Track 04

Ocean Wood

Ananga’s Notes On Ocean Wood

This was the only script I was remotely familiar with in advance of us beginning HypnoDreams II. Silvia described it to me over the phone one day and I was immediately attracted to it and very comforted by the theme without even hearing the full script.

This one was really fun to try and mix because it sent me through the floor every time! I would sit there with headphones on ready to check the levels and bring the various sounds in and out and before I knew it I would be sitting up straight and rubbing my eyes hearing the beginning of the next track.

I love this track – I found just the sounds I wanted for the beginning and it all fell into place from there very smoothly – recording it was pure pleasure. Just as I’d completed the recording of Ocean Wood I was invited to stay with an old friend in Devon for a few days so I packed my laptop studio in the car and set off.

As soon as we arrived in Devon we headed for the coast, it was a sunny day and the sea was my favourite colour - a perfect blend of blue and green.

While we were there I lay back on the sand with my feet just inches from the water and ran through Ocean Wood in my head. After a few minutes I had a feeling that I should sit up and look at the sea and as I did I saw a big shiny black seal swim past. I have not seen that before and I was completely thrilled by it. Somehow it felt like a good omen and so I thought to record it here.

Instruments used: sampler and synths

Silvia’s Notes On Ocean Wood

This is, without a doubt, the most personal track on the album for me and my absolute favourite.

Ah, what can I say about this?

I can tell you where it came from.

When my life was very difficult, in full on urge of transition but with no aim or outcome in sight, full of stress and fear, I dreamed the beach hut at the shores of the Universal Ocean and I met my guardian there.

He was just there and didn’t speak to me and all I did was to go to the bed and sleep, listening to the ocean sounds, and I do believe it kept my sanity and this simple thing helped me so profoundly, I have absolutely not the words to describe it.

In the nights that followed, I would go there deliberately to sleep and rest, without a dream or rememberance of what happened; at first I thought it was a launch point to something more important but in the end I understood it was the act of sleeping under the vigil of my guardian and in the presence of the ocean itself which was the reason, the point, and represented the healing.

Many months later I let my mind drift with the thought of what would be on the second HypnoDreams album and I found myself writing about this place – it was so wonderful to me, I wanted to share it.

Writing it became a very powerful experience in itself and I think you can hear this in my voice also as I tell the story, and I was absolutely stunned to find myself writing at the end that “I would be the guardian”. It was a most extraordinary shift in perception and as a state of being; it also taught me something about the true meaning of service.

To be honest, I could not believe that whatever it was in me that makes me write the words as it does would think me able to perform this – I would call it a holy duty, an ancient ceremony, something very profound indeed. To accept this and move into it made this act of service into the act of accepting myself as far, far more than I had thought I could ever be or ever become was a truly extraordinary experience in all ways.

And so in Ocean Wood, for me personally, service had become a kind of incredible honour and reward, a total turnaround from the usual construct understanding of service as some form of evil slavery.

It is true that there is absolutely nothing I would rather do, nowhere I would rather be; and my own guide had tried to have me understand that when I slept in the bed and would often thank them for their stalwart service and their patience, and ask if they did not have anything better to do or if there was something they expected from me in return or as a reward.

But this is my experience as the guardian, and if or how you will experience something like this for yourself as a direct result of allowing yourself to take the Ocean Wood healing experience to heart, of course I cannot say or know.

On a far simpler level, being able to give all you need to give to the patient, ancient ocean, quite unconditionally and as a matter of fact, without fear or hindrance, without record or repercussion, is a wonderful thing indeed and outperforms any human father confessor a million times over.

This is absolutely a kind of absolution – a washing away of your construct’s fears of sins and of the past; a powerful and necessary in-between step that allows us to let go of some things that cannot be let go of anywhere else but MUST let go off in order to lighten us, release us, and have us be ready to rise to the new.

There are levels and levels to this particular experience that I can sense but cannot explain in linear words or even in conscious thought – this whole idea of the true self being still and the universe rushing around it because it wishes to be of service is in and of itself quite breath taking, and there is a lot more to Ocean Wood than that.

