Not surprisingly, another fine shared commentary on our state of being when our minds become clear and uncluttered.
I so appreciate your recording a voiceover, today’s in particular. I don’t picture you reading from a page as with sheet music. Rather, expressing what’s on the inside using convenient verbal cues. The fit (pauses, inflection, timbre) to your written words was great.
One thought on your recent whir from an anxious state of being. Living creatures of so many types live in response to changing seasons and changing levels/durations of light. We’re now a month past the Summer Solstice. In Winter some use SADD lights to ward off depression. I quickly reviewed the topic and found the importance of balancing Serotonin and Melatonin. Early morning exposure to sunlight is strongly encouraged to maximize levels of natural serotonin. Darkness persuades the pineal gland to produce melatonin, helpful for sleep. Hi lux studio lighting might be of benefit. “Sunlight” wavelengths of LED lighting is a direction I would consider.
NOTE: I’m not a certified practitioner of anything. Don’t try this at home. 😊 All the best, Samantha, in your creative life!
Hi Gary, yes I have read too that exposure to morning light ‘sets’ our circadian clock, and that we should avoid the blue light of screens in the evening. I have lots of good intentions around observing this - but I don’t always manage it!
I’m glad you enjoyed the voice-over, although I am glad you couldn’t see me recording it: into voicenotes on my phone with a sweater draped over my head!
Not necessarily a bad look! Was that to buffet the wind for recording purposes? My dog buddy helps with the early morning light fix. Limited Orkney winter light would be a difficult adaptation for me. Along with the howling winds you’ve spoken of. All the best, Sam.
The pictures of light on the Orkney seas are indeed a tonic. I particularly resonated with your lyrical words, "Our internal weather comes and goes like shifting light and waves and tides." Thank you for your calming words and images.
What a beautiful description of place. I love those cliffs on Orkney - I’m fortunate to have the Pentland hills on my doorstep where from the higher hills I can see the rectangle of the bass rock and triangle of Berwick law - abstract marks on the curve of the horizon. Not quite the beautiful sea sky vista you conjure but still a tonic for the soul.
The Firth of Forth, and especially Bass Rock, have a special place in my heart too. I remember once kayaking out to see the gannet colony, and the noise, smell and commotion of it all was phenomenal. Such a place of wildness almost on the doorstep of Edinburgh!
Yes I’ve been out to the Rock! Long time ago. Not kayaking but with a small boat. They were afraid they’d lost the gannets after a couple of disastrous years of bird flu(so many dead birds on the Lothian beaches) but it’s white again this year which is a good sign. Wild is the word. And special.
Yes, the gannets took a terrible hit here too. The beaches were littered. But they seem to be recovering, thankfully. This year it’s the guillemots…they came to the cliffs, but most didn’t even try to breed on the cliffs, just stayed in big rafts just offshore then vanished back out to sea. It seems they knew there wasn’t enough food.
I’ve just spent a few days on Inishmaan, one of the Aran Islands, off the west coast of Ireland. You capture so well the beneficial effect of these edge places. Big sea, big sky, small human. Perspective.
Not surprisingly, another fine shared commentary on our state of being when our minds become clear and uncluttered.
I so appreciate your recording a voiceover, today’s in particular. I don’t picture you reading from a page as with sheet music. Rather, expressing what’s on the inside using convenient verbal cues. The fit (pauses, inflection, timbre) to your written words was great.
One thought on your recent whir from an anxious state of being. Living creatures of so many types live in response to changing seasons and changing levels/durations of light. We’re now a month past the Summer Solstice. In Winter some use SADD lights to ward off depression. I quickly reviewed the topic and found the importance of balancing Serotonin and Melatonin. Early morning exposure to sunlight is strongly encouraged to maximize levels of natural serotonin. Darkness persuades the pineal gland to produce melatonin, helpful for sleep. Hi lux studio lighting might be of benefit. “Sunlight” wavelengths of LED lighting is a direction I would consider.
NOTE: I’m not a certified practitioner of anything. Don’t try this at home. 😊 All the best, Samantha, in your creative life!
Hi Gary, yes I have read too that exposure to morning light ‘sets’ our circadian clock, and that we should avoid the blue light of screens in the evening. I have lots of good intentions around observing this - but I don’t always manage it!
I’m glad you enjoyed the voice-over, although I am glad you couldn’t see me recording it: into voicenotes on my phone with a sweater draped over my head!
Not necessarily a bad look! Was that to buffet the wind for recording purposes? My dog buddy helps with the early morning light fix. Limited Orkney winter light would be a difficult adaptation for me. Along with the howling winds you’ve spoken of. All the best, Sam.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.. about thoughts. :)
And also the stunning images!
This place makes it easy to take good photographs!
Yes, and — I suspect the skill and passion of the photographer is part of the images as well.
Before reading your piece I read this one. I see relationship between their messages. You might appreciate:
https://open.substack.com/pub/pilgrimsinthemachine/p/the-event-horizon-lessons-from-anatomy?r=19lbt&utm_medium=ios
oooh, thank you for this link!
Sam
The pictures of light on the Orkney seas are indeed a tonic. I particularly resonated with your lyrical words, "Our internal weather comes and goes like shifting light and waves and tides." Thank you for your calming words and images.
I'm happy to hear that Douglas!
What a beautiful description of place. I love those cliffs on Orkney - I’m fortunate to have the Pentland hills on my doorstep where from the higher hills I can see the rectangle of the bass rock and triangle of Berwick law - abstract marks on the curve of the horizon. Not quite the beautiful sea sky vista you conjure but still a tonic for the soul.
The Firth of Forth, and especially Bass Rock, have a special place in my heart too. I remember once kayaking out to see the gannet colony, and the noise, smell and commotion of it all was phenomenal. Such a place of wildness almost on the doorstep of Edinburgh!
Yes I’ve been out to the Rock! Long time ago. Not kayaking but with a small boat. They were afraid they’d lost the gannets after a couple of disastrous years of bird flu(so many dead birds on the Lothian beaches) but it’s white again this year which is a good sign. Wild is the word. And special.
Yes, the gannets took a terrible hit here too. The beaches were littered. But they seem to be recovering, thankfully. This year it’s the guillemots…they came to the cliffs, but most didn’t even try to breed on the cliffs, just stayed in big rafts just offshore then vanished back out to sea. It seems they knew there wasn’t enough food.
That’s very sad, wonder if that was the same on the Isle of May.
This article captures my thoughts on the sea so eloquently
Yes, I think once you've lived near the sea it must be hard to live without its wide open company...
We bought a sailboat a year ago and after a year of hard work, tomorrow, she’ll be going into the water and then I get to call the sea my home ❤️
Oh wow, Helen, what an adventure!
I’ve just spent a few days on Inishmaan, one of the Aran Islands, off the west coast of Ireland. You capture so well the beneficial effect of these edge places. Big sea, big sky, small human. Perspective.
Oh I'd love to go there - I loved Tim Robinson's books!