Recording Artist, Denis Moreau on spiritual allegory, Song of George

Spiritually inspired recording artist, Denis Morreau

Spiritually inspired recording artist, Denis Moreau has offered some very unique and insightful comments, after reading my spiritual allegory, Song of George: Portrait of an Unlikely Holy Man. My wife, Lilasuka, and I are big fans of Denis, so the comments are special, coming from him.

Here is a brief bio of Denis from his facebook profile:

Born in Temiscaming Quebec, a small paper mill town, Denis received his musical training early, in the church choir. By the time he was 15, his attention leaned toward the music of the day. Inspired he learned how to play guitar and harmonica then soon lost interest in all others matters. He hitchhiked across Canada and parts of the US mingling with the citizens and sharing his music.

At 25 years of age, yearning for spiritual awakening, he donned the robes of a monk. For the following 15 years he was fully engaged in meditation, devotional practices, and welfare activities. His services led him to different parts of Canada, the United States, and the Far East.

In 1995 he renewed his efforts in music while living in New York City. Since, he has been recording and touring many festivals and venues performing in theaters, clubs, coffee houses, retirement communities and charitable outreaches. 

And the following are Denis’ comments regarding Song of George: Portrait of an Unlikely Holy Man:

“Here is a voice that defies the boundaries of sanity, and beckons me to drop certain preconceived notions of sanctity.

This voice wanders in the midst of horror, cynicism, absurdity, and wisdom, inviting me to bare my soul before the human condition— all along urging me to look for the spiritual thread tying it all together.”            –Denis Moreau

ILLUSTRATIONS by Christine Sherwood from Jesse S. Hanson’s novel, Song of George

I’ve just created a new page here on my blog to display Christine Sherwood’s wonderful  pencil illustrations (they’re full size on the new page) for my spiritual fiction novel, Song of George: Portrait of an Unlikely Holy Man. See the link at the top of this page or click https://jesseshanson.wordpress.com/song-of-george-illustrations-by-christine-sherwood/

horns blowing – an updated repost by a reluctant self-promoter

I wanted to repost this little article (which is definitely NOT a HOW TO) on the subject of self-promotion that I wrote last March, shortly after creating my blog. I am especially feeling it, in the promotion of my novel, as I reach out, specifically to friends, brothers and sisters on the spiritual journey, people who are very important and dear to me.

I’ve updated it only slightly. Updates are in bold print.

As always, thanks for stopping by my blog. Please feel free to comment.

 

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horns blowing

March 5, 2010 in Uncategorized | Tags: artists, fans, horns blowing, jesse hanson, jesse s. hanson, literature, promote, self promotion | 2 comments (Edit)

     Unfortunately, these days, more than ever before, if one is pursuing artistic endeavors, one is put in the position of having to promote, promote, and self-promote. It’s true for musicians, writers, visual artists, any type of artist. With a great measure of success, perhaps, one gets beyond it to a greater or lesser extent… i wouldn’t know.

     i’m saying this because having spent years writing a spiritual fiction novel, putting my heart and soul into it, and with it now enroute to becoming  a product (It was since published in July, 2010 by All Things That Matter Press), i find myself in such a position. True, i have been involved in self-promotion all along, not only in regards to my music with The Primatives, but in the submission process for short stories (excerpts in my case), poetry, and the novel manuscripts themselves. But now it’s become even more necessary, lest my work become just another bubble that forms and pops instantly and quietly into oblivion in the vast ocean of published literature.

     So i’m just asking that my friends, my fans, my brothers and sisters in spirituality, and my associates in general, bear with me as i make the efforts in this process of trying to inform the world about the existence and merits of my novel and other work. Please don’t find me arrogant, although i don’t claim to possess true humility either. And please don’t find me a bore, as it seems to be a necessary and unavoidable process, one in which i may at times, in my lack of knowledge, pursue innapropriately. Try and try my best i may have some measure of success or i may fail, but it would certainly be a failure, in one sense, if i should lose or annoy my friends and supporters.                         
              As always, i thank you for reading,   jesse s. hanson

Pre-Christmas Promo ~ Free PDF version of my Novel

My Publisher, All Things That Matter Press, has just informed me of an amazing pre-Christmas promotion in which I have enthusiastically chosen to participate.

