Today's DailyOM Offerings...
March 14, 2014
Tibetan Tantric Choir
The Gyuto Monks
1986
Gyuto Tantric University, a Buddhist monastery, was founded in 1475 in Lhasa, Tibet, and flourished there for nearly 500 years. In 1959 Chinese governmental suppression forced the Gyuto monks, along with the Dalai Lama, to flee for India. There they began to rebuild their venerable order and reach out to the world for support. One of the monks' most unusual traditions also became their calling card: the low, guttural chants they had been practicing for generations. In the 1980s, under the benevolent wing of ethnomusicologist and Grateful Dead percussionist Mickey Hart, the Gyuto Monks traveled to America and recorded their music for Western ears. The results, as excellently documented on Tibetan Tantric Choir, are magical, mysterious, and mournful-a cycling, reverberating ocean of sound.
Buddhism understands life as a cycle of pain and joy, death and rebirth. The circling, mystical chants of the Gyuto Monks render this philosophy into music, with a heavy, elemental sound that speaks of the most foundational sources of life and spirit. The first of two extended pieces that make up Tibetan Tantric Choir, "Guhyasamaja Tantra, Chapter II," features only the monks and their voices. Together they chant, sounding otherworldly and monumental, in a series of rounded, slowly rolling patterns that subtly intensify before being released into long, sustained notes. The music is simple and direct but conceals many shades and variations in its folds. Each monk can actually sing multiple tones simultaneously, and their many-layered chords include higher, hidden notes that hover above the comb's-tooth chorus.
The second track, "Melody for Mahakala," adds spare and metallic percussion to the mix. The monks' chorus lifts slowly in soft, elongated chords, while at intervals the drums rattle, echo, and thunder. About halfway through the track, the percussion grows chaotic, clattering madly, and a thick horn brays on top. Then all dies into silence before the chorus rises back to the surface with its calm, humming tones. The deep, penetrating power of the Gyuto monks' voices stirs an unknowable place that exists in every human soul-a place that is too often ignored in the buzzing of day-to-day life. Listening to the Gyuto monks reawakens that elemental mystery and reminds listeners that being human is never a known quantity.
March 14, 2014
Expect Goodness
Sagittarius Daily Horoscope
Feelings of excitement can course through your soul unabated today, leaving you reeling from the wondrous notion that everything is going to be all right. Your positive attitude will likely unconsciously inspire you to adopt optimistic expectations regarding that which awaits you in the future. Because you are likely well aware of the scope of the hard work and dedication you have channeled into the process of goal-realization, you may be more than sure today that blessings will appear in your existence just around the next bend. This can be the perfect time to pursue slightly more challenging ambitions than usual, as your elation will buoy your spirits even when adversity strikes.
Our lives tend to be blessed with goodness when we expect that we will find enjoyment in the rigors of everyday living because we are better able to recognize potential sources of happiness. We also see ourselves of being deserving of joyful surprises and are less apt to discount our achievements in a misguided attempt at modesty. Every blessing that comes into our lives offers another chance for us to reaffirm our commitment to positivity, even when there are other circumstances unfolding in our lives that are not conducive to optimistic thinking. We are, in essence, ready to be pleasantly surprised by the world around us, and we are seldom disappointed by what we find as a consequence. The excitement you feel today will ensure that you never miss a single opportunity to be happy about the wonderful events taking place in your life.
March 14, 2014
No Reason to Worry
Feeling under the Weather
by Madisyn Taylor
Doing our difficult emotional cleansing can take a toll on us and make us feel run down, but this too will pass.
At times when we are detoxing our bodies, or going through the ascension process, we experience aches in our bodies and manifest flu like symptoms. We may find ourselves feeling fatigued and even sad, as if we might be coming down with something. This is a natural part of any cleansing process and commonly accompanies deep inner-work. As we are called to examine our emotions and our beliefs, which often prompts deep inner-changes as well as external shifts, our bodies grow tired. Feeling under the weather is the way they let us know that it’s time to take a break. It’s best to be easy on ourselves at times like these and not to keep pushing forward. Learning to listen to and honor our bodies is part of the process of becoming more conscious.
As soon as you notice you are not feeling well, make an effort to get extra sleep, whether by going to bed earlier than usual or working naps into your routine. You can also support your body by eating as healthy as possible, drinking plenty of water and herbal teas, and taking vitamins. Vitamin C is especially galvanizing to the immune system. Homeopathic remedies can also aid you in assisting your body in its time of rest and recovery. Talking lovingly to yourself, and your body, will also help. Beyond that, simply letting go of thinking and resting in the deep silence of your true self will speed your recovery. In addition, you can always call upon your guides and angels, asking them to ease the symptoms.
It is natural to go through times of feeling under the weather, so there is no reason for you to worry. On the contrary, feel free to let go of worry and rest peacefully in the knowledge that this too shall pass, leaving you stronger, healthier, and further along in your healing process.
