#A Monastic Trio

[jt1674]

[jazzdailyblog]

Alice Coltrane: The Spiritual Odyssey of Jazz's Mystical Visionary

Introduction: Alice Coltrane was a pioneer in blending the worlds of jazz and spirituality. Her journey from a talented jazz pianist to a revered spiritual leader is a testament to her unique vision and relentless pursuit of artistic and spiritual transcendence. Through her music, she explored the depths of human consciousness, drawing from a deep well of religious and philosophical influences.…

[boricuacherry-blog]

John's death was a theme, but so was a desire to surrender her ego, and to offer herself to something greater. In the sleeve notes for "A Monastic Trio" (1968), Alice's first album as a bandleader, the poet and critic Amiri Baraka called her "one earth bound projection of John's spirit."

She had no problem with being defined in terms of her husband's legacy, for some of the most radical music he made was an attempt to translate their private world for the masses. It was the "earth bound" part that she resisted.

On Alice's album covers, she often wore a look of dreamy preoccupation, and their titles - "World Galaxy," "Universal Consciousness" - easily aligned her with many of her outer-space-obsessed peers such as Sun Ra or Herbie Hancock.

[bubblesandgutz]

Every Record I Own - Day 789: Alice Coltrane Journey In Satchidananda

I'm sure I've mentioned it at some point over the course of these hundreds of posts, but I'll mention it again---one of the things I miss from the pre-streaming era is how you would go on tour and you would only have so many options for music. When I first started touring with bands, you just brought a half-dozen cassettes. Then it turned into bringing a binder of CDs. Then it turned into bringing an iPod. With each step, you could travel with more of your music library. While that was good for battling stagnation, it also meant that tours stopped having a particular soundtrack. In the age of streaming, we rarely listen to the same album twice in the van.

So when Russian Circles went to Europe for a six-week tour in Spring '22, I decided early on that I was going to have Alice Coltrane's Journey In Satchidananda as my default headphone music. I had just started getting into the record, and it seemed like a good album to throw on in quiet hotel rooms and long van rides.

Journey In Satchidananda wasn't the first Alice Coltrane record I've added to my collection, but it's become my favorite. It's far more straightforward and approachable than A Monastic Trio and far more stripped down than Universal Consciousness. Sure, it's still a jazz record, but it embraces a kind of minimalism that creates palpable hooks. And the Eastern flair in melodies and instrumentation gives it some of that classic late '60s / early '70s exoticism that just begs for lava lamps, low lights, and water pipes.

So it was a great winding-down-at-the-end-of-the-night album on tour. And I got a fair amount of mileage out of the actual LP when I was home. Then SUMAC went out on a summer tour and we wound up playing Journey In Satchidananda over the house PA during changeovers. It was easily my most played album last year.

So ultimately, my goal of creating a soundtrack to our spring tour kinda worked, though ultimately Journey In Satchidananda really just reminds me of the entirety of 2022.

[legofyggdrasil]

The Faithful

This is the fourth short story in in a series that I've posted. Please read them in release order. This is an original work of art. I do not consent to its use in AI training.

"Today is the day…" thought Ezra said as he sat in his chambers.

It had been a few weeks since they announced his ascension, and Ezra had been anxious ever since. He slept poorly, barely ate, couldn't keep up with his monastic chores. No one was coming down on him for the latter though, since his ascension was close.

Ezra sat in anxious thought as the past few weeks flashed before his eyes.

In his memory, he recalled the Priestess walk down a flight of stairs into the dining hall where him and his brothers were eating their morning meal. It was rare he saw a woman living the monastic life, let alone a woman of high standing as a Priestess of the Maiden.

The Priestess' eyes explored around the room in search of the next in line. Her eyes met Ezra's and his heart nearly stopped. For that moment, Ezra was completely vulnerable as if someone had torn away all of his defenses and left him as he was when he was first born. The Priestess smiled and walked towards Ezra.

"Would you accept this token of my favor?" the Priestess said to Ezra, holding out her hand with a handkerchief in it towards him.

The room was in cold silence. Many were as enraptured with the Priestess as Ezra was, others were in shock that someone as young as him would be the one.

