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Alice Coltrane, also known as Swamini, made a difference in the ‘collective consciousness’ on this planet first through her early album, Ptah the El-Daoud (1971), and later through her synergy with the Coltrane Jazz Quartet which included her son Ravi on tenor and soprano saxophone, Charlie Haden on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums. Unlike those who are in need of recognition and power who will fade from the scene, her legacy will live on because she touched her listeners with the elegance of jazz and a voice that sings directly to the spirit—which she sang through the power of love.
Swamini continues to be an inspiration to each one of us, as well as musicians and instrumentalists of all backgrounds. Her participation in major concerts on jazz music throughout the world initiated the individual into the experience of expanded consciousness. She brought forth devotional music which became a healing tool for reflection and creativeness. Her fingers on the piano were those playing to liberate the soul. From a musical perspective, she sought to bring joy to those afflicted with pain while maintaining the healing spirit that acknowledges the divine essence in all life.
For the visionaries of the planet, Alice sang to all who thirsted for a music to elevate the spirit into a higher state of resonance and delivered a truly higher path of initiation. Her creative music was an ecumenical embrace for all of us for she united the spirituality of the East and West in song.
She had a profound gift for inspiring audiences by transposing Sanskrit texts and mantras into the work of musical genius. Sitting in her Ashram in prayer and singing songs for healing of people in distant lands, she introduced a higher rhythm to the planet through the Music of Grace and the Dance of ‘Mata Mata’—“Mother, Mother” in the hearts and voices of her devotees, bringing joy to all souls who were gathered. She also had a yearning to bring a greater truth to the world through the Divine Names of God; as she sang the names of the Divine Mother, she bathed our Mother Earth with new hope and promise.
There are momentous times of vision that take away our breath from within—the Fall of the Berlin Wall, the release of Nelson Mandela, and the musical happening of Alice Coltrane—coming out of retirement after twenty years to appear on stage at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on the 22nd of October, 2006—stirring the souls and imaginations of three thousand people with a new type of avant-garde experience. (New York Times, October 24, 2006). Everyone there felt a deep moving soul experience, a greater freedom through new musical forms of Mata, Mata (Divine Mother), and Aboon Diveshmaya (Our Father Who Art In Heaven), that could be called ‘super-soul.’ Fortunately, this concert was filmed for others to see throughout the world.
Alice best exemplifies the metamorphosis of a musician who in her ascent from the world of conventional musical methodologies, entered a spiritual epiphany and enlightened audiences by using what could be called a ‘musical healing’ of cultural and religious divisions. She understood that this day-to-day reality is a mere shadow of our actual being. In her new home, we know she continues to awaken the realms of music in an eternal process of formation and transformation.
“Eastern spiritual music” would seem to most to be a contradiction in the world of jazz—but Alice brought them together into a spiritual symphony. Her work continues as an eye opener for all of us who do not wish the ‘Clash of Civilizations,’ but the ‘Harmony of Civilizations’ to prevail. Alice understood that “Man and Woman are not merely the stage on which spirit and nature vie for supremacy—they are the protagonists who decides the struggle.
In her last two years before her transition, Alice Coltrane was working on the synthesis of Sanskrit, Hebrew, Aramaic and other languages which she felt was extremely important in the present troubled times to show the love of the Divine for all humanity. Especially important in this work is her last album/CD, Sacred Language of Ascension (2007), in collaboration with us, which accents the profound inner mystery and power of music and language together as a universal prayer for raising the consciousness of humanity. Alice’s model of music was to have healing power reach across all racial and religious barriers, pure and free, instilling the spirit that is Supreme. Now, as this her last legacy, she opens us up for a greater collaboration with singers of the planetary Chorus throughout the world who will join the music that meets with the emerging spirituality of the 21st century.
Alice Coltrane’s life was for each one of us a signal for a new type of ‘transformative music’. Her life also exemplified the irony of a woman who is faithful to her vocation without owning a traditional Western faith and—at the same time—participating in all faiths which express hope in humanity. She was truthful in rendering an account of human life without possessing the mundane truth of the market place. Her faith was strong as a faith of all faiths in the work of the Most High God (El El Elyon).
In the words of the New Testament: “Death is the last enemy to be conquered” by those who are open to the experience of transcendence. More importantly, Alice knew death as a door opening beyond this earthly limitation. For Alice, death is the entrance to the next phase of Nirvana, the way into the Absolute, the release from all limitation and bondage in this earthly life. Death implies not only the formlessness, but for those of her level of devotion, it is a new kind of “superform,” which is beyond measure and signals ongoing creation of the All that is the All.
In the fullness of every moment, she also understood that the past lives on forever; the future thrives in actual endeavor, and the moment is eternity. It should also not be forgotten that Swamini helped to form a greater loving community with many as a spiritual teacher—par excellence—who taught her students by her rhythms of Love. And in the greater plan she understood there is not only one type of love but a higher Love, that of the face-to-face relationship with the nearest Thou.
Swamini’s responsible and zealous love for the full growth of humanity will never come to an end for she was able to transform many with glowing love, especially those with whom she shared her ashram, her spiritual practice and devotion. Let us affirm that her work has only begun with her many achievements—that will continue to reach beyond her temporal life—and shine down upon us with the enduring face of a much greater Light exemplifying the Divine purpose in our lives. To quote an ancient Chinese text: ‘One is numbered with those who promote and order the gates of heaven and earth and assist the people.’ Alice is such a gatekeeper and will continue to be a link between humanity and the new humanity.
Now she continues her work from a higher vantage point with her musically talented and gifted sons, Ravi, Oranyan, a daughter Michelle, a beloved Ashram family, and millions of fans worldwide.
May her last album—The Sacred Language of Ascension—(soon to be released)—be an awakening to all of us that Alice has joined the ‘masters of soul’ in the ecstasy of the heavenly family. May her musical work on ecumenical love and forgiveness carry on with us as we all do our work in breaking musical and spiritual bread with brothers and sisters throughout the world.
Beloved Alice, you who are also called by the beautiful Sanskrit name, ‘Turiyasangitananda’ —we will hear you from the other side deep within our soul as our voices are raised on high.
— J.J. Hurtak, Ph.D.. Ph.D., author, composer
and Desiree Hurtak
The Academy for Future Science
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Photo by Alan Howarth