So here it is—Between now and December 7th, my spiritual fiction book, Song of George: Portrait of an Unlikely Holy Man, is available in PDF format FREE. This is a short term opportunity for you to read my novel absolutely free. All you have to do is ask.

Just send an email to me at dragonssong100ml@yahoo.com and I will send you the PDF.

Merry Christmas and Happy Reading!
Feel free to tell your friends. No Strings. My goal is just to gain exposure for my novel.

Jerry Schwartz Reviews Song of George

I was quite gratified by this review of Song of George, by Jerry Scwartz, author of Pixels of Young Mueller. It’s very perceptive and it clearly conveys some of what I would like people to know about my book.

As always, thanks for stopping by my blog and feel free to make comments to your heart’s content. (:<)> jesse s. hanson

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Review: Song of George: Portrait of an Unlikely Holy Man

October 29, 2010 06:55:00

Posted By Jerry Schwartz

Song of George: Portrait of an Unlikely Holy Man. Jesse S. Hanson. All Things That Matter Press, 2010. 248 pp. $16.99.

I enjoyed reading Jesse Hanson’s Song of George, the story of “a guru in the prison mental ward.” Graduate students Ansel, Ozwald, and Jeff are permitted to study and record the inmates of floor 41 for two months, during which time they learn not only what life is like in a large federal correctional institution, but also of the effect that George, the “unlikely holy man,” has on his fellow inmates.

Hanson’s unorthodox approach to telling George’s story appealed to me from the beginning. Through a hodgepodge of quotes, songs, inmates’ recollections, messages of George transcribed by Ansel, and poetry, the spirituality of Hanson’s work shines as he relates his tale. I give Hanson extra points for making George a vegetarian. (How spiritual can you truly be when you are eating your fellow creatures?)

Admittedly, on several occasions, I became lost when reading this book. For instance, at one point, when the narrative switched to verse, I found myself wondering who “wrote” the poem. One of the inmates? Or was it the author stepping out from behind the curtain to assist me? My solution was to keep reading, and each time, I was rewarded. I love it when an author takes chances, and I like it even more when those risks pay off.

Song of George: Portrait of an Unlikely Holy Man is well written, engaging, and inspirational–four out of five stars.

The Unheard Voices Project* A re-post from Open Democracy-free thinking for the world

“The United States has 5% of the world’s population, and 25% of the world’s prisoners.”

My friend, Dr. Sylvia Scholar, has been an unfailing source of encourageent to me in my literary efforts, especially in regards to my recently published novel, Song of George: Portrait of an Unlikely Holy Man, which is set in the mental ward of a fictional U.S. Federal Prison.

It’s through Sylvia that I’ve become aware of the remarkable UK based forum, “Open Democracy-free thinking for the world“. The following series of posts from The Unheard Voices Project, published by Open Democracy, clearly reveal the devastation caused by America’s stubborn and brutal insistence on waging the drug war on their own hapless individual citizens who are easily detained and prosecuted. Long term prison sentences and life with a record for these, while the real corporate criminals of our society live high and easy.

These articles are not of the world of fiction. “Truth is stranger…” as the very profound cliche’ states. Please take a few minutes, go to the website http://www.opendemocracy.net/unheard-voices and read about this most American phenomenon as reported by The Unheard Voices Project.

As always, thanks for stopping by. You’re certainly more than welcome to comment.
                                                                                       jesse s. hanson

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The Unheard Voices Project

The Unheard Voices Project is a documentary archive of testimonies from offenders, ex-offenders, family members, and experts on the far-ranging consequences of the American criminal justice system.

