Native Zen Flute

A Native American flute, especially in the hands of an experienced player, sings with a rich sound, and can penetrate the heart of a listener. Several years ago, I purchased a Native American flute in Big Bear CA and began playing for my own meditation. It turns out that in Japanese Zen tradition the shakuhachi (尺八) is played in the same manner. That style of playing is called suizen, meaning "blowing Zen." I have used a simple native flute to play my own meditations in the style of suizen.

For the meditations listed below, I composed a poem in three parts entitled "A Song of Ancient Wood." Standing in the midst of a forest located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada CA, the music seemed to flow freely from the ancient oak trees. The pieces are meditations on life, death and eternity.

1. Silence of Autumn

The silence of autumn
is indescribable.
Stand along the road
looking onward:
The way is flanked
by ancient wood.
Trees, tortured
and twisted, are mute.

2. Via Dolorosa

Keeping a vigil a
along the Via Dolorosa,
The most subtle music
comes forth:
Wind playing through leaves
as on harp strings.
Deep time grows
ever deeper - limitless.

3. Rocked to Infinity

One wing beat at a time,
the pulse goes on.
As in a cradle,
we are rocked to Infinity:
There we live, move
and have our being.

Amen.
Alleluia!

New Music Album

"Another day breaks,
Our voices join the sparrows:
Time passes quickly."

(From my anthology, A Haiku Collection)


I also recorded 11 improvisations for piano that I composed back in the 90's. The collection of 11 improvisations entitled “fall into winter” celebrates the passage of time – the seasons, especially autumn and winter, Christmas, and the New Year with its uncertainties. Enjoy the excerpts from sample tracks. Contact me if you are interested in hearing more.



Track List:

1 fantasy in d min.
2 fantasy in f
3 fantasy in e min.
4 rhapsody in b min.
5 elegy in g
6 meditation in c min.
7 fantasy in e min.
8 rhapsody in g
9 fantasy in eb min.
10 fantasy in d
11 rhapsody in b min.


Listen to more music at:
Brian Avey on SoundClick

Haiku and Music

This is one of my favorite haiku by Japanese master haiku poet Issa (一茶).

Not yet a buddha,

And lost in mindless dreaming:

An ancient pine tree.

仏にも　ならでうかうか　老いの松

Japanese artists and musicians often respond to haiku by creating a painting or haiga, or a piece of music called a haikyoku. Here is my own musical response. Click HERE to listen.