Pillow

In this episode, Candy explores the significance of pillows in cultures, art, music, literature, and nature. Discover their ancient uses in Egypt, China, and the Middle East, and see how artists like Dürer, Van Gogh, Kahlo, and Xiaogang were inspired by them. Candy also discusses songs by Zayn Malik and Jon Bellion, and the symbolism of pillows in works by Shakespeare and Sylvia Plath. She even delves into nature’s own pillow phenomena, reflecting our universal need for comfort and security. Come along and find the magic in the mundane.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to the None But Curious podcast.
We're all about finding inspiration in life's uncertainties.
Whether you're still figuring things out, questioning your
beliefs, or just curious about the world, come
hang out with us as we celebrate the
beauty of not having all the answers.

(00:22):
Each month, we delve into the realms of
art, music, literature, and nature.
Our goal is to reveal the hidden wonders
within everyday life, showcasing the beauty and inspiration
that surrounds us.
Join us as we explore and uncover the
sacredness and the ordinary, enriching our lives with
a deeper appreciation for the world around us.
This month, the focus is the pillow.

(00:44):
I was inspired to learn more about the
pillow because I haven't been spending a lot
of time on my own.
Sleep deprivation is real.
School's out.
We have a potty training toddler, teenagers.
It's just always chaotic.
We're finding peace in the chaos, I think.

(01:05):
Not to mention that anytime I do tarot
cards during any of the moon phases, they
have been saying to rest.
Rest and meditate.
And we all know how I feel about
meditating.
So have I rested?
Not really.
And it's not really out of rebellion, but
because I really can't.
So I figure I can appease the energies

(01:28):
that keep telling me to rest by sharing
information about the pillow.
So here we go.
Let's learn a little bit about the history.
Ancient Egyptians were among the first to use
pillows from 2055 to 1985 BCE.
These cushions were not made of simple materials
like we use today, but they were made
of stone, wood, alabaster, or glass.

(01:50):
And the design of these pillows was usually
crescent-shaped to support the neck.
Not only was this relaxing, it also served
a practical purpose.
Sleeping close to the ground on the hard
surface helped keep insects from entering the nose,
ears, and eyes.
And let me tell you, I have a
very irrational fear about bugs going into my
ear and making a nest or a colony.

(02:12):
So anytime I hear a bug buzzing, I
completely freak out.
And it's probably really amusing to watch when
I'm hiking.
In traditional Chinese culture, pillows were often made
from hard materials like porcelain, wood, or jade,
as it was believed that these materials could
improve health and well-being.
Some pillows were filled with medicinal herbs thought
to cure ailments and provide therapeutic benefits during

(02:34):
sleep.
In Middle Eastern cultures, large, ornate cushions and
pillows are integral to social gatherings and hospitality.
These cushions are often elaborately embroidered and used
in majolais, or seating areas, to create comfortable
spaces for guests.
The use of pillows in these settings reflects
the cultural importance of hospitality and social interaction.

(02:56):
Now, art has a profound way of transforming
ordinary things into symbols of deep meaning.
Across time and across different cultures, pillows have
been painted in an artistic manner, frequently with
symbolic significance.
Albrecht Durer's pillow studies from 1493 highlight his
exceptional skill in capturing the texture and detail
of everyday objects.

(03:16):
By focusing on a simple everyday item like
a pillow, Durer could experiment with light, shadow,
form, honing his ability to capture fine details
and subtle nuances.
These studies not only showcase his technical prowess,
but also reflect his interest in observing and
depicting the natural world with precision and accuracy.
And he invites us to see the beauty

(03:36):
in ordinary things.
That's why we're all here, right?
Vincent van Gogh's Bedroom at Arles comes to
mind, mostly because my youngest son and I
are studying van Gogh's works as part of
his preschool curriculum this month.
This painting also depicts how simple a bedroom
can be and still feel inviting.
In a letter to his brother, Vincent mentioned

(03:56):
that the colors he used were suggestive of
sleep, and that when looking at the painting
it was meant to rest the mind, or
rather the imagination.
Frida Kahlo's The Dream expresses her feelings about
mortality.
In this painting, both Kahlo and the skeleton
are lying on the bed on their sides
with their heads on two pillows.
Kahlo is sound asleep on the bottom bed

(04:18):
covered in a blanket with green plants, symbolizing
life and rebirth.
And in contrast, the skeleton is awake and
watching on the top bed, wired with explosives
that can go off and explode at any
time.
Contemporary Chinese surrealist artist Zhang Xiaogang has often
been regarded as avant-garde.

