“Alcest is the musical expression of an esoteric occurrence I repeatedly experienced, from early childhood to adolescence. To make it clear, this is not about imagination or fantasy, but about a genuine event which had and will always have a considerable impact on my life. As a child I was used to have sudden visions, like reminiscences of a place that is not the one we know. The things that came to my mind, with the precision and the evidence of any “real” memory, had nothing to do with anything anyone can know or imagine in this world. These were images of an indescribably beautiful haven where everything - trees, glades, streams… - shines with a pearly light and where a faraway and celestial music floats in the air like a delicate perfume. In such a place the spirit wanders without its mortal coil, deprived of the five senses pertaining to the body, perceiving in a completely different way. Moral and physical suffering, diseases and anguish of death do not exist there, but only a feeling of peace and indescribable ecstasy. This heavenly place is inhabited by beings of light, infinitely benevolent and protective, communicating by talking directly to the soul, in a “language” beyond words. Now the memories of my present life tend to replace ancient ones if I may say so, but they will always remain deep inside me. A way to recall sparkles of them is the contact with nature. Nature is of particular significance to me as it is a bridge between these two worlds, like a key enabling me to keep contact with this place. When I walk in the forest during springtime, when the gentle breeze caresses my face, when the sun rays gleam the leaves of the trees as if they were emeralds, I feel this faraway realm again and the reasons that led me to create Alcest become even more evident. I have long believed that other persons had similar visions but then I realized it was not the case, which makes it even more unsettling as this experience can be neither shared nor proven. It truly is beyond words, and is hardly describable. Some might compare it to religion; still it is a totally different concept, which is a way closer to the concepts of pure faith and spirituality. I believe there are different layers of what we call reality, and that our five senses only allow most of us to perceive and reach a single of these dimensions. Just like defective radios that would be able to pick up only one radio frequency. Taking another example, unlike some animals we are not able to hear certain type of sounds but this doesn’t mean they do not exist. If it can apply to sounds, could it not apply to the whole world of matter? Is matter the only thing we can reach? Not everything that exists can be seen with the eyes. I have long searched for answers and I am now convinced that these are memories of the place - or one of the places - the soul would reach after death, like a haven where we would rest and be free of the burden of incarnation before starting a life again. I do believe in the immortality of human soul and in life after death, here or somewhere else. If I had not had these visions, I would certainly not believe in it, but now I cannot have a single doubt about what I saw. And despite life’s hurts - be it illness, death or all unfair events that can occur suddenly - I see a sense in existence, a goal that every soul tends to reach. Life on earth would then be comparable to a constantly repeated exercise, where we would be offered the chance to evolve and learn always more, to raise our spirit in order to reach another state of existence in the end. This experience taught me to see life with another view, to see the beauty in all the things that surround us, the magic of existence and the magnificence of nature and our world. Now I am able to value precious moments and the ties that bind us to the people we love. In this world full of obstacles, optimism and consciousness of the privilege of existing are key to one’s own equilibrium. I always had my own special way of seeing things beyond the rational realities. A tree is more than just a piece of wood and a cloud not just condensed water. Maybe we should let the emotions and feelings express themselves, see the romantic representations all around us; maybe we should admire it all as if it was extraordinary, let our deepest emotions break free contemplating a landscape, just as if it was a mirror reflecting our suppressed feelings. To my eyes, pure imagination is not only the ability to invent and create; it also contains a part of mysticism. I believe that great dreamers do have access to another realities, and the very notion of existence makes me dream. By developing an innocent, curious and contemplative glance upon life, we can all see life as a dream if we really wish. Every single thing around us can bring us to dream, to transcend reality with the wings of imagination.”
jbbartram-illu
jacobvanloon
prguitarman
blakekathryn
izzy806
gummygunk
