What are the Guitar Conduit To Find God and Experienploriment projects?
These two projects are distinct but inter-related modes of artistic expression that I have been involved in for many years. They are each informed by a singular technology of the mind which may be referred to as flow. Flow, in psychological terms, can be understood as that state of mind in which attention is free from distraction. Mental involvement is maximized and an individual becomes absorbed in an activity or practice.
Flow is a relatively modern ascription, but this psychological state has been known by all cultures throughout history. I think of flow as resulting from a certain technology of the mind that allows the human being to change its subjective perception of reality at will. Tools like mantras, yantras, incantations, prayers, calligraphy, and other various meditative and fitness techniques work to condition the mind in a particular fashion through their performance.
This technology operates by way of single pointed focus and repetition. It does not matter what you repeat or what you intensely focus on, the result will be that you zone out. Stir a tea cup. Stir a stick in the mud. Watch a flickering candle, watch the clouds. Twiddle your thumbs, do yoga. Paint a picture, or a house. Wash your dishes (seriously). Dance.
Or play guitar.
Guitar Conduit To Find God
The thinking outlined above led me to the realization of the Guitar Conduit To Find God. The general idea being, my guitar can be a conduit to accessing altered states of consciousness. All I have to do is play it. So I began recording improvisational jam sessions. They are usually very calm and peaceful (a stark contrast to most of Experienploriment).
When I am making a Guitar Conduit, I am thinking of the Most High, the greatest conception I can possibly strain or push myself to imagine. I aim not for the epic (like in my solo metal work), but rather for what is behind the epic; the sublime.
The flow state can grant us access to the sublime and to deeper understandings of ourselves, and that's what both Experienploriment and Guitar Conduits is about; achieving the sublime and returning it to the world of the mundane.
Experienploriment
The word "experienploriment" has its etymology somewhere in the head of my awesome friend and excellent guitarist, Morgan Farlie (avidly urging him onto Steemit). The name is a mandate, issued by the combination of the three words: experience, explore, experiment.
The way that I interpret Experienploriment is this: at the foundation of All is simply experience. When we take away all linguistic and cultural programming, all we're left with is bare, raw experience. Experience itself is not judgmental, it merely sees All. Recognition of this freedom from judgment gives us the confidence to explore, to learn by doing and experiencing. This freedom to explore allows us to experiment, to become conscious in our existence.
Morgan and I express this musically through collaborative improvisational guitar efforts. The idea is: we intentionally create a space absent of judgment, and then we explore and experiment with our guitars, sharing distinct but collaborative flow states. We record the results and pour over them endlessly. We learn. We grow. We work through emotions, and we strengthen our friendship. It has been a uniquely rewarding experience.
Morgan and I have also nearly completed a heavy metal album (which I'll be sharing soon), and played with the Tonal Rhythm Experiment (which I'll be using to kick off the Experienploriment posts).
You're Invited!
I am going to begin two series here on Steemit. Guitar Conduit To Find God will feature my guitar conduits. Experienploriment will feature my collaborative experiments in the flow state with Morgan Farlie and others. I am going to tag the Guitar Conduits as #guitarconduits and Experienploriment as #experienploriment. If you'd like to talk to me about the philosophy or any other aspect of the projects, just let me know! :)
The whole purpose of these projects is to explore yourself, and in so doing to develop a deeper and more rich understanding of yourself. In developing a deeper understanding of yourself, you develop a deeper understanding of the Universe and of each other. I super encourage any and all Steemians, if inspired, to take part. A fundamental underpinning of these projects is the idea of an absence of judgment or fear. Be yourself and free yourself! I would love to see other forms of art or fitness or any method of expression of who you are as a part of this exercise. You can reply to my posts or make your own posts. Guitar Conduits can just as easily be gardening or calligraphy or making-a-sandwich conduits, and experienploriment can be exemplified in brushing your teeth or walking the dog. A flow state and deepened awareness can be fostered through any activity.
Please contact me if you're interested in collaboration of any kind!
At the end of the day, I hope to share with you all a part of my personal journey through the world, and I hope to be privileged enough to see some of yours, as well.
Thank you for coming by!
I love how you explain (if I AM understanding you)that most any activity conducive to "zoning out" can be used as a path to God, self awareness..just as meditating or prayers, mantras etc, can be. You have put into words a feeling I have had in many activities from walking, playing at the keyboard and yes, even washing dishes...sometimes lol. But if this is what you mean, I agree. And I think it only natural, with your talent (and love of it) that the guitar would be one of your paths.
That's exactly it! :D I think flow states can be really powerful tools for relaxation and even generation of unorthodox thinking, or creativity. Unorthodox thinking can be really valuable for changing the way that you perceive yourself and that you perceive the world, so these psychological tools that allow us to access these altered states are also really valuable because they literally let us reshape reality. We can see things in new lights we never thought possible and take conscious control of the evolution of our consciousness. The best part is they are free and complete inbuilt to the human system. You can do them anywhere, anytime. A person could literally just say the word "nom" over and over and achieve deep trance. A person could sit around and say "blah" over and over and achieve the same result. :)