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Wednesday 25 May 2005 The Church of Rock & Roll Well, I studied many of the well-known religions, philosophies and spiritual concepts for many years, and about eight years ago, life finally began to make more sense. At that same time, I also gained a new appreciation for what a profoundly spiritual force Rock & Roll can be! We all have an Ego, which gives us a distinct and unique identity, but also separates us, to a large degree, from the Power of the Universe; a force that many people call God. The more that we strengthen and reinforce our Egos, the more that we are separated from that Power, and the more painful life becomes. The more pain we are in, the more we like to Pass on that Pain to other people, in an attempt to bring relief. Therefore, the only purpose of any religion, philosophy or spiritual understanding SHOULD BE to teach us how lessen and weaken the grip that our Egos have over our lives, so that we can re-connect with the Power of the Universe, follow its Higher Guidance; rather than the Desires of our Egos, and find Peace of Mind. It's that simple!! The irony is that it's very difficult to see this through the maze of knowledge and beliefs that world pushes on us; concepts that claim to be helpful! Organized religions are concerned with their own particular beliefs, many philosophies are complex and convoluted, and spiritual concepts often advocate alternate ways of living, with no focus on the one central issue that really matters. At a time when the world is being torn apart by the battle between three of the major religions, it is difficult to see how their beliefs can help to facilitate this process. It doesn't matter which beliefs are right or wrong, true or untrue; beliefs are fixed ideas that don't really help us very much with the fluid process of actually Living our lives; of learning how to follow Higher Guidance! The Higher Guidance, from the Power of the Universe, comes to each of us DIRECTLY; it doesn't need to be interpreted by an expert, or written down. In addition, when you believe something, it separates you from those who don't believe it, which serves to strengthen your Ego; not to minimize its hold on you. What does all of this have to do with Rock & Roll? Rock & Roll is a musical form that provides an avenue for profound spiritual experiences, that can also lead to powerful insights into how to Live your life! Ironically, when Rock & Roll first emerged, it was regarded as something of a dangerous influence, by organized religions, who saw it as inspired by satanic forces that wished to unleash everyone's sexual inhibitions. In the early days, the genre was dominated by Elvis Presley, who largely proved them correct with his wild gyrations on stage that served to get all the girls screaming, hysterical and "worked up". In this form, Rock & Roll was not a force that was spiritual in nature. Others, including The Beatles, continued the hysteria that Elvis started, but segments of the genre, that often were influenced by The Blues, eventually went in other directions. Sam Phillips once told Elvis that he founded Sun Records because he believed the form of music that evolved into Rock & Roll was a spiritual force. He was correct! Elvis was just not the guy to take it there. How has Rock & Roll become this spiritual force? The rhythms and lyrical expressions are something that we all can use as a method to tap into the Flow of the Universal Rhythms. Becoming a part of this Whole presents us with an opportunity to begin to emerge from behind the walls of our Egos, but the power of the music can go far beyond that! When all the elements are in alignment, a Rock & Roll band can actually channel the Power of the Universe through itself, and out into and through the audience. Obviously every band can't do this, and even those that are capable of it will only be able to do it some of the time. It's just too difficult to maintain for any extended period! But when those alignments occur, it is truly amazing! The process must begin with a song that is inspired by the most sacred of the muses; the Gods of Rock & Roll. For example, it is easy to see the difference in the influences that were behind "Let's Do The Twist" versus "Comfortably Numb" or "Brown-Eyed Girl" versus "Little Wing". During the actual performance, it continues with the bass guitarist and drummer, laying down a beat that allows the vocalist and lead guitar player to work themselves into the proper rhythm. At this point, the guitarist and/or vocalist must be able to step out of their Egos, by entering an almost trance-like state, and simply Channel the music from the heavens, through themselves. There is always remarkable drum and bass guitar work involved in this process, and soaring vocals may be the actual Channel, but most often it is the man who holds the six-string in his hands who is either going to make it happen, or not quite get there. This is due to the fact that the genre has evolved in a way that the Channeling will most likely come through guitar solos. This means that the guitar player has an awesome power, but also a heavy responsibility. It is a difficult task, and those who have the ability to achieve it, become the High Priests or the Shamans in this church! They are the ones who can make the magic happen! When they point the neck of the guitar heavenward, it is like flying a kite in a thunderstorm. If lightning strikes it, the bolt will come surging down the string, which is what we want; but there is also a great danger! The power may overwhelm the guitarist, and even the audience. When a guitar player becomes a High Priest in the Church of Rock & Roll, the praise, recognition and adulation that he receives, from those who get to experience his gift, begins the process of inflating his Ego. A temptation that he can not afford to give into, because the pain of living within such an Ego can become unbearable. Drug, alcohol and other severe personal problems destroy the lives of the