Mother Taiga

When I listened to Mother Taiga the first time I was blown away. The second time I listened to it I wondered what taiga meant.  It turns out that taiga is Russian for forest, a swampy, coniferous forest of northern latitudes.

And it makes perfect sense.  I've always felt like the forest I grew up in was a mother to me in many ways.  It taught me life lessons, gave me nourishment and shelter, and demonstrated both tough and tender love, often on the same day!  Like the day I jumped away just in time to escape an ominous rattler, and later, to console myself, found a tree to tuck into until I could face the world again.

This song is balm for all my invisible aches.  It centers me whenever I get too ahead of myself and gently nudges me to focus on the present. It's the pulse of the ground beneath my feet, the growl of life lived fiercely, the whisper of atmosphere and breath combined.

And I hope it means as much to you as it does to me.

Carmen Rizzo & Huun Huur Tu - Mother Taiga