Scientists have only recently learned that the particles of an oxygen atom vibrate in a major key and that blades of grass sing. Europe s foremost jazz producer takes the reader on an exhilarating journey through Asia Europe Africa and Latin America exploring the musical traditions of diverse cultures and reaffirming what the ancients have always known--the world is sound rhythm and vibration. Berendt s book is alive with his experiences--living in Bali studying at a Zen monastery in Kyoto and encountering budding jazz stars in Indonesia Japan Europe and the United States. Drawing from his friendships with composers and performers as well as his knowledge of new physics and Tantra cybernetics Sufism and the works of Hermann Hesse he reveals the importance of sound in shaping cultural and spiritual life worldwide. A tribute to the work of many of the greatest figures of our age--including Hans Kayser Jean Gebser Sufi Hazrat lnayat Khan musicians John Coltrane and Ravi Shankar--Berendt s book suggests that hearing rather than seeing is the key to a more spiritual experience of consciousness. His discussion of sound in relation to mathematics logic sacred geometry myth and sexuality is practical as well as theoretical offering readers a variety of techniques for developing the ear as an organ of spiritual perception.