A Call to Spirit: A Reflection on Musical Power

It has been over a decade now since I became ill with a mysterious illness that later became my wake up call. At the time of the illness, I endured a shamanic initiation in the urban world. I grew sensitive to light, sound, chemicals, food and everything around me. The medical establishment and various employers that didn’t believe I suffered from a real illness humiliated me. And after I was forced to walk away from my music career, (I was a solo artist at that time), I met healers who revealed my shamanic gift to me. Since that time, I have experienced many visions about the planet’s future, I have worked with various Spirits (animal, plant and human) and I have discovered my indigenous roots. And I have found the healing forces and hidden power of music, just as many of you have done.I know that many other musicians have experienced acute sensitivity to the world around them as well as, a call to the indigenous way of life. Many who recently died couldn’t handle the harshness of this planet any longer and they of course have my blessing for staying as long as they could. Musicians are sensitive whether they want to admit it or not. Watching the earth being bombed, watching people die needlessly while the powers steal from the common man and Mother Nature would cause anyone to consider death as an option. But the powers that be are not as powerful as the dormant musical force on this planet. So I call to musicians who sit alone crying in anguish over world events and so-called leadership. I call to the magicians, healers, shamans and messengers among you take up your true role on this planet. Don’t mistake fame and money for power and instead embrace your true power that is to serve the earth as volunteer healers. (You won’t need to sacrifice your paying gigs).

Now, I realize many people will tell me that musicians are already contributing to healing the earth by performing at benefit concerts for free or donating a track or two to compilations geared towards healing the earth (worthy efforts). But those efforts are worlds apart from the radical plan I will put forth here. I am asking musicians to join me, no matter where you are on the planet. You don’t need to travel, you don’t need to organize a music festival and you do not need to advertise your efforts in the media. What I am asking is for you to be humble and honor the earth by gathering with other musicians at places on the earth that need healing. If you have instruments use the instruments and if you don’t, sing and clap your hands in sync with your heartbeat. And make sure that these musical gathering takes place outdoors in nature.

The vision that came to me around 4 a.m. (August 30, 2003) was a picture of the earth that resembled Swiss cheese with the holes representing dark energy that needs to be healed. I envisioned musicians joining with indigenous elders, medicine people, avatars, shamans and wiccans and visiting places near them that have experienced recent wars and ancient warfare and send love via music to the earth. Other places that need healing are places where indigenous people were massacred, where bombs exploded and where natural disasters have come as a warning to heal the earth. You don’t need to gather at any set time and this healing can take place over the next couple of years, but we must begin this healing practice soon in order to restore harmony to the planet. Here’s a way for you to contribute your creativity, intuition and compassion to the planet.

Now, I want to inspire you by jogging your memory of your musical ancestors and current musical healing practices. The ancient Egyptians, Dogon people, Aztecs, the Mandinka Kingdom and other civilizations revered musicians. Musicians once played the roles of griots (messengers), leaders of ceremony and rituals, shamans and healers. These musicians performed roles in their various societies that served the people and earth. They were often of the musician class and often their training went beyond musical and embraced spiritual practices. For those of you who believe in reincarnation, you might recall a time where you performed in a sacred temple or perhaps you were a tribal drummer assisting shamans as they entered altered states. Perhaps, that is even your role in this life. If you feel a buzz in your head or limbs, if your heart beats quickly as you read my words, then you more than likely fit into this category and only now are you remembering your true role on this planet. Welcome. And for those of you way ahead of the curve and already performing healing work on the planet, I express my gratitude for your efforts.

Some of you reading this might think that I am a journalist that has eaten a bad mushroom or that I might be deluded. But there have been countless scientific studies that have proven both the healing powers of music and of prayer as well as, meditation. And if you look around you at the state of the earth, you can’t deny that we need to heal it and what better way to do that then through singing and drumming on the earth? One study by Japanese scientist Masaru Emoto (www.masaru-emoto.net/) revealed the healing properties of some music on water molecules. Toxic water would become pure after being exposed to prayer and certain types of music. And pure water would become toxic after exposed to words such as “hate,” and music with hateful lyrics. Imagine if our musical intent was to heal the earth? We could purify the lakes, rivers and the ocean en mass. We could purify the air that we breathe and clear toxins from the earth. We could restore this earth and its inhabitants, period.

As musicians we are the true power holders on the planet. Power doesn’t come from money or from prestige, as a lot of people would like us to believe, but true power comes from the love in our hearts and healing abilities through music. And if millions of musicians and aboriginal people around the planet join forces, nothing can stop us from restoring balance on the planet. We will herald in a new era of abundance and equality for all concerned.

So I return to the original call to musicians. Will you join me in dreaming a balanced planet? And will you join others who have experienced similar visions? Let’s move away from self-importance and unite for a common cause and that is to heal the earth as well as, each other. Namaste.

Compliments of Cranky Crow World Music.

Caution: In the event of extreme violence or danger, use your common sense and do not place yourselves in the line of danger. In some cases, healing ceremonies can be performed at a distance for troubled spots. Your intention is what heals not your proximity to the earth’s wounds.