of related camping gear, some homemade and others made from natural materials. I also have a lot of gear that is petrol-chemically based (e.g., plastics, nylon, tarps, camp fuel). I have little affection for the plastic boat and petrol-chemically based gear but appreciate their functionality—although mindful of these industries and their close ties to global warming. These items merely function as a means to be in the woods. When in the bark canoe, I find myself more in-tune with nature knowing that I could repair this boat or even replace it with nothing but my surroundings. Moreover I am excited to just step into it. This appreciation for the boat crosses over to other gear I use in the woods too—preferring gear made of natural materials (preferably homemade) over store bought synthetics, gadgets, and extra batteries. It just looks and feels like the former items belong and add to the nature experience. Hence, my thoughts generated from my surroundings (including canoes and gear) direct me to think more on nature and not on industry, internet and satellites et. cetera.
In order to further delve into the nature experience, I have found that the use of bushcraft and nature interpretation to be invaluable. Many people already practice various forms of this and even more are adopting at least some of these skills into their precious time in nature. First lets consider bushcraft followed by nature interpretation activities.
Bushcraft may include all elements of primitive or traditional woods skills from starting a fire without matches to makings shelter, and even making clothing and rope, all from what you find locally in nature. The benefits to this are obvious and include becoming more of self-reliant and being more attuned to nature and your place in it.
I have seen, first hand, an internal and ancient fire ignite in people when learning a new bushcraft skill. It is clear that these skills are timeless and allows one to sneak a view of a time gone by. It also shows us how nature can provide in ways most would believe to be unattainable. Take something as simple as coal burning utensils or bowls. For those who are unfamiliar with coal burning: it is taking a hardwood coal from the fire (with tongs made from a split branch, a fulcrum, and secured with a natural fibre lashing) and dropping it onto a piece of wood. A hollow reed is used to stream your breath onto the coal, pushing the heat from the coal to the wood. As the wood starts to burn and char, the coal is removed and the char scraped out with a stick or rock. This is repeated a fews times as the depression gets larger. At some point you have a depression large enough for a bowl. If you stop short of a bowl you have a mug. Stop short of the mug and you have a spoon. All that is left to do is carve the shape with a knife—be it a fashioned rock knife or one made from steel.
I have shown this technique to campers in youth-at-risk programs as well as to university and college students learning to be wilderness guides, and other enthusiasts. The results are the same. A primitive fire is sparked within. A night of such an activity goes like this: a group of people sitting around the fire, politely passing the tongs to each other as needed to collect coals. All eyes intent on their coals. Comments on the quality of coals in terms of size and type of wood is the content of chatter. Methods are shared with how to hold the coal on top of the soon to be spoon. Someone will accidentally burn through their wood ruining the piece. This is met with laughter. The only set-back is in the form of starting over, which is a blessing in that the skill has already developed greatly and the next one will be better. A few eyes will water from the waffling smoke. Group rules will soon be set as someone will inadvertently blow smoke and sparks towards another, or even dump unwanted, half-used coals away from the fire where others may walk. You would think this craft would be over in an hour. I have seen people sit there for over four hours in full concentration. It need not take this long, but they are injecting careful detail in carving, and often, immediately start another project.
The above example is one of the simpler bushcrafts. When a tough craft like rubbing sticks for fire is learned, the accomplishment is similar to first learning to ride a bike or to roll a kayak. So many little things come together for an astounding and fulfilling result. Fire, opens up many possibilities, especially when all you need to light it is your knowledge.
If bushcraft was your right hand, then nature interpretation would certainly be the left. And, one would do well with both. For instance, if you do not know the right wood to gather, no good coals would be made for coal burning. If one did not recognize good carving wood, no spoon would be easily produced. For the bow and drill fire starting technique, the bushcraft is in the carving of wood and making heat. The nature interpretation is in finding the right tree to use for wood. Without these skills all working together you may get lucky, but the odds are poor.
