“Black Tambourine” by Lo Carmen

Leaving my body for The First Time 
Mulgoa Retreat May 1980
Silence in the rustic chapel 
Was there literally as a respite
From the activity in the
Common room. 

An Incredibly normal not
Fearful or sharp or alarming 
A tethered slow floating sensation
like being in a balloon
Rising 
An ethereal presence of “something”
Also being there
a spirit a vision a felt sensation
Vividly
Beyond the mind
Extremely peaceful 
Paradoxically grounding 
No words no sound very short duration. 

I wondered then
I still do… 

It happened only once again
On Helens farm some 35 years later 
Similar sensation & duration 
Completely different lead up “events” 

Nature 
River Water tall trees
intense changing clouded light 
One middle of day
One late at night 
Approaching high electrical energy
Dry storms like a
“Calm before the storm” 

Both episodes extremely brief 
Exhausted after & needed to sleep 
Both under roofs 
Both felt like i was still connected
like a floating Astronaut
One was under a tractor farm shed roof
no walls dirt floor very high roof 
One a rough hewn stone tiny bush-chapel 
In the middle of a retreat centre 
Where our school was attending for a week 
Lower roof, full walls
Chapel doors were closed not locked 
candles & incense were burning (not lit by me…?) 
Absolute silent & dimly lit inside 
Not even sure if i was “allowed” to even be there… 
I had snuck away from a table tennis 
Social night to “retreat” 
Without returning to the also noisy
Dormitories where other students were 
Relaxing 

Neither out of body experience
was pre meditated 
And i didn't know what was happening
Although both felt incredibly safe surreal   
And peaceful? 

 Wendy Saddington 

THE Aussie Diva! 

Absolute musical legend! 

Kind hearted & extremely out there, 

First to Last 

Many inner city Marrickville Camelot 

Surry Hills 1980’s 

Strawberry Hills forever… 

re connections at Claudia’s b day party last night.  

Thank you Lo Carmen for the written records 🙏♾️🙏