calendar ofevents
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2
EARTH MUSIC “S
SOUNDSCAPES OF AMERICA’S QUIET PLACES by Susie Ruth
ilence is like scouring sand,” says Gordon Hempton, an award-winning acoustic
ecologist. “When you are quiet, the silence blows against your mind and etches away everything soft and un- important. What is left is what is real: pure awareness and the very hardest questions.” It’s not easy to find silence, which is facing extinction in the modern world. If a quiet place is one where you can listen for 15 minutes in daylight hours without hearing a human-created sound, there are no quiet places left in Europe. There are none east of the Mississippi River and perhaps 12 in the American West, including one square inch in the Hoh Rain Forest at Olympic National Park, now officially recognized as the quietest place in the United States (
OneSquareInch.org). In defending this exemplary spot of si- lence, Hempton is effectively protecting the soundscape of about 1,000 square miles of surrounding land. Hempton defines silence not as noiselessness, but “the complete ab- sence of all audible mechanical vibra- tions, leaving only the sounds of nature at her most natural. Silence is the pres- ence of everything, undisturbed.” Silence, he would concur, is not
the absence of sound, but a way of living—an intention to make of one’s own ears, one’s own body, a sounding board that resonates with the vibrations of the world. Silence creates an opening, an absence of self, which allows the larger world to
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enter into our awareness. It brings us into contact with what is beyond us, its beauty and mystery. Hempton encourages us all to join in the self-discovery of nature. He’s found, “All we have to do is lis- ten.” Sounds, more than sight, connect us, he observes. In learning to listen to nature’s nuances, we also learn how to listen to one another. His favorite time of day for listening to nature is 30 minutes before sunrise. When the atmosphere is still, “It is not unusual to hear many square miles at once.” Astonishment and gratitude illu- minate our being when light breezes play across leaves and set them in motion, chirruping night insects wind down and the birds’ dawn chorus begins. When our moving a stone in a creek bed alters the water music, it is we who are moved. No one knows why natural sounds speak so directly to the human spirit, but we all acknowledge, in silent thanksgiving, that they do.
Gordon Hempton, of Port Angeles, WA, is an acoustic ecologist whose award-winning recordings of Amer- ica’s vanishing natural soundscapes support his campaign to protect the silence of our national parks (Sound-
Tracker.com). Over the past 25 years, he has circled the globe three times in pursuit of environmental sound portraits. Read One Square Inch of Silence: One Man’s Search for Natural Silence in a Noisy World and voice support at
OneSquareInch.org/links.
6 Week Meditation Development Class 7-9pm, Nov. 2nd-Dec. 7th. This class is for those who want to take their meditations to mediumship. $50: proceeds go to the Church. Church Of Mankind, 1231 S Van Buren Ave. 520-461-2910
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4
Beginner’s Guide to Meditation 6:30-8pm, 11/4-12/9. Meditation brings greater balance and peace into our lives. Learn meditation practices, mindfulness exercises, and how to incorporate them into your daily life. Call for pricing. Yoga Connection, 3929 East Pima. 520-323-1222,
yogaconnection.org
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5
The Painting Experience Weekend workshop Nov. 5th-7th with Stewart Cubley. Experience the power of process painting as described in the groundbreaking book Life, Paint & Passion: Reclaiming the Magic of Spontaneous Expression. No experience necessary. Scholarships, CEUs. 888-639-8569,
processarts.com
Diwali – Festival of Lights and Indian New Year 6-9pm. Concert with Shruti, performance by Urvashi Dance Troupe, fire and acrobatic spinning by Elemental Artistry. Kids’ activities, cooking demos, food booths. Free feast at 9pm. Govinda’s Natural Foods. 520-792-0630, govin-
dasoftucson.com
Intimacy: A Gift From Spirit 6:30-8:30pm. An IONS Tucson presentation by Sobonfu Some’, author, activist and teacher, Nine Gates Mystery School. Unity of Tucson. $5 suggested donation. 520-399-8285,
ionstucson.org
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6
Oneness Awakening Course 9am-5pm, Nov. 6-7. Awaken to your Divinity, heal relationships, be initiated as a Deeksha Giver – a transfer of Divine energy to shift consciousness. $195. Lucia Maya/ Zelie Duvauchelle. 520-579-8844, LuminousAd-
ventures.com
Create your Vision/Dream Board 10am-noon. Work with collage to visualize your dream. Magi- cal interpretation helps you gain insights. $33 per person. Spill the Beans at Plaza Palomino. RSVP: 520-603-5880,
dianecarhuff@msn.com. create-
sanctuary.com
From Grief To Joy: An Experiential Ritual 10am-4pm. IONS Tucson presents a workshop by Sobonfu Some’, author, and teacher, Nine Gates Mystery School. $25 fee. Tucson Osteopathic Medical Foundation, 3182 N Swan. Reservations: 520-399-8285
3 Chords and the Truth 1-3pm. Learn to write fun, easy, heart-warming songs with Devotion’s Robert Anderson. Sponsored by Center for Spiri-
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