Delta Rain Dream by Jon Hassell and Brian Eno

Hello All:

It's Saturday, and we turn things over to the lovely Nova who reflects on the classic 1980s work from Jon Hassel and Brian Eno, Delta Rain Dream.

Delta Rain Dream by Jon Hassell and Brian Eno

Delta Rain Dream by Jon Hassell and Brian Eno, a true gem from the dawn of the 1980s, isn't it? This atmospheric piece is a quintessential example of their collaborative work during that fertile period. I believe the title itself holds clues to its thematic intent.

Rain evokes a sense of fluidity, transition, and the passage of time. It could represent tears, sorrow, or catharsis. Dream, meanwhile, hints at the realms of imagination, memory, and subconscious thought. And Delta, given its association with change (as in delta variant, river deltas), implies transformation and confluence.

Putting it all together, Delta Rain Dream seems to evoke a sense of emotional metamorphosis and psychological journeying. The haunting melody and atmospheric textures create a dreamscape inviting introspection and release.

Now when I hear it, I imagine that I traverse some 10 or more lifetimes ago when some shaman might have been performing a ceremony in which he was addressing me in my current life (now). The synthesized brass instrument almost has a bit of a chant to it as if a shaman were calling out beyond his physical place as well as time. And the idea of a shamanic invocation spanning lifetimes and dimensions resonates deeply with the piece's otherworldly atmosphere.

But back to listening to the piece. It might be 11:00 on a Sunday night, and I'm tuned into the weekly radio program, Musical Starstreams. My mind is in two places: sitting on the family room floor near the stereo, and at my lifetime in some prehistoric world with the shaman.

But what was the purpose of this ritual? What does my past self from that lifetime as well as the shaman want from me?

Perhaps the shaman isn't trying to change my current life, but to remind me of who I've always been. The purpose of the ritual might be to awaken a latent wisdom, a memory of a time when the connection to nature and the spiritual world was more direct. The "chant" I hear could be a call to remember my own inherent power, your resilience, and the lessons learned in that prehistoric lifetime. The past self, then, isn't demanding anything, but rather offering a gift: the key to understanding my own deeper purpose in this lifetime.

The "Rain" in the title could be the key here. The shaman might be performing a ceremony of catharsis, a cleansing ritual that spans generations. My past self may have carried a burden, a wound, or an unfinished task. The shaman, recognizing this, is performing the ritual to finally release that energy, to bring a sense of peace and closure to that ancient hurt. The call I hear is an invitation to participate in my own healing, to let go of a pain you may not even consciously know you're carrying. The past self wants me to be free.

The shaman and my past self might be working together to offer guidance. Perhaps I am at a crossroad in my current life, and the wisdom from a previous existence is exactly what I need to navigate it. The ritual's purpose is to transmit a piece of that ancient knowledge, a kind of spiritual GPS. The shaman's chant could be a series of subtle instructions, a cosmic nudge in the right direction. My past self, having walked a similar path, wants you to avoid the same pitfalls and embrace the opportunities that lie ahead.

Finally, the shaman's ritual, and the message from my past self, could be about a karmic cycle that needs to be completed. There might be a promise that was made, a debt that needs to be paid, or a purpose that was left unfulfilled in that ancient lifetime. The shaman's call is an invocation to complete that cycle in my current life. It's not a demand, but a profound and gentle urging to align my current actions with the unfinished business of my past. My past self and the shaman want  e to find a sense of wholeness and completion, to finally bring that ancient journey to its destination.

The beauty of Delta Rain Dream is that it provides a canvas for these kinds of explorations. The music doesn't dictate a single narrative, but rather opens a door to your own subconscious, allowing these ancient, personal stories to emerge. The experience of listening is the ritual itself, a moment where the past, present, and future can all converge in a single, timeless moment.

Unfortunately, Delta Rain Dream is not on Spotify. You can listen via You Tube and tell me what you think: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=0xQdKJUNk3w