NODESOFRESONANCE
ByJeriElizabet.h Howe
September 10,1996
ChaliceorReposeProject..
St..Pat.rick YsHospit.al
Copyright©1996JeriElizabethHowe
AllRightsReserved
,
.’…
r;
Preface
Thispaperbeganasanexploration ofthein.terrelation
oftext(poetry,prayer)withmelody. Iaskedthequestions:
G
howdotextandmelodytogether, andseparately, effectthe
worldandusintheworldinregardstoourhealtl1,and
especially, inregardstoourworkasmusic-thanatologists?
IponderedwhatitisthatcallsintheDivine? Inworking
onthispapertheoriginal intention organically transformed
itself(withoutmyconscious awareness) intosomething a
littledifferent.
I’vechosentotitlemypaper”NodesofResonance”
becausethatseemstobethetheme.Inthecontex:t ofthis
paper,anodemeans’acentering point’.Onastringed
instrument, suchasaharp,anodeis’aplaceofrest’on
thestring,acenterpoint,outofwhichaharmonic canbe
plucked.RJsonance, whichessentially means’vibrating
together’, Iliesattheheartandcoreofallcreation. It
liesattheheartofsound,silence, rhythm,music, prayer,
,
poetry. Openingourawareness tothisresonance notonly
increases thepowerofourmusicalprescriptions atthe
bedside,butitisapathwaytodiscovering morefullywhat
itmeanstobeahumanbeing,apartoftheDivine.
·..,
Introduction
Oneofthemostinteresting concepts fromtwentieth century
physicsisthatthesubatomic particles, whichcompose all
matter,areinterconnections inanetworkofevents, bundlesof
energy,patternsofactivity.Inthemweobservedynamic patterns
continually changing intooneanother-acontinuous danceof
energy.Nothingisstatic.Weareallinmotionallofthetime.
Physicists probedeeperanddeeperintorealmsofatomic and
subatomic behavior, onlytofindthereisno”thing” thereinthe
senseofnormalmatter.Theycallthesesubatomic particles
“nodesofresonance”. Thenucleusofeachatomismadeupof
thesenodes.Eachatomisvibrating, emitting atoneabout20
octavesaboveourrangeofhearing.1 Alwaysthereisrhythmand
tone:whetherwecanhearitornot,wearemadeofit.Because
ofthiswehavemuchtodiscoveraboutthepowerofsoundand
rhythmandhowwecanbegintouseitwithmoreconscious
intention intheworldandespecially inourworkasmusic-
thanatologists.
“IntheBeginning…”
“Inthebeginning wastheWord,andtheWordwaswithGod
andtheWordwasGod.”John1:1TheGreekword”logos” meansnot
only’word’but’sound’. Hindusbelievethereisaseedsoundat
CITATIONS
1.KenCarey,”AWorldofTangible Sound”inMusicandMiracles
(QuestBooks,1992)xi.
~ theheartofcreation, theNada.ApassageintheTibetan Book of
theDeaddescribes theessenceofrealityas”reverberating like
athousanddista thunders…””Inthebegining wa.snoise.And
noisebegatrhythm.Andrhythmbegateverything else.,,2Marius
Schneider (1903-1982) saysthattheprimordial energy isaforce
ofdesiregenerating bothfullness andthefirstrh~thmic
moveme onthebasisofitsemptiness. Fromthismoveme it
manifests allthephenomena ofnature.Schneider calls rhythmthe
creatorandupholder oftheworld.RhythmisthearC:hetypeof
circulation thatpermitsnocongestions, coagulatiorls, or
resistance. Nowherehasthisbeenmoreclearlyexpressed thanin
music.3 HansJeny (acoemporary Swissscieist) hasshownin
hissciencecalledCymaticsthatfiguresareformed byvibrations
eveninliquidsandgases.Soundcreatesform.Jen~ concludes
thatsoundisprimordial. Soundisthecreative prirlciple that
canshapetheworld.4 Sound,silence, light,darkness, are
linkedtothebegining ofallknowing, allnaming, andare
ierrelated tooneanother.Themoveme thatcomesthrough
wavesseemselemeal tocreation: expansion andcoraction are
universal.
MariusSchneider suggeststhatpraiseandglorification, the
actofloveinreligion, areattheoriginofreligious feeling.
