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As you all know by now, Tessa passed away some time ago.
Tessa had to shop online as she was wheelchair-bound because of the cancer
that finally took her from us. This web page was her idea and I know she
wants us to keep it running, so from time to time we will have guest writers
advising us about their favourite items that you can buy online. This
is not quite her concept of 'Honest Shopping Online' where we test the
vendor, but it is the best we can do. In this issue Nan Hawk is joining
us to recommend inspirational music for our ears. |
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Dear Readers, My name is Nan Hawk and I used to help Judy set out the Wiccan page. I was asked to step in and help on Tessa's page for this issue - so here goes! 'Music hath charms to uplift the consciousness'; I know the phrase does not quite go that way but the fact remains that music does uplift my consciousness. I am very selective about what I listen to, and was seeking something new that would raise the 'vibe' for this page. I found a few absolutely sparkling gems over the past four or so months. Let me share some with you. |
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Dada Nabhaniilananda |
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| I was taken immediately when I first heard one of his cuts and wanted more. Simply put, this music puts me in a good mood. If I am feeling cold and lonely, I think, "Quick! Where's the Dada N?!" and pop in this music. He is a gifted wordsmith and musician and has a voice and mellow sound that reminds me of Cat Stevens. The musical arrangements suggest his lifelong study of music very effectively. Fire Dragon, his first album, is (in my emergency kit) my favourite. Many songs are breathtakingly beautiful. He writes and sings spiritual experiences and ecological or human rights issues. I had to have his three CDs as soon as possible! I ordered them from www.eternalwave.com. You can download one song for free and order three CDs for the price of one and have a complete Dada Nabhaniilananda music (so far) collection. If you go to eternalwave.com, you might see Dada has also published a book on meditation. Let me be the first to recommend it to all of you. It is not just some simple instructions the bulk of which are 'counting down to go deeper' as most books on meditation are, but an insightful discussion and analytical examination, with much more. It's all in clear, concise terms that can easily be read and understood. I think anyone on any spiritual path should have this in their library. The name Dada means 'brother', and he is a yogi monk. Listen to a few cuts and a videos for free at his myspace: http://www.myspace.com/dadanabhaniilananda You can also find out more about him by reading through his Myspace entry. |
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Listening to the Heart by Oliver Shanti & Friends |
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This instrumental album reminds me of a sunny afternoon with sweet fragrances of incense. I am going to describe some of the tracks that I like on this cd; they are just my own impressions. I hope you will find them as pleasurable as I do: 01. Waves Of Symphony - A sparkling peacefully textured arrangement that brings an image of an asiatic garden filled with dappling shade trees, wind, and water to my mind. At the end, there is the feeling of entering space and going through the ether to the next cut when you become ... 02. Beating Heart - ... aware now of the body's clockwork, the music
seems to describe it, accompanied with fluids coursing through our veins
described by other patterns and rhythms by instrumentation. |
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03. Listening to the Heart - In the peaceful inner realm of the heart now, delicate and varied sounds of light. A most hypnotic piece with a strong sense of understood mystery. 04. Rainbow Liberty - as the title of this cut implies, it is fathomable as if the music can describe the concept. 05. Mirror Of Sea Reflects The Mind - This arrangement describes the sense of being in a vessel on a gently moving sea that glitters with sunlight. The boat calmly floats farther and farther out toward the centre. The artist uses the sound of real ocean waves to enhance the imagery of this lulling sensation. Touches of meditative instruments suggest a feel of just what kind of sea could be supporting the vessel. 06. Maha maha Maha Deva - Deity is coming through this weaving of sound that seems to contain a soft appearances of kiirtan* chant. 07. Kriya Galaxy - More vocalizing, ohmm here and there and touches of chanting with music picking up a pleasant radiating as the deity has appeared, alive, full and embracing. The album ends seeming to suggest the observance is finished for now and we go on about the business of daily living. * Kiirtan: [keer-tan'] A Sanscrit word for a type of devotional chanting and music |
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Magical Healing Mantras by Namaste |
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Definitely a different and refreshing CD. This album is in my survival kit. Harmonizing vocals chant in front of drums, flutes, acoustic guitars, sitars, other exotic instruments weaving compelling rhythms. It is more personable than the typical and very carefully arranged piece, a number of singers and musicians contribute to make the sound. I pop this in my cd player and feel renewed! Let me describe some of my favourite tracks to inspire you to listen to the samples on amazon.com. I didn't write a review for every song on the album as I want to encourage you, Dear Reader, to give a go: |
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Shiva Shambo - Men humming and stirring of instruments lead this into gentle drumming and acoustics, other light percussion as the chanting begins. It is a long enough cut to leave you with a satisfied feeling, where some tracks are too short and you are sad that they are over, or too long and drifty and you cannot stick with it, this one is just-enough. Govindam - The instruments are accompanied by crickets as this one gently opens and comes to life with acoustics and woodsy sounds. It feels like being in a warm forest night around a warm fire. I find the chanting harmony is gentle and compelling. Aum Shree Ram - This begins with an uplifting yet still gentle melody. The chanting just feels friendly to me. Jaya Shiva Shankara - A female harmonising chant compelling the listener to follow suit, with a richly textured instrumental backup. Well that's all for now folks - I hope you all enjoy some of the sounds that bring me peace of mind. © 2007 Nan Hawk |
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This cd is only available at www.amazon.com. Click the underlined text to visit Amazon.com. Prices range from $24.99 plus shipping.
Magical
healing mantras by Namaste from Amazon.co.uk
From £10.99 for new, £6.10 used. Click on underlined text above to go
to Amazon.co.uk.