Comforting Thought: What natural sound would you preserve forever?

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Koi fish vying for food in Kyoto by Content Catnip

Silence

The song of the cicadas

Penetrates the rocks

~ Matsuo Bashō, Japanese poet, 17th Century.

In Japanese there are many onomatopoeic words for the sounds in nature.

shito shito: the sound of light rain

Maya Angelou: Leader of the Brave and Defiant
”Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” Maya Angelou

zā zā: the sound of heavy rain 

kasa kasa: the light sound of leaves rustling under foot 

Toshi Yoshida ( Japanese, 1911 - 1995 ) - Autumn In Hakone (1954)
Toshi Yoshida ( Japanese, 1911 – 1995 ) – Autumn In Hakone (1954)

gasa gasa: the heavy rustling of branches swaying in the wind 

hyū hyū: the sound of wind blowing

A wind phone 風の電話, kaze no denwa for contacting people who have crossed the veil
A wind phone 風の電話, kaze no denwa for contacting people who have crossed the veil

goro goro: the rumble of thunder

Storm and lightning comforting thought ancient
Snow along a lonely stretch of coast of Tottori prefecture, Japan

saku saku: the crunching sound of snow underfoot

Snow along a lonely stretch of coast of Tottori prefecture, Japan

Extracted from Shinrin-Yoku: The Art and Science of Forest Bathing by Dr Qing Li

Read review

Book Review: Shinrin-Yoku: The Art and Science of Forest Bathing by Dr Qing Li

Read review

[Pictured: Ryoan-Ji zen garden in Arashiyama, Kyoto. Content Catnip 2018]

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Published by Content Catnip

Content Catnip is a quirky internet wunderkammer written by an Intergalactic Space Māori named Content Catnip. Join me as I meander through the quirky and curious aspects of history, indigenous spirituality, the natural world, animals, art, storytelling, books, philosophy, travel, Māori culture and loads more.

4 thoughts on “Comforting Thought: What natural sound would you preserve forever?”

  2. I love all those onomatopaeic words so much, they realy evoke the sounds of nature. For me if I had to choose one natural sound to preserve forever it would be a fenland reed-bed whispering in the wind on a chilly spring morning. Absolutely magical.

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