The Whole Show

This is one of those lessons I hope I can remember to benefit from for the rest of my life.

I love scarves. Seeing a perfectly chosen scarf as the pièce de résistance began in my former life (1970’s) working as a retail fashion buyer, merchandiser, and salesperson.

Possibly the most expensive scarf in my collection is an Oscar de la Renta silk original I found at Goodwill for $1.99.

Now I may have worn it for the last time.

I was blessed to spend last week at a meditation retreat. In the sanctuary at Oakwood Retreat Center, there sat a beautiful quartz Tibetan crystal singing bowl. They are very easy to play and have an amazing sound vibration.

A suede covered mallet is used to circle the outside rim of the bowl. With a steady, even-handed pressure and continued movement around the rim, the tone initiated by the chime builds in clarity and intensity.

I looked for the chiming mallet—checking in the few places it might possibly have been left out of view, but no mallet was to be found, so I left the sanctuary wishing I could have played the bowl.

A couple of days later, I was back in the sanctuary again, and this time grasping mind got the best of me. I could figure out something I could use to get that bowl singing. I knew I could!

I took my little flashlight out of my bag, slid it lightly around the rim, but it was too harsh against the crystal surface of the bowl to be safe and it generated a squeaky pitch.

Without thinking, I took off my scarf, carefully wrapped it around the flashlight, pressed it against the rim of the bowl, and voilà, we had a mallet for the singing bowl!

The tones of the bowl came to life. The walls of the sanctuary were suddenly filled with lovely vibrations. My whole being sang along….

After my mini concert for an audience of one, I began to unwind my scarf from the makeshift mallet.

I now have the choice to remember the hole in Oscar’s silk scarf or the feeling of exhilaration I experienced hearing the bowl sing those beautiful tones to my heart and soul.

Perhaps not every lesson has such clear choice….