THE MUSIC SPEAKS

Namaste and good evening.

There can be nothing more centering than listening to the right kind of music to put you in the right mood.

For praying the Rosary, I tend to turn to YouTube or to a beautifully rendered CD strictly for their backing musical tracks (sadly, I cannot find where I can separate them to listen to on the fly without the Rosary).

When you're in a blue mood, sometimes, the thought of the right song can settle your mind and emotions (the thought of the WRONG song at the moment can have a far more unfortunate effect).

I still listen to a lot of pop, 90's country, and 80's rock. Sadly, this does not do much for a meditative stance or quieting the mind, body, and soul when, instead, it unleashes my inner vocalist.

However, there ARE musicians/artists/song genres that DO help me to meditate by.

YOUTUBE: BRYAN MAGSAYO, ALYONA YARUSHINA, AND ARNEL PINEDA.

These are some incredible vocalists who have done some incredible covers (for Alyona, I tend to truly appreciate when she covers Bryan Adams, Roxette, or one of several 80's power ballads; for Bryan, I appreciate his cover of Survivor's "Man Against the World," Michael Bolton's "I Said I Loved You...But I Lied," Peabo Bryson's "If Ever You're In My Arms Again," James Ingraham's "Just Once," or Cheap Trick's "The Flame;" for Arnel [yes, the Arnel who replaced Steve Perry as Journey's frontman,] he did a rousing rendition of "All For Love" [Bryan Adams/Rod Stewart/Sting]).

Unfortunately, as far as I know, of these three, only Alyona has a Patreon complete with MP3 downloads of her music. However, I can always turn back to YouTube, find these three soloists, and let the music casually and calmly seep into my mind, soul, and spirit; just before going rogue and letting it pour out my vocal chords next...

ROSARY AND CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY CD (VINNY FLYNN/MERCY SONG)/ YOUTUBE ROSARY (CEDARS' ACTIVITY DEPARTMENT).

There is something deeply zen and meditative about shutting my mind off to the world around me and letting the words of the Rosary seep over me. Beautifully composed background music helps.

My morning walk is certainly helped along by allowing a single 23 minute track to play. I can meditate on the words and lyrics of the prayers; and truly focus my attention on a given intention for each mystery.

Or I will lie in bed upon first waking up for the day just long enough to turn my computer on in the next room so that WebRoot will run its morning scan on schedule; just before returning to bed and allowing my phone's YouTub app to play ITS version of the Rosary as I allow my mind to drift back to rest and refreshment.

Now, for MOST of my comprehensive music playlist, THAT is what Windows Media Player is still for...

MAN AGAINST THE WORLD (SURVIVOR)

Have you ever walked alone at night, like a man AGAINST THE WORLD???

Yes, yes; many a time, "Mr. Survivor" (I'm not quite obsessed enough with Survivor to know their singer's name).

These lyrics are hauntingly beautiful and I know that I am better at meditating on them than attempting to sing along.

Now, "Eye of the Tiger" on the other hand, is upscale and I only "meditate" on throwing shadow-boxes everytime I hear the guitar ("PUNCH! Sha-dow-PUNCH; Wiff-ing-PUNCH! BOX-ing-PUUUUUNCH!")

Yeah; not so zen and calming. Then the singer kicks in...

ON THE TURNING AWAY (PINK FLOYD)

This one deserves not one but TWO places in here; one for Pink Floyd's vocals; the other for a hauntingly beautiful cover of the backing track.

There is something heart and mind-wrenchingly zen about the quiet stillness of allowing "On the Turning Away" to just wash over you; and there's even something zen about even attempting to sing along...

SOLSBURY HILL (PIANO/BACKGROUND MUSIC COVER)

Everyone wants to talk about the VIDEO for Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" (and well they should).

I'd like to examine the beauty of "Solsbury Hill" as a song.

Maybe it DOES have religious undertones built into the lyrics; or maybe that's just too deep of a reading into Mr. Gabriel's lyrics.

If there ARE, then it just adds to the zen, meditative stature of "Solsbury Hill" (especially a decent instrumental cover).

JUST ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE

This is another beautiful instrumental cover; this time, of Phil Collins.

I don't know why I resorted back to an instrumental cover, when even the ORIGINAL had great, thoughtful, meditative instrumentals, complemented by Phil's performance and lyrics.

NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN (INSTRUMENTAL)

I first used THIS when writing medieval fantasy for NANOWRIMO several years back (when writing sword-and-sorcery, medieval epic, it is good to have instrumental music to meditate by as your write).

"Nights in White Satin," in particular, has a good track to meditate by too, even when I'm NOT in the midst of scripting sword play or a long journey.

PATRICK KRON ("HE-MAN"/"BRAVESTARR" ORCHESTRAL THEMES)/ANDY BELLING (STARCHASER: THE LEGEND OF ORIN SOUNDTRACK)/BILL CONTI (MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE MOTION PICTURE)/SHUKI LEVY (HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE TV SERIES).

Sometimes, meditative, zen moments are meant to project me back to times of innocence; like a childhood of watching the likes of "He-Man," "She-Ra," "Bravestarr," "M.A.S.K.," "Fat Albert," "G.I. Joe," or "Silverhawks."

With great animation came great theme music; especially when Patrick Kron tried to emote a full orchestra behind the main title theme to "HE-MAN" and "Bravestarr." (Even I have to admit that, for proper meditation, the insistent chants/bellows of "HE!-MAN!" should probably be missing. More on this in a minute). By delivering a soulful INSTRUMENTAL, Mr. Kron delivers and I leapt for childlike joy when I found these particular tracks on Amazon Digital Music after discovering them on YouTube.

Now, on to the connective works of Andy Belling, Bill Conti, Shuki Levy, and Kevin Kliesh (The true "Thundercats" reboot of 2011).

Once again, I included many of these instrumental tracks in many of my "Sword-and-Sorcery"/"Medieval"/"Epic" novels. There is something divinely meditative about scripting a scene made just for them (and, when reclining back in my chair for my mind to wander, the familiar, soothing instrumental accompaniment of certain tracks can truly wash over my mind, soul, and spirit. Again, in case of Shuki Levy, I'm not about to play the "Orko" theme or the "Bumbling Beastman" theme that struck up for comedy purposes. Oh; and NO constant chanting of "HE!-MAN!" over my meditative posturing either).

ROBYN MILLER ("MYST")

Remember a computer game called "Myst?"

I don't remember it for making it very far (or understanding the concept for that matter).

I remember beautiful, soothing, calming music and even more striking visuals.

CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIANITY

I'm thinking in terms of Chris Tomlin's "Take My Life," "Amazing Grace/My Chains are Gone," and "God of Angel Armies"; Michael W. Smith's "Place in this World" or "I Will Be Here for You" and Peter Cetera's "One Clear Voice."

There is something heartfully zen and meditative about the music and lyrics to each of these.

Again, music can be deeply meditative; and it's a subjective question as to what each person will listen to. Maybe for each occurence of "Solsbury Hill" or a "Journey" instrumental, you're thinking of Enya or Adele. Maybe you CAN meditate properly to Three Days Grace or Linkin Park. Maybe were you to BORROW that "He-man" (animated series) soundtrack, your first impulse would be to pump up the volume on the title track (complete with lyrics) and put that track on repeat. I am in no position to criticize YOUR zen, meditative music; and I only ask that you not criticize mine too harshly and without constructive merit either.

Namaste...