I know about the impact that a good pet can have on your mental health. I know that a dog is wonderful for accompanying you on a mindful walk. I know how stroking a dog can give such a strong feeling of relaxation. But my pet is a fish !
My pet fish is a big black monster that I call Jaguar ( I also have a stripey orange and white one that I call Tiger - Blame my granddaughter ! ) I do spend a lot of mindful time just watching the fish and its variety of manoeuvres , whether chasing food or just trying to find a way out of its tank.
One day this week jaguar was going mad. It just wouldn't stop doing its aquatic acrobatics. It was a fascinating sight. I felt that I needed somehow to capture that period in the fish tank on my desk. How ????
Well I decided to find a way to record it. I took an unusual line and started making a piece of music that would remind me of it. This music had to be quick paced. It had to reflect patterns of rapid movement followed by ( slightly ) more relaxed craziness. This began to just take up the whole of my little mind's power of concentration. I got totally engrossed in this.
It could hardly have been a more powerful mindful activity. I was watching the movements and getting draw into them. I was trying to make some electronic music such that the sound would reflect the pace of the movement of the fish. In fact probably the only mindful activity that I didn't try was the sense of taste !
Next time I am washing the tank out I will be sure to play the music to remind me of those moments of underwater agility in the tank.
As for you, - you can listen to it right here.
Comments