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September/October 2008 Conscious Media
Reader's Choice 9/08

Whispers from Eternity, Paramahansa Yogananda, Self-Realization Fellowship, 2008, $19

In the spirit of the great mystical poet sages and saints of all religions, such as Rumi, St. Teresa of Avila and Rabindranath Tagore, the newly designed Whispers From Eternity by ParamahansaYogananda offers universal prayers, affirmations and ecstatic experiences in elevated states of God-communion. Yogananda, author of the best-selling classic Autobiography of a Yogi, intimately describes actual communion with the "cosmic heart." The infinite bliss that he perceives within and without is reflected in many passages that reveal his deep reverence for nature and the oneness of all life. The book features invocations to the prophets of the world's religions, including Buddha, Mohammad, Krishna and Jesus, as well as a special section of children's prayers. Visit www.yogananda-srf.org.

- Vicky Thompson

Uncoiled, Martyrs of Sound, Chakra Groove Records, 2008, $15

Uncoiled is a journey to opening through tribal rhythms, sacred chanting, exotic instrumentation and electronica. From the funky groove of the track "Ananda" to the euro pop vibe of "Now2theNow" to the dance/trance heartbeat of "Uncoiled," each song opens and releases your chakras from root to crown into bliss. Oregon's own Steve Koc and Sara Wiseman collaborated on the CD, creating a driving primal beat that alternates with an ethereal soundscape. African drums, Middle Eastern guitar, world percussion and electric guitar meld with lush and gritty vocals in Sanskrit mantra, ancient voice and English. Koc, a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and chiropractor, is also a practitioner of Kundalini yoga. Wiseman, a singer, songwriter and intuitive author, adds her luminous whispers, chants and cries to Uncoiled. Together, Martyrs of Sound create a driving sound, pushing your body and soul to a healing release.

- Vicky Thompson

Bloodline, Bruce Burgess and Rene Barnett, 1244 Films, 2008, $24.95

In 1999, a remote mountain tomb and a wooden chest of relics from 1st Century Jerusalem were discovered in southwest France. Among the relics are a simple pottery drinking cup and a small ointment vase that investigators claim were used at the wedding of Jesus and Mary Magdalene more than 2000 years ago. The tomb contains a mummified corpse lying under a shroud bearing the distinct red cross insignia of the Knights Templar. Initial DNA testing revealed its origins as Middle Eastern.

Bloodline, an intriguing cloak-and-dagger style documentary, follows the three-year investigation by English documentary maker, Bruce Burgess, into the so-called bloodline conspiracy of Jesus marrying Mary Magdalene, having children and fleeing to France. According to Rene Barnett, the film's producer, there's a strong local legend that at the end of the 1800s, the French priest Berenger Sauniere of Rennes-le-Chateau discovered a tomb that could shake the Vatican to the core. Could this modern-day discovery be the same tomb? Prepare to be captivated - Bloodline not only makes you wonder if there's more to the story of Jesus than we've been told, it also leaves you wanting a sequel to continue the exciting journey with Burgess to further explore this mystery. The DVD, released on Sept. 16, is available at www.bloodlinethemovie.com.

- Vicky Thompson

eMotive, Jorge Grundman, David Caballero, Joaquin Taboada, and Eduardo Laguillo,Only New Age Music, 2007, $17.98

eMotive is a selection of the most representative works of Non Profit Music artists, and includes music from already released albums as well as new tracks. This compilation of 12 original compositions features four Non Profit Music artists from Spain. Profits from album sales are donated to the Doctors Without Borders organization. Non Profit Music: making music, saving lives.

Although this album is categorized as New Age, it could also be considered World Music. Laguillo's focus on studies of East-Indian music is evident in one of his contributions, Raghupati Raghava. All four artists had classical music training, in addition to other diverse styles. These are all evident in the variety of music on eMotive. Visit www.newagemusic.com.

- Alice R. Berntson

Power of the Sixth Sense: How to Keep Safe in a Hostile World, Jock Brocas,
O Books, 2008, $19.95

This is a book largely about developing and using your intuition as part of your self-defense strategy. Jock Brocas, a professional security consultant and bodyguard, has filled the book with anecdotes from his many years in the field on how, by using his sixth sense, he was able to escape serious harm. He tells how he is able to sense the danger of a situation before it occurs, thus maximizing his personal safety or the safety of others.