Unheard Voices was inspired by Steven Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation Institute, another documentary archive project that gathered video testimonies from survivors and other witnesses to the Holocaust. In many respects, the American criminal justice system, and the drug war that has driven its explosion, has resulted in a cultural holocaust. So many people are in prison, so many families and communities have been destroyed, and so many generations have been lost, that those who do succeed us will need a living record of the devastating impact these policies had on American society.

The United States has 5% of the world’s population, and 25% of the world’s prisoners. At 2.5 million, the US has more prisoners than China. Not more prisoners per capita, more prisoners. And there are an additional 5 million under what’s known as “Correctional Supervision” (probation, parole, and court monitoring). On top of that, the security and livelihood of millions more has forever been altered by an arrest or conviction record. This so-called “Land of the Free” punishes more of its citizens than the rest of the world, prompting even the conservative Economist to declare that “never in the civilized world have so many been locked up for so little.”

The testimonies of The Unheard Voices Project testimonies will help put a human face on a critical social issue that has been overwhelmed by fear, politics, racial prejudice, and intolerance, in an era where the public attitude has been, “out of sight, out of mind.”

When the stories hit home, the policies begin to change. 

Thursday 30th September

Born Illegal – The US Federal Analogue Act

Charles Shaw, 30 September 2010

This is the story of Anthony Reed, a promising young man with a very bright future who was arrested and charged with a felony under the infamous “Analogue Act” for possessing one dose of 2C-I, what he thought was a “legal” substance. Includes an interview with Alexander “Sasha” Shulgin, the inventor of 2C-I.

Tuesday 28th September

oD Drug Policy Forum: Front Line Report – Week of September 27th, 2010

Mark Weiss and Charles Shaw, 28 September 2010

We lead this week with the release of the much anticipated trailer from Charles Shaw and openDemocracy’s The Unheard Voices Project, a testimonial documentary about the far-ranging consequences of the American criminal justice system.

Sunday 26th September

The Unheard Voices Project: Trailer

Charles Shaw, 26 September 2010

The Unheard Voices Project has just released a four-minute trailer of their documentary archive of testimonies from prisoners, ex-offenders, family members, and notable experts on the far-ranging consequences of the American criminal justice system.

Monday 5th July

CALL FOR STORIES – The Unheard Voices Documentary Project

Charles Shaw, 5 July 2010

The Unheard Voices documentary project is seeking interviews and testimonials from offenders, ex-offenders, family members, and relevant experts on the far ranging consequences of a criminal conviction.

My new approach to blogging and a borrowed post about the great Sant, Tulsi Sahab

     I started out rather tentative with my blog, I will admit. And again I will admit that my main purpose was to create a platform on which to create interest in and help to sell my novel, Song of George: Portrait of an Unlikely Holy Man.  I thought, Don’t reveal too much of yourself (like those kids–and many adults as well– on facebook who tell every little detail of their lives) don’t be too vulnerable, which means don’t be too controversial. There will be very very few who agree with you, not to mention that if you reveal what you really believe, you will lose any sense of mystery that you might have. The New Age folks won’t like you. The mainstream Christians won’t like you. The Sikhs and the Hindus and the Muslims won’t like you. And certainly the atheists won’t give you the time of day. No one will be interested in your book except the narrowest little group who will agree with some of the things that you say. But the bizzare thing about it all, is that my book is nothing but revealing (re: my vulnerability) and controversial, spiritually.

     So some while back, my thought process changed in that regard. I’ve been quite straight-forward since then.

     Here, I am continuing in that vein, with another post about spirituality, that reflects my understanding/point of view. Again, I want to make it very clear here, the I am not an expert on spirituality. I am just someone who has been exposed to and was taken under the wing of an extreme personality, Who was beyond my hopes and expectations. I still hope to create an interest for my book, I don’t deny it. But somehow my blog has become more that to me now, and I think it has become something more than that to some others, also.

     The following was original posted on Facebook by Sant Mat on Monday, September 27, 2010 at 4:07am. It seemed to be quite a popular post among those interested in Sant Mat and so I am including it here.