2.MickeyHart,DrummingattheEdgeofMagic(SanFrancisco,
HarperCollins Publishers, 1990)12.
3.MariusSchneider, “Acoustic Symbolism inForeign Cultures” in
cosmicMusic,editedbyJoscelynGodwin(Iner Traditions, 1989)
54.
4.Patriciawarming, “PsycheandSound”inMusicandMiracles
(QuestBooks,1992)238.
t Theworldwidenotionofsacrificeinreligiousritualsproveshow
irinsic spoaneous thanksgiving andpraiseistoournature.
Thetruesacrificeisnotmerelyamaterialoffering butis
primarilyaspiritualandvocalprocess. Itisultimately asound
sacrifice,asongbywhichhumankindsurrenderstheword,which
expressesouressence. Schneiderclaimsthe”PraiseSongs”are
thetruesacrificialpower.Hesayssoundisthebasicmatterof
theprimordialworldandPraiseisthedynamicsofthissound. If
theprimordialsoundisthe”word”or”praisesong”ofthe
creator,thentheindividualrhythmsarisingfromthatwordare
theprimordialacousticmatterofeverycreatedobject. The
actualcoreofthecreativeindividualisthisprimordial
acousticmatterwhosepowerofpraisebringsthingsio
existence.Thisprimordialacousticmatter(nodesofresonance?)
isthemetaphysicalcoreofeverythingthathasbeencreated.It
expressesthecoinuity oflife.Sacrificeisthecrimsonthread
thatrunsthroughthewholeofhumanlife.Lifeisconsta
changeandchangeisconsta sacrifice.Ifitisasound
sacrifice,apraisesong,thenwetapiotheprimordial
acousticenergyofcreatio. Thewaywecarryoutourlife
sacrifice,orword,orvoice,constitutestheholisticrhythmof
ourexistence.5Itiswhatweare.
PrayerandResonance
5.MariusSchneider, “TheNatureofthePraiseSong”inCosmic
Music,editedbyJoscelynGodwin(InerTraditions, 1989)35-40.
s•
Inhisbook”HealingWords”,LarryDosseystatesthereisa
deepandineradicable reciprocity betweentheworldandus,and
itmakesnosensetoseparateexistence intoadualsubjectand
object.6
Wouldstthouknowthyself,
Lookintotheworldoneveryside.
Wouldstthouknowtheworld,
Lookintothedepthsofthineown being.7
Inhisexplorations, Dosseywondersiftherootsofprayer
extendtomatteritself.Dosseystatesthatthemostprofound
experimental evidencewithinthewholeofscienceforthe
existence ofnonlocaleventsisinthe subatomic domain. Ifone
separates twoelectrons thatoncehavebeenincontact and
positions themfarapartfromeachother, achangeinoneis
associated withanimmediate changeintheother. Thechangesare
instantaneous. Itsasthoughtheyareone,eventhoughtheyare
separated. They”resonate” together. Dosseyasksifthiscouldbe
aformofprayer.Ifsotheentireuniverse isprayer. Prayeris
notsomething wedo-itissomething weare.8Itcomesfromour
greatdesireforlifeatthecoreofourbeing.
6.Larry·Dossey,HealingWords. (HarperSanFrancisco, 1993)67.
7.Rudolfsteiner, ManasSymphonyofthecreative Word,(London,
RudolfSteinerPress,1970)188.
8.LarryDossey,HealingWords.(HarperSanFrancisco, 1993)68.
l.
Dosseystates,”Prayersayssomething incalculably important
aboutwhoweareandwhatourdestinymaybe.,,9Itisanonlocal
event-notconfined tospaceortime.Thisimplies thereisan
aspectofourselves thatisnonlocal. Dosseysaysthereis
something ofourselves thatisinfinite inspaceandtime-
omnipresent andeternal. Itarisesbeyondourrational mind,so
wehavelargelydeniedwhatittellsus,thougheverygreatworld
religionandmanyphilosophers havebeenrootedinthisdeeper
wisdom.AlbertEinstein, inspeaking ofthesourceofhis
inspiration forthetheoryofrelativity, said,”Ididn’tarrive
atanunderstanding ofthesefundamental lawsoftheuniverse
throughmyrationalmind.,,10Perhapsthispartofourselves is
ourprimordial acousticmatter,oursoul,oursource ofwisdom,
alwaysexistingevenasitisalwaystransforming. Perhapsour
abilitytogrowconscious ofthispartofourselves developsout
ofdeepcontemplation andprayer.
