It would be simple enough to call this music “calm” or “relaxing” and leave it at that. I’m sure I could use many other similar adjectives that would fairly characterise this music. But to truly understand the most important quality of “The Passing Moon” requires an explanation that digs deeper than casual descriptives. I’ll do my best to put this explanation into words…

This music is more than the sum of its parts. Each and every component of the music is meaningful and necessary, including the silent spaces between the notes. Nothing superfluous has been added, and at the same time, nothing is missing. Each note is played with care and awareness. Dignified, poised and perfectly balanced, this music speaks of “The Way”, a mode of being that is effortless, simple, completely unhurried and in harmony with the moment.

It communicates this, not through the melody I’ve played, or the instruments I’ve selected, but as a whole, the totality of its expression is in itself, a representation of Zen.

Similar to a Zen temple, this music is constructed with distinctive proportions, textures and spaces that help us shift into a different state of being; its presence communicates something powerful that can instantly transform the way you feel.

A few thoughts on using this music in guided meditations…

“Meditation Music” covers quite a wide range of relaxing music styles. On one end of the spectrum is drones or pad-like sounds with no obvious melody or tempo. Usually synthesised, these amorphous dreamy washes of sound are great for those times when you need soft music to “hold the space” while remaining very much in the background.

On the other hand, sometimes you may seek a more “musical” experience for your listeners, for example, a composition that features gentle piano or acoustic guitar. There’s no doubt that music like this can be very relaxing, and it may be more easily appreciated by your listeners, but it may also be a little too “forward” for some meditations. That lovely piano melody might be the sweetest thing, but it might introduce a little too much movement into the deeper moments of the meditative journey that you are leading your listeners through.

“The Passing Moon: A Zen Lullaby” takes a little of the best from both these two worlds. On one hand, the deep, repetitive tones of the singing bowls provide a hypnotic backdrop that holds the space, while the flute provides a melodic element that remains very slow and uncomplicated, much more so than a piano or guitar performance. There’s musical movement, but it’s so slow and gentle that it can comfortably follow you into very deep states of consciousness.