I'm a fan of Ravi Shankar "Chants of India,"--"Sarve Shaam" is short but wonderful and Arpan is really, in my mind, best suited to meditation--coming in around 45 minutes (besides, "Arpan" means "gift," a nice sentiment when reading
I think I like the chord-work, the progressions, and the "old as Earth herself" sound, lol. Like listening to the day waking. For me, when I'm listening to this music I can smell the ghee and nan and flowers and incense
And some of the more transcendental stuff of the Beatles and George Harrison, like "Tomorrow Never Knows" or "Within You, Without You," "Because," "Across the Universe," "Something," (then George's) "The Inner Light," "Beware of Darkness," "Give Me Love," etc. and a pinch of some of Lennon's softer stuff, like "Love." Even something as non-metaphysical as "Hey Jude" can be tranquilizing if you're in the right heart/mind place for it. It's music I've listened to my whole life, so it puts me at ease. (The easiest way to try some of the George Harrison numbers with a mix of Ravi and Anouska Shankar is by listening to clips from or buying The Concert For George CDs or MP3s.) Also, the song, "I'll See You In My Dreams," also on the concert album.
There was also a band out...15 years ago?, called The Cocteau Twins--the album is called "Treasure" (I think they've already been mentioned, so, bravo! It's pretty (not at all Enya, in case you were worried,
) but it sounds like a hodgepodge of Latin and some sort of made-up language, very swirly music, ethereal (although, after this long, the latter tends to annoy whereas the former's *far* more soothing!
)
Let me see if I can't pull up some sound clips for you...
I'm having a time of it trying to pull up the Indian music, particularly "Arpan" or "Sarve Shaam," two of my very favorites (the latter is my favorite chant/life philosophy to live by.)
From the Beatles:
Tomorrow Never Knows:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVUzTZ5dgwQ
Within You, Without You:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrxRAvnU1FQ
Something:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzkhOmKVW08
Because:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE5f4hVMCew
Across the Universe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYMjA5bFUPs
Free As a Bird:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s332Tt0zxYs
By George:
The Inner Light:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhHm-5lKkZ0
Beware of Darkness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6H_-uA6IvU
Give Me Love:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W06RM7DhVIg
I'll See You In My Dreams:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKz6Wvfdxhg
John Lennon:
Love:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG8JxpitqOM
The Cocteau Twins:
Domino:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-be1Q5MkIGs&feature=related
Otterley:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESl-Ni5E8AA&feature=related
(I **really** wish I could've pulled up Arpan and Sarve Shaam for you--they're **so** peaceful, perfect meditation/reading music!)
Take Care!