     I, myself, thought it was a very interesting post because I am often asked if it is the Sikh Religion that I follow. The answer is no. My understanding is that Saints (Sants)(not those saints nominated and given such a designation by other men and women, but true manifestations of supreme personality) have been coming into the world since the beginning of time. So the ten Sikh Gurus were, of course, such-like Saints, but they were not the first. Neither were they the last.

     My Master, Ajaib Singh taught us that Tulsi Sahab Ji was a very key player in the line of Saints as descended from the Sikh Gurus.

                                                                                                                 jesse s. hanson

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     Now, just one more thing before the borrowed post.  In the little information box on the left hand side of the facebook page, under the heading Founded, there is the following:

     The term “Sant Mat” was coined by Sant Tulsi Sahib, but the Sant tradition, with its many guru-lineages, dates back to ancient India. Sant Mat Fellowship is an inter-faith group founded in 1999. This is the Official Page for the Sant Mat Satsang Podcast. 

THE POST

Sant Tulsi Sahab: Unravel the Fourteen Inner Levels Within You 

Sant Tulsi Saheb (Younger)

 

English rendering of Hindi translation, by Maharshi Santsewi ji Paramhans, of a verse composed by Sant Tulsi Sahab of Hathras, founder of Modern Lineage of Santmat, excerpted from the October 2004 edition of the Hindi Monthly “Shanti Sandesh” (Message of Peace) published by Maharshi Mehi Ashram, Kuppa Ghat, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India – 812003.

– English Translation by Pravesh K. Singh: 

    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sant_santati

Once a Muslim gentleman, named Taki, called on Sant Tulsi Sahab. He submitted to his (Tulsi Sahab’s) kind attention, “You are the Guru to Hindus and Pir to Muslims. I have come to you to learn some divine secrets from you. It would be a great favour, if you could enlighten me.” Sant Tulsi Sahab said, “Ask! What’s it you wish to know?” Taki asked, “Where does Khuda [God] live? What is the way to find Him?” What Sant Tulsi Sahab said in reply in verse form is presented below:

Original Verse:

“Sun ay Taki na jaaio jinahaar dekhanaa | Apane mein aap jalawaye diladaar dekhanaa || Putalee mein til hai til mein bharaa raaj kul kaa kul | Is paradaye siyah ke jaraa paar dekhanaa || Chaudah tabak kaa haal ayaan ho tujhe zaroor | Gaafil na ho khayaal se hushiyaar dekhana ||Sun laamakaan pay panhuch ke teree pukaar hai |Hai aa rahee sadaa se sadaa yaar dekhanaa || Milanaa to yaar kaa naheen mushkil magar Taki |Dushawaar to ye hai ki dushawaar dekhanaa || Tulsi binaa karam kisee murshad raseedaa ke | Raahe nizaat door hai us paar dekhanaa || 

Translation:

O Taki! Listen! Never look or search outside to find God | He is within you; behold His Light which is illuminating your inside (the Inner Sky)||

All the secrets of God–Realisation are hidden inside the black `til’ (Point) that is located within your pupils |However, those secrets will be revealed to you only if you learnt to see beyond the dark curtain (that is, beyond the empire of darkness that is seen on closing our eyes) || 

Rigorous practice of inner meditation would unravel the fourteen levels (including the seven levels of `pind’ or body and the seven levels of`brahmaand’ or the macro-cosmos (namely, ajnaa chakra, sahasradal kamal, shoonya, maha-shoonya, bhanwar gufaa, and sat lok) | But for that to happen, you will have to alertly focus your attention at the place prescribed by the Guru ||

On reaching into the `shoonya’ or void, you would listen to the Sound or Word… | …The sound (primeval or Quintessential Sound) through which God has been calling you right since you separated from Him ||

It is not difficult to find the dearest (God), but O Taki…| …it is difficult to look beyond that difficult curtain of darkness ||

Tulsi Sahab says, but for the merciful grace of an accomplished Guru… | It is almost impossible to find the way out beyond the three coverings or veils of darkness, Light and Sound, and to meet the Supreme Lord! ||

Sant Tulsi Sahib (Older)

 

Some People Might Say…

Some people might say that this book, Song of George: Portrait of an Unlikely Holy Man,is too wild – to the point of being fantastic, even sacreligious.
Others, less inclined toward the possibility of Divine intervention, might say, “It’s too pious – even naive, this allegory of a God Man.

