Music and spirituality

[Zoso]

Being from the South, I was raised in an environment where music and spirituality were very connected. I grew up in a neighborhood that was 90% Haitian immigrants, whose main religion was tribal voodoo. I witnessed and participated in many drum circles, and came away from the experience feeling energized and spiritually at peace, even though I wasn't a follower of their belief system. I got the same feeling of elation when I was a teenager, when my mother made me play bass in her pentacostal church. Since then I have changed my belief system to a form of modern primitivism, but I still value the connection between music and connection to the universal "God".

Even in the Bible, King David wrote in Psalms about the importance of music in worship.

I have also noticed that this connection is very prominent in music that we usually don't see that sort of thing in---from Delta Blues King Robert Johnson to Bukka White to Led Zeppelin---all leave traces of the divine for those open enough to see it. But thats just my opinion.

[Yelekiah]

Great that you had those experiences. I believe that some music is very powerful. It can have an effect on the subconscious mind, and in some cases, leave you energized, like you said.

[Zoso]

I found this quote from occult author William S. Burroughs' book "Rock Magic", and I think that it applies here:

The essential ingredient for any successful rock group is energy---the ability to give out energy, to receive energy from the audience, and to give it back to the audience. A rock concert is in fact a rite involving the evocation and transmution of energy. Rock stars may be compared to priests...The Led Zeppelin show depends heavily on volume, repitition and drums. It bears some resemblance to the trance music found in Morocco, which is magical in origin and purpose---that is, concerned with the evocation andcontrol of spiritual forces. Gnaoua music is used to drive out evil spirits. The music of Jajouka evokes the God Pan, Pan God of Panic, representing the real magical forces that sweep away the spurious. It has to be remembered that the origin of all the arts---music, painting and writing---is magical and evocative; and that magic is always used to obtain some magical result. In the Led Zeppelin concert, the result aimed at would seem to be the creation of energy in the performers and the audience. For such magic to succeed, it must tap the sources of magical energy, this can be dangerous.

I agree with this, and I think that it applies to most forms of music, more than just Led Zeppelin.

[Yelekiah]

Excellent quote. It's impressive when a rock band makes a concert ritualistic.

[I AAAM]

Being from the South, I was raised in an environment where music and spirituality were very connected. I grew up in a neighborhood that was 90% Haitian immigrants, whose main religion was tribal voodoo. I witnessed and participated in many drum circles, and came away from the experience feeling energized and spiritually at peace, even though I wasn't a follower of their belief system. I got the same feeling of elation when I was a teenager, when my mother made me play bass in her pentacostal church. Since then I have changed my belief system to a form of modern primitivism, but I still value the connection between music and connection to the universal "God".

Even in the Bible, King David wrote in Psalms about the importance of music in worship.

I have also noticed that this connection is very prominent in music that we usually don't see that sort of thing in---from Delta Blues King Robert Johnson to Bukka White to Led Zeppelin---all leave traces of the divine for those open enough to see it. But thats just my opinion.

Someone once said "music is the heart and soul to enlightenment"! I believe this to be true, because we are all governed and guided by our vibrational frequencies, and each of the seven planes into the infinity vibrates at it's own vibrational level and frequency. Thus we can also be conditioned and ruled by "bad vibes" (so to speak) I even read somewhere that some governments have what is called a project called" HAARP which is a amplifier of vibrations that are used by the ruling to keep the mass populus conditioned in their power. Furthermore in the 70's the Russians used this type of system on the American Embassy in Russia to the effect of having the staff at the embassy suffer severe effects. This was then called "The Woodpecker" and was not even known of by the U.S. at the time.

Good vibes right at y'a man

[Zoso]

Someone once said "music is the heart and soul to enlightenment"! I believe this to be true, because we are all governed and guided by our vibrational frequencies, and each of the seven planes into the infinity vibrates at it's own vibrational level and frequency. Thus we can also be conditioned and ruled by "bad vibes" (so to speak) I even read somewhere that some governments have what is called a project called" HAARP which is a amplifier of vibrations that are used by the ruling to keep the mass populus conditioned in their power. Furthermore in the 70's the Russians used this type of system on the American Embassy in Russia to the effect of having the staff at the embassy suffer severe effects. This was then called "The Woodpecker" and was not even known of by the U.S. at the time.

Good vibes right at y'a man

Thats really fascinating stuff.

Hindu mythology tells us that the entire world was crated in one sound: "Om". Thats the sound that is chanted in Yoga, known as a Mantra, and it supposedly brings peace into your being.

Oh, and good vibes back atcha!

[Yelekiah]

Which reminds me of God bringing about creation with the phrase, "Let there be light". Abracadabra means "I create as I speak". In my opinion, words, sounds, and frequencies have power. We just have to tap into it.

[mklsgl]

Any Grateful Dead fans out there/in here? I don't want to post a dissertation about how the Grateful Dead (music and experience) capture or exemplify the essence of this topic if there is no interest.

[Welsh Shaun]

Thinking about it, I do take more notice of words which are sung, than those that are spoken. I was listening to an artist the other night in my local pub, and when he spoke, on a one to one basis it was a general every day oration ( no emphasis ), Then! He sung, boy what a powerful voice, he made everybody stop talking to one another, we all had no choice but to listen.