ThereseSchroeder-Sheker, director andfounder ofthe
ChaliceofReposeProject,teachesthatprayer,fire,song,
death,desire,areallinterrelated. Itistheburning desirein
yourheartthatbringstransformation andcreativity. Trueprayer
asksthatyoulivewithyourentirebody,soul,mind,inthe
fullnessofyourhumanity. Fireisthedesireforchange. Every
timeonechanges evenathoughtoropinion, itisaformof
9.LarryDossey,HealingWords.(HarperSanFrancisco, 1993)6.
10.Levine,Stephen,WhoDies?,(NewYork,Doubleday Anchor
Books,1982)ix.
sacrifice. Itisawayof”dyingawake”.Aslongasfirelives~n
yoursoul,youknowhowtolivewellandhowtodiewell..The
fireislove. Inthedevelopment ofprayerourconsciousness can
expand,untilitispossibletoliveone’swholelifeas
prayer.11 Itissaidthatst.Franciswasnotsomuchaman
prayingasprayeritselfmademan.Inthiscenturyour
fundamental ideasoftheuniversehavechangedandasweevolve
wemustletourprayerviewevolveaswell. Perhaps prayercan
helpwidenourconscious awareness until,asDossey suggests,
prayerisnotsomething wedo, itissomething weare.
Itwasinteresting todiscover intheetymology oftheword
“music”thatitsrootcomesfromancientEgyptianmasormous
whichsignified generation, amanifestation orbringing forthof
thatwhichwasinpotency.Itsrootactuallymeans”amother”.12
Alsotheword”meter”,whichforusmeansaparticular rhythmic
arrangement inmusicorpoetry,hasatitsrootsthemeaning
uterus.Thewordsmater(mother),menstrual, measure, meter,all
camefromthesameroot,reinforcing theconceptthatmusicanCL
I
rhythmareagenerative forceofcreation. Music,combined with
fireintheheart,canbeaformofprayer.
11.ThereseSchroeder-Sheker, PrayerasFireoftheHeart,
lecturegivenatChaliceofReposeproject, February 1,1996.
12.FabreD’Olivet, MusicExplained asScienceandArt,trans.by
Joscelyn Godwin,(InnerTraditions, 1987).
”
HumanBeingasMusicalInstrume
Ashumanbeings,weareourselves musicalinstrumes that
canabsorb,reflectorcreate.Aslisteners, ourbodies responct
tosoundwithalteredpulse,breath,bloodpressure, muscle
tension, skintemperature. Evensoundsnotheardbytheearare
receivediothebodythroughskin,bones,blood.iThelistener
!
isnevercompletely immunetothepowersofsound.Todaythe
soundsofrefrigerators, computers, heatingsystems, cars,
radios,TV’s,etc.,influence thefieldsofenergyaroundusin
disturbing ways.Thisbombardme ofsoundsteachusnotto
listenandtheyhardenustothefluidity oflife.Asaculture
wecoinually subjectourselves tomusicrecordings thatare
onlydimreflections ofthetruepowerlivecreative musiccan
hold.Theancies knewhowdeeplymusiccoributed tohealth,
atuneme ofpsycheandbody,butinourmoderntimes,manyhave
forgotten thisconectio.D
Tothosewhohavesoughttopenetrate deeplyio thenature
ofourexistence, musicholdsaspecialplaceamongthearts.
Rudolfsteiner(1861-1925) saystheworldoftonespeakstothe
inermost beingofhumanity. Aperson’s “homeland” isgivento
themthroughmusic.Onewhounderstands thisexpression ina
highersenselearnstorecognize increasingly thepreciousness of
thisworld-andgradually experiences asprecious recognition
13.DonCampbell, MusicPhysician forTimestoCome,(Quest
Books,1991)5.
_ theimpris ofeverhigherandhigherworlds.14 Whatweare
makescomprehensible whyharmonies andmelodieseffect us.