The book is full of tips on how to arrange you life and your environment to make you less vulnerable and tells you how to prepare your home for the many kinds of dangers that you might attract. He bases his writing on his presumption that we live in a hostile world, so it's best to be prepared.

Interestingly, he gives little mention to the Law of Attraction, which might determine the kinds of experiences you may encounter. You may avoid the experience the situation in the first place by not focusing on its negative arrival.

A good reference text and an easy read. Visit www.o-books.net.

- David Moyle

Contact Has Begun: A True Story with James Gilliland, DCT Enterprises, 2007, $29.95

This DVD is the story of James Gilliland's life and mission. Gilliland, a Southern California native,is an author, teacher, ufologist, spiritual counselor, energetic healer, and the founder of the Enlightened Contact with Extraterrestrial Intelligence (ECETI) organization in Washington.

One day while Gilliland was body surfing, three huge waves forced him under the water, dislocating his shoulder and collapsing his diaphragm. He could not breath or orient himself in the water, and had a near death experience that in his words "blew him wide open." Gilliland found himself in the arms of God and asked three questions of this the wonderful presence. The answers surprised him, making him rethink his childhood education, and upon his return to this world, he decided that it was his mission to share this new knowledge and loving presence with others.

In 1986, he moved to Mount Adams in Trout Lake, Wash., and opened the Sattva Sanctuary, a 70-acre mountain retreat dedicated to spiritual healing. Gilliland says his sanctuary is in essence a dimensional portal where extraterrestrial ships travel to and from Earth. I found this movie filled with gems of knowledge and wisdom and can only hope that we as a race can find a greater understanding into the vast interdimensional, multi-universes in which we live.

- Jelina Vance

Gateways to the Otherworld, Philip Gardiner, The Career Press, 2007, $17.99

Leaving no stone unturned in his search for the truth, British author Philip Gardiner explores many places and means that different cultures throughout time have accessed the otherworld through gateways. He sought to discover if there is another realm of existence, known to the ancients, but lost in today's Western scientific mentality of "if I can't see it or prove it, then it doesn't exist."

Gardiner ties the bits and pieces of his extensive research together through language, similarities in ritual or other methods. A common underlying theme is serpents - snakes. He says the most important thing he discovered was the existence of worldwide worship of serpents, and that this belief system spawned all of the major religions. The header and footer on each page of the book include images of snakes.

After journeying to all parts of the world and sifting through multitudes of documents and other associated evidence, Gardiner concludes that although he did indeed find many physical manifestations of the gateway, he found that the gateway is actually inside each of us. It is the unconscious state, which can be accessed through various methods.

- Alice R. Berntson

Soundings Global Rhythm Collection, Dean Evenson,
Soundings of the Planet, 2008, $16.98

Producer Dean Evenson presents a musical feast of world music spanning the globe. It's a collection of works from 11 diverse CDs, previously published between 1994 and 2006. The mix of high-energy instrumental music and chants is designed as a rhythmic flow to be a perfect soundtrack for various activities. Guitars, various percussion instruments, sitars and other Indian instruments, the Australian didgeridoo, woodwinds, and strings, and more all add to the richness and diversity of the tracks. Vocals and chants from Cirque du Soleil singers, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and other world-renowned artists and masters provide a sense of spirituality to some of the tracks. Listeners are inspired to go on a mental journey and lose themselves in the music.

- Alice R. Berntson

Ancient Belongings, Meredith McFadden, 2005, $15

I was browsing through my E-mail the other day and accidentally clicked on a link to Meredith McFadden's website only to discover she had released a CD entitled Ancient Belongings in 2005. Her CD is distributed on the giant web-portal CD Baby. I listened to the sample tracks and was immediately intrigued by her beautifully haunting voice. I did not have the funds in my account until the following Friday, and besides I don't like waiting for snail mail when I can instantly download it from iTunes.

But what if iTunes didn't have it? Friday came. I decided to check iTunes for availability. To my amazement, iTunes had the entire Ancient Belongings CD available for download, which they normally don't do for unknown artists.

I was so inspired by Portland's own Meredith McFadden. She has been writing songs since age 15, and always sensed the voice was her truest healing tool. Ancient Belongings is a compilation of original and traditional songs, and is an honoring of her ancestral heritage. The album is a mixture of percussive and lyrical songs, fusing her Native American roots and rhythms along with Celtic lilting, phrasing and melodic ornamentation. Her vocal art is also supported by guitar, keyboards, Irish and Pennywhistles, cello and bass.

