After recording this week’s podcast on the topic of spirituality and music, I went for an abbreviated walk just to get some fresh air.
I caught a good glimpse of the moon at one point, and watched in awe as the clouds moved in front of it, taking on a new colour in the process.
I was reminded about something I had noticed about sunsets as well, that sometimes the source of the light isn’t the most amazing thing, but the effect this light has on everything around it.
When I say the word radiation you might only think about yourself standing in front of the microwave as a child and maybe Chernobyl, but I can’t think of a better use of the word here.
Recording a podcast or a piece of music is an opportunity to radiate good energy into the world. By the same token smiling at a stranger on the street or picking up some litter can have the same effect.
I know I sometimes sound like Ned Flanders but I have come to realize that there is no alternative. Life is too short to close your heart. I came to this planet for a short visit and all I could do was complain about the soup being too cold? No way!
Just enjoy the sensory overload of the day for what it is, and find time to recharge your batteries in the morning or night once the world is finally ready to stop talking for a few hours. Those precious moments where you’re given the chance to do your most creative work.
I originally thought that discussing spirituality in music would present itself as a juicy topic for debate and possibly even controversy, but as I came to my senses I realized that this would totally miss the point of the topic and all the beauty that it offers.
That’s because music is a spiritual experience in itself, and a spiritual experience is highly individual.
Spirituality is just part of the hero’s journey that everyone embarks on for their life.
Find the artists that are a good fit for you and don’t look too deeply at the ones that are out of alignment with you (like Ned Flanders Fienberg over here).
The song from this episode is my piece Zebra, which you will hear in the episode that it is an unintentional copy of another song. That means I will likely have to rewrite parts of it in the future.
In the meantime though, a free mp3 of it is available in this Google Drive that i’ve started.
On the topic of spirituality and music, check out this amazing gospel song I’ve heard recently. Yes that might be Yeezy’s voice as the leader. Suspend your need to judge everything for just one minute and just enjoy this powerful mountain of sound 😁
The temperature is dropping in Toronto so I think the leaves are going to start really turning this week.
Enjoy an autumn bagel with a warm coffee, and get ready to start putting your guitars in the cases as humidity begins to drop.
Elliott “Ned” Fienberg