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ROBERT BRUCE

philosophy

”It's becoming more of a spiritual thing... I believe that pretty soon people will have to rely more on music and the arts to get some kind of peace of mind or satisfaction - direction, actually.”  - Jimi Hendrix on The Dick Cavett Show   July, 1969

More Than a Universal Language 

Through music and the creative arts one can find an appealing custom-designed means of expanding awareness and anchoring one's self on deeper, unchanging values in a fast-changing world.

Over the past few decades I have cultivated a philosophy, purpose and vision in music based on my own discovery of music's spiritual source and of the many far-reaching effects music has in everyday life.  Having overcome numerous personal challenges through my connection with music and by securing greater faith in my own creative abilities, my direction in music has gradually become more focused on healing/well-being, elevating self-awareness, personal empowerment and encouraging the flow of creativity in others. I am dedicated to sharing my enthusiasm for the therapeutic and inspirational effects of music and creative expression through my talks, writings, educational programs, compositions and live performance programs.

As a reflection of and vehicle for my own ongoing growth and healing my music itself opens a dimension of awareness which, by many accounts, can put others more in touch with their own inherent joy, beauty and inner peace, as well as it can noticeably stir unconscious pain and sadness in them (see testimonials). 

This is different from most other available modern types of so-called “healing” music (all music, by its sheer presence, has some degree of constructive or destructive effect) as it is not merely a happy diversion, a soothing balm, a surface band-aid, or some kind of intellectual, emotional, social, nostalgic or devotional statement.  Rather, this unusually candid and transparent music may often bring on a direct confrontation with one's buried mental or emotional issues as it resonates on a particularly subtle, almost impersonal, note of honesty and, rather than taking any clever or entertaining turns, simply sustains an unadorned openness.  But it does so within a genuinely caring and supportive sonic environment that provides the listener with a safe forum to acknowledge and eventually become indifferent to painful and/or unsettling images and feelings.  This was my own journey through life and music for a considerable period of time and, hence, the reason why these qualities have become inherent in much of my music.

As it appeals to one's sense of trust this highly distilled music (specifically my CD Bound for the Tenderness of Eden and song cycle Songs of Human and Divine Love) begins to clear an inner pathway and even holds a flashlight for the listener who connects with it. Initially and variably this may be a trying or joyful experience, but is one which ultimately leads to a truly liberating outcome.  With this in mind, those who are generally ready and willing to face some of their more unpleasant unconscious memories, patterns and images to gain greater freedom may indeed benefit in some way from this music. 

This also ties in with my reason for teaching musical composition and encouraging any kind of creative expression in others. Although, one doesn't necessarily need to consciously understand how music and other forms of creative expression heal and uplift people in order for them to actually do so. The healing and therapeutic aspects of any kind of creative expression are always part and parcel of the very act of creating; in fact, the whole creative process itself is nothing more than a series of lessons or steps towards remembering who we really are from a spiritual perspective.

Through music a profound stream of truth, love and kindness can become highly tangible and accessible to us.  Seamlessly woven into the creative, expressive and aesthetic elements, one may dispel and rise above all manner of conflicts in life by secretly identifying with certain pieces of music. This mainly has to do with our present state of consciousness and what our readiness to take the next step is at any given time; it is different for each person.

Creative expression, through music and other avenues, can often be the ultimate, most satisfying therapy session and/or growing experience one can possibly have.  Whether expressing ourselves or living vicariously through someone else's creative expression, music and the arts give us the needed inner security to help us face and dissolve the unconscious fears and anxieties that hinder us as they help to establish us in purer and more positive states of consciousness. This whole premise is based simply on aesthetics or joy and beauty for their own sakes.

With a little planning and direction, music and other forms of creative expression can work for us on the same principle as that of hitching our individual wagons to a star.  Music has the special purpose of inspiring and enabling us to touch the many levels of heaven, even while we live on earth.   

Robert Bruce

For more on the healing power of music and creative expression see Robert Bruce's essay “The Therapeutic Value of Music” in the ebooks section of this website

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