Ava - "The Tarot Immersions" - XX-Judgement

There is always a day of reckoning. Today is that day. This is the last step before reaching our destination which we set out for so long (and so many cards) ago.

"Rise up friend and face yourself and on with life you go.

When the trumpet sounds, when the trumpet sounds, when the trumpet sounds, when the trumpet sounds."

- chant for XX-Judgement.

Ava - "The Tarot Immersions" - XIX-The Sun

The end of our journey from rarefied spirit (o-The Fool) to full materialization (XXI-The World) is nigh.

In our descent we encountered important aspects of our humanity and have embraced what they have to teach and to give. We have not hid or faces nor shirked our responsibilities to our journey and to ourselves.

Now the end of the path is in sight and the warmth and the blessing of XIX-The Sun fills us with pure joy and a sense of celebration for a journey well and truly made.

Our hearts are child-like and our instincts are gathered to paw the ground we will soon fully touch down on.

All is well and all will be well.

Ava - The Tarot Immersions (18 out of 22)

Last night I adjusted my head set and listened to the 18 out of 22 Tarot Immersion pieces we have finalized back-to-back and in the order they were created (which is also the order of the cards they reflect).

It was a fascinating listen. Some of the pieces are demanding but rewarding. Some of them go down like candy. One piece makes me laugh 'til the tears roll down my cheeks.

All of them are completely sincere.

All of them are accomplished.

All of them make me feel blessed both because I took part in their creation and because I shared this creative process with Garrick and Stuart - two musicians at the top of their game who deigned to work with me (a rank beginner) on this project and make it come to pass beautifully, interestingly and provocatively.

Thanks guys, I love your music.

Ava - "Tarot Immersions" - XVIII-The Moon

Moonlight is different than starlight (as we will now find) is different than sunlight (as we will discover next). Starlight caresses while moonlight stresses while sunlight blesses.

Feel yourself in the light of the quarter, the half and the full moon. Each of the phases of the moon stresses a different aspect of your "nighttime self".

"The Moon.
Feel it's pull
And your response.
Hear it's call
And your answer.
The Moon."

- chorus from XVIII-The Moon

Ava - Sunday, June 26, 2010

I spent an ultra relaxing day with Bonnie and Jon in, and around, their many gardens.

Bonnie has been working hard with all the weeding and tending that's required while Jon lends a hand where, and when, it's needed.

Adam and Eve in paradise.

Ava- What a Day!

No doubt there's a term for the day I have had today - with a wonderful and official new beginning for those of us closely connected with The Fiddlguy's Place immediately followed by a very sad ending - but I can't think of it right now.

When I got home from my two highly productive days working in "the dungeon" I learned Joey - a smart, handsome, plucky, strutting Yorkshire Terrier who came into my life, and the life of the family unit I was part of 16 1/2 years ago - had to be relieved of his suffering through the hands, and the skill, of a kind helper this afternoon.

Oh, right. Now I know.

It's been one helluva day.

He was loved and will be missed.

Like The Sign Says ... "Spec-freakin'-tacular"

I had the very good fortune of listening to the completed versions of XII-The Hanged Man and XIII-Death tonight and they blew my mind.

Then, I listened to the entire "Tarot Immersions" collection, to date, and once more my mind was blown away.

To my listening ears these pieces accomplish the following:

1. They give an small, jewel-like and accurate audio interpretation of each card of the Major Arcana they represent.

2. They are highly unique as individual pieces and therefore they are highly distinguishable from each other.

3. They are eminently listenable.

And, I could not be more pleased.

Ava - Trust Training

As always, my best thinking occurs when I submerge myself in water.

Tonight I thought about a series of instructive dreams I began experiencing when I was in my mid-twenties and on my way home from living in Whistler, B.C..

These dreams - which began with me learning how to be hurled against a solid wall and literally pass through it unscathed (let go completely = relax completely = trust completely) and advanced to me not resisting being bitten by wild and by domestic animals (let go completely = relax completely = trust completely) and, most recently, with me choosing to let go completely = relax completely = trust completely while sitting in the backseat of a driverless, moving vehicle - have all served to train me for exactly where I am in my life today.

Awake, I find myself in the exact position my nighttime training began preparing me for over half my lifetime ago i.e., a position where (for me at least) trust is the piece which makes the whole venture hang together - trust in myself, trust in others, trust in life, trust in the creative process ... trust in the power of love.

To comfortably, and to confidently, extend this much trust in all directions (for me) required training and I am very thankful for the chance to realize the meaning behind its occurrence as it has been rigourous indeed. And, no doubt, it will continue to be because I can see trust is like a muscle that has to be exercised and challenged to stay fit and available.

