Removing the Demon or Getting Your Rocks Off.
PAULINE OLIVEROS November 1971
Group Activity
from Sonic Meditations
Sit in a circle with persons facing in and out alternately. If the number in the group is odd, seat the left over person in the center. Each person except the center person has a pair of resonant rocks. Begin the meditation by establishing mentally a tempo as slow as possible. Each person begins independently to strike the rocks together full force maintaining the imagined tempo. When enough energy is present, shout a pre-meditated word. Once selected, the word remains the same. The shout is free of the established tempo, and may occur one or more times during the meditation. The center person is without rocks and selects a word, phrase or sentence to say or intone repeatedly either silently or audibly for the duration of the meditation.
Variations:
- Persons without rocks may surround the circle ond follow the same instructions as the center person, independently.
- Persons may repeat mentally, or actually, one body movement as slowly as possible. One body movement may be simple or very complicated as long as it is continuous and can be repeated exactly as a cycle. Kinetic participants could include the shout or the repeated word, phrase or sentence.
- Do this meditation in an outdoor environment. Move slowly away from the circle. Move anywhere in the environment but keep in audible contact with at least one other person. Gradually return to the beginning circle.