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Spirit Talk

Conversations with the Singing Masks
by Norman Lowrey

Spirit Talk is a continuation of two prior ceremony/performance pieces (riverdream through us and Spirit Dreams: Stories of the Singing Masks) in its exploration of experiencing the intelligence and underlying spiritual essence of the non-human realm. Whereas the previous pieces approached this by way of dream, Spirit Talk focuses on glossolalia - the spirit language of all things. The accompanying soundscape consists of a rich layering of prior works each of which contains multiple recordings of river sounds, birds, crickets,and other voices of nature.



33'06"


The specific ingredients of this soundscape are:


On the Line, an exploration of the Line of Power from Solstice Rock, York, NY to South Hill, Canandaigua, NY (3 superimposed mask ceremonies, one at Solstice Rock, another on the Genesee River, and the rithd at South Hill); Spirit Dream I, with Pauline Oliveros playing a variety of instruments processed through delay units together with 12 Singing Masks, presented at Drew University, March, 1993; A Vision of the Primordial Delaware (sound installation for the wall hanging by Peter Kinney presented at the National Seaport Museum, Philadelphia, June, 1995), which includes recordings from the 7 sites of the Delaware River Soundings and a performance of riverdream through us, with Pauline Oliveros at the Nutshell Gallery in Huntington, NY, July, 1995; birds outside my 2nd floor bedroom window, 5 am, May, 1998; woodthrush, Linwood, NY (location of Solstice Rock), June, 1998.


In silent awareness, listen for an unkown, unspoken language, heard internally or externally. When you are ready, join in the mystery of conversation with your newly-discovered language. You may wish to do so in silence or stillness, in whisper, quiet utterance, or gentle movement. Always maintain openess to the myriad conversations which are occurring. Any conversations you have with anything else, including with the Singing Masks, need not be in its language; your own tongue, whatever it is, will be heard. Continue until the enveloping Spirit Talk becomes still.


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Contact:
nlowrey@drew.edu

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