MIDSUMMER DAY

This is Patsy bringing you Good Vibrations...

#          Good Vibrations...

I’m Patsy Wynne... inviting you to share the next hour with me... enjoying my choice of music... which sometimes surprises me... and always delights... HELLO to whoever’s listening in hospital... and to those who may be listening online... WELCOME to you too!

Today is Midsummer’s day... the longest day of the year... and actually the beginning of summer... and I’ll be contributing my thoughts on that... in between the records... which I hope will make you smile... as you recall happy memories... or simply lift your spirits...

#1        In the Summertime... Mungo Gerry

So it’s summer at last... and we do love summer, don’t we?  When it’s finally warm enough to cast off layers of clothing... and, hopefully, feel free to go out without a coat... well, some days anyway... when it’s not raining and with a cold wind!  Living at the coast... I marvel at the tenacity of British Holiday makers... determined to enjoy the sea and sand... whatever the weather throws at them... armed with picnics and towels... wind-breaks and brollies... just in case...

#2        Summer Holiday... Cliff Richard

To many people the longest day of the year is a time for celebration... so how do you celebrate the Summer Solstice?  I think we miss a lot by not carrying on the old traditions... and although we all love Christmas and New Year... that stemmed originally from the Midwinter Solstice on the 21^st December... this midsummer festival seems to pass most of us by... with the exception of those who congregate at Stonehenge... watching the sun rise through those ancient stones... and those hardy, or, as some might say, foolhardy folk... who make their way to Glastonbury in their thousands. That’s quite a performance... the crowds... the noise... the music... delicious smells of many kinds of food... and not forgetting the mud... oh... quite a wonderful experience... 

#3        Summer... Bobby Goldsboro

I have to admit... I’m confused about the date of midsummer... because I understand the longest day is the 21^st... but June 24 is Midsummer Day... the feast of St. John the Baptist... and is one of the quarter days in England. In recent years on the Summer Solstice, English Heritage has allowed access to Stonehenge for the Summer Solstice celebrations. So is that on the 21^st or the 24^th?          Well... I looked online for information about Midsummer... and this is what I found.  In Great Britain from the 13th century, Midsummer was celebrated on Midsummer Eve (St. John's Eve, June 23) and St. Peter's Eve (June 28) with the lighting of bonfires, feasting and merrymaking. This was a tradition up to the Reformation, but persisted in rural areas up until the nineteenth century before petering out.

Other Midsummer festivities had uneasy relations with the religious establishment. The Chester Midsummer Watch Parade begun in 1498, was held at every Summer Solstice in years when the Mystery Plays were not performed. Despite the cancellation of the plays in 1575, the parade continued; in 1599, however, the Lord Mayor ordered that the parades be banned and the costumes destroyed. The parade was permanently banned in 1675.  I wonder why?  Maybe too much drinking and debauchery for the morals of the time??

#4        Summertime Blues... Eddie Cochrane 

Midsummer festivals are still celebrated throughout Scotland, notably in the Scottish Borders where Peebles holds its Beltane Week. The Eve of St. John has special magical significance and was used by Sir Walter Scott as the title, and theme, for a pseudo-ballad poem. He invented a legend in which the lady of Smailholm Tower, near Kelso, keeps vigil by the midnight fires three nights in a row and is visited by her lover; but when her husband returns from battle, she learns that he slew that lover on the first night, and she has been entertained by a very physical ghost. Some ghost yeah?

#5        Summer Breeze... Isley Brothers 

The Welsh had Gŵyl Ifan, or Gŵyl Ifan Ganol Haf (St John's of Midsummer) to distinguish it from Gŵyl Ifan Ganol Gaeaf (St John's of Midwinter, the feast of John the Evangelist). Great agricultural fairs used to be held at this time, along with much merriment and dancing. A bonfire was also kept this night. With the advent of non-conformist beliefs on the Welsh culture, this (among so many other similar festivals) suffered and its observance finally died out in SE Wales by the end of the 19th century. However, since 1977, a folk-dance revival started in Cardiff that is now held annually on this feast day. So what about North Wales?  How about starting a Midsummer festival here?

#6        Summer in the City... The Lovin’ Spoonful 

Don’t forget that we always welcome your requests for a particular record, or a mention of someone or something special... and if you have an interesting or funny story to tell, connected to a special song... we’d love to hear from you.   You can contact Radio Glan Clwyd by phone on 01745-584229... or, if you’re here in hospital, on Extension 4360 or, or ask one of the volunteers going around the wards. You can also listen online at... http://www.rygc.co.uk/  and here is one of my favourite all-time singers...

#7        Summertime... Ella Fitzgerald

You may have heard me talk about EFT before... but if not, I’d like to introduce you to what’s  known as Emotional Freedom Techniques... that’s based on acupuncture points... but without needles... which helps reduce any conflicts in the mind... and any negative emotion... because just doing the tapping helps balance the emotional energy systems of the body.  If you’d like to follow along with me...

