Russian Orthodox Chronicles

Storytime. For those who haven't figured it out I'm a spiritual guy. Though I hate that word because it has come to mean New Agey, cheesy, snake oil, Deepak Chopra/Oprah loving self-centered weirdness I don't know of a better term. I suppose, in the end, like of all of us, I seek Truth and a vehicle to get there.

In essence I'm a sinner saved by grace but that doesn't mean I'm not an idiot most days and it sure doesn't mean I'm perfect nor have I found my way. I still find myself dabbling and non-committing and basically avoiding what I know I'm supposed to do. However, I do have those places to which I can return when my ego isn't in the way.

Such is the tale here. Back when I was pursuing a higher education in things religious, I had a teacher who invited us over to his house for some Buddhist meditation. I was open to and learning about anything and everything religious. I had done that for years anyhow but now I had a cover to do it openly. Pretty trippy stuff that meditation. First time I actually had someone guide me through meditation and when the carpet started to move I was at once entranced and a bit freaked out (mostly because this was chemical free). 

There was this music playing when we had first arrived and I, curious soul that I am, studied the album cover and made a mental note of the Hearts of Space connection. I had gone through a serious HOS phase as I was immersed in my JMJ, Kitaro and Windham Hill phase of looking for higher planes of consciousness through music rather than funneling anger into banging my head and filling my gut with alcohol.

Remembered hearing this little ditty on one of the Saturday mornings with Stephen Hill...

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Though it took a long time to get this one (I started with the second album in this series), I came to realize the radio broadcast was from the same album I heard that night.

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As the Web continued to open up the ability to discover musical mysteries I would never have otherwise discovered, I went through an everything Bill Laswell phase which opened up to me even more genres of music. One of Laswell's trademarks within the musical universe is to mash and meld genres that shouldn't go together. I eventually, perhaps inevitably, stumbled across this little gem which I picked up on CD.

Issued only in Germany (meaning I never would have discovered it before the Web), it remains to me one of the stronger albums in his repertoire and one that I revisit more than others.

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And, eventually,  a more traditional recording of the original.

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So the universe was aligned, my mind was once again slowed down and peace reigned. These tunes still take me back to 'that' place. It's a marvel how, if you allow it, music can transform your world rather than merely reinforce the mood which you are already occupying and seeking something to further fuel it. 

Allow yourself to be transported...