I AM Invocation

There was lengthy part of time where I designed the No bars held course using different chords and arpeggios in the twelve bar style and so many different musical genres, spiritual teaching, and roles that I just need to put them all together and create some space for me to sit and think freely. To be still and to really reflect on who I am and what “I am” really means to me. In the stillness I found clarity and I remembered who I am based on what I always make happen; music and self reflection. I recently quit my job at the time and just started teaching the guitar and was fretting about what to do next, so I sat still and followed my intuition.

I remembered the day when I was deciding what major to do in school because I couldn’t stand the physical therapy environment any more and i looked at the philosophy catalougue and the classes fascinated me. I was really scared my first day of class but within 10 minutes i’d never been so awestruck at this new way of thinking and learning. one of the classes I enjoyed was cults and new religious movements to which we studied the “New Thought” or positive thinking movement and “I am” activity. a new religious movement, that believes ascension is the goal of human life. they believe manifestation of constructive activies can be brought forth throug one’s acknowledgement and use of the power of qulaifcation and visualizatio through music, contemplation, and Decrees- aaffirmation or prayer, used only for constructive purposes. I believed that screaming could be used to purify my negative thoughts that were destructive to my aura and only scream for constructive purposes. the I am activity says that destruction is a human quality and I agree that left to my own devices and self pity i spread negativity, but when I partner and jam out with the creator we make some pretty cool music.

About the composition:

The day that I decided to start teaching guitar and studying philosophy i just looked around my room and I saw it was spiritual books and guitars; it just made sense. The poster in particular was the led zeppelin stairway to heaven poster with the tarot hermit on it. which means Soul-searching, introspection, being alone, inner guidance.

The Hermit stands alone on the top of a mountain. The snow-capped range symbolises his spiritual mastery, growth and accomplishment. He has chosen this path of self-discovery and, as a result, has reached a heightened state of awareness.

In his right hand, he holds a lantern with a six-pointed star inside; it is the Seal of Solomon, a symbol of wisdom. As the Hermit walks his path, the lamp lights his way – but it only illuminates his next few steps rather than the full journey. He must step forward to see where to go next, knowing that not everything will be revealed at once. In his left hand, the side of the subconscious mind, the Hermit holds a long staff (a sign of his power and authority), which he uses to guide and balance him.

when I quit my job at the therapy joint to do philosophy and quit my job doing door to door sales I didn’t know that music or philosophy would work out but I knew there was something i loved about it. on both occassions when i left those jobs I got a flood of new students by seredipity. Sometimes it requires being still and really knowing who i am for me to get a clear direction even if i can’t see more than a couple feet in front of my face.

To recreate this evolution and merging of interests of cult religions, music, outsider music and popular music, and the hermit I tried to create a stairway to heaven like introduction. the intro to stairway to heaven is basically the andalusian flamenco cadence which descends the scale (Am, g, F, E) just like stairway. stairway was also a really popular song so i used the pop cadence of i, iv, v, vi. Since I swear by the 12 bar blues because its my roots and the heart of all music and used to uplift people for decades i put those into the 12 bar format. Honestly the magick of musical alchemy seems complicated but its really just algebra and chemistry to turn something abstract thoughts, memories, emotions, into something physical like a song through structures, chords, and melodies. here’s a picture of the alchemical sheet i used to remember all the chords.

the invocation is at the end of the meditation and is taken from this speech from the ascended master Saint Germain in 1932. I changed it to sound more like a baptist preacher because Screaming is essential to getting their message across and I believe that the call and response between the pastor and congregation is an important characteristic of a somewhat egalitarian community. it illustrated the way i view performing and creating with the supreme creator. the pastor and congregation need each other to become one, the “I am” of all things. my own experience with church and conventional was always the outcast so I had to build my own much like the black community during segregation; which further connected to the idea of calcination in this alchemical process.