• First identify what you’re feeling... where do you feel it?  You may be feeling great right now... but what about the times you don’t feel so good?  Maybe times when you reach for a cigarette... or a drink... or something sweet... cake or chocolate... to make you feel better. Oh yes... you know what I mean... how does it feel?.. and where do you feel it?
• Is it in your mind... when your mind just goes round in circles... or maybe in your heart... where you feel a heaviness... and disquiet... or physically in your body... like a sick feeling or butterflies in the stomach... or a feeling of restlessness... when you can’t relax... tapping feet or fidgeting hands...
• Start tapping the (Karate Chop Point) outer edge of one hand below the little finger... with the fingertips of the other hand... taking a few deep breaths... while focussing on what you’re feeling...
• Take a deep breath ... then say out loud...

•  Even though I’m feeling... empty... desolate... 

• I completely love and accept myself anyway...

• Even though I’m feeling ... empty and sad... (whatever it may be)
• I accept that it makes me want... to fill myself with food... dull the pain with alcohol... or smoke my feelings away...
• Even though I often get this feeling...
• I forgive myself for letting this feeling get to me... I’m doing the best I can...
• WRISTS... inside wrists together... I accept this feeling of...
• Back of hand, below the 3^rd ring finger... I accept this feeling of...
• TOP OF HEAD... this empty feeling... why not just let it go...
• Collarbone... Chest... (take a long deep breath)... I can decide to take responsibility for my feelings... accept my life... just as it is... I can choose to appreciate all the good things in my life... and focus on all that I love... and those who love me... I fill my heart with all that love... until it overflows into all the cells of my body... and makes my whole body feel good...
• Keep breathing while you’re tapping your chest... until you feel loving energy moving through your body... and give thanks for this energy...

There’s more to it than this of course... and you may need help... because when you start a dialogue with yourself... it can lead to new a understanding... about yourself and your life.  It may seem strange at first... to say that you accept how bad you feel... but just think about it... when you try to ignore your feelings... when you repress your anxiety... and hope it will go away... does it?  Well... NO!  It just gets worse... keeps churning away inside... Right?

When you do this simple exercise regularly... when you wake up and go to the bathroom... while taking a shower... waiting for the kettle to boil... or when you find yourself staring into space... those feelings begin to dissolve... you begin to feel easier...  and the more you do this, the better you feel about yourself and the easier it is to accept, love and forgive yourself... and others... just try it and see...

#          The Summer Wind... Michael Buble

When I started looking for music to play today... I soon realised there’s no shortage of songs about summer... it’s time to play and soak up the warmth of the sun... and maybe you’re ready for a little Relaxation? 

#9        The Banks of Green Willow... Butterworth..

(FADE>>> talk over... )

Ok... just close your eyes and...

• Focus on your breathing... slowing down with each breath... for a couple of minutes... breathing slow and easy... relaxing your body... releasing the tension in every muscle... sinking down into the bed or chair... with every breath... and relaxing your mind... letting each thought float by... with every breath... any thoughts floating away like little balloons... only aware of each breath... and my voice... just for the moment... until you feel completely relaxed... free of all bodily sensation... sinking down into a comfortable relaxation... does that feel good...
• and NOW... while you’re relaxing... bring to mind someone you really love... or some memory that always makes you feel really happy... or take yourself to a favourite place... somewhere you feel safe and comfortable inside... maybe a favourite place you like to walk... and sink into that warm... comfortable feeling... of connection... with life and nature... where you feel a sense of belonging... and feel that love and joy filling your heart.
• NOW... Magnify that feeling in your heart... with every breath... filling your heart with love and joy... like a big pink balloon... and hold that love and joy in your heart... you can tie off the balloon to contain that feeling....... and bring it back whenever you need to remind yourself of how good you can feel.

You know you can do this while you’re lying in bed... or sitting in your chair... bring that feeling into your heart... all those feelings of gratitude for the people you love... even those who’ve moved on... and appreciate your family and friends.  Never forget to express our gratitude for what we have... for whatever and whoever we love and appreciate.

The Banks of Green Willow... what an evocation of warm summer days... branches trailing into languid pools of water.  And now... to wake you up... from one extreme to another...

#10      Come Rain or Come Shine... Cleo Laine    

We love to hear from you... just to let us know how you enjoy these programs... brought to you by volunteers... who hope to bring you some relaxation and pleasure while you’re here in Glan Clwyd.

#11      Long Hot Summer... The Style Council 

In this over-civilised world, we’ve mainly lost contact with Nature... except for those who garden... growing fruit and veg... getting their hands into the soil.  so whenever you can... get out into nature... watch, listen and learn.  Personally, I love to walk at West Shore... walking barefoot on the beach when the tide's out far enough... and paddling in the shallows when it's in far enough. So let's get back to Nature as often as possible.

#12      Our Last Summer...Benny Anderson... Mama Mia   CD#09

I’d like to thank you all for accompanying me on this journey today and I trust you’ve enjoyed my take on Life, the Universe and Everything... which I hope will help on your journey through life... and this is Patsy Wynne signing off for today... from Radio Glan Clwyd...  and remember...

#    Always look on the Bright side of Life... Monty Python...