Intergalactic Travel

I have a million playlists for a million different things: music for writing, tunes for cruisin’, classical versions of 2000’s pop songs, jazzy vibes to pair with a glass of wine, café melodies for a rainy day, cardio tracks to hit the pavement, beast mode beats to lift heavy for a few hours, fierce femme hits to lift lighter for less while still kicking my own butt, dance covers for cleaning, Spanish guitar for reading, EDM for when the mood strikes, a little David Arkenstone to bring out my inner witch, and a combo of everything representing the soundtrack of my life.

So, when piecing together a Zen playlist, my intent is very specific and it should do three things: relocate, remove, rejuvenate.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/54Iab6PrPVVKuZz6Y0lrer?si=b21646328ee34c6c

First, I look to be whisked away to some far off, picturesque location. Asian Flute Music Oasis’ “Relaxing Water” provides a canvas for beautiful imagery as I listen to the sound of water traveling playfully in front of me. I can feel the sun on my back, a warm breeze on my face, my toes in the cool water resting on a large river rock beneath that is now smooth after years of being submerged. My jeans are rolled up to my knees to avoid getting wet, but the seat of them is absorbing the moisture from the damp riverbank where I’ve situated myself. My hands play with the dirt around me, feeling the granules wedge their way under each fingernail. I have forgotten where I really am… just focusing on the movement of the river and the serenity of my surroundings.

Relocate? Check.

Second, I wish for my burdens and responsibilities to be removed. There is no better way to achieve that than out of this world. Floating through space, swimming among the stars, and weaving between the constellations is fantastic imagery. Dreamstate Logic’s “Starseed Transmissions” takes me there, the melodic beats guiding my brainwaves. An important aspect of my mediation routine is to shake off the burdens or stressors weighing me down, allowing me to let go and just breathe. Focusing on a weightless sensation surrounded by a view of an infinitely vast galaxy totally removes that pressure. If I stay out there long enough, floating through space, I can really concentrate on that feeling in my mind and take it back with me.

Remove? Check.

And finally, I hope to feel rejuvenated when I return. While my physical body remained in bed, on a crowded airplane, or in an uncomfortable chair somewhere, my mind has just traveled millions of miles. The whole point of that journey was to find peace of mind, shed tension and anxiety, and rebalance by recentering my core. Soothing and uplifting my cognizance is the final phase, so I aim for something a little more upbeat as I come back to reality. “Floral Decor” by Lstn has a quick but smooth tempo, resulting in a phenomenal vibrational experience taking place within. Sometimes it hurts to come back down, and I’ve found this provides a smooth declination through the atmosphere.

Rejuvenate? Check.

Life can be complicated, fast-paced, anxiety-filled, and as we navigate the unknown trying to do everything harder, faster, longer, and more efficiently, we plunge further and further down the rabbit hole. Thus, I have worked diligently utilizing music to guide my life to crawl out of said hole (as noted in the multiple playlists above) and keep my feet firmly planted.

However, nothing around me appears to be grounded; I see panic, frustration, impatience, worry, and anger. If I’m not paying attention, I find myself unwittingly sucked back down that same rabbit hole I just climbed out of due to someone else or a situation out of my control... Then, my Zen playlist becomes even more important. I’m not just working to offset my own struggles, but also those of everyone and everything around me.

Relocate. Remove. Rejuvenate.

Repeat.