A DAY AT THE BEACH
Rebirthing and the Rolling Stones
So, I was living in Marin County in 1982, when I met Doug and his girlfriend Barb at a Jerry show in fabled North Beach, San Francisco. They were waiting in line when I showed up and, we hit it off immediately. I found them to be warm, funny, good natured folks who loved the Dead, and related music and culture, as much as I did. We smoked a doobie and became fast friends, had a great time at the show, and would soon have many a high time in Marin, where we both lived. One of the things they turned me on to was "Rebirthing" a process of continued, intentional hyperventilation which, in turn, triggers altered states, releasing long suppressed emotions. At the deepest levels one might have a "rebirth", reliving and simultaneaously healing any trauma that may have occurred at the moments of your birth into this world, and which unless released, would likely stunt your aliveness, basically. Thus the name. Powerful stuff, and we did quite a few sessions, often stoned, and this favorite story revolves around one of them. Now, I was still new to Marin...and it was beautiful! Lush and green and vibrant. I quickly found my power spot up on a secluded park on a wooded hill overlooking my place and the whole area, a wonderful place to smoke a joint, watch the stars and twinkling city lights, and feel nature..My first spring there, the air was thick every night with intoxicating perfume of flowering plants, plus I was smoking the best pot ever, meeting gorgeous women, and the area was abuzz with terrific music. I found myself listening to a LOT of Rolling Stones music, for the first time ever, really. I had had long standing issues with them and their attitude and behaviour, , even though I loved a lot of their music. But now, suddenly it was resolving, I was falling in love with their sound...really hearing them on a deep, deep new level. Especialy Keith's rhythm guitar, but all of them, really. And, of course they were sexually supercharged, just like me. One summer afternoon, Doug, Barb and I decided to go out to West Marin, to enjoy time by the ocean and do a session at a beach they knew of. There was a big full moon coming up as the sun was going down. We had dosed on the way, and now it was coming on...i was amazed to feel Keith Richard's SOUND, that guitar sound that only he gets, just ringing thru my body and mind as we headed up the dunes, the surf a-roar, the breeze full of salty wonder, a gorgeous sky, my skin was all goose bumps as we trudged thru the sand, up and over a dune, laughing, and found a nice spot to tumble into. I couldn't believe what I was feeling, it was all in my head but, my head was alive with rapture. So, I stretch out on my back and start to do the breathing thing...four short breaths - just let each exhale go by itself - and one deep breath, hold it and count to five, let it go... ...and repeat, over and over, almost like pumping a tire. Pretty soon my whole body is tingling and my head is buzzing - you know how hyperventilation feels - but, now we take it to whole other levels....and so now, all my Rolling Stones issues are suddenly coming up and I am full of anxiety and totally conflicted and the full moon is intense and the air is so primal and energizing, and I am breathing and breathing, my body is frozen, numb, immobile ...and then, in the middle of this, I suddenly see Mick, circa '69, in that velvet jumpsuit, holding that big, silver, horse race trophy-sized bowl of water he used to use onstage, and he is moving across the front of the stage like he used to do, with that big smile, he's gonna just throw that water across everybody in the front, and who is gonna get it? And I am in the front, and here it comes, I see a rope of crystal water headed my way and at that moment - right! at! that! moment! - he flings the water and the ocean wind stirs up suddenly, out of nowhere, and brings a forceful, icy cold splash of briny surf that just WHIPS across my face!!!! ~ "lighten up!!!" That's the message, " lighten up!! Snap out of it!!" He's smiling wide at me, and at all of us, and I get it, I am astonished and blown away, ...and I get it, I finally get it and all is well with me and the Rolling Stones, it's really great, in fact ...and it has been ever since ~
...And, btw, my friends ~
just what does one make
of such a profoundly
synchronous experience
as this....?
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