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My little sweet darling 

my comfort and joy

Sing lullaby looley

Tara Rice is a brand-new Pagan artist from Toronto, Ontario.  She contacted me via my website to ask me to listen to her new single.  I was enchanted!  I immediately invited her to join our Canadian Pagan music anthology project (now set for this November) and asked if she'd be willing to do an interview.  She's a friendly and enthusiastic but professional young woman and I was impressed with her thoughtful answers.  You can find more information on her or her music at her website: www.tararice.com.

In Music Power Harmony, R. J. Stewart presents an interesting take on the concept of hierarchy as it relates to musical harmony and how that can be applied to magical work. He argues that hierarchies aren't inherently linear or spatial and that treating a hierarchy as a series of separate entities with linear connections ignores holistic aspects of the hierarchy that could be useful in magical work. When examining hierarchy from a harmonic perspective, Stewart notes that harmonics can open our awareness to resonances and relationships between the patterns and entities involved, in such a way that it provides order without necessarily bringing authority into the mix. It's an interesting take on hierarchy, which is typically treated as a linear structure with temporal authority included in it.

The problems that most people have with hierarchy is the abuse of authority or the bureaucracy that makes it convoluted and unable to do anything. Typically hierarchies are associated with corporations, governments, and other such institutions. These institutions enforce hegemonic authority and standards that keep certain agendas in power, while keeping others out. It's not a surprise then that people have knee jerk reactions to hierarchy. Yet I think R. J. Stewart makes some interesting points about hierarchy as it relates to both music and spiritual work.

Thumping beats, crashing drums, melodic instruments, ecstatic signing, rhythmic pulsing, sweat pouring from your skin, a crowd surging together as one, shouting, screaming, chanting, touching, pounding heartbeats, flashing lights, the scent of alcohol and bodies, drops of sweat and water and saliva spraying over everyone and then you go home with your ears ringing, lying in bed thinking in the darkness “what in the heavens just happened?”

Not every concert I go to is an ecstatic experience, but there have been a few times when I’ve known deep down in my heart of hearts that the people I was watching on stage weren’t just making music, but they were putting on a show. Deliberate or not, they were channeling something different, something special, and the crowd was totally sharing in that experience with them. These moments can be rare and meaningful, and in some cases, completely cathartic and cleansing.

Recently I wrote about the role music played in how I became a Pagan. I ended my story with the summer solstice of 2012, which marks the beginning of my Pagan path. The feeling of having come home, so familiar to many Pagans, took me by surprise that night and has stayed with me ever since.

The walls of the medieval castle flicker in the light of the torches as crowds mill across the courtyard. The smell of cooking fires and stew waft from the kitchen and another group of people in medieval clothes, some in chain-mail, pass me on their way to the tavern. I watch them descend the well-trodden stone stairs, then turn toward the tower, hoping to get a break from the crowd and a better look at this medieval market from above.

During my latest New Moon Intention Circle I shared with my sisters on the call my Goddess music playlist on Youtube. One of my favorite pastimes is finding new Goddess songs and supporting female artists by buying their music. So here I am sharing my Goddess music playlist with the hope you will share new songs with me and perhaps find some new songs for yourself!

1. We All Come From The Goddess by Lindie Lila from Return Of The Goddess, Sacred Chants For Women

2. I Walk With The Goddess by Kellianna from I Walk With The Goddess

3. Earth My Body by Alice Di Micele from Circle of Women

4. Blessed Are We by Kellianna from I Walk With The Goddess

5. Maiden, Mother, Crone by Kellianna from Lady Moon

6. Triple Goddess Chant by Moving Breath from She Changes

7. Ancient Goddess by Abbi Spinner McBride from Enter The Center

8. Earth Mother by Kiva from A Call To Beauty

9. Grandmother Moon by Elaine Silver from The Lady Of The Lake

10. Mother Of Darkness by Alice Di Micele from Circle of Women

11. Our Mother by Miriam Therese Winter from Her Sacred Songs

12. We Are The Flowby Lindie Lila from Return Of The Goddess, Sacred Chants For Women

13. Born Of Waterby Lindie Lila from Return Of The Goddess, Sacred Chants For Women

14. Sisters Of The Moonby Lindie Lila from Sisters Of The Moon

15. Mama Gaiaby Lindie Lila from Return Of The Goddess, Sacred Chants For Women

16. The River Is Flowingby Lindie Lila from Return Of The Goddess, Sacred Chants For Women

17. Ladies Spinby Lindie Lila from Return Of The Goddess, Sacred Chants For Women

18. Call On The Moon by Elaine Silver from Touch The Earth

19. Don’t You Know by Elaine Silver from Faerie Goddess

20. Mermaid Queen by Lisa Thiel from Journey To The Goddess

21. Song To The Grandmothers by Lisa Thiel from Journey To The Goddess

22. Sacred Way by Abbi Spinner McBride from Enter The Center

     

23. ReTurning by Jennifer Berezan from ReTurning

I have listed the songs in the order they appear on my Youtube playlist. The song’s name links to the Youtube video for it so you can listen to the song. If you feel called to learn more about the singer, their name is linked to their website if one is available. After that I provide the name of the album with a link to purchase it. I tried to provide a link via Amazon.com so you can purchase just the Mp3 of the song if you cannot afford the album.

Again, I hope in sharing my list with you that you will be motivated to share what songs we have in common, what new songs I should listen to and perhaps find a couple of songs you had not heard before. I look forward to hearing from you sisters! ❤

~featured art in this post is "The Muse of Music" by Emily Balivet, another amazing Goddess sister!~