This album was inspired by the profoundly touching story of Nancy Rynes and her near death experience. Her radio interviews moved me to tears and struck a chord within myself for the longing of a divine presence which I had connected with earlier in my life, a presence which I walked away from consciously long ago but on a more profound level, the longing was still there, drowned out by the busyness of life and dysthymia, a mental condition not as deep and episodic as depression but one which is more longstanding, like a faint shadow of gloom over most of my existence. For many years, tainted by the dogma, rigidity and inflexible rules of different Christian denominations I had tried to embrace at different points in my life, and wanting nothing to do with those interpretations of spirit, I came to the conclusion that yes there was a god but he was impersonal, an intelligence who set the universe in motion and just let it run down with no intervention.
Still in shock over my brother Joe's death last year, and then finding out that I recently lost another dear friend in an automobile accident, the need to reach out beyond myself and try to connect with the spirit world was rekindled along with a profound desire to be open to signs that those who I love are doing okay in the afterlife.
After hearing Nancy's account of her experiences and those of others who have had NDE's, (I took comfort and solace in hearing the stories and accounts of those who have gone and returned) I felt a calling to respond to what was happening internally and so, as usual, music is the vehicle for those internal responses and it is my hope that this album will have a profound effect on you, the listener and that it will take you on a journey to the interior where you will also encounter your own divine presence by way of a profound soul journey.
To Learn more about Nancy and her work, visit nancyrynes.com