Ezra, not thinking, held out his hand and took the handkerchief. The Priestess bowed to Ezra and took her leave. Everyone stared in silence, Ezra still in shock with the reality of his situation.

The following weeks everyone around him started acting differently. The older monks were a bit envious for they had spent their whole lives in worship of the Maiden without being chosen. The younger ones admired Ezra and started modeling themselves after him, with big dreams that they too can serve the Maiden. Ezra was like an eye of the storm, a calm that remained while everyone around him was swept one way or another.

The door creaked open, and Ezra's mind returned to the moment. The head Bishop entered, looking joyful at Ezra.

"My boy, it is time. What a glorious day!" said the Bishop as he held out his arms, gesturing to Ezra to the ritual chambers.

The walk was a quiet one, as the rest of the Monks were still in their rooms. Many still drunk from the past week's celebration of what was to happen.

Ezra entered the ritual chamber. The chamber was normally a simple one, a long hall with pews facing the front of the room. The front, a podium lit by the light of the sun cast through beautiful stained glass that told tales of the Maiden's gifts.

This day was different, as the room was adorned with many more flowers of white. The scent of incense wafted through the hall, a scent that Ezra could not identify. At the head of the hall were three people. On his left, the Priestess whom had chosen him. She was adorned with more jewels than before, and a dress of the finest silks. On the right side was the Bishop, whom had taken his place while Ezra froze, taking in the sights of the ritual chamber.

The center, right where the podium usually was someone he hadn't seen before. It was a woman with beautiful golden locks, but her face was covered by a veil. Even from behind the veil, Ezra could tell that she had a very commanding aura about her.

"Come Ezra my boy. Don't be shy!" said the Bishop with a large smile upon his face.

Ezra slowly made his way forward. He walked down between the pews of the ritual chamber. Beneath his feet he noticed was beautiful white rug that had an innocent sheen about it. Petals gently led his path towards the front of the room where the trio awaited him.

The Priestess moved closer and placed her hand on Ezra's shoulder. "Kneel." commanded the Priestess.

Ezra obeyed, getting down on one knee. His gaze returned to the Priestess. It was odd, she didn't have as much beauty compared before, Ezra thought.

"Ezra, do you to love the Maiden above all things?" asking the Bishop.

"I do." said Ezra, caught off guard by the sudden question.

"Do you swear your life to her cause?" asked the Priestess, reaching her hand out to Ezra.

"I do." said Ezra, as he places his hand in the Priestess'.

The center figure slowly moved forward and took the Ezra's hand from the Priestess. Ezra stared up in awe at this figure.

"Pray then to your Maiden, so you might know her love." the center figure spoke to Ezra.

Ezra obeyed again. With his free hand he clenched into a fist and held that to his heart. His eyes closed, focusing in on the sacred words. Ezra recalled the daily prayer he had been drilled into him since he was old enough to speak. Though it was something Ezra knew all too well, something about the words to him now carried far more weight than they did before.

"Our Maiden, love to thy name. Our flesh, from the Father born. Our breath, from her grace received. Our love, from her beauty sprang. We return ourselves to her. Giving freely that which we have been generously given." said Ezra, dutifully and concisely.

The veiled figure bent down to Ezra and kissed his forehead. "Your prayer has been accepted." said the figure.

The veiled figure stepped back. Ezra's hand was frozen in place from where this veiled figure once held it. A surge of strength opened from his chest, seemingly extending to his extended hand. Without warning pain emanated from Ezra's body. He wanted to scream, but his flesh felt hardened and unmoving. His legs, like roots dug into the ground. Ezra was barely able see his extended hand using only his eyes. What looked like a golden light was emerging from where his hand was extended.

The veiled figure stepped forward again and placed her hand on the light and plucked it.

Then nothing. Ezra stopped sensing anything and everything. No sight, sound, or feeling from any part of his body. The void of his senses filled his heart in terror as he could feel himself falling into a vast ocean of darkness.

That ocean swallowed him whole, as Ezra could feel his terror be intermingled with other feelings in that ocean. Fear, hate, sorrow, pain; all pierced him and flowed through him.

The drop, that was once Ezra, became a part of that ocean as he was no more.

