I have tried, repeatedly, to push my way through one of those brain twitches that blocks memory. I have been trying to remember what the topic was that we were discussing in a class many years ago when I volunteered the music Bolero by Ravel as an illustration. What I do remember vividly was my astonishment when the professor savagely dismissed my suggestion and stated that Bolero was obviously and universally recognized as being all about sex. I really do believe that my jaw dropped and continues to do so whenever I recall that day. My angst ridden pre-teen and early teenage years were coupled with that music. I have a very different perspective of what emotions, thoughts, and beliefs are aroused by listening to what is to me one of the most compelling compositions written. My sister, who had to indirectly absorb this experience, has her own take on what it means.
Contrary to the adjectives I’ve used so far, Bolero never signified sex to me, but power, or maybe, empowerment. It was music that I listened to for hours at a time—days at a time; that filled me with a strength and centeredness and confidence that go hand-in-hand with things of beauty. I believe that it was also my first experience with meditation; with being so focused on something that you dropped all your constructed thoughts and just were right there. The next opportunities I had to reach that state were when I began practicing yoga in the early 90s. At the end of a yoga practice, during shavasana, I focused on my breath, on dropping whatever stories my mind wanted to dwell upon. I found the same kind of intense concentration then that I had listening to Bolero years before.
I think of this because in March I was able to move from spring unfolding in southern New Mexico to a yoga retreat led by an amazing teacher and friend, Sundari, on the Pacific Coast of Mexico!
I had been looking forward to the retreat since last October as a way to get more yoga practice in my un-settled life and also as a way to make a connection with Jackson Hole since 7 of the 11 people attending were from “our” region. And got both of those desires and luxuriated in a week of tropical warmth and beauty as well.
Careyes de Elixir, Jalisco, Mexico
A 2 and a half-hour lunch at the beach
Homes that money can buy!
The blooms and abundance of sunshine of this year have been wonderful! And they didn’t end with yoga in Careyes. Instead of putzing along as I did after leaving Jackson last year, when I got back to the States after the retreat, I rapidly moved up to Death Valley. I had made the essential campground reservations months before and knew, despite the consideration for expected dates of desert flower blooms, that I would be hitting the “super bloom” well into this infrequent and eagerly hoped for occurrence. I did get to see the tag-end of the “super bloom”, although it was not the diminishing abundance of flowers that captured my attention, but the beauty of the colors, shapes and forms, the patterns of the landscape that knocked me off my feet! I only had a few days there before I had to move onto my next scheduled delight, but I will be back.
From Death Valley I went back to Phoenix where I met my daughter, Jennifer. This was one of the few times this past year that I have backtracked and worth it. We were on our way to a birthday celebration in Puerto Penasco, Mexico!
I don’t think that I thought of snow or missing skiing or cold once all spring–well, maybe once.
Another reason why I was thinking of Bolero was that my brother, Findlay, sent a link to a YouTube performance by Gergiev of Bolero. I am listening to it now as I shift my focus and concentration onto this next year on the road.
Beautiful pictures, beautiful writing Louise!
I am so struck at the difference between the lusciousness of Mexico and the stark landscape of Death Valley. I love keeping up with you via your blog. Much love to you