35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enchanted escape to the isle of Avalon, "landscape of the soul", July 31, 2006
This review is from: The Avalon Meditations (Audio CD)
An elegant followup to Mara Freeman's Celtic Spirit Meditations CD (also available and reviewed by me on Amazon), the Avalon Meditations CD contains four meditations that transport you to a magical realm, each substantial enough to be listened to on its own:
The Shores of Avalon: 20.50
The Illuminated Tree 21.18
The Sea Temple 16.14
The Nine Sisters and the Cauldron of Annwn 15.35
1. The Shores of Avalon begins with a picturesque walk in Somerset along an ancient causeway that ends upon the shore, where you stand gazing at Avalon, the Island of Apple Trees. A craft piloted by the ferryman of Avalon carries you across to the island, accompanied by sparkling music and lyrical verse that set the mood. Two hills greet your view, Chalice Hill and Glastonbury Tor. Following a path between the hills, you come upon a wooden door sheltered by a yew tree. You knock and are greeted by a guardian of Avalon, who guides you into a lovely woodland garden, where apple trees grow blossoms and fruit together. From a tower on Glastonbury Tor, a merlin flies out, welcoming you, and your guide leads you along to a clear pool near a seaside temple. You bathe and refresh yourself, continuing on your journey with some tokens of your visit. When the ferryman returns you to the mainland shore, the enchanted island disappears into the mist, and you gradually return to ordinary time.
2. In The Illuminated Tree, perhaps my favorite meditation, mist rolls back to reveal a line of oak trees leading to Glastonbury Tor, where a dark tower is silhouetted against the sky. Your guide once again greets you, leading you down into a damp, mysterious cavern where the roots of a magnificent tree sparkle with gems. You notice two streams, one clear and one dark--the dark one flowing through a fountain to be purified by this Tree of Life. A small figure among the tree's roots shows you images and revelations, and then you climb a staircase up along the trunk of the tree. Emerging from the cavern, you are welcomed by the Lady of All Living Things. The journey continues with an evening climb up the tower to gaze at the living constellations over the magical Tree of Life.
3. The Sea Temple transports you to the garden of Avalon. It is a fragrant and glimmering evening, and your guide leads you west, to the shores and the sea temple you glimpsed in earlier visits. At a jetty beyond the temple, you see, once more, a great ship. As you walk the path towards it, you are surrounded by robed figures murmuring in a mysterious language, and you sense the presence also of otherworldly beings, who continue on to the ship. You take another path to the richly decorated temple, which leads into the sea side of the cave you visited in The Illuminated Tree. Here, the immortal Morgen, Avalon's queen of elements, of sea and moon and stars, awaits you with revelations of her mysteries and of your own life.
4. The Nine Sisters and the Cauldron of Annwn takes you to the seaside, under a full moon. Here, you find a silver chalice in an ebbing tidepool that reflects a constellation of nine stars. Raising the chalice and then dipping it in the waters, you annoint yourself with the mooncharged water and recite an ancient invocation. You climb the bridge of moonlight, which takes you to nine figures ringing the Cauldron of Annwn. Surmounting their challenge, you witness the spinning, transforming cauldron reveal the nine sisters, in their different aspects, and the cauldron's own generative powers. You take your place and are joined by others who belong to the company of Avalon. You listen to their message, and when the transformations are complete, you are returned to this time and place.
This lyrical, beautifully imagined CD reminds me of the Howard Pyle stories and illustrations that captivated me as a child. The tales are lovely, even ornate, but there is a light clarity of tone that keeps the mood lively despite the rich ornamentation. The detail and richness of these unique meditations provoke the imagination but sometimes leave less space for contemplation (the liner notes do recommend pausing the CD if necessary). The style of this CD falls somewhere between Ms. Freeman's Celtic Spirit Meditations and her story recordings (Celtic Tales of Birds and Beasts is also available on Amazon). I have enjoyed the Celtic Spirit Meditations more for active contemplation at special times or regarding certain issues, and the Avalon Meditations for a dreamy, hypnotic escape, particularly nice in the evening. The trance-like listening state induced by this CD has the interesting effect of making certain details sometimes fall away into the background and at other times hold the foreground, so that the stories seem different on repeat listening. The journeys takes place in the same locale (the first three on the isle of Avalon, and the fourth representing Avalon as Annwn, the Welsh underworld), with some features only glimpsed in one meditation more fully explored in another. This technique creates a consistently drawn otherworldly realm that seems to live eternally in the imagination. The CD is well-produced. The sound quality and delivery are excellent, and the gentle, sensitive music, lyrical verse, and occasional subtle sound effects evocatively support the storylines and mood, while the liner notes provide further information about the meditations and the author.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lyrical, intricate meditations, June 27, 2011
This review is from: The Avalon Meditations (Audio CD)
I'm certainly glad I did not read the previous review before purchasing, as it should have been prefaced with a *spoiler alert!* It would have ruined the experience of discovering each mystical adventure for myself.
This is the 2nd work I've purchased by this author & I love the harp & zither music that accompanies each meditation. Very atmospheric, & actually makes me feel as if I am in those physical locations again. Appropriate for those who honor the goddess and Celtic pagan paths, or for those who just enjoy a mystical flavor in their meditations.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
