15 February 2008
The Abbey and the Ashram
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Evening hymns from the Benedictine nuns of Jamberoo, an enclosed order in an Abbey in rural NSW, and the Moola mantra sung by Deva Premal and Miten, devotees of Osho, formerly known as the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh.
The nuns were featured in the ABC TV series The Abbey late last year on Compass. Unlike an ashram which encourages devotees to live an integrated spiritual life in the world, the Benedictine Abbey at Jamberoo is totally enclosed, devoted to meditation and prayer, and they stop whatever they're doing to sing the Liturgy of the Hours seven times a day.
It's evening and the final office of the day, Compline, when the nuns are officially released from the day's activities to a quieter night watch. We'll start with a hymn by Hildegard of Bingen, O Quam Preciosa featuring Sister Magdalene Mather, and then the Nunc Dimittis.
Following that we hear the Moola mantra, sung in the ancient religious language of Sanskrit. It affirms the Oneness of God, the eternal reality and begins OM SAT CHIT ANANDA - the primordial sound of the universe, truth, pure consciousness, bliss...
Deva Premal, who was born in Germany, and Miten, a one-time rock musician from England who toured with Fleetwood Mac and Lou Reed in the 1970s, are devotees of Osho, formerly known as the Bhagwan Sri Rajneesh. They've been together since 1991 and are massively popular around the world for their music and chanting which is based on the principle of music as a spiritual practice, one of the daily devotions of every ashram or spiritual retreat.
Further Information
The Abbey
Broadcast on ABC TV's Compass program, The Abbey followed five ordinary Australian women as they spent 33 days and nights living the life of an enclosed Benedictine nun.
Deva Premal and Miten
Website for Deva Premal and Miten who are touring Australia in February and march 2008. You can find a list of their tour dates here, as well as bio information and music details.
Music
CD title:
The Abbey
Track title:
O quam preciosa/ Nunc dimittis
Artist: The Benedictine Nuns of Jamberoo Abbey, featuring Sr Magdalen Mather
Composer: Hildegard von Bingen/ trad.
CD details: ABC Classics 476 6305
URL: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/theabbey/
CD title:
Deva Premal Sings the Moola Mantra
Track title:
Moola Mantra Part 1
Artist: Deva Premal and Miten
Composer: trad arr. Ben Leinbach
CD details: Prabhu Music CD 14012
URL: http://www.devapremalmiten.com/
Presenter
Geoff Wood
Producer
Geoff Wood
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