BothsteinerandSchneider explainthattherearethree
statesofconsciousness possibleforthehumanbeing. Oneis
wakingday-consciousness. Thesecondisdream-filled sleepand
thethirdisdreamless sleep,astateofemptiness. steiner
believesthattheastralworldevide tousonlyinourdreams
isalwaysprese andcoinually surrounds thehumanbeing.TC)
cometoperceivethisworldconsciously, onemustgothroughtl1e
discipline of”greatstillness”. Greatpeacemustprecede the
awakening intheastralworld.Now,whenapproaching thethird
stateofconsciousness -thatofdreamless sleep-thisstateC)f
deepstillness becomesevenmorepronounced. Meister Eckhart
(1260-1327), thefounderofGermanmysticism, says”Nothingin
allcreationissolikeGodasstillness.”~ steiner describes
thisstillness asresounding spirituality.Hesaysthisworldis
suffusedwithsound.Steinerbelieves thateachtimethehuman
beingfallsasleepandlosesconsciousness, theastral body
emergesfromthephysicalbodyandlivesinthesespiritual
worlds.
In”TheNatureofthePraisesong”,Schneider describesmuch
thesamethingasSteinerbutinreverseorder. Hesaysatour
coreisthedarkacousticrealmofdreamless sleep, our
“subconscious”. Encircling thatistheiermediate worldof
14.JoscelynGodwin,Music.Mysticism andMagic(Arkana
Paperbacks, 1987)253.
15.LarryDossey,HealingWords,(HarperSanFrancisco, 1993)87_
_ dream,”halfconsciousness”. Encircling thatistheconcrete
worldofearth,”wakingconsciousness”. Schneider says,asdoes
Steiner,thatthereisconstant, mutualexchangebetween these
worldswhetherweknowitornot.Considering theseconcepts, if
onecombines Schneider andsteiner, whetheronelooksoutwardor
inwardfromourselves isirrelevant: perhapstheyarethesame
direction. Ourworkasmusic-thanatologists istoexpandour
awareness inalldirections.
Asastralbeingswehavebeencreatedoutofthecosmos
according tomusicallawsandwearemusically connected withthe
cosmos.16Inordertosingwemustnotonlybeinspired but
inspiredeeplyaswell.A”rushofwind”isasymbol forGodin
theOldTestament. Theword”wind”inHebrewis”Ruah”, whichis
alsothewordfor”spirit”. TheSpiritislife,breath, wind.One
needsspirittosing.Ourinspiring breathbringsustobemore
fullyaliveinbothbodyandspirit.
Thevocalchordswithinourbodyhaveinnumerable
possibilities ofmovementthroughwhichtheysculpt theflowof
airflowingthroughthemtocreatesound.Thelarynx isa
threshold throughwhichimponderables can entertheworld. Itis
abirthing placeand,remarkably, looksverymuch1ikeavagina.
Thevocalchordsareaninstrument andthemoretheyareused,
themoreelasticandsuppletheybecome.ThereseSchroeder-Sheker
teachesatthe”ChaliceofReposeProject” thatitisnot
16.Rudolfsteiner,ArtasSeenintheLightofMystery Wisdom,
(London,RudolfsteinerPress,1984)42.
~ insignificant thatthevocalchordshaveaphysical resemblance
tothevaginalorifice.Therearecorrespondences between
physicalbirthingthroughthevaginaandthebirthing ofsound
fromsilence throughthevocalchords. Theheartcanbecompared
tothewombasasimilartypeofcontracting andexpanding ho11ow
muscle.Schroeder-Sheker suggeststhelarynxisthebirthing
canalforthecreatingandlovingenergyformedwithinthewomb
oftheheart.Thelovewithintheheartisgivenlifebyour
breathing -ourinspiration -ourexchange andinteraction with
thecosmos.Becauseweinspirebreath, wecangivebirthtosong.
Liberating thevoicemeansliberating ahumanbeing. Forthose
whodonotsing,speakingtruthfulwordsorthoughts havethe
sameeffect.Webreathetheworldinandwebreathe ourselvesout
intotheworldandbotharetransformed, bothenlivened.17
Schroeder-Sheker statesthatthelarynxismorethana
mechanism -itpresentsamystery. Shesuggeststhatifsinging
isdeveloped asaconscious spiritual activity, something canbe
broughttobirth.Singinginvitesustobebothmidwives and
laborersinourworkasmusic-thanatologists. The1arynxisan
alchemical seatoftransformation. Thelarynxistheportalwhere
matter(visible)andspirit(invisible) converge andtheairis
transformed. Yourvoicerevealsthetruth ofyourhearttoa
sensitive listener. Whatcomesthroughthelarynxisacreation
thateffectstheworld. Singing sacredmusictrains one’s
creatingandlistening skills. Itstretches thelistener and
17.ThereseSchroeder-Sheker, Imagination oftheBody:Larynx,
lecturegivenattheChaliceofReposeProjectNovember 10,1994.
