Music
The first sign of maturity is the discovery that
the volume control knob also turns to the left.
                               “Smile” Zingers

Music is a splendid tool we can use in facilitating our building process and since it plays such a large part of our lives we thought to place it in a category of its own. A radio or portable CD player is part of the equipment list for most construction crews these days. Music provides a sound conducive to finding more pleasure in climbing those rafters and slinging cement in the construction process. Music is very conducive to our inner building process by providing tones to help us relax and become more deeply connected with the celestial harmonies of the universe. If you are searching for a universal language, it is music.

We also thought to offer you the above quote as a humorous reminder of the loudness of at least some stiles of music. Many of us experienced the rock and roll era where we liked our music painfully loud. If your music was not played at ear shattering volume, it was just uncool. Do you recall going to parties where you spent the entire time yelling at the person sitting right next to you in order to get a message across? Could we turn the volume down? No way. And how about in your car? I recall very recent times where I was going for a walk on a quiet side street and what I initially thought was the beginning of an earth tremor turned out to be a car coming up behind me with its music blasting so loud it literally disrupted my energy flow and entire train of thought. I also knew that while the loudness starled me, I could not judge or criticize and had to overlook it because I was reminded of doing the same thing in my youth.

All of this may beg the question, “Where is your volume control knob now.” Do you remember your parents grinding on you about playing your music too loud when you were young. Is the shoe on the other foot these days? Is the music your children are playing now too loud and nerve grating? Is this a sign of getting old? No, it is not. It is actually a sign of becoming more harmonized and awakening to hearing more softer and subtler vibrations. You may find that the closer you come to God and uncover the Peace and Serenity within the more peaceful you may want your surroundings. You may find not only a change in the volume but a change in the type of music you listen to. Remember that music is sound and sound is vibration. The more you allow the Holy Spirit to filter into your consciousness the more your spiritual vibration expands increases. You may gravitate into more subtle tones that flow smoothly and provide harmony to your mind. I found my musical tastes changing very early, long before I began my deep inner search. I found the old, heavy mental stuff became grating on my nerves. It began to produce a bodily effect of someone running their finger nails down a chalkboard.

Let’s face it, many of us were part of the rock and roll era and many still are. The rock and roll era served many a purpose, two of which we’ll examine. First the most obvious characteristic of rock and roll music is that it is typically played loud and that loudness did us good. The loudness and distortion caused us to get up and move both on the inside and outside. Though the music is loud, its vibrational harmony caused our inner energy to shake and stir. Remember that loud music is right along the lines of jet aircraft and train whistles on the decibel scale. Music played at a loud volume is not good for our ear drums, but believe it or not, it helps to push us further toward silence. You might say that rock and roll, especially some of the very loud heavy mental bands pushed at least some of us toward more subtle melodies. That is of course, for those who awaken to change. It helped to clear the cobwebs, so to speak, accumulated in our minds, making room for us to become acclimated to more subtle and softer tones of new age music. You might even compare rock and roll music with that of an explosion that helps to clear away debris. This compares with the expression. “It is always darkest just before the dawn.” “It is also loudest just before the quiet.” Woodstock is an example of people coming together in order to listen together and harmonize. Though drug use was fairly heavy, it was a relatively peaceful event. We know that you can get high on God and the softer melodies produce a relaxed state of mind naturally, without drugs.

Second, the lyrics of any songs are special as they exhibit the creativity and inspiration of the artist, however, the lyrics of rock and roll are truly amazing. If you were able to get past the loudness and focus on the lyrics, you’ll find the words insprational and meaningful, sending sending the most profound messages to the listening audience. In fact, the majority of lyrical quotes we’ve used throughout this course are from rock and roll artists.

THE CREATIVITY OF ARTISTS
If you can’t hear the music you like
Listen to the music that is playing.

God expresses through us in a multitude of ways and one of the most profound ways this is done is through music. The greater majority of lyrics revolve around one thing and one thing only, Love. The last four decades have produced a great change in music style and each served a definite purpose. The sixties saw the advent of the Beatles and the introduction to rock and roll. The Beatles were really mild rock and roll for during the seventies, rock and roll became louder, harder and produced the heavy metal bands. The eighties saw the advent of pop and Michael Jackson. The nineties was a culmination of these and we also saw the introduction and growth of a never before heard section in the record stores, “New Age Music.” There is, of course, much overlapping. There was also soul and fusion intertwined within these eras. Soul is gentle, seductive and sexy with a rhythm geared for slow inner movement. Soul is like some types of pop in slow motion. Fusion is also excellent and is one of my favorites to listen to. Fusion is what you might call new age jazz. It is a blend of instruments producing a cross between a slow and breezy blues rhythm to a more pick me up rhythm of pop. Some fusion combines the sounds of pop, soul, mild rock and roll and jazz into a truly colorful blend which is what I deem classy.

Everyone certainly has their favorites and I am no exception. There are many artists who have made an impact on the world through their music. In this author’s view, two artists that have made a profound influence on the world through music is the Beatles and Michael Jackson. The Beatles are truly a profound example of purpose in the entertainment industry. The destiny of the fab four was to change the world through music using the theme of love and they did so flawlessly. The impact that they made upon the world is beyond compare. The timing of the Beatles was impeccable. They were brought by the governing power of the Holy Spirit when we needed it. They came to the US at a time when love and forgiveness was needed. The United States was on the brink of dramatic social changes and war with Vietnam was in the midst. They came while the nation was in morning of the assassination of JFK. They brought a message of hope and love, letting us know that things were not so bad. The Beatles began a revolution, bringing a new hairstyle and a new attitude. This was seen in a negative fashion by parents because the parents didn’t approve of the Beatles and their seemingly long hair. The younger generation wanted to get hair cuts modeling the Beatles, which meant not getting it cut at all. This new look, along with the music itself, created a great stir within people and also caused a rebellion between parents and children. This rebellion was needed, however, because it gave the young people the courage to make their own place in society and go their own way.

The Beatles made their purpose apparent through their music, but perhaps none was more profound than their song “All You Need Is Love” during a time when the world was falling apart. Their answer was Love and nothing could be further from the truth. From I want to hold your hand to Come Together to Let it Be to All You Need is Love, the message is the same. All of their songs apply to our lives and to our course in self-mastery. You may find ”Help” and “The Long and Winding Road,” especially connective to your pursuit of self-discovery. The Beatles are one of the most profound examples of purpose in a universal and spiritual context. The Beatles were the greatest band ever. The Beatles did it first and did it right with class.