Equilibrium: a state of balance; a calm mental state; harmony

It might seem odd to call Equilibrium a counternarrative. Yet, many of our Healing Bells stories report on an authoritarian ruler or domestic partner who begins with gifts and promises, but gradually undermines a person's state of balance and harmony. In Venezuela and Kashmir, for instance, when the authoritarian or occupied government overtakes the media and alternately cuts off running water, electricity, internet, food or fuel supplies, people are thrown off-kilter and forced to focus on survival rather than protest. Imbalances increase. Similarly, hate speech and actions, censorship, mis- and disinformation can rock individual and collective life balance. From this perspective, equilibrium is a counternarrative. And music can offer a source of healing as a step toward equilibrium.

In the past three years, I've been deeply influenced by composers Connor Chee (of Diné/Navajo descent) and Dawn Avery (of Mohawk heritage). Connor and Dawn both talk about indigenous concepts of living in balance, harmony, and equilibrium. Each of them uses pentatonic modes in some of their pieces, which are remarkably stable. Based on that influence, I open Equilibrium in a pentatonic mode of stable life balance, and gradually add interactions, deep and openhearted listening, which reflects back in inversions. In the Dorian second section, the echos respond to Ursula Le Guin's thoughts on equilibrium:

When that rock is lifted, the earth is lighter; the hand that bears it heavier. When it is thrown, the circuits of the stars respond, and where it strikes or falls, the universe is changed. On every act the balance of the whole depends. The winds and seas, the powers of water and earth and light, all that these do, and all that the beasts and green things do, is well done, and rightly done. All these act within the Equilibrium. From the hurricane and the great whale's sounding to the fall of a dry leaf and the gnat's flight, all they do is done within the balance of the whole.
But we, insofar as we have power over the world and over one another, we must learn to do what the leaf and the whale and the wind do of their own nature. We must learn to keep the balance. Having intelligence, we must not act in ignorance. Having choice, we must not act without responsibility. [The first woman to win both the Hugo (7 times) and Nebula (6 times) awards for best novel, Ursula K. Le Guin's (1929–2018) musings on equilibrium are found in her novel, The Farthest Shore.]

After the karmic echoes, the tune is treated in augmentation, with a solidarity that shows that we all are stronger when we work together for the common good. The solidarity morphs into a global collaboration section. The opening theme returns with deep, open-hearted listening and a commitment to building a world of equilibrium, where everyone is thriving, without exception.

—Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra