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Monument Eternal

Name: Monument Eternal
Price: 19.95 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781636142258

✍️ Coltrane, Alice

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

$19.95 ~~$27.00~~ Save $7.05 (26%)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Alice Coltrane, a visionary musician and spiritual guide, offers readers an intimate glimpse into her profound journey of self-discovery and divine connection in "Monument Eternal." Published in 1977, this work emerges from her period as a swami, guiding an emergent spiritual community. It articulates the soul's deep realizations within Absolute Consciousness and its intrinsic bond with the Supreme One. This book not only illuminates the spiritual underpinnings of her extraordinary musical output but also traces her remarkable evolution from a Detroit church organist to the revered sage, Swami Turiyasangitananda.

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Spiritualism

🏛 Akashic Books, Ltd. 📅 2025 📖 72 pages 🌐 en 📐 Hardcover ISBN: 9781636142258

Fun Fact

"Monument Eternal" stands as a vital testament to Alice Coltrane's spiritual evolution, offering unparalleled access to the philosophical bedrock of her extraordinary life and art. It excels in articulating complex spiritual realizations with profound clarity. Readers seeking a conventional musical biography will find it lacking, as its focus is intensely internal and devotional. For those drawn to the deep confluence of music, spirituality, and Eastern wisdom, this book is an indispensable guide.

📝 Description: Monument Eternal

ALICE COLTRANE (1937-2007) was a composer, master of various musical instruments, improviser, spiritual leader, and wife of John Coltrane. Throughout her adult life, she worked within and combined a broad range of musical genres, including gospel, R&B, bebop, free jazz, Indian devotional song, and Western art music. She recorded more than twenty full-length albums for Impulse and Warner Bros. Her music speaks to her experiences as a child playing for church congregations in Detroit; the transcendent and mind-bending avant-garde improvisations she performed with John Coltrane; and her religious pilgrimages to India. When Monument Eternal was originally published in 1977, Alice Coltrane was living in Southern California and had recently become a swami, building and nurturing an alternative spiritual community. In these pages, she says that the book is "based upon the soul's realizations in Absolute Consciousness and its spiritual relationships with the Supreme One." Monument Eternal offers deep insight into Coltrane's tremendous musical output, and shines a light on her transformation from Alice McLeod, Detroit church organist and bebopper, to sage thought leader Swami Turiyasangitananda. It also reflects the extraordinary fluidity of American religious customs in the mid and late twentieth century. Akashic's long-awaited reissue of Monument Eternal includes a new foreword by Ashley Kahn.

💎 Expert review

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💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

This work provides a unique window into the inner world of a visionary musician turned spiritual guide, detailing her shift toward Supreme One devotion. However, it does not suit those seeking technical musical analysis or secular biography; readers expecting standard jazz criticism will likely feel lost in its metaphysical focus. It is specifically tailored for those already familiar with her transition into swamihood and interested in the theological mechanics of her community. Those preferring straightforward historical accounts over intimate spiritual revelation may find the abstract nature of her soul's realizations within Absolute Consciousness too dense or inaccessible for casual reading.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers drawn to the intersection of artistic brilliance and deep spiritual discipline will find this volume profoundly rewarding. It offers an intimate glimpse into the soul's journey toward Absolute Consciousness, revealing how divine connection fueled a transformation from Detroit church organist to revered sage. Those interested in the hidden spiritual underpinnings of extraordinary musical output will appreciate how Alice Coltrane articulates her evolution as Swami Turiyasangitananda. It is essential for anyone seeking to understand the profound personal revelations that shaped a cultural icon’s later life and community leadership.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you're drawn to profound spiritual inquiry, curious about the intersection of artistry and enlightenment, or wish to understand a musical and spiritual pioneer’s inner world, this work invites you. It’s for anyone seeking insight into Absolute Consciousness and the soul's journey.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

This work provides a unique window into the inner world of a visionary musician turned spiritual guide, detailing her shift toward Supreme One devotion. However, it does not suit those seeking technical musical analysis or secular biography; readers expecting standard jazz criticism will likely feel lost in its metaphysical focus. It is specifically tailored for those already familiar with her transition into swamihood and interested in the theological mechanics of her community. Those preferring straightforward historical accounts over intimate spiritual revelation may find the abstract nature of her soul's realizations within Absolute Consciousness too dense or inaccessible for casual reading.

❓ Frequently asked questions

It primarily explores Alice Coltrane’s personal spiritual revelations concerning the soul's connection to Absolute Consciousness and its relationship with the Divine.

While not a musical analysis, the book offers deep spiritual context, illuminating the philosophical and devotional underpinnings of her diverse and influential musical output.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Spiritual Transformation

Explores Alice Coltrane's profound inner evolution, from her diverse musical roots to embracing a swami's path. It chronicles the internal shifts that led to her deep spiritual insights and leadership, detailing her transformation into a revered sage and guide.

Absolute Consciousness

Delves into the soul's direct experience and understanding of a higher, all-encompassing reality. Coltrane shares personal revelations about this ultimate state, emphasizing the spiritual relationship between individual consciousness and the Supreme One, offering a path for profound personal exploration.

Music as Devotion

Reveals how Coltrane's extensive musical career, encompassing gospel, jazz, and Indian devotional forms, deeply intertwined with her spiritual quest. The book provides profound context, showing how her compositions and improvisations served as direct expressions of her evolving spiritual understanding and connection to the divine.

📜 Historical context

Appearing in 1977, "Monument Eternal" captures Alice Coltrane at a pivotal moment: newly established as a swami and community leader in California. This publication reflects the spiritual awakenings prevalent in the late 20th century, positioning Coltrane as a significant voice within the evolving tapestry of Western esoteric thought and Eastern spiritual traditions.

📚 Glossary

Swami
Absolute Consciousness
Turiyasangitananda

📔 Questions to reflect on

How do your own creative pursuits serve as a channel for spiritual expression or personal revelation?
Reflect on moments in your life when you felt a profound connection to a 'Supreme One' or 'Absolute Consciousness.' What were the circumstances?
In what ways do you believe your personal identity has transformed through your spiritual or philosophical inquiries?