Chris Conway - Buddha Dreamer

background
Music for relaxation, sleep, meditation, healing.
The music I feel works best to enhance sleep and relaxation is not static, but music that takes the mind on a journey. As with my previous album for Paradise Music, Celtic Dreamer, that is what I have created here - music that lulls the mind away from everyday cares and creates pictures and stories in the mind.

For this I just started and followed wherever the music took me. Each track is a continuously evolving 25minute track.
On the first track my thoughts went to travelling - a spiritual journey - or a physical one - looking for peace of mind. On the second track I put together beautiful sounds, thinking about dreams about different aspects of enlightmentment might be.

influences
Robert Rich, Vidna Obmana, Paul Winter, Alan Stivell, Tape, Stephan Micus

notes
1. Finding The True Path
The Tibetan horn sounds and temple bells signal changes of direction through this piece, which has four parts. It is a spiritual journey as the traveller's mind journeys through the air, over the sea and over land before finding the true path to peace and enlightenment.
As well as symbolising air, sea, land and the true path, the four sections of this piece also represent happiness, compassion, love and joyous effort, which Buddha explained were the Four Yardsticks to asses if one is practising the correct way.

Chris Conway - keyboards, acoustic 9 string guitar, nylon string guitar,
Irish tin & low whistles, bodhran, voice, temple bells, chimes, samples.

Mo Coulson - Celtic harp

2. Dreams Of Enlightenment
Enlightenment is a state not easily described but one can dream about it. In this piece I explore what form these dreams of Nirvana might take.
i. The piece starts with opening period of peaceful meditation.
ii. The piano section represents reflection in solitude.
iii. The section with the harmonium over guitar chords represents love.
iv. The next section is framed by the Tibetan chant Om mani padme hum – and continues with vibraphone, piano and guitar and represents compassion. Tibetan Buddhists believe that reciting the mantra, invokes the blessings of Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion.
v. Next is a section with voices which represents a dream of a state of bliss.
vi. Finally we return to peaceful meditation, coming full circle.

"There is that dimension where there is neither earth, nor water, nor fire, nor wind; neither dimension of the infinitude of space, nor dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, nor dimension of nothingness, nor dimension of neither perception nor non-perception; neither this world, nor the next world, nor sun, nor moon. And there, I say, there is neither coming, nor going, nor stasis; neither passing away nor arising: without stance, without foundation, without support [mental object]. This, just this, is the end of stress." - [Udana VIII.1] Gautama Buddha:

Chris Conway - keyboards, piano, acoustic & electric 9 string guitars, nylon string guitar,
Irish tin & low whistles, bombarde, voice, zither, kantele, kalimba, theremin temple bells, chimes, samples.

all music composed and produced by Chris Conway