Nature interpretation also is common among birders who are able to identify sounds, habitats and various indicators of the ecology of a place. Wild edible foragers already have a good idea about where to find their favourite nibbles based on the indicator species and landscapes in front of them. A person out enjoying the variety of animal tracks on a hike will easily distinguish between a mouse and a shrew track at a glance, or the difference between a fox and coyote trail that is buried under 3 inches of snow. These sorts of skills act as doors into nature that beg to be opened and explored further. Moreover, if you are out in the woods, it is very rewarding to know that you have some idea of what surrounds you.
Although the above considerations are important and fodder for enhancing the nature experience, we need just know that when the senses and the mind are filled with nature and related activities, the unique benefits of nature are close at hand.
Time
Before moving on, one last consideration is the amount of time spent in nature and how it contributes to the experience. On longer wilderness trips (10 or more days), you may have noticed that the first few days may be required to get into the groove—feeling the benefits of nature. The last few days have one thinking of getting back to everyday life and the pressing issues to look after upon return. The latter has been termed get-home-itis as told by my friend, Tom Potter, some years ago. No doubt, most of us have experienced as much—even on shorter trips. This leaves far too much of the experience not spent on fully enjoying your time in nature.
The point of being in wilderness is to really be there—not thinking of other places or objects. As Henry David Thoreau once stated (loosely translated here): what right do you have to be in the woods if you're thinking of the city.
So how can someone really experience nature if they only spend a day or two in it? How about only 15 minutes? This is a valid question. Surely we do not need to spend a month wandering in the desert to feel the benefits (but given the chance—I would do it!). The key is to find activity streams that flow deep and fast in terms of the nature experience.
Another, almost seemingly unrelated stream or activity to do in nature is to play music. This stream can combine with the nature experience or be added like a special ingredient to spice or intensify it. And, it works! Not only can music added to a nature experience enhance it, but may do so quickly. This is the type of combination that can turn even the shortest of periods spent in nature, into memorable and vivid experiences. Moreover, musical instruments have been a part of the human experience in nature from the beginning.
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Chapter 2. River of Song: Discovering a place for music in nature.
It may seem odd to add music into a nature experience—I still find it so at times myself. It is almost like one is changing the context of the environment or even switching the nature experience for music—something you can have outside of nature. Moreover, music in nature can also be rather inconvenient. Who wants to drag a guitar around on a backpacking trip?
Notwithstanding, I have found music to quicken and enhance my nature experience. This, from one who is very careful and selective of what is brought into nature when I seek a pure wilderness experience.
In this chapter, I map a trail that helped me develop an appreciation for music in nature. The contexts of music in nature vary and are discussed in terms of the elements that I deem important to the experience of playing music in nature. Latter chapters journal the experience of combining music in nature, thus, exposing the benefits that can be gained from it on a regular basis.
Odetta
The Ottawa Folk Festival once took place at a nice park along the Ottawa River—located not that far from downtown. The Ottawa River, at this point is wide and flowing. Trees, maintained grasses and the transitional plants are all within view. Water and shore birds are plentiful and the festival maintains an intimate atmosphere where entertainers can be seen wandering the grounds.
On this particular evening Odetta was set to perform. Up until now, I had only heard a few pieces of her music. Just as she was getting ready to perform, the power went out. This is a folk festival so no blame can be put on stacks of amplifiers and angry young musicians overloading the system. After a short while, a few candles were lit around the stage. She came out to sing without a microphone to an audience in this fairly substantial park. Her powerful voice made it happen. Wow! Those who are familiar with Odetta's music can attest to the strength of her voice.
Perhaps it is Odetta's willingness to perform under these conditions that made the crowd so appreciative and thrilled. Moreover, the ambiance of the evening air, natural echos and reverb, the smell of the river, birds flying overhead, candles burning on the stage, and the un-mic'd legend in song, combined and created a memorable evening.
