God as Us – An Excerpt

A week ago, I was listening to a video seminar featuring Ken Wilber, at the end of Ken’s discussion on Individual and Social Holarchies he read an excerpt from a book he had written. I was so overjoyed upon hearing it I burst into tears. It was as if I had written the words he had cast onto the page. It was absolutely perfect. We are absolutely perfect. I transcribed the audio into text. This is what We wrote:

“As Plotinus knew: Let the world be quiet. Let the heavens and the earth and the seas be still. Let the world be waiting. Let the self contraction relax into the empty ground of its own awareness, and let it there quietly die. See how spirit pours through each and every opening in turmoil, and bestows new splendor on the setting sun and its glorious earth and all its radiant inhabitants. See the Kosmos dance in emptiness; see the play of light in all creatures great and small; see finite worlds sing and rejoice in the play of the very divine, floating on a glory that renders each transparent, flooded by a joy that refuses time or terror, that undoes the madness of the loveless self and buries it in splendor.

Indeed, indeed: let the self contraction relax into the empty ground of its own awareness, and let it there quietly die. See the Kosmos arise in its place, dancing madly and divine, self luminous and self liberating, intoxicated by a light than never dawns nor ceases. See the worlds arise and fall, never caught in time or turmoil, transparent images shimmering in the radiant abyss. Watch the mountain walk on water, drink the pacific in single gulp, blink and a billion universes rise and fall, breathe out and create a Kosmos, breathe in and watch it dissolve.

Let the ecstasy overflow and outshine the loveless self, driven mad with the torments of its self embracing ways, hugging mightily samsara’s spokes of endless agony, and sing instead triumphantly with Saint Catherine, “my being is god, not by simple participation, but by a true transformation of my being. My me is god!” And let the joy sing with Dame Julian, “See! I am god! See! I am in all things! See! I do all things!” And let the joy shout with Hankuin, “This very body is the body of buddha! And this very land the pure land!”

And this earth becomes a blessed being, and every I becomes a god, and every we becomes god’s sincerest worship, and every it becomes god’s most gracious temple.

And comes to rest that godless search, tormented and tormenting. The knot in the heart of the Kosmos relaxes to allow its only god, and overflows the spirit ravished and enraptured by the lost and found Beloved. And found the godless destiny of death and done the tears and terror of the brutal days and endless nights where time alone would rule.

And I- I rise to taste the dawn, and find that love alone will shine today. And the shining says: to love it all, and love it madly, and always endlessly, and ever fiercely, to love without choice, and thus enter the all, to love it mindlessly and thus be the all, embracing the only and radiant divine: now was emptiness, now as form, together and forever, the godless search undone, and love alone will shine today.”

 

Ludovico Einaudi – A Spiritual Experience

For many years I have loved and deeply appreciated the genius musical creations of composer Ludovico Einaudi . A week ago, I was fortunate to experience the totality of his artwork in person while he performed in Costa Mesa at the Segerstrom Center. Witnessing Einaudi create and mold sound energy which transcends time and space was an extremely spiritual experience.

Sound has the beautiful ability to go beyond the constraints of the audible sector and extend into all other facets of the psyche – whether we realize its presence or not. I see and feel energy. As a result, Ludovico’s performance was especially enlightening. The sound he emits has such depth and heart. It dives deep into the conscious mind and invigorates the Spirit. There is a connectedness he stimulates which coincides with all thoughts and feelings. Not only in the human experience, but also those which encompass our living environment. That is to say, the vibrations his music creates permeate into every “structure” in the vicinity. The air moves, the ground vibrates, thus going deep into the core of the Earth and extending out into all life. His sound waves openly flow into everything. The air tingles and shivers with both audible and visible sound.

When I witness Einaudi play, I visually see the sound waves moving through “open air.” Each note has a different structure of vitality. These structures mimic, that is to say they emit the same vibrations as our emotions. Each individual note played is a variation or degree of human emotion. The more in-tune you are with all of your emotions, the greater ability and variational depth, music has to “speak” to you. His melodic sequencing caresses the entire emotional realm in a way that brilliantly produces a deeper and more wholesome state of emotions. Well-rounded music has the ability to not only enliven emotions, but also to grown and help them evolve. This is done not only by the audible sound of music, but also the vibrational frequencies sound emits. Sound aka vibrations aka energy flows around you, if you are open, you can allow those frequencies to permeate into your energy field so you too are vibrating at the same level of emotion that the music is evolving. You then become one with the sound… one with the vibrational emotion. You begin to radiate and pulse with the music, you are no longer separate, rather you have integrated your being with the vibrational emotions being created. For what is sound but the vibration of waves permeating into consciousness, of both living and “non-living” entities thus creating and enhancing life.