But, for now, I am happy to say I have accummulated enough trust to plug into my current situation and I do trust everything and, ultimately, everyone I need to trust for this next chapter of my life (as an elder spokesperson sharing my truth) to unfold as it needs to. And, I also know I can be trusted to play a positive part in the unfolding of everyone's elder (or not elder) purposes that I am linked to.

Everyone involved with "The Open Sesames" and, moreover, everyone seriously involved with "The Fiddleguy's Place" is poised on the verge of a positive shift. I know it, and I trust it, and I am excited about this fact for everyone's sake.

Ava - Monday & Tuesday in The Dungeon

Yes, I spent two days in the dungeon this week with Garrick and, by times, with Stuart, with Dan (the new and very accomplished young bass player who has joined in the mix) and with friendly others to make up for my time away in Germany. And, we got so much done!

The "Tarot Immersions Project" is in great shape and all the key contributors are happy and excited with what we are creating. Each immersion is a highly original work of audio art and can be enjoyed on this basis alone. Some immersions have lyrics, some are chants and some are instrumentals to lend variety and scope to the overall collection which will consist of 22 immersions in total (0-The Fool to XXI-The World, inclusive).

XV-The Devil (which, one has to admit, can be a lightning rod for all kinds of negative thoughts and ideas) turned out to be easy to write but hard for me to find the right recording voice for until an off-the-wall approach was taken to the subject matter and then - voila - it all came together in a totally odd and totally satisfying way.

I find myself particularly happy with XV-The Devil because it is such a tricky concept to approach in a way that is positive, truthful and possibly helpful. And, we accomplished it. Actually, we accomplished even more than this because we also managed to add a little campy humour to the material. Good on us!

So ... Thanks, Stu, for lending your intuitive percussive voice to my Germanic vampire voice and making XV-The Devil one of the most screwball, (and therefore one of the most endearing) pieces we have created so far. And, thanks, Garrick for always being open to a different approach.

Monday night we rehearsed four of the six pieces we will be performing as "The Open Sesames" at the August 28th event being held in the Belleville Market Square designed to bring awareness (and liveliness) to the "Buy Local,Share Local" movement the Ontario food banks initiated last year. This was the first opportunity for Dan and I to work together and .... dah, dah, dahhhh ... it was also the first time "The Open Sesames" have gone completely off-the-grid and worked without any computer generated sound tracks. And, not only did we come together the way we all wanted to, and needed to, we proceeded to take right off !!!!!!!!!!

The ball is definitely rolling.

Ava - The Tarot Immersions - "XVII-The Star"

Do you remember when your "tower of power" was rent in two and you fell - from its great height - to the waiting ground far below like a seed?

Now it is time for this seed (that is you) to be stirred into life made anew.

And, whether you fell on the land or in the stream, the light from above and the love which exists below the heavens is now being poured on you in generous measure.

As above,

So below.

Light and love,

To help us grow.

- Chant for "XVII-The Star"

Ava - "romantica" - To Whom It May Concern

As far as the writing side of things go, all the "romantica" pieces are true expressions of something I know and/or value and/or desire. And, the music supports my written (and vocalized) sentiments beautifully.

In the case of "To Whom It May Concern" I am expressing my deep desire to die outdoors when my time comes - and I am trusting in myself to know when this is. This isn't simply a romantic notion of mine. It is something I am going to do everything I can to make come true.

"Will you help me to cross over

While breathing in earthy sweetness

While drinking in heavenly birdsong

And feeling a sense of completeness?"

- To Whom It May Concern

Ava - Congratulations to the Fiddle Guy and to Wolfgang

Yesterday the website for The Fiddleguy's Place was officially published. It's architect and builder, Wolfgang of Flyingwolf Multimedia, has designed and created a site that's dynamic, efficient, informative and useful.

What more could the Fiddle Guy, and his lively group of cohorts, ask for?

Welllllll ........ come to think of it ....... lots and lots and lots and lots of guests visiting and enjoying everything to be discovered here is also in order!

http://www.thefiddleguy.com/

Ava - Need I Say More?

Ava - The Tarot Immersions - "XVI-The Tower"

Breaking the chain that binds does not come about without heroic effort supported by the best of intentions.

Warning: The dethroning of that which has assumed rulership over our lives in such a way as to ultimately restrict our ability to live as freely - and as decently - as possible is not always a pretty experience to undergo and/or to behold.

But, the breakdown (of the old order) releases - at the very time it breaks apart - its own seeds (of renewal) so it is always worth the fall.

Ava - The Tarot Immersions - "XV - The Devil"

It doesn't matter how desirable anything seems to you (to me, to us, to anyone) when the flow of life beomes snagged - and eventually turns into a chain - the devil always presides over that which your chain is attached to.

The devil minds dem chains, child
The devil minds dem chains
Lordy, Lordy please set me free
And let me live again.

- Chorus for "XV - The Devil"