~ impartsaselflessness, apatienceandstillness whichclearsthe
wayforclearerperception.18Schroeder-Sheker speaks aboutthe
sacredmusicofGregorian chantsasthelanguageoflovefor
“theycarrytheflamingpowerofhundreds ofyearsandthousands
ofchanterswhohavesungtheseprayersbefore.,,19Thisiscal1ed
“morphicresonance” anditisamysterythataddstothe
medicinal powerofthemusicasweonceagaingive1ifetothe
chantsatthebedsideofthedying.
HealingandSpirituality
Inordertoexplorethehealingeffectsofmusic, onemust
alsoexploretherelationship betweenspirituality andhealing_
Ourunderstanding ofthisrelationship isvastlyincomplete.
Thereisgreatmysteryhere, beyondourhumanunderstanding. We
needtogrowtolerant ofambiguity, mystery, andparadox.20God
isunknowable andattaching anycharacteristic totheInfinite
excludes itsopposite, violating thewholeness ofwhatis
possible. MeisterEckhartwrote,”Somepeoplewanttorecognize
Godonlyinsomepleasantenlightenment andthentheyget
pleasureandenlightenment, butnotGod.,,21
18.ThereseSchroeder-Sheker, Imagination oftheBody:Larynx,
lecturegivenattheChaliceofReposeProjectNovember 10,1994.
19.ThereseSchroeder-Sheker, “Death &theChalice ofRepose
Project” inLapistwo,(NewYorkOpenCenter, 1995) 11.
20.LarryDossey,HealingWords.(HarperSanFrancisco, 1993)18_
21.LarryDossey,HealingWords,(HarperSanFrancisco, 1993)23_
Isillness partofthenaturalorder? victorFranklsaid,
“Whatistogivelightmustendureburning.,,22Somesaythe
greatteachers haveinadvertently takenontheillness ofothers,
ofeventheearth,like anunconscious sponge.Somesaythewise
oneshaveconsciously chosentheillnessasateaching device,to
demonstrate theconnection withthedivinecanremain evenInthe
midstofhideousdiscomfort. Or,perhaps, thesaintormystic
takesonanillnessasafinaltest,to”burnoff”a.ny remaining
vestigesofegoorselfconsciousness. Itisnotourtaskto
figureoutwhypeoplegetsickanddie.23 Eckhartsaysthat”God
issuperessential darkness” -sothereisnoencountering the
divinitymerelyinthelight.24Daringthedarkmeans entering
nothingness andlettingitbenothingness whileitworksmystery
onus.Daringthedarkalsomeansallowing painto~epainand
learningfromit.Tostriveforpleasure attheexclusion ofpain
is,ineffect,tostriveforlossofconsciousness.· Painisan
importantmessenger anddiagnostic tool.Itisthepainofa
brokenheartthatallowscompassion toflowandgrowwithinus.25
Ourpainsanddiscomforts areateachertousandha.ve ahigher
purposethanwecangrasp.
22.LarryDossey,HealingWords,(HarperSanFrancisco, 1993)13.
23.LarryDossey,HealingWords,(HarperSanFrancisco, 1993)14.
24.MatthewFox,Creation Spirituality, (HarperSanFrancisco,
1991)19.
25.MatthewFox,Creationspirituality~ (HarperSanFrancisco,
1991)20.
Ourhealthinlifeisamixture-humanexperience ismade
possible onlythroughcontrasts. Tototallytrytopurifyhealth
istodestroy it.”Experience” requires “Difference”. Health,
likelight,cannotbepure. Itmustcontainanelement of
illness tobeexperienced atall. “Withoutcontraries thereisno
progression”26 ,wearehereinthisworld toevolve. Deathcanbe
seenasourgreatest teacherandwe.cannot; runawayfromit.But
thereisanaspectofusthatisnotimprisoned inthebody. It
penetrates thebodyandgoesbeyond.