[isaiahbie]

The Three Holy Hierarchs

In the Eastern calendar, today is the commemoration of the so-called Three Holy Hierarchs: Basil “the Great” of Caesarea (330-379), Gregory “the Theologian” of Nazianzus (320-389), and John Chrysostom, “the Golden-Mouthed,” bishop of Constantinople (347-407). Many of us are more familiar with the grouping of Basil and Gregory with Basil’s younger brother Gregory of Nyssa, the trio known as the Cappadocian Fathers. But the grouping of Basil and Nazianzen with John Chryostom is rooted in an eleventh century debate over which of the three was the greatest theologian, a debate allegedly resolved by a vision of the three to John the Bishop of Euchaita in which they declared their unity and equality. All three were defenders of Nicene orthodoxy and were committed churchmen (as was Gregory of Nyssa). All three were men of holiness and prayer. All three were supported by close Christian friends and family members, many of whom are also canonized in the Eastern tradition (especially noteworthy is Basil and Nyssen’s sister Macrina, a profound theological and spiritual influence on them both). But each of the three had his own unique gifting and personality, and each has his own lesson for today’s church. 1. Basil the Pastor underscores the importance of the church. He left a monastic life to pursue a public ministry in defense of the divinity of Christ. He soon conscripted his reluctant friend Gregory to the same task. 2. Gregory the Theologian teaches us to value the intellectual life. He is given the title “the Theologian” for a reason. Among his other writings, Gregory’s Five Theological Orations, preached to a small band of orthodox Christians while the see of Constantinople was in the hands of the heterodox, remain a classic defense of the doctrine of the Trinity. 3. John the Preacher reminds us of the power of proclaiming the Word of God. He was given the moniker “Golden-Mouthed” because of his remarkable gifts of oratory. Few in church history have moved the church more powerfully to obey all that Jesus demands in Holy Scripture. Men like these are an inspiration to the whole church of Jesus Christ. One need not be Orthodox or Roman Catholic to find great value in the lives of the saints. Yes, we understand that all Christians are already saints through faith in Jesus Christ. No, we will not be found asking the saints in heaven to intercede for us. But we confess belief in the communion of saints just the same. We too believe that all Christians share life together in the one body of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ. We too are the inheritors of the whole history of the church. All things are ours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or Basil or Gregory or John. And we are Christ’s and Christ is God’s (1 Corinthians 3:22-23). Considering the lives of the saints who have gone before us serves as inspiration to our own faith and life. Growth in Christian virtue takes place, by the grace of God, through habits inspired by exemplars. So, let us remember faithful pastors, theologians, and preachers like the Three Holy Hierarchs. And let us imitate their faith as they imitated our one Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 13:7; 1 Corinthians 11:1).

[gingerradiohour]

Ginger Radio Hour #055

Show Notes January 2, 2024

Listen to archived episode.

Theme: Vinyl extravaganza.

Playlist:

The Beach Boys “Pet Sounds” Album: Pet Sounds 1966

Madlib “Slim's Return” Album: Shades of Blue 2003

Ry Cooder & Manuel Galbán "Mambo Sinuendo” Album: Mambo Sinuendo 2003

Leni Okehu and His Surfboarders Album: Hawaiian Holiday 1959

Wah Wah Watson "Bubbles" Album: Elementary 1976

Asoka "1975" Album: Asoka 1971

Keith Jarrett "Starbright" Album: Facing You 1972

Duke Ellington "Laying On Mellow" Album: Duke Ellington’s 70th Birthday Concert (Recorded Live in England) 1969

Alice Coltrane "Gospel Trane" Album: A Monastic Trio 1968

Billie Holiday "Good Morning Heartache" Album: 16 Classic Tracks 1982

Richie Havens “Just Like A Woman” Album: Mixed Bag 1968

Prince & The Revolution "Paisley Park" Album: Around The World In A Day 1985

Fugees “Ready Or Not” Album: The Score 1996

Madlib “Young Warrior" Album: Shades of Blue 2003

[ssvas1966]

Mantra Deekshe - Swamy Gautamanandaji Maharaj

It was a long pursuit of scriptural studies, mostly with breaks and internal turmoil’s, doubts, side tracking of the goals, which finally culminated into me taking a practical step in the form of MANTRA DEEKSHE, which happened exactly one month ago.  This was like a total turnaround from a mere pursuit of philosophical studies, for satisfying the intellect and the ego, into a simple practice of spirituality which looks amazingly powerful than all the studies put together.  It is a new beginning and a very big step in my LIFE.  A small back ground as to what and all happened till now….

