Christian cosmos, with its heaven, purgatory/earth and hell, is also worth comparing. It is even given a similar topography in Dante’s Divine Comedy: Dante is led on a journey first to hell, at the center of the earth; then upward to Mount Purgatory, which sits on the earth’s surface directly opposite Jerusalem; then farther upward first to Eden, the earthly paradise, at the summit of Mount Purgatory; and then upward at last to Heaven.
In the shamanistic tradition, it was understood that the small always reflects the large; the personal always reflects the cosmic. A movement in the greater dimensions of the cosmos also coincides with an internal movement. For example, the axis mundi of the cosmos corresponds with the spinal column of the individual. Journeys up and down the axis mundi often coincided with the movements of natural and spiritual energies (sometimes called kundalini or shakti) in the spinal column of the shaman or mystic.
En Sarna Pus (The Great Healing Chant)
In this chant, ekä (“brother”) would be replaced by “sister,” “father,” “mother,” depending on the person to be healed.
Ot ekäm ainajanak hany, jama.
My brother’s body is a lump of earth, close to death.
Me, ot ekäm kuntajanak, pirädak ekäm, gond és irgalom türe.
We, the clan of my brother, encircle him with our care and compassion.
O pus wäkenkek, ot oma śarnank, és ot pus fünk, álnak ekäm ainajanak, pitänak ekäm ainajanak elävä.
Our healing energies, ancient words of magic and healing herbs bless my brother’s body, keep it alive.
Ot ekäm sielanak pälä. Ot omboće päläja juta alatt o jüti, kinta, és szelemek lamtijaknak.
But my brother’s soul is only half. His other half wanders in the netherworld.
Ot en mekem ŋamaŋ: kulkedak otti ot ekäm omboće päläjanak.
My great deed is this: I travel to find my brother’s other half.
Rekatüre, saradak, tappadak, odam, kaŋa o numa waram, és avaa owe o lewl mahoz.
We dance, we chant, we dream ecstatically, to call my spirit bird, and to open the door to the other world.
Ntak o numa waram, és mozdulak; jomadak.
I mount my spirit bird and we begin to move; we are under way.
Piwtädak ot En Puwe tyvinak, ećidak alatt o jüti, kinta, és szelemek lamtijaknak.
Following the trunk of the Great Tree, we fall into the netherworld.
Fázak, fázak nó o śaro.
It is cold, very cold.
Juttadak ot ekäm o akarataban, o sívaban és o sielaban.
My brother and I are linked in mind, heart and soul.
Ot ekäm sielanak kaŋa engem.
My brother’s soul calls to me.
Kuledak és piwtädak ot ekäm.
I hear and follow his track.
Saγedak és tuledak ot ekäm kulyanak.
Encounter I the demon who is devouring my brother’s soul.
Nenäm ćoro, o kuly torodak.
In anger, I fight the demon.
O kuly pél engem.
He is afraid of me.
Lejkkadak o kaŋka salamaval.
I strike his throat with a lightning bolt.
Molodak ot ainaja komakamal.
I break his body with my bare hands.
Toja és molanâ.
He is bent over, and falls apart.
Hän ćaδa.
He runs away.
Manedak ot ekäm sielanak.
I rescue my brother’s soul.
Alədak ot ekam sielanak o komamban.
I lift my brother’s soul in the hollow of my hand.
Alədam ot ekam numa waramra.
I lift him onto my spirit bird.
Piwtädak ot En Puwe tyvijanak és saγedak jälleen ot elävä ainak majaknak.
Following up the Great Tree, we return to the land of the living.
Ot ekäm elä jälleen.
My brother lives again.
Ot ekäm weńća jälleen.
He is complete again.
To hear this chant, visit: christinefeehan/members/.
4. CARPATHIAN MUSICAL AESTHETICS
In the sung Carpathian pieces (such as the “Lullaby” and the “Song to Heal the Earth”), you’ll hear elements that are shared by many of the musical traditions in the Uralic geographical region, some of which still exist—from Eastern European (Bulgarian, Romanian, Hungarian, Croatian, etc.) to Romany (“gypsy”). These elements include:
the rapid alternation between major and minor modalities, including a sudden switch (called a “Picardy third”) from minor to major to end a piece or section (as at the end of the “Lullaby”)
the use of close (tight) harmonies
the use of ritardi (slowing down the piece) and crescendi (swelling in volume) for brief periods
the use of glissandi (slides) in the singing tradition
the use of trills in the singing tradition (as in the final invocation of the “Song to Heal the Earth”)—similar to Celtic, a singing tradition more familiar to many of us
the use of parallel fifths (as in the final invocation of the “Song to Heal the Earth”)
controlled use of dissonance
“call and response” chanting (typical of many of the world’s chanting traditions)
extending the length of a musical line (by adding a couple of bars) to heighten dramatic effect