A lot of research has been coming out lately about inheriting the memories of our forbears and how they might be affecting positively or negatively our genetic and psychological make up. This research goes way deeper than just the expression of body shape, facial similarities, hair and eye colour – it is investigating how we receive the experiential memories of our ancestors and therefore passing on our own memories to our own children. Just google “transgenerational epigenetic inheritance” and you’ll find a host of articles. This month’s composition Ancestors Rising was inspired by the recent and particularly strong sensation of the presence of my Grandmother Amy – who died in 1987. Over the years she has “popped” in and out in ways that are synchronistic (e.g.: Thinking of her and someone on the TV saying her name – simple things like that) to the physical sensation of her in the room with me, the smell of her favourite flower – gardenias, even when there are none flowering – as well as her touching me on the hand or shoulder. On many occasions, when in a meditational state, I’ve traveled in my mind’s eye to places, landscapes, seen faces, and hadAncestors Rising – by Stephen Fearnley
Beyond Karma – by Stephen Fearnley
Image: Heather Lee, Gyuto Monks of Tibet & Kim Cunio in studio 227 (photo: Geoff Wood) I highly recommend you drop what you’re doing and go to the Radio National ( Australian ABC ) website link and download /podcast the article “ Beyond Karma , Beyond Chant “ and listen ! http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/rhythmdivine/beyond-karma,-beyond-chant/7322580 Here you will find the most engaging radio article Ive heard in a very long time : the musical journey of Kim Cunio, Heather Lee , the Gyuto Monks of Tibet and the making of a most astonishing album called “Beyond Karma” ( I grabbed mine off ITunes ). There are so many levels, sonic and cosmological going-off here I really don’t know where to start. Its a “mash up” – a term used by the presenter of the radio show – but what a mash up ! I am only familiar with the use of that term when referring to DJ trance remixes. However ‘mash up’ in the case of this beautiful collaboration isn’t actually a mash up- there is no mashing going on in the slightest. It is a very conscious coming together of western and eastern cultures- combining the astonishing drone-prayers of the monks withBeyond Karma – by Stephen Fearnley
Put Yourself In Beauty’s Way
I want to share two things with you. “Expanding Peace” (this month’s Composers Choice) and a picture. Expanding Peace is a deep trance piece – so please don’t operate the dishwasher! The other day I was feeling stressed. After finally realising that there was no sabre tooth tiger about to eat me , I was able to break the fight / flight chemical ‘stress-trance’ I was in, by reminding myself to go find something beautiful. This is a habit I have nurtured over time. It works. Simply go discover something beautiful…immediately. At the time, I was in a museum. I found a brass plaque with the most exquisite light bouncing off it – I saw within the golden metal, a landscape – a seascape – with a beautiful horizon line like the ocean. It looked like a painting by Turner. I took a photo out of disbelief. Shortly, I realised I was back in balance again, having discovered my ‘little wonder’. So, when you need to quickly find remedy for stress-ness start looking for ‘little wonders’ around you. Put on your close-up cinematic eye. Force a state of playfulness as a circuit breaker and take a few pictures with yourPut Yourself In Beauty’s Way
Beloved – by Stephen Fearnley
A clear warm afternoon, a dusty road, a verandah, a view. Summer in Australia. This month’s Composer’s Choice composition is called “Beloved”. I wrote it for our special Valentine’s Event. It’s about old friends, country comforts and the sound of crickets and frogs in the early evening as there are dogs jumping through the tussock grass aglow with the rose-gold light of sunset. For all our friends in the northern hemisphere this is a bath of sunlight for you. It’s full of pinks and ochres. It’s full of swelling orange tones and slow, very slow transitions of saffron converging with the crimsons. It’s also in the key of F as well as the Lydian scale – The heart zone – and all the instruments are tuned to 432 Hz. – Play it when you need to fill the space with this particular ancient prescription of sound and vibrational form. Sonically yours Steve Stephen Fearnley is an award-winning filmmaker, artist and composer. He composes transformational soundscapes for the meditation journeys guided by Naomi Carling and facilitated by Naomi Janzen for One Mind Live – a unique worldwide online group meditation community. To sample One Mind Live, go HERE