Either way, it is a wonderful experience and I truly hope you enjoy it as much as we do, and get as much out of it as we have – and even if it is only to be able to go to sleep, at last.

Ocean Wood

You know, I know a place

far, far away from here –

a place of healing and of rest

quite unlike

any other.

Would you like to go there?

You are unsure?

No worries, we can go by magic

you can

be there and back

and all it takes

is a slow, deep breath

a gentle closing of your eyes.

Now if you will, simply

sense a whispering

a rushing sound of speed that

lets you know you’re on your way

and yet you are in utter comfort

and it is the universe itself

that shifts for you

so you may rest

in long deserved tranquillity

no work for you to do,

no willing, trying striving –

we’ve had quite enough of that,

too much, by far!

Now here

the worlds and worlds beyond

align themselves for you alone

a star you are, a precious jewel and a gift

the center that deserves attention

and the more attention you are given

the more beautiful and precious you

reveal yourself to be –

accept the homage of the universe as

it shifts for you whilst you are

still

in your perfection, resting and in comfort

and at ease.

And so you watch the worlds rush by,

the nameless distances of no concern,

until you sense a slowing

slowing more and more

until a settling tells you that

we have arrived.

<Where am I?>

These are the shores

of the universal ocean.

Look!

<This is so familiar ...>

You have been before.

Moist the air, soothing and subtle,

breathing moisture that eases you

can you feel this?

Waves upon waves, rhythmically,

rushing and receding – can you hear this?

<I can hear but I can also feel their rhythm

in my very core>

Come.

We walk along the beach,

soft sand, moist beneath our feet.

Look.

There is a house, a small single house

which has been here since long ago.

Its made from smooth old wood

that weathered and withstood a thousand storms

the memorance of waves and wind

inside its very structure

it is in truth a part of this,

a shelter that is not a barrier at all

but softens wind and sea

becomes a bridge for you

to be entirely you,

entirely safe

and yet to

know it all,

to touch it all.

We enter and we se

a single bed of ocean wood,

entirely simple and it has

no need for carvings, fitments

which in truth would break the flow.

A most inviting blanked and the sea green pillows soft and fresh –

oh yes, sit down, and feel the invitation in your marrow – it is right

lie down and be at ease,

snuggle up.

Just go to sleep now.

Just listen to the ocean’s sound,

it is the ocean speaking

telling you about

those things you need to understand

in turn of ebb and flow,

rushing and receding

you breathe so freely

and you give the ocean

all you need to give –

oh but it is

enormous

and it will with gladness take

your messages,

your questions old and new

and all you

simply cannot tell another

or yourself at that –

you can entrust your oldest burdens

and the secrets that you

thought could never be revealed

those things you had to hide within

your deepest realms and all

those things which weighed you down

and pressed the breath from your lungs,

the joy from your heart

and the bright star of hope from your eyes –

give what you will to the ocean this night

to be cleansed, to be tumbled and shaped

to smooth round rocks, to pebbles and to sand.

The ocean is endless and this night

it is for you alone,

star child so precious,

so beloved,

ah but we would give you all

and so much more,

we simply wait

for your permission

so we know

that you are ready

to regain the flow

and give and take in equal measure,

holding neither back

and judging not

beyond the beauty of the flow itself.

This is a very special place,

a very special place

a very special space

of rest and healing.

This is where we come

to help us ease into the flow,

with the patient ocean steady,

simply here to meet and greet,

the oldest and the wisest,

it remembers you

as you remember flowing

with the ancient ocean in return

Now, close your eyes completely

Be at ease and listen to the ocean,

sense and feel the oceans tide and sleep.

Dream.

I will remain here,

I will be your guardian on this night

and sit as still as any statue,

watching over you as is my honour now

for once, I slept and dreamed right here,

and then there was for me another

and they kept me safe in gentle silence

so I knew that I could sleep at last,

no fear remaining and

when I awoke in wondrous calm

and deep alignment,

my guardian would smile

and take me home.