I must check this one out thanks.
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Alone with the music ? Well on my system it sounds like the performers are there in my room with me…
Mirth aside, being in the company with art on your own - you are not alone, you are in with the company of the artists.
This could be a subject in itself. When I was thinking of posting I was actually thinking that solace was the word I was looking for in terms of music being a comfort in times of depression (for want of a commonly used term, I would use a yoga description such as “dark night of the soul” - but I digress). But indeed , there is some cross over and I think I was looking for solitude, as for me, music can be a practice where I use it to turns inwards for internal beauty and peace (gosh, that sounds deep). That’s not always the case, but is for the more immersive music sessions. Sometimes it’s just a bit of good old rock to clear out the mental fog and release some negative energy.
Anyway, thank you for all the great comments, as it does touch on deeper personal struggles for some, so it is good that we can acknowledge that and hopefully share in a way that is positive around what can be a difficult subject.
Take care.
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Ah sorry about that xanthe!
When you talked in your OP about being burnt out, and music being a great help, I guess that sounded a bit like seeking solace in music to me. While music can of course be uplifting, I don’t think listening is something I would do to lift me up if I was feeling down, but we are all different.
I noticed this too, Xanthe the but ‘men’ can stand for m/f/x I believe. Not just the plural form.
Not really: I think you ‘re referring to the use of the word “man” effectively as a shortened version of the word “mankind”, whereas “men” is specifically the plural of the male of the species. However, discussion of this would be better in the Use of English thread.
No probs, it is the usual assumption!
(Were I male, it would be Xanthos. In Greek mythology Xanthe is a demi-goddess, one of the Okeanids, the 3000 daughters of Okeanos and Tethis.)
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Stress in itself is no bad thing even when it’s source is unwelcome. Stress is a response to conflict in the mind between it’s comfort zone and the situation it finds itself in. I say ‘it’ because our conscious mind sometimes thinks differently and can be surprised that we cope. The problem is when we don’t. Reflection allows one to try to cope better next time or in the case of sustained stress to make a plan to reach a new equilibrium. Music helps the process of reflection particularly if it tunes into the response that is needed. Undoubtedly we can expand our comfort zone but sometimes we need help to avoid becoming depressed.
Personality has a great bearing on coping. Our childhood is when we form our personality and it can be hard to change. Sometimes we blame our childhood, but parents etc can’t be perfect. Just got to find a way to move on and either get better or come to terms with our less than perfect nature.
Other complex situations can arise caused my others whose behaviour is the cause of the problem and is unacceptable. These people can be very clever at disguising what they are doing.
Just a few thoughts.
Phil
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That’s a hell of a lot of siblings …
With all the politics in the UK it is just great to switch on the music, enjoy the solitude and the artist with either a nice slab of well loved vinyl or a wonderful Radio 3 concert where the music is new.
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I pretty much concur with that. Music has been a great comfort throughout my life. Recent stress (which has contributed to my decision to retire early) was very much soothed by listening to music. I find that music is more prominent in my life during times of sadness, stress or emotional pain.
However, music is not only to be enjoyed in solitude. I sing in a choir (currently the Overgate Hospice Choir) and have done so for nearly fifteen years now. For me, it is a shared, as well as a solitary, activity.
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Tell me about it - it’s a real problem remembering birthdays!
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A good argument for Thetis having lists. Lots of them will be on the same day. Clearly daddy (Okeanos) didn’t have to get stressed about maintenance.
Phil
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I don’t know about Okeanos and stress, but Tethis must have been in a state of near permanent pregnancy for at least 2200 years if the gestation period was the same as humans (though less if they were multiple births), and precious little chance of solitude with babies a permanent feature, without hifi to drown them out…
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Is that right, surely Xanthe is all goddess.
still better than superwoman 
Not that I was hungry whilst reading this, but my brain read ahead and inserted ‘cake or dairy milk’ at this point in your sentence! Seemed quite appropriate too actually 
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Now a piece of cake, a glass of something red or mellow amber Scottish, Irish or Welsh …
Perhaps the type of fruitcake that goes well with Wensleydale…
Perfect accompaniment to a good piece of music. Oh and nobody to interrupt the moment.
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Good cheese, a glass of red wine, a good album, and the feeling of solitude is gone.
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