Altered States: Ritual, Shamanic & Meditative Music Thread

This is rather wonderful - from the great 1960s LP - East Meets West - Ravi Shankar with violin maestro Yehudi Menuhin - playing a 'raag' - an improvisional duet. Demonstrating how different music scales can be blended and merged into one - thus symbolising how east and West cultures can find common ground - absolutely AWESOME!

Another almost forgotten recording. So sad how much we're losing...

You're very welcome. To all of you who have responded - your interest means so much to me. I've spent decades wondering if I was the only person left who was interested in this. I have listened to this music since I was three, when my father sat me on his knee when he came home from work in the evenings and played me album after album. It had a tremendous impact on my life, who I am.

It's been very sad thinking I was the last one left who appreciated such things.

Thank you - all of you - for the realisation that there are still others out there who appreciate music which reaches out to our very soul.

We are united in music.

Ancient Christian music... the music of the Knights Templar...
Very powerful.

Thank you so much for posting this!

Thank you OP, great thread! Most of this music is rooted in folklore. I tried to do something similar 3 years ago:

Thread: Folklore


With not much of a success...I am glad that times changing, and people discover their roots, while realizing how much we are alike in all corners of the Earth.



Last Edited by emerald_glow on 02/13/2011 02:56 PM

Thank you for blazing the trail for this thread! I hadn't seen it before. I also feared this one would die before it even started. Nice to know there's a few of us out there keeping the flame burning bright.

Been on this all day today... have to spend time with my family now... but please, feel free to join in...

In music we are united.

Have a pleasant family time, OP:-)

here is my contribution:

Thanks OP, fantastic music collection, thanks for bringing them to our attention. I really loved the 'Salve Regina' from the Ensemble Organum / Les Chant des Templiers CD, and ordered it this morning.

What is it about us Humans, that makes us want to trance out?

When we truly surrender to trance out activities, it turns off the part of our brains that engages in critical thinking. It seems like we need to do this now and then, all throughout history, in every culture; seems like we evolved this way. What's going on?

just sayin', good to see you again canis, i just was not sure if i were to see you again ... after a volcano erupted somewhat within our consciousness here on glp ... namaste'

What name did you go by before?

So-called "altered states" of consciousness are fundamental to the development of human societies and, most probably, biological evolution as well.

The real question we should be asking is: WHO DOESN'T want us to "trance out" now and why???

Last Edited by Least Servant on 02/13/2011 08:55 PM

Being rather more sensitive to earth energies than I would like, the recent large solar flares have meant I'm currently unable to sleep.

I thought I'd add a couple more tracks which might help me relax a bit.

The following two tracks are from master kora players, Toumani Diabate and Ballake Sissoko, both members of the West African 'Griot' musician/storyteller/genealogist caste. The Diabate clan can trace their ancesters back 800 years. In the past, certain Griot musicians were known to use their music to heal, wandering the land and singing special songs that addressed the soul of any afflicted person they encountered...

The sweet, blissful smile Diabate has when playing this beautiful harp-like instrument gives you an idea of how that might be possible...

Toumanni Diabate and Ballake Sissoko - 'Bi Lamban'



Toumani Diabate playing 'Cantelowes' live:

The last 10 days since the Lunar New Year... I have been squeezed for my energies like a grape!!!

The last 10 days since the Lunar New Year... I have been squeezed for my energies like a grape!!!


I hear ya!

Let's have some Byzantine chant... very restful... 'O Trisagios Ymnos' - the Thrice Holy Hymn. The Byzantine Master who sings this is amazing:

The haunting, meditative 'Disposition' from Tool. The stunning artwork is by Alex Grey, who illustrates much of Tool's work.

cheers for the embedding op. i think i get how to do it now. heres a couple more :)

[link to www.youtube.com]

or perhaps not.... one more try

This thread deserves a !