- Peter Scrogin

The Lost Dream, Jamie Craig, CraigSound Productions, 2007, $12.98

Detroit-based Jamie Craig has been playing and composing music for more than 30 years. He is a self-taught musician who began his career playing bass guitar in many rock bands. Then he discovered synthesizers. Craig composed, arranged, played all instruments, recorded, mixed and produced his complete CD The Lost Dream.

It has 11 compositions, performed on keyboards, synthesizers and computers. According to Craig, "The sounds you can get out of synthesizers are either ultra-real or fantasy-like ... a virtual world of music that mostly incorporates traditional sounds, but sometimes takes the notes of an instrument beyond its actual capabilities." His fondness for the sounds of a bass guitar is evident throughout, with eight different bass guitars.

This collection of instrumental pieces has such a variety of tempos and sounds. Each song brings has its own unique mood, bringing freshness and change as the CD progresses. The sum admirably accomplishes Craig's goal of being an emotional sonic journey. It's a grand fusion of contemporary soft jazz and melodic New Age, with progressive rock undertones. The result is new, yet classically timeless. Visit www.myspace.com/craigsounds.

- Alice R. Berntson

Is This the Best God Could Do? Sarah St. John, The Light Age Press, 2007, $23.99

While a flight attendant for a British airline, Sarah St. John experienced a multitude of cultures during her world travels. Pondering different religious beliefs and practices led her to the conclusion that the world's main religions have served to alienate people from their fellow human beings, with an "us vs. them" mentality, while also keeping followers subservient and small.

This lengthy exploration is written in a conversational style, with occasional profanities thrown in casually. She concurs with other writers who have gone before, that "irrevocable commitment to any religion is not only intellectual suicide; it is positive unfaith because it closes the mind to any new vision of the world."

She moves on to declare that people will expand their perception of human divinity, pioneering a conscious break with the worldview of human mediocrity. These "pioneers" will come to know that we plan our lives - before we're born - and that we have choices in whom we are. Our consciousness is not yet sufficiently developed to comprehend that with vast consideration and planning each of us constructs a future life as a highly evolved sentient being, existing to consciously evolve in a reality ruled by free will.

- Alice R. Berntson

Buddha Chill, Soulfood and DJ Free, Soulfood Music, 2008, $16.98

DJ Free, an award winning producer and composer gives us this meditative music to help us achieve the connection that he has found between music and consciousness. This musical journey blends the sounds of classical piano, woodwinds, didgeridoo, drums, acoustic guitar, tribal chants and nature sounds with electronica synthesizer and ambient soundscapes. Cultural blends from Africa, India, the Middle East, Polynesia, and the Americas merge into a journey of chill, yoga, contemporary world and relaxation music. In DJ Free's words, "A mix of acoustic instrumentation, exotic vocals and ambient soundscapes to create music that can only be described as transglobal electronica." I found this CD very calming and soothing, amazing background music or wonderful for meditation purposes.

- Jelina K. Vance

The Spiritual Cinema Circle, Volume 7: Adam and Evelyn, The Aviatrix, A Walk in the Park, and One, www.spiritualcinemacircle.com

This DVD was quite enjoyable, thought provoking and at times humorous to watch. The main movie One, was about spiritual enlightenment and the concept of oneness, from a world view. The movie was written, directed and produced by two inexperienced film makers over the period of two years.Conceptually, the main idea of the movie to conduct street interviews asking questions such as, "If you had one wish for the world what would that be? What is the meaning of life?" However, as the movie evolved many spiritual celebrities stepped forward and offered their views and beliefs to enhance this beautiful film. People from all walks of life were given the opportunity to express their views. Atheists, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, African kings, yogis, monks, medicine men, channels, and authors were interviewed, each expressing their unique description of what they believe it is to be One with the world.

Adam and Evelyn, was a comical movie involving two sets of blind dates that somehow managed to meet up with the wrong date. Everything seemed to go off somewhat smoothly until they began to realize that they were totally wrong for each other and then things got interesting as two worlds collided.

A Walk in the Park, was a lighthearted look at a man who just "blew the best ever" job interview. Walking home through the park he met two local people who changed not only his depressed and angry attitude, but his whole concept of what he thought important in his life.

These movies were wonderfully upbeat and gave the viewer food for thought. I look forward to reviewing more from Spiritual Cinema Circle.

- Jelina Vance