Tibetan Tantric Choir
The Gyuto Monks
1986
Gyuto Tantric University, a Buddhist monastery, was founded in 1475 in Lhasa, Tibet, and flourished there for nearly 500 years. In 1959 Chinese governmental suppression forced the Gyuto monks, along with the Dalai Lama, to flee for India. There they began to rebuild their venerable order and reach out to the world for support. One of the monks' most unusual traditions also became their calling card: the low, guttural chants they had been practicing for generations. In the 1980s, under the benevolent wing of ethnomusicologist and Grateful Dead percussionist Mickey Hart, the Gyuto Monks traveled to America and recorded their music for Western ears. The results, as excellently documented on Tibetan Tantric Choir, are magical, mysterious, and mournful-a cycling, reverberating ocean of sound.
Buddhism understands life as a cycle of pain and joy, death and rebirth. The circling, mystical chants of the Gyuto Monks render this philosophy into music, with a heavy, elemental sound that speaks of the most foundational sources of life and spirit. The first of two extended pieces that make up Tibetan Tantric Choir, "Guhyasamaja Tantra, Chapter II," features only the monks and their voices. Together they chant, sounding otherworldly and monumental, in a series of rounded, slowly rolling patterns that subtly intensify before being released into long, sustained notes. The music is simple and direct but conceals many shades and variations in its folds. Each monk can actually sing multiple tones simultaneously, and their many-layered chords include higher, hidden notes that hover above the comb's-tooth chorus.
The second track, "Melody for Mahakala," adds spare and metallic percussion to the mix. The monks' chorus lifts slowly in soft, elongated chords, while at intervals the drums rattle, echo, and thunder. About halfway through the track, the percussion grows chaotic, clattering madly, and a thick horn brays on top. Then all dies into silence before the chorus rises back to the surface with its calm, humming tones. The deep, penetrating power of the Gyuto monks' voices stirs an unknowable place that exists in every human soul-a place that is too often ignored in the buzzing of day-to-day life. Listening to the Gyuto monks reawakens that elemental mystery and reminds listeners that being human is never a known quantity.
March 14, 2014
Expect Goodness
Sagittarius Daily Horoscope
Feelings of excitement can course through your soul unabated today, leaving you reeling from the wondrous notion that everything is going to be all right. Your positive attitude will likely unconsciously inspire you to adopt optimistic expectations regarding that which awaits you in the future. Because you are likely well aware of the scope of the hard work and dedication you have channeled into the process of goal-realization, you may be more than sure today that blessings will appear in your existence just around the next bend. This can be the perfect time to pursue slightly more challenging ambitions than usual, as your elation will buoy your spirits even when adversity strikes.
Our lives tend to be blessed with goodness when we expect that we will find enjoyment in the rigors of everyday living because we are better able to recognize potential sources of happiness. We also see ourselves of being deserving of joyful surprises and are less apt to discount our achievements in a misguided attempt at modesty. Every blessing that comes into our lives offers another chance for us to reaffirm our commitment to positivity, even when there are other circumstances unfolding in our lives that are not conducive to optimistic thinking. We are, in essence, ready to be pleasantly surprised by the world around us, and we are seldom disappointed by what we find as a consequence. The excitement you feel today will ensure that you never miss a single opportunity to be happy about the wonderful events taking place in your life.
March 14, 2014
No Reason to Worry
Feeling under the Weather
by Madisyn Taylor
Doing our difficult emotional cleansing can take a toll on us and make us feel run down, but this too will pass.
At times when we are detoxing our bodies, or going through the ascension process, we experience aches in our bodies and manifest flu like symptoms. We may find ourselves feeling fatigued and even sad, as if we might be coming down with something. This is a natural part of any cleansing process and commonly accompanies deep inner-work. As we are called to examine our emotions and our beliefs, which often prompts deep inner-changes as well as external shifts, our bodies grow tired. Feeling under the weather is the way they let us know that it’s time to take a break. It’s best to be easy on ourselves at times like these and not to keep pushing forward. Learning to listen to and honor our bodies is part of the process of becoming more conscious.
As soon as you notice you are not feeling well, make an effort to get extra sleep, whether by going to bed earlier than usual or working naps into your routine. You can also support your body by eating as healthy as possible, drinking plenty of water and herbal teas, and taking vitamins. Vitamin C is especially galvanizing to the immune system. Homeopathic remedies can also aid you in assisting your body in its time of rest and recovery. Talking lovingly to yourself, and your body, will also help. Beyond that, simply letting go of thinking and resting in the deep silence of your true self will speed your recovery. In addition, you can always call upon your guides and angels, asking them to ease the symptoms.
It is natural to go through times of feeling under the weather, so there is no reason for you to worry. On the contrary, feel free to let go of worry and rest peacefully in the knowledge that this too shall pass, leaving you stronger, healthier, and further along in your healing process.