Dear Explorer,
The autumnal equinox always reminds me of the rich indigenous heritage we have here in North America, as well as around the world. It’s a reminder of our connection to the natural world and how the elements, sun, moon and stars used to dictate so much of everyday life. Much of the deficiency and longing for significance we experience in the modern world can be traced to the loss of this intimacy with our environment and its eternal cycles.
It is for this reason that we have always honored the shamanic tradition at Hemi-Sync® by bringing our users music and practices that are as authentic as possible, while extending the proper respect and attribution to native culture and people.
New Releases
You may have noticed there has been a strong shamanic theme in our new releases of the past few months, as well. Beginning with Andrej Hrvatin’s Hero’s Journey in July (see my last letter for details), to Thomas Mooneagle’s Cords of Light in August, to Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche’s Sacred Sleep in September, and October’s Persistent Visions by Byron Metcalf and Mark Seelig.
Thomas Mooneagle is a fourth level Andean priest and shamanic practitioner, as well as a writer, artist, teacher, intuitive reader and healer. Cords of Light is his first Hemi-Sync® album and offers the opportunity to reflect on your relationships and infuse them with the energy of Grace. It’s a reminder that we are all joined together through cords of light, allowing us to give and receive support from one another. These luminous cords connect us with people, places, the earth, our guides in spirit, our personal power, our prosperity, and the ultimate Source of Life.
Sacred Sleep is the third Hemi-Sync® album by renowned Bön Dzogchen teacher and author, Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. This is a two track album where Lama Tenzin guides you through track 1, inviting you to let go of all worries, noises, distractions, and all the stories about yourself as you completely merge into pure spaciousness. This is an experience that is known as “rigpa” in Dzogchen, but please listen to the podcast with Lama Tenzin for a more comprehensive discussion of his teaching, while we also touch on the topics of dream yoga, lucid dreaming, transcendent experience, and his fascinating early life.
While the Bön teaching originates in Tibet, it is not Buddhist in the sense that it emanates from the Buddha Shakyamuni. Lama Tenzin’s lineage dates back much earlier, perhaps to as early as 17,000 years ago, passed down mainly through oral tradition. This history, combined with extensive use of transcendent states of consciousness, makes Bön Dzogchen similar to other indigenous shamanic bodies of wisdom.
Persistent Visions is the second Hemi-Sync® collaboration by Byron Metcalf and Mark Seelig, although Byron has several other solo works, highlighted by his acclaimed Shaman’s Heart series. In addition to shamanism, Mark and Byron have similar backgrounds in Stanislav Grof’s holotropic breathwork and transpersonal psychology, so it’s natural for them to team up frequently.
For those that have not had the first-hand experience, Persistent Visions is a worthy surrogate for shamanic initiation. Take the psycho-acoustic sacrament as the music envelops and holds you for an extended journey culminating in a state of bliss. For more on how we can combine ancient wisdom and modern knowledge to tackle some of the most difficult problems we face, both as individuals and as a species, be sure to check out Mark and Byron’s podcast.
Hemi-Sync® Unlimited
After working on this for more than a year, and getting an earful along the way, I’m pleased to report that the biggest technology project in our history is finally at a point where we can be proud of it. The Hemi-Sync® Unlimited app now enjoys 4-star reviews in both the App Store and GooglePlay. Moreover, you now get four Gateway Experience® exercises with a subscription. Even without a subscription, you will get several free exercises through the DailySync feature.
If you haven’t tried it yet, now is the time! If you tried it previously and were disappointed, please try it again! To all the early adopters out there, thanks for hanging in there, and we hope it’s making Hemi-Sync® easier and more affordable to use than ever before.
Rest assured, we aren’t satisfied though! I feel like we have finally just caught up to where we need to be technologically, and we will continue to innovate and make improvements across our technology stack, including with the Hemi-Sync® audio guidance technology itself.
Eckhart Tolle and Other Free Stuff
As you know, we are always trying to provide content at different price points, including free, so that everyone can experience Hemi-Sync®, without having to ask our employees to donate their blood plasma in their free time. Last month, we were thrilled to work with the incomparable Eckhart Tolle on a free meditation that has been released on his YouTube channel and appears to be on its way to a million views. If you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to check it out.
We’re also continuing to add to our blog content, with three recent articles on the importance of sleep, connecting with our spirit guides, and dealing with heartbreak, (a chakra meditation for beginners). If you would like to submit a blog post for consideration, please email it to interstate@hemi-sync.com.
See you in Home or along the way,
Garrett
