Today's DailyOM Offerings...
November 6, 2008
Tibetan Chakra Meditations
Ben Scott & Christa Michell
2000
Two spiritual seekers from England combine for this lovely album. Ben Scott served in RAF command during the World War II and later pursued a spiritual path, becoming a yoga instructor; Christa Michell began training as a classical flutist but was called to a shamanistic pursuit after a near-fatal car accident. That each musician has faced their own mortality perhaps accounts for the awed humility and simple grace of Tibetan Chakra Meditations. Sustained tones from singing bowls, samples of throat singing, and slowly reverberating gongs provide the foundation, over which Mitchell plays drawn-out simple tones on her flute. This music is, as stated on its cover, perfect for "meditation, massage, Reiki, healing, yoga, Qi Gong [sic], sacred sound toning...." Just listen to a few minutes of any track, and you’ll know by the lightning shooting up your parasympathetic spinal nerves that this is the real deal.
Each track focuses on bringing attention and awareness to a particular chakra, helping listeners to create energy balance in their body and reduce stress. The tracks run through the chakras twice, with a break in the middle for "Sonic Massage." (There are bells to let you know when each session ends). "Root Chakra - Evolution" starts things off on a low drone, shimmering around the edges of perception, setting the grounds for gentle passages of Michell's flute. The effect of the flute against the drones is subtle, simple, powerful, and pure. Even at first listen, while distracted by your illusory daily obsessions, you can feel your spine tingling in response, wakening you like a pleasant fall chill. As attention moves up from the root through to the sacral, solar, heart, throat, and brow, the drones become more and more powerful, such as on "Solar Plexus Chakra," which incorporates barely audible Tibetan chant with singing bowls and ear-tickling tonal frequencies.
The second round of chakra work is even more minimal, more austere, concentrating on single, sustained drones. Compare the "Solar Plexus Chakra" sound with the previous track to get the idea. For Tibetan Chakra Meditations, the hard-won humility of Ben Scott and Christa Michell no doubt accounts at least in part for their sublime ability to eschew "personal artistry" in favor of adhering to the profound simplicity of these held tones. It's quite a gift they've given us.
November 6, 2008
Attentive Interactions
Sagittarius Daily Horoscope
You may be easily distracted which could mean that you may find that it is much more difficult to focus on what is going on in your conversations today. The problems you have paying attention might be a reflection of the innermost process of your mind, which are sidetracking you from being in the present. Should you notice that your thoughts begin to wander today, you might wish to take a few deep breaths and use a gentle reminder such as “I am in this moment” to bring yourself back to the discussion. Trying this for just a few breaths could make it easier for you to focus. Although it is natural for the mind to wander every now and again, doing this could prevent you from appearing not only unfocused but also disinterested to other people.
Becoming aware of how our minds divert our attention from what we are doing allows us to be much more attentive in our interactions. The sheer number of thoughts that run through our minds at any given moment make it difficult even in the best times to always be cognizant in our conversations. Once we are able to recognize that our minds are taking us away from the present, though, if we use our breath and train ourselves to remain in the here and now, we are much more able to bring them back. By noticing how your thoughts influence your mind it will be easier to return to the moment in your conversations today.
November 6, 2008
Peeling Away The Layers
Trees Shedding Their Bark
Trees grow up through their branches and down through their roots into the earth. They also grow wider with each passing year. As they do, they shed the bark that served to protect them but now is no longer big enough to contain them. In the same way, we create boundaries and develop defenses to protect ourselves and then, at a certain point, we outgrow them. If we don’t allow ourselves to shed our protective layer, we can’t expand to our full potential.
Trees need their protective bark to enable the delicate process of growth and renewal to unfold without threat. Likewise, we need our boundaries and defenses so that the more vulnerable parts of ourselves can safely heal and unfold. But our growth also depends upon our ability to soften, loosen, and shed boundaries and defenses we no longer need. It is often the case in life that structures we put in place to help us grow eventually become constricting.
Unlike a tree, we must consciously decide when it’s time to shed our bark and expand our boundaries, so we can move into our next ring of growth. Many spiritual teachers have suggested that our egos don’t disappear so much as they become large enough to hold more than just our small sense of self-the boundary of self widens to contain people and beings other than just "me." Each time we shed a layer of defensiveness or ease up on a boundary that we no longer need, we metaphorically become bigger people. With this in mind, it is important that we take time to question our boundaries and defenses. While it is essential to set and honor the protective barriers we have put in place, it is equally important that we soften and release them when the time comes. In doing so, we create the space for our next phase of growth.