Labi Siffre

Something Inside So Strong

The higher you build your barriers

The taller I become

The further you take my rights away

The faster I will run

You can't deny me

You can't decide to turn your face away

No matter 'cause there's

Something inside so strong.

Not everybodies choice of music, not mine either, but when you here it being sung you take notice. The power in the music and words over rides any preconceptions that you may of had.

Slushy I know

(May even have nothing to do what U R talking about, but I'm drunk and I don't care.)

Edited November 6, 2005 by Welsh Shaun

[Zoso]

Any Grateful Dead fans out there/in here? I don't want to post a dissertation about how the Grateful Dead (music and experience) capture or exemplify the essence of this topic if there is no interest.

I especially love the way that the Dead use music to reach a spiritual state. I saw their "rockumentary" recently and was totally blown away. I think you and I could get along!

[mklsgl]

I've seen live performances (many of them multiple times) of at least 100 different bands/musicians (The Who, REM, U2, 10,000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant, The Clash, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, Genesis, Yes, Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, Los Lobos, Smashing Pumpkins, Elvis Costello/Squeeze, Keller Williams, The Cure, Bruce Hornsby, Miles Davis, Neil Young, Pink Floyd, CSN, The Police/Sting, Aimee Mann, Luscious Jackson, Beth Orton, Beck, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The New York Philharmonic, Yo-Yo Ma, Stanley Clarke, Phish, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Happy Mondays, David Bowie, Talking Heads .... just to name a few) and NOTHING I've experienced with these other artists remotely approaches the "je ne sais quoi" that happens with the Grateful Dead.

[Zoso]

I've seen live performances (many of them multiple times) of at least 100 different bands/musicians (The Who, REM, U2, 10,000 Maniacs/Natalie Merchant, The Clash, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, Genesis, Yes, Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, Los Lobos, Smashing Pumpkins, Elvis Costello/Squeeze, Keller Williams, The Cure, Bruce Hornsby, Miles Davis, Neil Young, Pink Floyd, CSN, The Police/Sting, Aimee Mann, Luscious Jackson, Beth Orton, Beck, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The New York Philharmonic, Yo-Yo Ma, Stanley Clarke, Phish, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Happy Mondays, David Bowie, Talking Heads .... just to name a few) and NOTHING I've experienced with these other artists remotely approaches the "je ne sais quoi" that happens with the Grateful Dead.

I wish I could have been around to see Zeppelin play. I hear that they're the most spiritually intuitive performers ever.

[Funi]

Excellent quote. It's impressive when a rock band makes a concert ritualistic.

BLACK SABBATH!!!! OZZY OSBOURNE!!! HARD & HEAVY FOREVER!

[Zoso]

BLACK SABBATH!!!! OZZY OSBOURNE!!! HARD & HEAVY FOREVER!

I don't see any spiritual value to Black Sabbath---they admit themselves that the whole darkness thing was just a stage act. Their music does rule however (well, their first two albums at least).

[Funi]

I don't see any spiritual value to Black Sabbath---they admit themselves that the whole darkness thing was just a stage act. Their music does rule however (well, their first two albums at least).

That's true that they do it only on stage, but it has a great impact on the audience. Like a crazy man once said: AND I SAW 17,000 KIDS WHICH RAISED THEIR HANDS LIKE THIS,

WHICH IS THE SIGN OF THE DEVIL, AND THEY SAID OZZY, OZZY, OZZY..

This summer I went to a Sabbath concert and it was terrific. From the moment Ozzy took the stage till the end I hardly remember anything. It's of spiritual value if you ask me. Or probably it's me being a fanatic fan of Ozzy's.

[Zoso]

I know that there are probably not many Rush fans on this board, but check out some of their lyrics. They understand the connection between music and spirit.

"The Spirit of Radio"

Begin the day

Wth a friendly voice,

A companion, unobtrusive

Plays the song that's so elusive

And the magic music makes your morning mood.

Off on your way

Hit the open road,

There is magic at your fingers

For the Spirit ever lingers,

Undemanding contact In your happy solitude.

Invisible airwaves

Crackle with life

Bright antennae bristle

With the energy

Emotional feedback

On timeless wavelength

Bearing a gift beyond price-

Almost free...

All this machinery

Making modern music

Can still be open-hearted

Not so coldly charted

It's really just a question

Of your honesty

One likes to believe

In the freedom of music,

But glittering prizes

And endless compromises

Shatter the illusion

Of integrity.

"For the words of the profits,

Are written on the studio wall,

Concert hall -

Echoes with the sounds...

Of salesmen."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Freewill"

There are those who think that life

Has nothing left to chance,

A host of holy horrors

To direct our aimless dance

A planet of playthings

We dance on the strings

Of powers we cannot perceive

"The stars aren't aligned -

Or the gods are malign"

Blame is better to give than receive.

You can choose a ready guide

In some celestial voice.

If you choose not to decide

You still have made a choice

You can choose from phantom fears

And kindness that can kill;

I will choose a path that's clear-

I will choose free will

There are those who think that

They were dealt a losing hand,

The cards were stacked against them-

They weren't born in Lotus-Land

All pre-ordained

A prisoner in chains

A victim of venomous fate

Kicked in the face

You can pray for a place

In heaven's unearthly estate

Each of us

A cell of awareness

Imperfect and incomplete

Genetic blends

With uncertain ends

On a fortune hunt

That's far too fleet...