THERE'S A BRILLIANT LITTLE TALE about a father and child visiting the Grand Canyon for the first time. The child, having just recently learned to walk on his own is beginning to discover this new world with his human eyes. As they stand atop the rim of the vast canyon area, the father lifts the child into the air and suddenly an enormous bald eagle flies overhead. The little boy screams with excitement and asks, "Daddy what's that?" The father sqeeezes him, smiles and says, "bird." And from that very moment, throughout the child's lifetime, anything seen with two wings flying through the air is simply known as 'bird.'

You may think, "what's so abnormal about that?" The truth is that most people wouldn't even stop to ponder the fact that something was missing in that story. I mean, isn't this how a child learns? What's missing? The eagle is missing. And for many of us, is rarely found.

Have you ever noticed how few of us really investigate the words we use to express our truths? Have you ever noticed how little attention you give your friends and family as they share their truths? It's like we hear "bird" and think we know what that means... but that's not necessarily true. I actually wonder if we even see the birds at all, or are merely in some sort of conditioned trance. Recently, my experiences in the world have left me feeling like I'm not being heard by those around me. Perhaps I'm not doing a good job of listening, truly listening myself.

Of all the words in every language, perhaps the words 'peace,' 'love,' 'god' and 'spirituality' are among the most powerful trance words that exist. They are 'trance-like' because, for most us, we have each heard these words spoken so frequently in the course of our lives that no longer do they hold a living effect. Our intellect no longer explores them 'innocently' and, in turn, rarely do we allow our conversations to offer any new depth of meaning. Oh, sure, we might skim the surface of the words energetically in our conversation, in particular if emphasis is placed upon them, but generally we leave their depths unplumbed. They are trance-words because they have become so saturated with mental conditioning that no real investigation or translation takes place within the frame of the words anymore. Quite simply, the mind has ceased to explore the music behind the word.

Much like "bird" or "truth" or "sound" or "spirituality", we think we know the meaning of these words and that we are all drawing from the same perspective, and so we generally hurry right on through our daily lives without really exploring the endless species present in every word. So how present are you right now, right here?

A few years ago while attending a spiritual seminar in Seattle I was asked to define "happiness" with a single word. There were at least fifty people sitting in the same room with me, and each of us, one by one, began offering a word to define it. How interesting it was to hear the myriad responses; art, children, flowers, sunshine, birthday, laughter, smile, family, peace, money, etc. And not once were any of the single word definitions repeated.

After our answers were given, the instructor laid down her pen and spun around to reveal a white posterboard facing us. Listing every definition of happiness our group had offered, she invited us again to, "Notice how different everyone's interpretation of something as simple as the word happiness is in this room? Well, what do you think we'd discover if we asked the entire world to define love, or spirituality, or religion, or peace?" She said. "For however many people you have gathered together, there will always be that same number of right ways to do something."

I've never forgotten her wisdom. Her wisdom ushered me to rely on myself, and to trust my own discoveries in life. Her wisdom encouraged me to explore the music behind the words, and to investigate what kind of bird was watching me from above, or had collided with the cabin windows and was in need or healing, or burial.

How many eagles are there in your life that you call "birds?" Are you living your life having come to your own sound conclusions? How much time in your day to day existence is spent in trance, relying on the meaning of something you learned too long ago? How much of your life's music are you missing?

New Year's Blessings,
Aven

Aphelion
Amethystium

One of the best new age artists to emerge in years, Amethystium provides the listener with a remarkable backdrop of gorgeous ever-changing landscapes. I love this work for a number of reasons, but primarily it offers a beautiful view of the complexity of modern sound. The album is evocative, spiritually uplifting, and transcendent. I found it to be more exotic than Enigma, and perhaps even more pure and inspirational than Delerium. There are several moments within certain cuts that are absolutely ripe with melodic morphing, taking modern recording to new heights. From cover to end, I loved this.

 

Creator and Me: A Lightworker's prayers for meditation and healing
Kirael: Through the mediumship of Fred Sterling

There's a magical way in which a true storyteller can capture the imagination of young and old alike, and Fred Sterling has tapped the primordial core of this archetype. This album was a pleasant surprise. I found not only the voice of Kirael to be very soothing, but the journey of these prayers to be highly intoxicating to the soul. This is a gift that many of you will enjoy. I envision listening to this with children over a cup of hot spiced apple cider, sitting by a roaring hearth on a cold winter's night. You might prefer a walk directly into the morning sunrise. In any case, Kirael warms the heart and lifts the soul.

© Avenescent, 2004

Editor's note: If you have an album that you would like to submit for musical review please feel free to contact Aven. Submissions do not need to be limited to the "New Age" category or "Sound Therapy" in order to be accepted. Please keep in mind that any CD submitted for review must be first listed at Amazon.Com. We apologize but submitted materials cannot be returned to you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Avenescent Thomas is a freelance artist, photographer, masseur, reiki master and spiritual transformationalist native to southern California. He enjoys all forms of music, having grown up playing several instruments and singing for several musical groups. He loves working with people, cameras, computers, glass, natural sculpture, exploring zen, non-dualism and every fiber of nature. Prior to being a healer he was a social worker for the state of Washington. He can be contacted here and welcomes correspondence.