I started my earliest studies with Ramayana and Mahabharatha during my child hood days and also a bit of Bhagavadgitha.  Lord Ram was my favourite deity and Aaradhya Daiva.  I was attracted to the teachings of Lord Gautama Buddha and tried to understand him through the practice of Vipassana.  As an ardent follower of Naturopathy as a way of life and admirer of Yogic Sciences, did some studies in these aspects of life.  I got firmly rooted in the Indian way of natural life and Yoga as a method for a healthy living.  Deeply inspired by Mahatma Gandhi I had full faith in the nature’s ability to heal itself.  In the meanwhile, I had the privilege of studying Homeopathy for some time (for the sake of my children) and highly appreciated its curative abilities at very subtle levels of body and mind.

My formal study of Vedic literature commenced during 2010 when I started my initial studies in Prasthana trayas through Chinmaya International Studies.   It was not exactly a scriptural study and I got a glimpse through the Foundation and Advanced Course in Vedantha, as expounded by Adi Shankara.   The huge knowledge base in the form of Bhashyas, Sutras to Vedic lore deeply stirred my intellectual hunger and set a direction for my further studies.  A glimpse of the advaitic thought mesmerized me and I got deeply attracted towards it. 

This initial attraction for “Advaitha” became stronger when I studied Complete works of Vivekananda and his vision about our ancient culture opened up a new vista of knowledge.  I could easily correlate the teachings of Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, through his devout and courageous, monastic student Swamy Vivekananda.  It is not a co incidence that I started this journey in “Ramakrishna Ashram”, Basavanagudi, Bengaluru long back during my High school days in 1980s.  I used to regularly visit this place and the divine rock on which Mata Shri Sharada Devi sat and meditated.  I never knew that one day I would be part of this great lineage through the process of Mantra Deeksha.

I was very sceptical since beginning about following any particular method / order in the path of spirituality.   I never felt that I should follow someone or something, which might be due to egoistic ideas of self-realisation through own efforts.  My recent visit to Ramanasramam, in Tiruvannamalai kindled my desire to strongly cling on to one particular method as there are too many roads leading to the same place.  I had a strong feeling that the journey so far was only theoretical and as that of a bystander without any real progress, except for accumulation of knowledge and confusing ideas.  Though it all looked very peaceful and steady, my inner core was with turmoil and waiting for any small provocation.  This made me send a mail to Swamy Gautamanandaji Maharaj and within a few hours I got a firm reply also !!

As a preparation to this great event scheduled for 30-09-2019 I had to follow certain procedures which began nearly a month before.  After registering my name, I started reading three simple but powerful books on the “Holy Trio” – Shri Ramakrishna, Sharada Maa and Swamy Vivekananda.  We were also instructed to study a book “Spiritual Initiation – What it is ?”.  This book is a compilation of material culled from the three articles written by Swami Bhuteshananda Maharaj, former president of the Ramakrishna Order, and lucidly explains the need of guru in leading the spiritual aspirants along the spiritual path by giving a formula called mantra repeating which they can reach the Supreme Goal.   It is a very handy material for those thinking of taking spiritual initiation.  Most of my doubts got cleared with this and I determined to plunge into this great journey. 

On the appointed day, I went early in the morning with specified things for Deeksha programme.  Cheerful devotees were there already helping us in setting things right.  There was a small briefing previous evening by the Secretary Swamy as to the dos and don’ts for the “D” day. My mind was full of reverence and anxiety for a new beginning. About 105 aspirants were there, including 45 students starting a new journey.  We were asked to keep our things in a very orderly manner and sit at the appointed place.  Every step to be followed for the next six hours was told in great detail.  We had to stay put for the instructions and completely pay attention to the procedures.  It was the hall mark of disciplined monastic order getting reflected in this simple but significant ceremony of the Ramakrishna Math.  We have to very systematically follow the steps and it was to the precision that things happened like in a dream.

