Reviewed by Ian Hayter

Elizabeth Babbs is a former sufferer of ME who now leads retreats and workshops as well as dancing with the Christian Dance Fellowship. Her experience with ME has led her into offering meditation and exercises for those who are also struggling with chronic fatigue and with stress - and this CD is an attempt to provide some of that help through the spoken word and music. 'Come & Rest' comprises four meditations of around 15 minutes each which are based on key verses from Scripture. Around the spoken word, Ms Babbs introduces nine pieces of quiet music by Simeon & John, Margaret Rizza and Paul Gurr. There are aids to relaxation, breathing exercises and prayers woven into the carefully crafted meditations. I found the tone of the spoken passages to be a little patronising, and that put me off - which was a shame, as the music was very restful. (A friend of mine who is suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome at the moment made exactly the same observation on hearing the album.) Having listened to the album on a particularly stressful morning, I have to confess that I was calmed by the music and the Bible passages, but it's not something I'd just sit and listen to very often. An album for a narrow audience, I reckon.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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