"The Tantra of Truth, Darren Austin Hall's new album, is a masterpiece! It is one of the rare moments in musical recordings that take you on a complete journey, that touches, body, mind, soul and dreams. It is at the level of Dark Side of the Moon, only better." |
The Tantra of Truth is an album of incredible depth and power, providing a perfect soundtrack for our power revolutionary times. Tantra, an ancient form of spirituality from India that was found profound renewal in our contemporary times, evokes an ecstatic spirit of unifying with all aspects of our experience--from the dark to the light. In this truth, humanity is called to expand and evolve to embody its natural birthright as a being of bliss and wild wisdom. The Tantra of Truth is like a musical initiation into such, providing massive soundscapes of power and intense feeling to inspire shift and positive transformation. This album is perfect to empower ecstatic states, healing and meditative work, to inspire a sense of the sacred and enliven the feeling power of the heart.
Produced by musical genius, Stephen Bahnesli, the album veers from crystal bowl trance ("Calling the Awen") to an honouring of indigenous prayer with robust guitar, stirring beats and meditative harp ("Soaring [When Eagles Come]) to the luminous rendition of the Gayatri mantra which opens the album in a massive invocation of the power of light and consciousness. The album also features the yogini and spoken word artis extraordinaire, Megan Marie Gates, who lends her angelic vocals to "Woman Is Sacred"--an anthem for the return of the sacred feminine. Finally, Liz Huntly features with her seraphic violin. Each of the nine songs is an epic journey unto itself to be enjoyed in solitude or in the throes of an immense shamanic dance party. Dive in and power up! "When attempting to describe someone's music, it's natural to compare it to something else. I have trouble doing that with Darren Austin Hall's album The Tantra of Truth because his sound is so original. Sometimes I feel I'm listening to a modern shaman; other times I envision myself sitting on a vast delta in India watching the sun rise, or in the depths of an ancient temple in Tibet. Guttural calls from deep in the throat manifest as sutras, then something else. Spontaneous poetry and evocative rhythms bring to mind yoga or psychedelic journeys. I alternatively want to meditate and dance to this fusion music: this could be the sound track for what Terence McKenna called the Archaic Revival." Guy Crittenden |
The Death of Love is an EP of magnificent potency. The album centres on the title track, which was a totally improvised one take recording of me channeling my own suffering days after heart-break. Everything just poured out perfectly, lyrics and all, with the guidance of the muses, as tears welled in my eyes. 'Tears of a Smile' is an older piece that I wrote while working with a council of Native American elders and harkens to the spirit of that time when the power of prayer really came into my life. 'With An Eagle On My Shoulder' is a powerful spoken-word piece I put over an amazing ambient piece Stephen composed. It speaks to the intensity of our times and is a call for warrior strength. 'Woman Is Sacred' (Transcendent Remix) is an incredible trance-remix Stephen made of a song which originally appeared on my last album 'The Tantra of Truth'. It's very special and should provide some ecstatic dancing inspiration!
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Crystal Hymns is my first album of recorded music, featuring my work with the quartz crystal singing bowls and intuitive chanting. Produced by the wonderful Deidrey Francois, this music is perfect for meditation, yoga (especially of the restorative variety), healing work (it's popular among massage therapists for their sessions) and for inspiring a sacred sensibility. Each song is based on a different spiritual intent, as embodied in the title. They were all utterly improvised and inspired recordings with connection to the spiritual. All in all, an extraordinary sound healing tool and example of the artist as primal channel and conduit for the mystical. Check out the magic that happened at the CD release party at the popular Octopus Garden Yoga Centre in Toronto in this short video. Darren's talents and healing singing CD has really helped with my healing journey. I truly enjoyed his music instantaneously the first time I learned about the crystal quartz singing bowls and my personal live experience was absolutely healing and grounding. I do enjoy meditating with this CD and find it very mystical in the dimension that it helps me feel light and happy every time I listen to it, I can't wait to play it again in my sacred healing space on a regular basis. Y.C. |
"Darren Austin Hall's music is sound-healing-energy. a journey into the
deep bliss of your being and an evolution of consciousness at its
highest level. His use of the crystal bowls and also his shamanic voice
sends you into another dimension, one of total healing and
integration....sublime!"
- Meenakshi and Ron Reid of Swaha
READ The article "the Sacred Musician" in Elephant JOURNAL.
Sacred Music & The Healing Power of sound
“Music is the highest art, and to those who understand, is the highest worship.”
-- Swami Vivekananda
Ever since I was a child I've heard music flowing through my being; big, heroic, anthemic, inspiring music that lifts the spirit and evokes transcendental highs. I'm happy to say I feel I am now making the music I always dreamed of as a child :)
I call the music I create sacred music and I do not use these mighty words lightly. Sacred comes from the Indo-European root root 'sak-' which means 'power or divine force'. Ultimately, this is the essential intention of the music I make: to inspire in those who are listening and participating in it (for instance, in co-creations of chant) to feel powerful in a deep and profound way; to feel an expansion of being and feeling beyond the terrain of conventional emotions to ecstatic sentimentality (such as the feeling one gets when considering the infinity of the cosmos. If only pop music spoke to these inherently and bombastic human feelings more!). Moreover, as healer trained in shamanic technique, I intend to invoke divine force in this music, to create vibrations that will inspire healing and insight for those listening, whether live or via captured recordings. This is my humble service to the awakening of humanity to true empowerment, which is the great shift happening across the planet.
“…the sound is the source of all manifestation…The knower of the mystery of sound knows the mystery of the whole universe.”