The visual:

I sat facing the stage from a box seat. I was looking down upon the gathering of listeners and creators. I opened my palms and placed them in front of me, toward the stage, so I would be the most receptive to receiving and amplifying energy. I took off one of my heels and placed my bare foot against the wall so I could feel the vibrations of sound through a solid medium. This is the manner in which I experienced the entire concert.

Ludovico Einaudi – Elements Tour PC: Jubel

It was beautifully captivating to observe the visual nature of sound when it interacted with each individual member of the audience. The vibrations of the sound Ludovico would create would dance through the air towards people. Once it “hit” an individual it would transform their energy field so it was “dancing” with the rhythm of Ludovico and his accompanying band. Instead of having a room full of very specific individual auras, once the sound would reach someone it would evolve the “individual” aura to the same vibration and expression of the music being played. The anxious nature that sometimes is present in crowds was transformed into a single energy source which radiated and pulsed in harmony. The unity of complete balance among an individualized audience was absolutely magnificent to witness. It was as if you could see people’s bodies ebbing and flowing in union with sound.

There were a few people in the audience who allowed their energy to soar and expand outside of their immediate body. The visible energy of these folks would glide in spirals (think of DNA strands) above. Those spirals (our spirals) were all connected to one another as if they were seeking out individuals with the same nature of exploration (creation). Upon meeting, our DNA spirals would soar through the room (extending through the ground and roof) and create an even brighter gleam of light. I amplified this pure light to expand through space. I dually saw the band and audience below as well as our energy permeating through the ground and extending into and across the Earth. From the core to the crust I witnessed the wonderful signature of Einaudi enhance the vibrational energy field. I saw strands of spirals encompassing and blanketing the Earth and surrounding universe over and over in the most intricate infinite designs.

There were parts/scenes/acts during the concert where the majority of the audience would get fitful. That is to say that there was suddenly a mass movement. People would fidget in their seats uncomfortably. Generally, this happened when the band would pair “unlikely” notes together. Since each note is a varying degree of emotion, those who were less in-tune with themselves became visibly uncomfortable. It was nothing short of stunning to witness. It seemed the deeper an individual was (consciousness, intuition, love) the more still they were able to remain. Absolutely fascinating.

There are many people who interpret Ludovico’s art as “dark and moody.” While I definitely understand that aspect. I take it deeper. To me, his music is rooted deep in the Earth. The “darker” it seems the more grounded it is. It sounds like soil, magma, roots, and rocks buried under the crust of our planet. The “lighter and happier” his music sounds the more heavenly and universe oriented it became. It would float into the wind and through water. The sounds would spin through the atmosphere and into space. His notes would twinkle and sparkle. Ludovico is capable of conveying the depth of thought and emotional expression into sound which transforms energy fields so the listener is “hit” with the same sentiment of passion.

Seeing and feeling the magnitude of emotional expression made me think a lot about the dumbing-down of society. Generally, mainstream music contains surface notes. The chorus is monotonous in the sense of using only a few keys to express itself. When certain chords are used over and over the listener doesn’t experience the wide array of emotions or vibrations. Music is becoming mundane. This beautiful art is expression. When we have a culture stuck in arrested development it is audibly apparent through the type of musical outlets we identify with. Play around with the scale, incorporate flats, sharps, drop an octave. Take it deep and be bold. The more your are able to express and feel the more well-rounded you become. Not just as a musician, but in every facet of your life. Music has the ability to transform and change. Music awakens and enlivens the human condition. Music is one of the many geniuses of the Mind.

Listen. Feel. Become. Create.

Ludovico Einaudi Live at the Itune Festival 2013

Ludovico Crew. Thank you for being a part of this incredible experience with me. I love and value you all!