(04:39):
His work delves into significant moments in China's
history, reflecting his personal experiences, including the trauma
of being separated from his parents during the
Cultural Revolution.
Afternoon No.
2 depicts a prison-like bedroom scene with
a young child lying nearby in a stark
cot.
The contrast between the child's bold red tones
and the drab surroundings, along with the three

(05:01):
soft pillows, adds layers of complexity to the
austere image.
It hints at themes of comfort and vulnerability
amidst harshness.
In art, pillows and cushions are rich with
symbolism, frequently reflecting our most personal and intimate
experiences.
There's an inherent personal connection to a pillow,
everyone has one, and we turn to it

(05:22):
during our most sincere and vulnerable moments, whether
we're alone or while engaging in pillow talk
with a partner.
Now, speaking of pillow talk, in the song
Pillow Talk by Zayn Malik, pillow symbolizes intimacy
and vulnerability.
The lyrics explore the private conversations and revelations
that occur between lovers, often in their bedroom.

(05:44):
Inclusion in this context represents a safe space
where real feelings and thoughts can be shared.
Jan Bellion's song, Leave It On My Pillow,
seems to revolve around the idea of letting
go of negativity and stress.
The lyrics suggest a theme of releasing burdens
and tension by symbolically leaving them behind, as
if placing them on one's pillow.
The repetition of the lines in the chorus

(06:06):
emphasizes the act of setting aside worries, perhaps
after a long day or during a tough
time.
This message resonates with the concept of finding
peace and moving forward without the weight of
negativity, serving as a gentle reminder that sometimes
giving ourselves a break from our problems, even
if just for a night's rest, can be
the best solution.
So there's another song that comes to mind

(06:27):
when I think of pillows, even though it's
about sleeping, and it's called Even When I'm
Sleeping by Leonardo's Bride.
I think it was popular in the 90s,
late 90s.
I love you even when I'm sleeping.
That one.
And it's really important to me because it

(06:50):
reminds me of how dumb we can be
in our younger years.
I had been talking on, this is going
to age me, ICP chat.
I think it was ICP.
Am I thinking of Insane Clown Posse?
But it was the chat that you could
use internationally.
It wasn't AOL.
It was their competitor.
And I ended up talking with this guy

(07:10):
from Australia for a while.
And it was a really fun, emotional sling,
I guess.
I mean, we never met, but we talked
for a long time.
And so sometimes when I hear that song,
I think of how silly it is and
how cool it is that I was able
to connect with somebody across continents.

(07:33):
All right, so let's get into pillows and
literature.
In Shakespeare's Othello, the pillow Othello uses to
suffocate Desdemona carries powerful symbolic weight, representing betrayal,
intimacy, and violence.
A symbol of comfort and peace transforms into
a tool of murder, reflecting the twisted nature
of Othello's jealousy-driven actions.
It's like the betrayal of trust and tenderness,

(07:55):
turning something soft and comforting into a weapon
of destruction.
In Sylvia Plath's novel, The Bell Jar, the
bed symbolizes retreat and isolation for the protagonist,
Esther Greenwood.
It becomes her refuge during depressive episodes, reflecting
her mental state and her desire to escape
societal pressures.
While the offers sanctuary, it also becomes a

(08:16):
prison, mirroring the suffocating nature of Esther's mental
illness, much like the bell jar itself.
Esther's relationship with her bed highlights her internal
struggle with life and death.
It's where she contemplates suicide and grapples with
existential questions.
The bed is more than just furniture.
It symbolizes Esther's inner turmoil and the constraints
imposed by her mental illness.

