SolarSoul said:
For me the people of Mali, Senegal and Gambia have developed the finest and highly evolved musical artform. Tot only are they for me personally one of the most beautifully looking people but also have one of the most beautifully melodic flowing languages. The combination of elegance, melancholy, surrender,warmth, strength and melodic complexity and precision without the loss of harmony is truly breathtaking.
I have noticed that by LISTENING to a peoples music and language you can perceive the quality of their soul-consiousness (if such an odd term can be allowed), or the way they SUPRESS it.
I am not doing any lobbying here just to be clear, I have no personal ties to these countries at least not in my present incarnation. My physical genetics are half German half igbo/Nigerian and both of these do not have the exquisite sense of beauty and sensitivity. The germans are too stiff, cold and overly rational, while the igbos are too gross, clumsy and materialistic. I do not try to generalize here but I have noticed that nations and peoples, do create a sort of collective carpet of consciousness that has specific qualities to it. The more unaware people are the more passively they partake in this field. For me the whole human consciousness is a very negative state of existence that has except for some rare exceptions a disgusting fragrance to it.
Here some examples of exceptional pieces:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muKYuDVs_kk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB_EEFcM6TE&list=FLwssWy1ONRfGot7kz-kWwYQ&index=33
Hi, SolarSoul! :) I want to thank you for sharing this beautiful and deeply moving music. For me, Sona's songs are the true expression of the shamanic spirit, a living spirit! And it's not a coincidence that she is a Woman! Although there are Man shaman too ( it will become apparent later). Real ones! I also think what you wrote about Sufis and your feelings while listening to a prayer it's very valuable. And I agree with you about powerful healing effects of music. I want to point out to you that the examples of the true music can be found in many different cultures around the world. Just search on our Forum, an you will find it. "What you are listening to" and "Your favorite classical tunes..." are two good places to start.
When I read "My physical genetics are half German half igbo/Nigerian and both of these do not have the exquisite sense of beauty and sensitivity", it looks to me that you're trying to deny your heritage, because there is something important that you still don't see. And this, "The germans are too stiff, cold and overly rational, while the igbos are too gross, clumsy and materialistic" just a confirmation of this fact, I think. ITo explain, I want to share with you my story.
When I came to the US, I was in a deep state of trauma and depression, and in a very bad state of health, basically, on the verge of death. It happened right after I had to urgently fly back home to Kiev because my mother was really sick and dying. What had transpired there made me relive all the painful events of my childhood: my mother's suffering and my grandmother violence. It bought me to a point that a I had to make one of the hardest decisions of my life – to leave my mother and go back to Mexico. She refused to get psychiatric help, although physically she got better. When I came she looked like a skeleton. Literally. At the end of my stay there, I looked a like a skeleton weighting 45 kg or less. Scary, isn't it? Well, it was. That made me realize that if I don't leave now, I will simply die. My body organs were shutting down one by one. After returning to Mexico City, all my memories and feelings began to come out. I was very week, I couldn't process it all. And then, by the very weird "coincidence", I was brought to the US. Like a sack of potatoes. :) My inner voice was telling me that is a bad thing to do, mostly because this 'offer' came through one individual that I felt deeply was a really bad one. I was trying to explain to my ex-husband that it's a really bad decision to move, but he wouldn't listen.
Actually, in Mexico after my return, I got a lot of help and that helped to survive and get better physically. I only realized this much later. One of the students of my ex-husband (he was a teacher in the Escuela Superior de Musica) learned about my situation, he generously offered to drive with me and my ex-husband to a place on the outskirts of Mexico City where a real shaman, the curandero (I think his name is Don Juan) lived and worked. When we came to his place ( I think his name is Don Juan or Don Genaro), he took me in right away despite that many people in much worse condition were waiting for him on the little plaza where his home stood. What struck me at that time that this great man lived in conditions what by Western standards would be considered an absolute poverty. And he didn't mind that at all, he was helping people day and night, helping all who came to him for help. What a beautiful human being he is! So, he took me in, put me on wooden bed, and he began doing something that is hard for me to describe. I was in a kind of a trance state. It seemed to me that he wasn't even touching my body. He told me to move my body to the different positions and helped me when I couldn't do it by myself. I don't know how long his treatment lasted, but when he finished he only said one thing to me: "Woman, what did you do to you yourself!" And told my ex-husband that if I don't get better soon, I need to be put into a hospital, and wrote a note with the name of the medicine I needed in case my situation worsened. I don't remember the name of it, but it was something really simple. Some salt, perhaps.. After this visit, I had a real turn around. I was feeling better physically. And I want to express my deep gratitude to two people who really saved my life.
By now, I think they can feel that already :) And that gives much peace.
To continue with the story, I came to the US, being emotionally really troubled, although physically better. And when I saw how many people were living in here, it gave me a real sense of dispair. I saw shiny cars every where. It seemed at that time that people here only preoccupied with buying new cars, big houses, the new clothes that were in fashion, each for each season: taking, taking... And I was truly disgusted with that. I couldn't understand how people can live like that. I simply couldn't see real people and how they lived here, in the US, because of the state was in. Back home, in Kiev, through all difficult times people went through ('perestroika', Chernobyl accident, empty food stores and so on), I was really blessed with a good system of support. We helped each other with everything: standing in long lines in the stores, when something was available), buying not for ourselves, but for others as well and distributing food and other items between ourselves. It was a real circle of support and care. All my life, I have this deep sense of longing for something really true and good. It was fulfilled when I had been living in Kiev. But when I moved, I was cut off of this vital circle of love.
When I found Laura's work and SoTT, I started reading like crazy. And I crazy I was :) I couldn't stop. Some info I got, really helped to make good decisions especially regarding my daughters health: to refuse vaccinations, to start treating her myself, using homeopathy, herbalism, massage, and so on. But my real breakthrough only came when I started posting on SoTT and on the Forum here. It's like a stream of living energy began to work through me. At that time, I had a really good massage (5 sessions) from really gifted massage therapist (Big Thank you to him for all his work). And that initiated the process of Releasing trauma. Since then, I have been reading, thinking, listening to all kinds of good music constantly. Adapting Paleo, and then ketogenic diet, is a tremendous help. Yes, the process has been really painful, really painful. You see, it cannot be any other way. Now, instead of running from pain, holding it in at the same time, as I did before, I embrace it now. It's a real transformation process. And I'm really glad I'm going through all that I went through before.
And Now, I see that it's not people in the US, or elsewhere, it's the 'culture' that was forced upon people. And real people in the US don't live like that. Their lives are full of meaning, love and support for each other. I see it everywhere now. I fills me with so much love and hope everyday that is difficult to express in words. It's where the good music is a really big help. So, I listened to it more and more. You see, people are People. Good people carry their music with them no matter what where they live. They express all the love their feel in their hearts through music and good deeds.
And if you wondering what is all of this has to do with you, I will only say this. I have a feeling that some parts of my story, if you deeply contemplate on it, will help you. And I Hope it helps. And keep listening to good music!
And please think about all the good comments expressed in this thread by the members of our Forum. Happy learning!