Swamy Gautamanandaji Maharaj was very kind and patient, explaining the whole process in minute detail and inspiring us to follow a new path of glory.  His melodious but firm voice and reassuring smiles in between took me to a different plane, and our flight had just taken off with his energies backing all of us.  What exactly happened between 6.30 am to 11.30 am cannot be described in words, but there was an elevation of our minds and the Japa journey has begun.  Through out the program, I was completely engrossed with devotion and there was a subtle excitement about the new journey.

Swamy Gautamanandaji Maharaj also took Mantra Deekshe in RK Math, Basavanagdi, Bengaluru in 1956 and it was our great privilege to follow this lineage.  Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa – Swamy Brahmananda – Swamy Veereshananda – Swamy Gautamananda ….  (Brahmananda, born Rakhal Chandra Ghosh, was one of the direct disciples of Ramakrishna and the first president of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. He was born in Sikra Kulingram near Basirhat, Kolkata. Ramakrishna recognised him as his 'spiritual son'. He became the first president of the mission.).

Its one month now and the practice of Japa is going on with a particular pace and I am sure there will be more to come.  During the last one month, I also read “Japa Yoga” by Shivananda which was found to be having very useful and practical tips. I tried to understand the Aratikram of RK Math and read a book by Swamy Harshananda “Aaraatrika Gaanagalu” which explained the meaning and significance of i) Khandcana Bhava Bandhana, ii) Om Hreem ritham iii) Sarva mangala mangalye iv) Prakratim – paramam, four stotras during Sandhayarathi.  I had only heard them during Aarathi and got fascinated with the rhythm and melody of the Stotras and now I got a chance to understand the significance and meaning.

This is just a small narrative of the divine experience I had, a month ago and I wrote this to express my deep gratitude for  Pujya Swamy Gautamanandaji Maharaj who very lovingly initiated us into this Holy order of Ramakrishna Math.  The journey has begun in a real sense and a distinct link got established with this small step.

Shri Gurubhyonamaha – Hari Om Tatsat - Shri Ramakrishnarpanamasthu.

S SRINIVAS

[blurrydog]

1.27.23 fri

18:09

a month since I last typed in here. 

new glasses, from  when? couple weeks ago

typing at the white moveable counter top 

in the kitchen

bright

stove water boiling, or fixing to boil 

behind me

alice coltrane playing on the speakers from the phone

a monastic trio

---

black beans and rice out of a bag

a mix

saying it like that makes you think i’m not into it but i am it’s okay

and it’s eyes for me. I wish this had a dark background

only in experimental situations

you can’t write like this and be taken seriously you know

you can’t 

or maybe you can

maybe they’ll see it’s okay

log back in to tumblr

clear some space in your mind

I wanted to go for a run on the treadmill which I haven’t done in a while but I will tomorrow

20 mins maybe or maybe 30 something light

maybe just an audio version.

--

I named this thing a while back

not sure if i'm into it anymore.

--

alice coltrane on the harp now

dog batting the ball around now

looking outside the window, just a parking lot

and cold

in florida i used to want the cold

oppressive heat

but heat makes you last i think

heat means life, those 90 year old

leather skinned folks basking

I get it now

i can see you baking yourselves covered in sunscreen

better than the cold black nothing of minnesota days and nights

and not even 7pm but everything dark.

beans and rice

keep on going.

[peixebalona]

Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda, 1937-2007

[the-underground-candy]

http://theundergroundcandy.blogspot.com/

[loneberry]

Alice Coltrane - Oceanic Beloved. Liquid glissando feels

[infantacarclina]

location & setting: the hôtel saint-pol

closed to @blanchedanjou

       the tapestries that adorned the walls of the hôtel saint-pol testified not only france’s taste, but the crown’s infinite fealty to christ above. woven into a tenebrous backdrop of millefleurs, an anjou prince from many epochs prior presented on bended knee a miniature model of the hôtel to the virgin mary, who appeared to float within a gilded aureola. whether it was clemency or salvation he sought, it was immortality he received: peering down at whomever gazed at this tapestry evermore. the infanta of portugal reached forth as if to caress the plaited textile, but inhibited herself just short of brushing the tips of her fingers against the blessed virgin’s flushed cheeks, as if to avoid sullying the artwork before her with her own wretched mortality. instead, her hand motioned to the coat of arms of the d’anjou family, taking pride of place in the upper-right of the cloth, where she gently skimmed the trio of fleur-de-lis that comprised the blue and gold emblem with her palm. france––as her mother bemoaned––could benefit from a reminder of its own impermanence. 