The more I learn of Odetta, the more my memory of that evening changes in meaning. She is in fact an icon on many fronts. I now know of her as a symbol of the human and civil rights movement, her connections with Martin Luther King, her influence on Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, and an era gone by. I somehow feel like I saw or experienced a little piece of that now. In this manner, it is clear that Odetta has meanings and thoughts associated with her. How could I now listen to Odetta without thoughts of her background attached. The emotions I may feel for these thoughts would be subject to becoming enhanced or intensified by the music. Hence, emotions on the topic of civil rights intensified by song. If I had known more about her before that night of song, I would have appreciated something far beyond the talent I witnessed then too.
So in relation to the music and nature experience, carefully consider the memories or mental links of the items you bring. These also include the type of music and instrument you choose along with other items that may influence your thoughts while there. It boils down to your thoughts that can be intensified by the music. For instance, if your thoughts are on the wonders of nature, wouldn't it be nice to experience it at an intensified level.
Rattling
I had a curious experience during a sweat-lodge ceremony on Manitoulin Island.
“Let's go watch the elders assemble the little-boys“ (i.e., drums that are used in lodge ceremonies), my friend suggested. The drums are assembled just before use. The skins are tied to a rim and kept wet because of the humid environment in the sweat-lodge. The concentration of the drum builders was evident as a couple of the drums were reassembled to meet the level of craftsmanship desired. The sweat-lodge is a spiritual ceremony and one would not wish to demonstrate substandard effort in preparations.
The sweat-lodge is encased by a half dome of Willow branches lashed together and a canvas cover. The ceiling was just slightly higher than our heads while seated. The lodge was dark, tobacco and herbs were placed onto hot rocks, filling the steamy and dusty air with a sweet odour. The participants, all of First Nations descent (except myself and one or two others), were handed a rattle prior to the start of the ceremony. The rattle I had was fashioned from a heavy set of horns joined by a section of bone on a sturdy piece of wood.
Having been in traditionally run sweat-lodges before where there was little music, I thought that it would be impossible to have a meditative experience with all the rattles being played in our tightly filled lodge. As the Old-One began the ceremony, various songs were sung, interspersed with periods of very loud rattling. The ceremony was being performed in a language that myself and a few of the others did not speak. I do not know the exact number of people in the lodge but estimated it to be around ten to twelve. The Old-One's voice was soft and purposeful. The sound produced by vigorous rattling was impossible to block out, which was part of its power. It kept me in the moment.
Being in the moment is great in terms of allowing thoughts to arise that would otherwise go unnoticed. At this time, I noticed that I was able to contemplate whatever came to my mind with great clarity and ease. My mind did not wander. This is what really stands out about this experience. When the rattles stopped, my mind focused on the people present in the lodge and the ceremonial procedures—the latter of which I did not clearly understand.
Coming out of the lodge is a bit of a rebirth. The fresh air into the lungs and the summer breeze gently cools the skin. The senses that were once limited to the inside of the lodge are now free to quickly expand into the horizon. However, the social interactions worked to bring me back to a similar state I had at the beginning of the experience.
It is difficult to explain the power of music in this instance beyond receiving a clear mind that was able to focus and concentrate on any thought that arose. Moreover, no thought could take my mind off what I wished to contemplate. In other words, I could think about issues in-depth and not have my mind daydream off topic. Had it been convenient to spend time sauntering on a nature walk after the sweat-lodge, I am sure the nature experience would have been memorable too.
Drumming
Another experience related to music in the wilderness involved a 13-day canoe trip with a group of university students, which I was leading. The students were each required to lead a lesson while on the trip. One student was having second thoughts about the lesson topic he had chosen to teach. After 10 days, he came to me with a spur of the moment idea of leading a drumming circle. Clearly, he was sure and flowed with enthusiasm. I briefly contemplated about how the drumming could create noise pollution for anyone nearby. However, given that there was no-one visually close to us and that the drums were only small plastic olive barrels (used to carry food), we decided to proceed.