It's amazing to see how much of spirituality Mike Oldfield transmits throughout all of his works.

To me The Millennium Bell is very meaningful, not only because of that "celestial" music but because Mike certainly cannot stop giving us "hints" of his devotion to spirituality and the love to God/Goddess.

Just read again the title of every piece and you'll instantly realize about it:

1. Peace On Earth (original title Nativity)
2. Pacha Mama (Goddess)
3. Santa Maria (Virgin Mary)
4. Sunlight Shining Through Cloud (symbology)

And the rest are all symbolic (making reference to)

5. The Doge's Palace
6. Lake Constance
7. Mastermind (God IS LOVE)
8. Broad Sunlit Uplands
9. Liberation
10. Amber Light
11. The Millennium Bell


When I wanted to decipher the meaning of Sunlight Shining Through Cloud, I realized that it has the same meaning as the "HAPPY?" chant in Amork i.e. The Holy Spirit.

Remember that in the African American Gospel music tradition, the experience of the Holy Spirit is referred to as 'getting happy'. Get Happy is a term used in the African American Gospel Music tradition, that refers to the experience of receiving the Holy Spirit during a Church service, usually involving ecstatic singing, or during prayer, or spontaneously. And
one of the early nineteenth century traditional ' Negro Spirituals' to use the phrase, is the following: GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.

In Amarok, Mike changed the "Good Morning Everybody" to "HELLO EVERYONE"


The Catechism lists the various symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Bible:

*Water - signifies the Holy Spirit's action in Baptism. As "by one Spirit we were all baptized," so we are also "made to drink of one Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:13) Thus the Spirit is also personally the living water welling up from Christ crucified (John 19:34; 1 John 5:8 as its source and welling up in us to eternal life. (Cf. John 4:10-14; John 7:38; Exodus 17:1-6; Isaiah 55:1; Zechariah 14:8; 1 Corinthians 10:4; Revelation 21:6; 22:17)

*Anointing - The symbolism of anointing with oil also signifies the Holy Spirit, to the point of becoming a synonym for the Holy Spirit. (Cf. 1 John 2:20,27; 2 Corinthians 1:21) In Christian initiation, anointing is the sacramental sign of Confirmation, called "chrismation" in the Churches of the East. Its full force can be grasped only in relation to the primary anointing accomplished by the Holy Spirit, that of Jesus. Christ (in Hebrew "messiah") means the one "anointed" by God's Spirit.

*Fire - symbolizes the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit's actions. In the form of tongues "as of fire," the Holy Spirit rests on the disciples on the morning of Pentecost and fills them with himself.

CLOUD AND LIGHT - The Spirit comes upon the Virgin Mary and "overshadows" her, so that she might conceive and give birth to Jesus. On the mountain of Transfiguration, the Spirit in the "cloud came and overshadowed" Jesus, Moses and Elijah, Peter, James and John, and "a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!'" (Luke 9:34-35)

*The seal is a symbol close to that of anointing. "The Father has set his seal" on Christ and also seals us in him. (John 6:27; cf. 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:3) Because this seal indicates the indelible effect of the anointing with the Holy Spirit in the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders, the image of the seal (sphragis) has been used in some theological traditions to express the indelible "character" imprinted by these three unrepeatable sacraments.

*The hand. It is by the Apostles' imposition of hands that the Holy Spirit is given. The Letter to the Hebrews lists the imposition of hands among the "fundamental elements" of its teaching. The Church has kept this sign of the all-powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit in its sacramental epicleses.

*The finger. "It is by the finger of God that [Jesus] cast out demons." If God's law was written on tablets of stone "by the finger of God," then the "letter from Christ" entrusted to the care of the apostles, is written "with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts." (Exodus 31:18; 2 Corinthians 3:3)
The dove. When Christ comes up from the water of his baptism, the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, comes down upon him and remains with him. (Matthew 3:16)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_spirit


So, seing the rays of light shining through a cloud is a symbol that refers to the Holy Spirit (God).



Sunlight Shining through Cloud

Amazing grace! (how sweet that sound)
Has sav'd a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now I'm found,
Was blind, but now I see.

And I, want to feel sun on my face,
And I, (I) feel a shadow in its place

"Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev'd;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ'd!

And I, want to feel sun on my face,
And I, (I) feel a shadow in its place


With the sunlight shining through Cloud
When we're standing free, proud
With the sunlight shining through Cloud
When we're standing free, proud

Thro' many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

And I, want to feel sun on my face
And I, feel a shadow in its place


With the sunlight shining through cloud
When we're standing free, proud
With the sunlight shining through cloud,
When we're standing free, proud
With the sunlight shining through cloud
When we're standing free, proud
With the sunlight shining throught cloud
When we're standing free, proud
With the sunlight shining through cloud
Sunlight shining through cloud
Sunlight shining through cloud
Sunlight shining through cloud



Take a look at the original text. It's very beautiful and moving; feelings of gratitude to our Maker, including in the so called "after life".

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav'd a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

"Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev'd;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ'd!

Thro' many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis'd good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call'd me here below,
Will be forever mine.

Captain John Newton [1725-1807]



AMOR,

SIRIUS

IAO | O |

__________________
COMPUTER IS STILL WITH INCORRECT INFORMATION!!!

*§*ReSoLuTioN~ReVoLuTiOn~EvOLuTiOn*§*


¤MIKE OLDFIELD¤