(08:37):
And The Pillow Book by Sei Shonogon is
a classic piece of Japanese literature from the
Heian period, written around the year 1000.
Sei Shonogon, who was a lady-in-waiting
to Empress Teishi, created this work as a
collection of her personal reflections, observations, and musings.
It's a fascinating mix of anecdotes, poems, lists,

(08:58):
and descriptions that give us a unique glimpse
into court life in Japan back then.
The name Pillow Book comes from the idea
that these writings were like casual notes Shonogon
kept by her bedside, jotting down her thoughts
and experiences as they came to her.
What makes this book special are its keen
observations, wit, and sharp, often humorous commentary on

(09:19):
the people and events of the court.
And there's also a movie about The Pillow
Book that was made in the late 90s.
Well, not about, it was inspired by The
Pillow Book.
I've never seen it, but I saw the
trailers and it looks a little bit awesome
for its time.
So let me know if you've not read
the book, but if you've watched that movie.

(09:42):
So there are pillows in nature.
In nature, the pillow and cradle effect is
a fascinating example of how the environment shapes
itself.
When a tree falls and its roots pull
up a chunk of earth, it leaves behind
a mound or pillow and a hole or
a cradle.
These features create different little habitats that can
support a variety of plants and animals.
The pillow tends to be dry and elevated,

(10:04):
making it perfect for certain plant species, while
the cradle collects water and organic matter, nurturing
a different set of flora and fauna.
Over time, these structures boost biodiversity by providing
niches for various organisms and helping new plants
grow.
They also improve soil aeration and water distribution,
showing just how interconnected everything in an ecosystem

(10:24):
is.
Pillow lava forms when molten lava erupts underwater
and cools rapidly upon contact with water.
So here's a step-by-step explanation of
how this occurs.
So lava erupts from volcanic activity at mid
-ocean ridges, underwater volcanoes, or other submerged fissures.
As the hot lava comes into contact with

(10:45):
the cold seawater, it cools very quickly.
The outer surface of the lava solidifies almost
instantly, forming a hard crust.
But despite the formation of this crust, the
lava inside remains molten and continues to flow.
When the internal pressure of the still-flowing
lava pushes against the newly formed crust, causing
it to bulge outwards and create a pillow
-like shape.
As more lava is extruded, it breaks through

(11:07):
the hardened crust and forms additional pillows on
top of or beside the original ones, resulting
in a stacked or clustered appearance.
And this process repeats as long as the
lava continues to erupt, creating multiple layers of
pillow-shaped structures.
And pillow lava formations are distinctive due to
their rounded, bulbous appearance and are often found
at sites of active or past underwater volcanic

(11:27):
activity.
These formations provide valuable insights into submarine volcanic
processes and the geological history of the Earth's
crust.
Bowerbirds, native to Australia and New Guinea, are
famous for their extraordinary courtship behavior, particularly the
male's creation of intricate structures called bowers.
They're not pillows, but they're pretty close.

(11:48):
These bowers are elaborately built and decorated with
natural items like flowers and feathers, as well
as man-made objects such as glass and
plastic.
Each species of bowerbird has its own unique
style and preferences for decoration, much like how
pillows can reflect personal taste and cultural significance
in human homes.
The bower itself, similar to a comfortable inviting
pillow, represents a place of rest and attraction.

(12:13):
Male bowerbirds perform elaborate displays, including complex songs
and dance-like movements to draw in females
who are highly selective and will visit multiple
bowers before choosing a mate.
This behavior highlights the importance of creating a
welcoming space akin to the role pillows play
in making a home inviting and comfortable.
So what do pillows symbolize for you in

(12:34):
your own life?
Pillows might seem ordinary, but they hold deep
meaning in many parts of our lives and
cultures.
In art, they symbolize comfort and intimacy, adding
emotional depth to visuals.
In music and literature, pillows symbolize vulnerability, dreams,
solace, and the reality and the subconscious, adding
depth to narratives.

(12:54):
Culturally and spiritually, pillows are linked to health,
well-being, and dream exploration, showing how different
societies value these objects.
Even in nature, pillow-like formations highlight our
universal need for comfort and security.
Ultimately, pillows are more than just for rest.
They are woven into our human experience, reflecting
our need for comfort, connection, and introspection.

(13:15):
And speaking of connection, don't forget to subscribe
to and review the None But Curious podcast
so others like you can find this.
And until next time, my friends, may you
find magic in the mundane.