Well, it’s all up to the reader. Why not get a copy and decide for yourself? It’s about the price of dinner for one at a very modest restaurant. But I think you’ll remember it for a lot longer.

NEW: The Primatives Official Website

The following is a copy of the post I made yesterday on the new The Primatives Official Website http://theprimativesrock.wordpress.com/.  All part of my effort to keep all my stuff as together as possible. As always, Thanks to the friends of The Primatives for all your support.

Bhot Accha, You Found UsPosted on September 16, 2010 by jesse s. hanson

Bhot Accha, you found us.
Just developing this site. I’m planning for this to be the main outlet for info and updates re: The Primatives

I’ve put our CD’s on the home page and will be getting some audio samples of our music on there soon, as well.  Also due to popular demand, and because I want to anyway, there will be a lyrics page, and/or pages.

This page will be the place to go for updates on Primatives happenings. Hope you’ll check in once in awhile and see what we’re up to. 

Just for the record and for those not really familiar with us, The members of the band are: my wife, Lilasuka (Joy) Hanson (silver flute, vocals, mrdanga, and other percussion), Jack Huston (electric bass and vocals), myself Jesse S. Hanson (guitars, vocals, songwriting), and on a really good day, when she’s not completely overwhelmed with work as and auto mechanic and the rest of her life, our daughter, Audrey Hanson (djembe and vocals).  

The band has been pretty busy of late, with performances at the New Vrindavn cmmunity in West Virginia. Also played our annual Rock the Quarry benefit for The Panhandle Trail in Collier Township, just outside of Pittsburgh. That was cool, as it gave us a chance to reconnect with the Donoughe family from Mount Lebanon, who we hadn’t seen for some time since the closing of our two haunts, The Coffee Den in Mount Lebanon, and The Inspiration Cafe in Washington, PA.

Personally, as many of you know, I’ve gotten my novel, Song of George: Portrait of an Unlikely Holy Man, which you can take a look by clicking on the following link:  https://www.createspace.com/3469737  published with All Things That Matter Press http://allthingsthatmatterpress.com/ and so I’ve been spending a ton of time promoting that. Along with that I’ve been recording another wonderful album of Heritage Songs for Jordan Umbach in my BlueHome Recording studio. Getting close to done with the recording part of that and moving into the mixing. It is going to be a rather spare album, instrumentally, which is great because it will show Jordan’s songwriting in it’s best light to date, in my opinion.

I’ve finally begun writing some new songs, and I’m continuing to write fiction and poetry. There’s really not enough time in a day -certainly not enough in a lifetime. Well, it’s all just going through so many motions anyway. As far as I’m concerned, my most important work is my spiritual practices and deepening my relationship with my Spiritual Master. It’s the hardest work, but the most rewarding.          

Signing off for now, this is your webmaster wanna be,  jesse s. hanson

An Early Observation regarding Song of George: Portrait of an Unlikely Holy Man

 

I liked this early observation about the structure/style of my novel, Song of George: Portrait of an Unlikely Holy Man that Doug Donoughe posted on my facebook wall.

Doug Donoughe I think should reserve judgment until I finish the book, but I just started reading Song of George and I am very impressed. I find its defiant lucidity to be strikingly reminiscent of Joseph Heller’s seminal Catch-22 and I look forward to seeing where it goes from there. The writing coherently submerses me in the madness, allowing me to partake in the thought process of its characters (particularly in the way the story provides information in pieces so that comprehension slowly dawns on the reader rather than providing a matter-of-fact interpretation of an experience which is anything but mundane) without degenerating into mere avant garde (which of course can be brilliant, but is often used as a crutch by others).