Throughourworkasmusic-thanatologists wehaveexperienced
incredible effectsofthegiftsofmusiconthepatients, family
memberspresent,onourselves. Oftencomesthegiftofsacred
peaceandblessing, subduedtension, relaxation, support in
grieving, supportinbreathing easier, timetoreflect, pray.
Musiccangently, withhonorandrespect, supporttheunbinding
processofdying. Therecanbeadeathbedhealing without
curing.Wetrytolistentowhatresonates between theworldsof
soundandsubstance, spiritandmatter.Schroeder-Sheker states,
“Allworkwithdeathanddyingisaboutthereception ofspirit
intomatter,andthedissolution ofmatterintospirit. A
conscious deathchangeseveryone involved. Theonesingingvigil
breathes inlight, theonewhohasjustcrossedthethreshold
becomesasourceofluminosity. “27PerhapsPythagorus wasright
26.William Blake,”TheMarriage ofHeavenandHell”inThePoems
ofWilliam Blake,(Routledge&Kegan Paul, reprinted 1983)177.
27.Therese Schroeder-Sheker, “Death&theChalice ofRepose
Project” inLapis two,(NewYorkOpenCenter,1995) 11.
~ whenhesuggested inantiquity thatmatterwas”frozen music”.28
Musicusesusratherthanweher…weserveherinthemystery
ofourexistence. Weworkcloselywithwhatwefeeltobeangels,
aspiritual energythatdirectsus.Weworktoopenourhearts.
AsMusic-thanatologists weuse”entrainment” asanaspectof
soundthatiscloselyrelatedtorhythmsandthewayrhythms
effectus.Itisaphenomenon ofnatureandisactually anaspect
ofresonance. Oneobjectmaysetanotherobjectinmotionifit
sharesthesameresonantfrequency. Entrainment canhappen
betweenpeoplewhentheyareinrelation. AsMT’sweutilizethis
aspectofentrainment tohelpbringpatientstobalance and
harmony.Throughthemusicweattempttoentrainwiththe
patient’s breathing sowecanmoreeasilyconnectwiththemona
deeperlevel.Wethenutilizethesubtleprinciples of
contraction andexpansion (bycontrasting soundandsilence,
majorandminor,puremelodywithharmony, metered andunmetered)
tohelpwithinternalmovement. Eachprescriptive delivery is
uniqueforweareresponding tothechanging stateoftheonewho
isdying.Ourmusicaldelivery isnotaboutrepertoire. Ourfocus
involvestheliberation ofprocesses inthephysical humanbody
and/orintheinterior, spiritual, andsoullifeoftheperson.
Itdemandstheabilitytolisten;earlistening, heartlistening,
bloodlistening, bonelistening, soulandspiritlistening.
Throughtheuseofunmetered chantwetakequalities oftimeand
liberatethemintoeternity. Themusiccomesoutofthedepthsof
28.KenCarey,”AWorldofTangible Sound”inMusicandMiracles
(QuestBooks,1992)xii.
~ ourphysicalbody,mind,heart.Onthisthreshold between matter·
andspiritwearevulnerable, butourmusicisourprotectio.
Singingcreatesradiance. Ourgestureisoneofradical
receptivity andresponsivity. Weimageachalicethatcanboth
giveandreceive.29
MelodyandPoetry
Melodycomesfromthought.Poetryandmusiclendeachother
mutualaidandembellishme toclothethoughtinvarious ways.
Poetry,carrying ideafromheaventoearth, particularizes what
isuniversal, whilemusic,liftingthemupfromearthtoheaven,
universalizes whatisparticular. Bothmelodyandpoetryare
ministers ofdivinethought.~
Thegreatpoetdoesn’tcompletely fillthespacewithwords,
butleavesspaceclear,iowhichahigherpoetcanspeak.The
spiritoflanguageliesintheinaudible. Wordscanonlybeused
toaidintheexpression ofwhatcanot beheard.Itisthesame
withmusic.Justasthewordsarenotthepoem,sothetonesare
notthemusic. Thetonesareneededsothatsomething maylie
betweenthem.Whatyouexperience betweenthetonesisthe
spiritual sideofmusic.Theotheristhemanifestation ofmusic
intheworldsense.Perhapsierval leapsinamelody, or
pauses,arelikewindowstocatchglimpses ioholyterritory
29.ThereseSchroeder-Sheker, Principles ofMusic-thanatology:
Prescriptive, lecturegivenatChaliceofReposeProject, January
23,1996.
