Astral Musing: Night Over Dark

Night Over Dark

The pale moon cast a flinty glow

Ragged, harshly, on the men below.

There were firestorms in the east, an earthly taste of hell,

Shattering the night's repose, when Satan nearly fell.

That famous battle is legend here

One still can sense the hate and fear.

If you chance to listen closely, try not to dismay.

It's just the echoes of the fallen ones, fighting one more day.

This war has raged down through the ages

Foretold in whispers by sooths and sages.

Though its origin remains unclear, of one thing I am certain:

The fate of man hangs in the balance, but neither side can win.

I'm forced to watch, despite my pain,

While metal clashes and arrows reign.

The hordes of hell launch a swift attack - inflicting pain, their pleasure.

When Michael suddenly appears, a shining sword his treasure.

Forged by a god, at the dawn of time,

For felling demons - a lesser crime.

A bright blue flame surrounds its blade, reflecting in his eyes,

He smiles grimly as demons scream, but there'll be no compromise.

A trumpet blast shakes the earth

The seeds of victory given birth.

The men of Light rise up in fury and sense the conquest near.

The earth cracks open and demons wail, and scream in abject fear.

Blue flame engulfs the putrid legion

Who fell each other, lacking reason.

The holes provide a timeless tomb and escape is not an option.

The hordes of hell forever doomed, payment for their action.

Michael squints and views the fields

Of broken bodies, swords and shields.

A single tear rolls down his cheek, but pity's not his way,

Gabriel arrives beside him, to say they've won the day.

I watch a glowing sphere appear

Satan roars, his end is near.

But the portal takes him to safe haven, if such can be found.

Michael looks up at me screaming, drives his sword into the ground.

While Iblis looks for a place to hide

I must continue my westward glide.

Who am I, you might ask - some wayward hierarch?

A silent guardian, ever watchful... I am Night Over Dark.

Creativity Quick Tip

Music To Soothe The Savage Beast

It's commonly known that music can transcend the boundaries of race, sex, language and even political differences. It is a very creative expression of thoughts, ideas and sentiments that is no less valuable or poignant than the written word. Consider the very talented Yanni. He grew up without learning to read a single note of music but harboured an incredible dream to play a live concert at the Acropolis, one that he was able to make a reality through sheer perseverance. His music has touched people from all walks of life and from every continent. Why? What makes music effect us as it does? Taking that one step further, how can we use this very powerful energy to assist us in our creative endeavors?

Simple Method: It is essential before you begin that the music chosen does NOT have any words - it has to be totally instrumental. Words will detract from the purpose of this valuable tool. I use classical music exclusively but soft jazz is great as well. If you don't own any music of this type, check out your local library, sign out a few CD's with a mixture of composers and play a part of each piece to get a feel for the mood.

Set aside the time it takes for the piece to play and get comfortable in a chair. Try to keep your back relatively straight and rest your hands gently on your lap. Using earphones will enhance the experience but is not absolutely necessary to get the full benefit. Breathe deeply and slowly, as if you were beginning a meditation session, and when you feel a sense of calm, turn on the music. Relax and put your full concentration into the sound. Take note of how it conveys a feeling or mood. Allow yourself to begin to flow into the instrumentals and then allow it to flow through you. This is incredibly creative energy that you can take as your own, for just a few minutes - if you allow yourself to. Put aside your cares and worries; this is your time exclusively to sample the creative genius of somebody who has put their heart and soul into composing that particular piece.

One of the major problems you will encounter is typical of any altered state work, which is essentially what you are doing here. In trying to rid your mind of distractions, you'll notice that your conscious mind will try desperately to assert its control. This is a problem that I've faced and it does have a solution that is well suited for writers who "see" the plot and characters of their story develop in their mind's eye. Here's a quick example of how I battle that interference.

Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" is roughly 6 minutes in duration, which equates to a LOT of time for the conscious mind to interrupt. Instead of just listening, I add a visualization. In it, I picture a huge circular white room with a gleaming black piano in the center and a faceless pianist dressed in an elegant tuxedo. To one side, there are a series of floor-to-ceiling windows that are thrown open, with moonlight streaming inside, highlighting the phantom musician. The long white curtains are billowing gently in the midnight breeze to complete the picture. As the music progresses I "watch" their hands stroking the keys in time with the music and pretend, for the duration of the piece, that I am the sole observer. I can change position at will - sometimes view the musician from the side, sometimes slightly elevated and looking down. By doing this, I am not giving my conscious mind the opportunity to interrupt my time or enjoyment.

This is just as example of what you might consider to add to the power of this tool. From personal experience, I've noted that the more I practiced working with this tool, in this way, the easier it became. My conscious mind slowly began to understand that these few moments were mine and actually responded. If this doesn't work for you, simply concentrate on your breathing while the music plays. Remember, we're only talking about a few minutes of your time, perhaps every second day.

Use this tool any time you need to ground or calm yourself. If you can, I strongly suggest that you add a visual aspect to help keep you focused. For other pieces, like Bach's "Air" and Pachelbel's "Canon", I try to picture the scene when the composition was first played - the dress, the people's reaction, sometimes seeing waltzing couples in an elegant ballroom. The only limits, as in any type of magick or altered state work, are your imagination and creativity. This is pure, creative energy that we can tap into, at any time we choose. It has made a noticeable impact on my own writing and I highly suggest that you consider adding this valuable tool to your own "toolbox of creativity".