This fall I'll be teaching a new course at Penn as part of the school's First-Year Seminar program, "Music and the Exploration of Consciousness." The prospectus is below.
I'm excited to delve into this with some adventurous students!
The great psychologist William James wrote that “our normal waking consciousness is but one special type of consciousness, whilst all about it, parted from it by the filmiest of screens, there lie potential forms of consciousness entirely different.” Taking this idea as a springboard for this class, we pose the question: what happens if we consider music as a tool for the exploration of consciousness?
In this course, we will explore the relationship between music and the spectrum of consciousness, from mindfulness and relaxation to ecstatic trances and out-of-body experiences. Drawing primarily on the disciplines of musicology, anthropology, and consciousness studies, we will grapple with the following questions: How has music been used in conjunction with religious, meditative, and mind-altering practices in different human cultures around the globe? What commonalities and distinctions can we find among these practices? What kinds of musical techniques are correlated with them? And what does the study of consciousness tell us about music's mysterious power to literally change our minds?
In addition to substantial reading and class discussion, we will also conduct some first-hand experiments with the music-mediated exploration of alternate states of consciousness. Students will be expected to use their voices, perform breathing exercises, and learn basic techniques of meditation as part of class activities. No experience in these practices is required, only willingness and an open mind.
I'm excited to delve into this with some adventurous students!
The great psychologist William James wrote that “our normal waking consciousness is but one special type of consciousness, whilst all about it, parted from it by the filmiest of screens, there lie potential forms of consciousness entirely different.” Taking this idea as a springboard for this class, we pose the question: what happens if we consider music as a tool for the exploration of consciousness?
In this course, we will explore the relationship between music and the spectrum of consciousness, from mindfulness and relaxation to ecstatic trances and out-of-body experiences. Drawing primarily on the disciplines of musicology, anthropology, and consciousness studies, we will grapple with the following questions: How has music been used in conjunction with religious, meditative, and mind-altering practices in different human cultures around the globe? What commonalities and distinctions can we find among these practices? What kinds of musical techniques are correlated with them? And what does the study of consciousness tell us about music's mysterious power to literally change our minds?
In addition to substantial reading and class discussion, we will also conduct some first-hand experiments with the music-mediated exploration of alternate states of consciousness. Students will be expected to use their voices, perform breathing exercises, and learn basic techniques of meditation as part of class activities. No experience in these practices is required, only willingness and an open mind.
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