lodged in a distant reverie, it was not until she gave an ear to the tell-tale groan of a floorboard that carolina withdrew, clasped her hands neatly behind her spine, and readied herself to greet whomever approached the vacant sitting room.

“ ––– my lady the king’s mother. ” carolina’s brow quirked heavenward as she lowered in a deep and reverential bow. ( it was peculiar, she mused, that she should continue to address blanche d’anjou as the king’s mother, when her son was buried only a stone’s throw from the palace. ) “ i must admit, you were the last person i envisioned passing this threshold. i was informed that you would sooner take monastic orders than ingratiate yourself in courtly life –– has there been a change of heart, i wonder? ” 

[bubblesandgutz]

Every Record I Own - Day 529: Alice Coltrane A Monastic Trio

Goin’ a little out of sequence today, but after yesterday’s post about Harmonia, electronic music, and my somewhat vague rambling about music that “unfolds and reverberates within a real, definable space instead of merely existing in some synthetic headphone mix,” I figured it might be helpful to talk about a record that fully embodies an ideal when I talk about music having a sense of depth and dimension.

You know how bats have a sense of sonar? How they emit these little chirps and how they can get a sense of the dimension of their environment by the way the sound reverberates? I firmly believe we have some vestigial remnant of that trait in our DNA. Here’s a little exercise: play Alice Coltrane’s “Ohnedaruth” from A Monastic Trio on a good stereo system. Don’t use headphones. Doesn’t it sound like the band is in the room with you? It sounds like the drum kit is in a back corner and the bass player is just standing off to your right. Alice is at the piano, situated somewhere in the center of the room, hammering out her stormy melody. The goddamn tambourinist can’t sit still and keeps wandering all over the place. Some of this dimension obviously comes down to studio tricks like panning, where the signal is disproportionately placed in either the left or right channel to give the recording a stereo effect. But even without the panning, the three piece band (and that rogue tambourinist) sound like they’re performing in some definable space. It sounds real.  

By contrast, you can listen to some production-heavy rock band like Angels & Airwaves, and even though the engineer / producer had a field day with panning and EQing and putting reverb and delay on everything, it doesn’t sound like the band is in the room with you. It’s hard to even envision what kind of space the band occupied while they tracked their songs. It sounds good in that everything is articulate and clear, and it sounds interesting in that there are all kinds of tiny sonic details sprinkled throughout any given track, but something about it sounds very plastic and inauthentic. 

Studio effects like reverb help create the illusion of space, but one reason that the big reverberating drums on “When the Levee Breaks” sound infinitely cooler than, say, the drums on “The Adventure” is because Zeppelin tracked the drums in lobby of a three-story stone building with microphones situated around the surrounding stairwells, while I imagine Angels & Airwaves tracked their drums in an isolated studio environment that enabled the producer to add most of the sonic character with outboard effects. Apparently, a lot of audio engineers will tell you that adding more than two reverb sounds to a mix will actually flatten the recording rather than giving it a sense of depth. On some level, our brains understand that reverb is the sound of something echoing within a large room, but if you mix a bunch of different reverbs together, our brains also somehow understand that those echoes aren’t actually defining any sort of real space. We no longer get a sense of the room. Our vestigial sonar gets thrown off and it winds up sounding flat. 

Of course, there’s something to be said for artists and engineers who create their sonic realms with entirely manufactured sounds. They’re essentially creating a synthetic space from the ground up. And while that’s very cool, I personally find it difficult to get lost in those kinds of recordings. But a record like A Monastic Trio? It sounds immersive. It sounds like you’re right there in the studio with the band. And for me, the sense of being in the midst of the sound, rather than merely observing it, is ultimately more satisfying and more exciting.