High Priests who fall to this temptation. The experiences available to those of us who fill the pews at the Church of Rock & Roll can be extraordinary. That is precisely because they are experiences, and not beliefs; something that happens in the Present Moment, not the past. They are the rewards of true exhilaration, not just words. When I am involved in this process, I find that I must try to be as focused as the Shaman, who is performing the ceremony, to get the full benefit. As the Channel opens and flows through me, I find that time seems to stand still, as the guitar licks resonate through my whole body. I feel a pure exhilaration, much like how some describe a near-death experience; just without the White Light! It is a connection with the Power of the Universe that is far beyond any belief system. It is what Tin Cup calls "striking the tuning fork in your loins". Every electron in every cell of my body jumps to a more "excited valence state"! After observing this process for many years, I have tried to understand the conditions that seem to allow it happen most frequently. First and foremost, the guitar player needs to remain detached, and protected from the distractions around him. His awareness must be limited to what the rest of the band is doing, and to those in the pews who are focused on what he's attempting to bring forth. Distractions from other types of interactions with people only serve to shift his focus. He doesn't need sound problems, lose plugs, or drunks banging into him. I'm also beginning to think that doing any vocals, while playing the guitar, probably does not allow the proper focus on what he needs to do with the instrument, during these extraordinary moments. Having a live audience certainly does seem to help the process, to the extent that people are focused and receptive to this potential. They are there to receive the energy that is unleashed, so without them, the flow will not be as powerful. Those who are there to talk, check out the opposite sex, or socialize in other ways, do not help. Unfortunately, the latter group is often in the majority. Sometimes it is tough to find even 10-20% of a crowd who are into the spiritual potential of a performance, because they are there for other reasons. One of the best ways to generate this lightning in a bottle seems to be to use two masters of the six string guitar in the same band. Both must be able to connect to the Power, and both must be able to play off of each other in the right way, but when they do; they are more likely to Channel the Power of the Universe, than when playing by themselves! Two guitars working in this way can greatly enhance the magic of the whole experience! When Lynyrd Skynyrd would play the end of Freebird, with two or three guitars involved, Gary Rossington, would begin to leap into the air, as he played. Legend has it that he would levitate; just for a moment, in the vortex of Power created by the guitar players. I don't know if it's true; but it is well within the power of what a true Shaman can do! Lynyrd Skynyrd had so much mojo going for it with this sacred anthem, and its lead guitar players, that it and they became the gold standard on how to channel the Power of the Universe. Even today, when a band asks for requests, those who know about the magic will call out for Freebird! Often, they don't even wait to be asked; they just scream for the song. Those who ask for Margaritaville; don't get it! So that's my story. I'm just a pilgrim from the Church of Rock & Roll, trying in my own modest way to help create a new holy land on this large sandbar out in the Gulf of Mexico. A place where other pilgrims can share the experience that I attempted to describe. Unfortunately, a spiritual experience can not be put into mere words, but those who read this, and understand will say, "Amen"! Those who do not, may read it in disbelief, but that's the whole point; it's not about beliefs; it's about experiences. Of course, belonging to the Church of Rock & Roll is not a substitute for living itself! One must still attempt to minimize the grip and power of one's Ego at all times in order to Live under the direction of the Higher Guidance. Rock & Roll merely provides the opportunity for particularly special and exhilarating experiences, that are outside of the norm. In addition, since "members" are not bound and limited by fixed beliefs, there is the freedom to pursue any number of other avenues that may provide special and exhilarating experiences, too. It's called, "Going with the Flow". I end this essay with the lyrics of one of our greatest "hymns". As you read these lines, you should be able to hear the music inside yourself, and feel it in your soul, as the Channel begins to open: SIMPLE
MAN
By Gary Rossington & Ronnie Van Zant Mama told me when I was young Come sit beside me my only son And listen closely to what I say. And if you do this It'll help you some sunny day. Oh take your time don't live too fast, Troubles will come and they will pass. Go find a woman and you'll find love, And don't forget son, There is someone up above. And be a simple kind of man. Oh be something you love and understand. Baby be a simple kind of man. Won't you do this for me son, If you can? Forget your lust for the rich man's gold All that you need is in your soul, And you can do this oh baby if you try. All that I want for you my son, Is to be satisfied. And be a simple kind of man. Oh be something you love and understand. Baby be a simple kind of man. Won't you do this for me son, If you can? Oh, yes I will. Boy, don't you worry you'll find yourself. Follow your heart and nothing else. And you can do this oh baby if you try. All I want for you my son, Is to be satisfied. And be a simple kind of man. Oh be something you love and understand. Baby be a simple kind of man. Won't you do this for me son, If you can? Baby be a simple real simple man. Oh be something you love and understand Baby be a simple kind of man. |
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