30.FabreD’Olivet, MusicExplained asScienceandArt,trans. by
JoscelynGodwin,(InerTraditions, 1987)137.
_ sacredrealities. Wesinginordertoreceivethesilence. Outof
silence, againandagain,creativity isbor.Creativity isso
muchapartofusthatwecanot regarditassometr.ting
exceptional -butnormal-apartofwhoweareasraumanbeings.
Themoreoneisabletomakeuseofwhatcanot ber.teard,the
moreoneusestheaudiblesimplyasthevehicleoftheinaudible,
somuchthemoreismusicandpoetrypermeated withsoul. 31
Conclusion
Acorrespondence existsbetweensouls, asecret and
sympathetic fluid,anunknownelectricity thatputsthemin
coact withoneanother.Thefireofcreativityinourmusica.nd
wordsisaformofprayerthatcansetthisfluidirlmotio. ~s
music-thanatologists wetrytoopenourawareness tc>this
resonance betweensouls.Welivedeeplyinthemelody, thewords,
thesilence.Silenceisthekey. Silenceunifiesthepast,
prese andfuture.Itcoains everything.
InthebookTalkingwithAngels, GittaMallasz writesthese
words:”Everytrueactspringsfromlove.Theactattheright
timeisanactoutsideoftime.Listencarefully!.•_Soundis
Love!Turnyourheadstowardsthenever-before-heard! Thenew
voiceis:Silence!Thereisawonderful mirrorinyc>uandit
reflectsthedivine,butonlyinsilence. Ifthemi~ror isnot
31.Rudolfsteiner, EurythmyAsVisibleMusic,(LonCion,Rudolf
SteinerPress,1977)48.
~ clear,youcanot create.[Inthesilence] anewringing will
come,andyouarethebells.ThesilenceItaughtyouisthesum
ofallthemysteries. Weteachyoutosing…Singalways!The
angellives,actingthroughsong.Thissilence, song,isthe
houseoftheshiningWordinwhichLoveburns…,,32Musicis
bornfromthestillburningsilence, onthethreshold between
matterandspirit.Itisatranscende languagecharacterized by
beauty.
Thereishopeforthefutureashumanity coinues to
evolve,expanding consciousness toseethatallmatter isalive
andconected. Theatoms, electrons, “nodesofresonance” of
whichourphysicalworldiscomposed areallinrhythmic motion,
emittingtonesiothecosmos.Perhapswewilldiscover that
whenalovedonedieswearestillconected inthesamewaythat
electrons coinue toresonatetogether evenaftertheyhavebeen
physically separated. Perhapsthecommunity ofthedeadis
singingwithus,prayingwithus.Thecorrespondence between
soulsisoutsideofspaceandtime, intheeternalflowof
consta change.Weliveonthethreshold ofpossibilities. In
ourexplorations, andasweevolve, wearelearning whatitmeans
tobehuma.
******************~
32. ThereseSchroeder Sheker,”TheMAterial HalfoftheAngel”,
inTheAngels,editedbyRobertSardello, (TheDallas Institute
Publications, 1994)228.
LookingbackonmylifeIseethethreadsthathaveledmetothe”ChaliceofReposeProject”,andIam
grateful.LivinginSeattleandcommutingtoMissoulatoattendschoolhasnotbeeneasyandcouldnothave
beendonewithoutthehelpofmanypeople.Ihavebeenawedbythesupportofmyhusband,Jon,and
daughters,cassandraandCharlotte,whohavewillinglymadesacrificestoallowmetodothiswork.I’m
gratefultomyparesandi-lawswhohelpedthisveurefinanciallyandalwayssupportedmewiththeir
love.IhavefoundasoulsisterinMaryWernerBrownwho,withherhusband,Ron,andson,Sam,openedtheir
hometomeinMissoulaandincludedmeaspartoftheirfamilywhileIwasawayfrommyow.WbatIhave
learnedattheChaliceofReposeProjectwillstaywithmeandcoinuetohelpmegrowfortherestofmy
life.IamverygratefultoThereseSchroeder-Shekerandtheexcellefacultyforalltheyhavegivenand
personallysacrificedforthesackofourlearning. IwillholdmytimehereaspreciousinmyheartasI
coinueontoopentowardfuturepossibilitiesofwhatlife,music,prayer,holdforusall.