Tibetan Chakra Meditations
Ben Scott & Christa Michell
2000
Two spiritual seekers from England combine for this lovely album. Ben Scott served in RAF command during the World War II and later pursued a spiritual path, becoming a yoga instructor; Christa Michell began training as a classical flutist but was called to a shamanistic pursuit after a near-fatal car accident. That each musician has faced their own mortality perhaps accounts for the awed humility and simple grace of Tibetan Chakra Meditations. Sustained tones from singing bowls, samples of throat singing, and slowly reverberating gongs provide the foundation, over which Mitchell plays drawn-out simple tones on her flute. This music is, as stated on its cover, perfect for "meditation, massage, Reiki, healing, yoga, Qi Gong [sic], sacred sound toning...." Just listen to a few minutes of any track, and you’ll know by the lightning shooting up your parasympathetic spinal nerves that this is the real deal.
Each track focuses on bringing attention and awareness to a particular chakra, helping listeners to create energy balance in their body and reduce stress. The tracks run through the chakras twice, with a break in the middle for "Sonic Massage." (There are bells to let you know when each session ends). "Root Chakra - Evolution" starts things off on a low drone, shimmering around the edges of perception, setting the grounds for gentle passages of Michell's flute. The effect of the flute against the drones is subtle, simple, powerful, and pure. Even at first listen, while distracted by your illusory daily obsessions, you can feel your spine tingling in response, wakening you like a pleasant fall chill. As attention moves up from the root through to the sacral, solar, heart, throat, and brow, the drones become more and more powerful, such as on "Solar Plexus Chakra," which incorporates barely audible Tibetan chant with singing bowls and ear-tickling tonal frequencies.
The second round of chakra work is even more minimal, more austere, concentrating on single, sustained drones. Compare the "Solar Plexus Chakra" sound with the previous track to get the idea. For Tibetan Chakra Meditations, the hard-won humility of Ben Scott and Christa Michell no doubt accounts at least in part for their sublime ability to eschew "personal artistry" in favor of adhering to the profound simplicity of these held tones. It's quite a gift they've given us.
November 6, 2008
Attentive Interactions
Sagittarius Daily Horoscope
You may be easily distracted which could mean that you may find that it is much more difficult to focus on what is going on in your conversations today. The problems you have paying attention might be a reflection of the innermost process of your mind, which are sidetracking you from being in the present. Should you notice that your thoughts begin to wander today, you might wish to take a few deep breaths and use a gentle reminder such as “I am in this moment” to bring yourself back to the discussion. Trying this for just a few breaths could make it easier for you to focus. Although it is natural for the mind to wander every now and again, doing this could prevent you from appearing not only unfocused but also disinterested to other people.
Becoming aware of how our minds divert our attention from what we are doing allows us to be much more attentive in our interactions. The sheer number of thoughts that run through our minds at any given moment make it difficult even in the best times to always be cognizant in our conversations. Once we are able to recognize that our minds are taking us away from the present, though, if we use our breath and train ourselves to remain in the here and now, we are much more able to bring them back. By noticing how your thoughts influence your mind it will be easier to return to the moment in your conversations today.
November 6, 2008
Peeling Away The Layers
Trees Shedding Their Bark
Trees grow up through their branches and down through their roots into the earth. They also grow wider with each passing year. As they do, they shed the bark that served to protect them but now is no longer big enough to contain them. In the same way, we create boundaries and develop defenses to protect ourselves and then, at a certain point, we outgrow them. If we don’t allow ourselves to shed our protective layer, we can’t expand to our full potential.
Trees need their protective bark to enable the delicate process of growth and renewal to unfold without threat. Likewise, we need our boundaries and defenses so that the more vulnerable parts of ourselves can safely heal and unfold. But our growth also depends upon our ability to soften, loosen, and shed boundaries and defenses we no longer need. It is often the case in life that structures we put in place to help us grow eventually become constricting.
Unlike a tree, we must consciously decide when it’s time to shed our bark and expand our boundaries, so we can move into our next ring of growth. Many spiritual teachers have suggested that our egos don’t disappear so much as they become large enough to hold more than just our small sense of self-the boundary of self widens to contain people and beings other than just "me." Each time we shed a layer of defensiveness or ease up on a boundary that we no longer need, we metaphorically become bigger people. With this in mind, it is important that we take time to question our boundaries and defenses. While it is essential to set and honor the protective barriers we have put in place, it is equally important that we soften and release them when the time comes. In doing so, we create the space for our next phase of growth.