I have been thinking a lot about the contributing factors that got me so hooked into the lazaris material and wanted to put some thoughts I've had out there for others consideration and feedback if anyone would like.

Some have commented on how tacky the music lazaris plays during the meditations is, and I would agree for the most part, but I wonder if there is something else going on too.

Particularly the use of movie soundtracks comes to mind. I'm thinking of the music from "Cocoon" used during the moving ends of meditations. The feelings that could be conjured up by people who have seen such movies could be a big manipulation imo. Also, the soundtrack from "Somewhere In Time"
Both of these movies have a sort of longing, tear jerking kind of energy to them. To be united with someone or something you love. Another song not soundtrack was Pink Floyd's "Shine on you crazy diamond" that lazaris played segments of back in the days of those angst ridden seminars dealing with shame, the adolescent, neg. ego etc. I would think that for any of us who were into that music and its kind of trippy angst would be manipulated by the use of it.

Possible reasons why could be to bypass the higher brain functions and reason that I think music can do. Maybe softening us up for other subliminal crap. Or just conjuring up intense feelings so we would relate them to our experince with Lazaris.

I wondered about this for years.
Anyone else?

I went to a lazaris seminar where pink floyd was played and I was immediately transported back to my adolescence: pink floyd had played a large part in my teenage angst and first drug experiences. during the same meditation laz/jack also played some music by vangelis which I loved, again by association.

I think the use of music to create ambience, emotion, peak experience etc is frequent by various seminar leaders, 'gurus', etc. It definitely has a strong emotional impact and most people have a shared culture and therefore shared association for certain music. Imo it is definitely deliberate.

I have wondered about the more ulterior motives, ie. some kind of mind control. I have a real resistance to the idea that I can be manipulated in this way, but when I consider my thought processes and behaviour I have to concede the possibility. I continued to seek out the materials and give my life over to the principles even when it meant making irresponsible decisions and was patently obviously not working. I merely blamed myself and sought out the next tape. How can I explain that? I can't really. I'm not stupid, not from a 'sheltered background', not unaware and not uneducated. None of this made any difference.

I still have the words 'responsiblity' 'you create it all' 'negative ego' 'giving away your power'blah blah buzzing in my head, the fact that this is the very best possible way to convince people that the source is not at fault does not escape me. Well I am accountable, but maybe I'm not totally responsible after all. If hypnosis/mind control is possible then I would say it was definitely used in the laz materials.

ali

This is a great topic -- I am thinking of all of the different musical experiences I have had during Lazaris workshops. As someone who is extremely emotionally susceptible to and suggestible by music, I think this is an important issue. I have had similar experiences as Oak Spirit and Ali have described, with Pink Floyd, and a lot of other music. I actually usually liked a lot of what Lazaris played. The music certainly heightened, and maybe even sometimes directed my thoughts and feelings both during and after meditations.

I do have a question, and I am interested in other people's opinions about it. As a some-time musician, part-time producer, and just general all around curious person, I have the idea that music played in public, (especially a commercial event of some kind) would be governed by copyright laws. This would mean that official permission to use the material would have to be sought from the publisher, and a fee would usually be paid, unless waived for some reason. I have reason to believe that Concept:Synergy did not officially seek permission and agreements with artists/publishers around the use of the music. I'm not sure about this. Anybody know? Also, anybody have more solid info about the requirement of registration and agreement/payment for use? My understanding is that usually copyrighted material can only be used without permission in very short segments, (I think 8 seconds or less, or somthing like that), or for purposes that may be stated on the material itself, such as one-time use for review, education, etc., under certain circumstances. Does anybody know? If not, I will research and report!

C:S would need to obtain permission to use other artists' music during paid events. I too noticed that the music on the tape sometimes was not the music played at the seminar.

ASCAP and BMI charge local nightspots which host live bands, unless the bands play only original music. Apparently, they divvie up the money amoungst their members. I would guess that the money is divvied up according to how many records/CDs the artists sells, sonce they don't keep a list of all songs played. Some nightclubs have stopped having live music because they didn't want to pay the fee. The fee is determined by how much business the club does when live music is played. Perhaps these organizations ought to attend a Lazaris seminar and present C:S with a bill. I imagine C:S' bill would be quite high, based on the amount of money they take in.

Since the music is an integral part of the experience, C:S should pay up. They rarely even give credit to the artists at a seminar. C:S' position on copying their tapes is that they ask people to provide the recipient with the means of contacting C:S to order more. Shouldn't they do the same for the musicians whose music they use?

Certainly the music creates an emotional response. It helps people to relax, and creates a sense of climax when appropriate. Same as in movie soundtracks. Katie and I were watching a mystery last light, and the hero had an revelation. One could tell that the revelation was correct by the music playing as he was in deep thought. Perhaps we can assess the accuracy of our intuitions by listening for the music If there is no music, the intuition is probably wrong. And if you hear rapid notes played on the lower end of a piano, you know someone is after you!

I think we all accept that music creates an emotional response. The question with Lazaris' use of music, as with their other activities, is, is it the response we want and/or expect? If it is purposely designed to send us into adolescence, then what up with that?