Hazrat Inayat Khan
We live in truly extraordinary times. One of the greatest fields of innovation is the integration of healing modalities and creative arts. Music has been used as a form of healing since time immemorial. We can recall our indigenous brethren moving and dancing to drums and singing passionately to restore vitality, inspiration and love to their maligned souls. We can look to Pythagoras and his voluminous study of the science of harmony throughout the design of the universe and music as its highest expression, which can remind us of our own inner-harmony, especially when we veer wayward into states of disconnection. Today, musicians and creative healers alike are rediscovering the power of music and sound to restore us to greater harmony.
“To sing is to pray twice.” -- St. Augustine
My own explorations of music as a healing art has been one of my most inspired adventures. My journey began as a student of Chinese Medicine keen to integrate my own musical sensibilities in my medicine practice. This has taken me foremost into using the incredible quartz crystal singing bowls whose profound tones almost instantly put people into meditative and healing states. I utilize as well the powerful integration of Acutonics and Tuning Fork Therapy with acupuncture without the use of needles but instead the use of vibration in one-on-one and group healing to restore the subtle fields of our well-being. I also integrate other instruments such as guitar, monochord, lyre, tanpura and more to create empowering and moving soundscapes that can bring people into deeply sacred sentiments that in themselves are healing. My work is varied and multifaceted. I perform sacred music concerts for the public, teach workshops on pragmatic applications of sound healing and conduct one-on-one and group healing incorporating sound healing, acupuncture and yoga. I feel blessed to be alive in a time when so many cultural expressions are finding basis in a healing service to all.
"When properly mobilized, sound can specifically entrain the human organism toward the greater harmony and homeostasis that it requires to remain vibrant and to regenerate after injury or illness. Sound and breath are one, and practices of toning, chanting, and singing revitalize breath--itself a key to harmony and homeostasis. These properties of sound medicine--entrainment, harmony, and homeostasis--represent the rational and spiritual foundation for a new movement in the healing arts and sciences." Dr. Mitchell Gaynor (The Healing Power of Sound)
-- Swami Vivekananda
Ever since I was a child I've heard music flowing through my being; big, heroic, anthemic, inspiring music that lifts the spirit and evokes transcendental highs. I'm happy to say I feel I am now making the music I always dreamed of as a child :)
I call the music I create sacred music and I do not use these mighty words lightly. Sacred comes from the Indo-European root root 'sak-' which means 'power or divine force'. Ultimately, this is the essential intention of the music I make: to inspire in those who are listening and participating in it (for instance, in co-creations of chant) to feel powerful in a deep and profound way; to feel an expansion of being and feeling beyond the terrain of conventional emotions to ecstatic sentimentality (such as the feeling one gets when considering the infinity of the cosmos. If only pop music spoke to these inherently and bombastic human feelings more!). Moreover, as healer trained in shamanic technique, I intend to invoke divine force in this music, to create vibrations that will inspire healing and insight for those listening, whether live or via captured recordings. This is my humble service to the awakening of humanity to true empowerment, which is the great shift happening across the planet.
“…the sound is the source of all manifestation…The knower of the mystery of sound knows the mystery of the whole universe.”
Hazrat Inayat Khan
We live in truly extraordinary times. One of the greatest fields of innovation is the integration of healing modalities and creative arts. Music has been used as a form of healing since time immemorial. We can recall our indigenous brethren moving and dancing to drums and singing passionately to restore vitality, inspiration and love to their maligned souls. We can look to Pythagoras and his voluminous study of the science of harmony throughout the design of the universe and music as its highest expression, which can remind us of our own inner-harmony, especially when we veer wayward into states of disconnection. Today, musicians and creative healers alike are rediscovering the power of music and sound to restore us to greater harmony.
“To sing is to pray twice.” -- St. Augustine
My own explorations of music as a healing art has been one of my most inspired adventures. My journey began as a student of Chinese Medicine keen to integrate my own musical sensibilities in my medicine practice. This has taken me foremost into using the incredible quartz crystal singing bowls whose profound tones almost instantly put people into meditative and healing states. I utilize as well the powerful integration of Acutonics and Tuning Fork Therapy with acupuncture without the use of needles but instead the use of vibration in one-on-one and group healing to restore the subtle fields of our well-being. I also integrate other instruments such as guitar, monochord, lyre, tanpura and more to create empowering and moving soundscapes that can bring people into deeply sacred sentiments that in themselves are healing. My work is varied and multifaceted. I perform sacred music concerts for the public, teach workshops on pragmatic applications of sound healing and conduct one-on-one and group healing incorporating sound healing, acupuncture and yoga. I feel blessed to be alive in a time when so many cultural expressions are finding basis in a healing service to all.
"When properly mobilized, sound can specifically entrain the human organism toward the greater harmony and homeostasis that it requires to remain vibrant and to regenerate after injury or illness. Sound and breath are one, and practices of toning, chanting, and singing revitalize breath--itself a key to harmony and homeostasis. These properties of sound medicine--entrainment, harmony, and homeostasis--represent the rational and spiritual foundation for a new movement in the healing arts and sciences." Dr. Mitchell Gaynor (The Healing Power of Sound)
I am available for bookings, private and public concerts, sound healing and dynamic wellness workshops, lectures, AND group and private sound healing sessions. pLEASE Download my ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT BELOW.
cONTACT
EMAIL: dhbodhi@GMAIL.COM
PHONE: 647 726 7789
| darren_austin_hall--electronic_press_kit.pdf |
