11:11

Honolulu, HI

I was jammin' around a bit last night, and this strange rhythm popped in. I kept playing it long enough to feel confident that I could stop - and start a recorder - and then resume. After the capture, I discovered it was in 11/8... which led to thinking about the 11:11 phenomenon, synchronicity and all the unexpected things that contribute to the miracle we live every day. Now... to see if I can find my way back into playing and singing this at the same time... I have always wanted to write an "odd" meter song!

LYRICS:

noticing timely miracles

opportunities, chance connections

synchronicity supporting me

unexpected moments, converge!

it’s happenstance and coincidence

serendipity bringin’ blessings

yes, happenstance and coincidence

as our divine design aligns

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.1.0.

D..k.kD.D.D..k.kCCk.C.

Kali

Honolulu, HI

Seems I am settling into one new Kirtan chant a month. I write 2 months before the public Kirtan where it will debut, then engage with it in my personal practice for the first month before bringing it to the group practice. This month, themes of destruction and pain seem close, so Kali is a natural ;)

LYRICS:

Kali Bolo, Kali Bolo, Jaya Mata Kali
O Mata, Kali Ma, Jaya Jaya Mata Kali
Para, Para Shakti
Shakti, O Ma Kali
Kali, Sadaguru
Guru Sri Mata
Chamundaye, Chamundaye, Chamundaye, Shakti

1..2..3..4..
D.CC.CkkDDkk

Om Namaha Shivaya

Honolulu, HI

Continuing to explore the the kirtan form, experimenting again with Hindu words. Wrote this one for our Father's Day public kirtan, but it wasn't ready in time, so I'll "launch" it in July. This is a LONG soundfile (12 min +) and I'm loading it all up here as evidence that I am learning more and more about how to use Logic Express towards bringing my own CD together. It's good for ME to see I'm making progress!

LYRICS:

Om Namah, Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah, Om Namah
Hara Hara Mahadeva, Jai Shiva Jai
Om Shiva Shankara, Om Shiva Shambo

1...2...3...4...
D.TkT.k.C.D.D...

Oh Ganesha!

Honolulu, HI

Still playing around with kirtan ideas (though I have also just begun working with more commitment toward a CD of my own songs, including buying a high quality mic!) Decided it was time to see if I could come up with a Sanskrit chant... Ganesh, as the opener of the way, was the obvious place to begin. I was a bit surprised by the groove and feel that emerged, but have been encouraged by my kirtan friends to pursue this - apparently they like it :)

LYRICS:

Oh Ganesha, Ekadanta, Gan Gan Ganapataye... Sharanam
Ganesha, Ganesha, Ganesha
Jaya Guru Ganesha, Sri Ganesha Jai

1...2...3...4...
D..k..C.C..k..C.
D..k..C.DD.DD.C.

Awe and Wonder

Honolulu, Hawaii

Continuing on the quest to write an 'Interfaith" kirtan, after a friend pointed out yesterday that "Gaia" is a deity strongly identified with paganism. Although I'd likely identify myself as pagan (according to the dictionary: "a person who is not Christian, Muslim or Jew") I'm still looking for a song that would feel good to anyone - including my atheist friends. It's the shortest song to date (which is actually good for chanting), as it has firmly refused all efforts to add more words. So, for now at least, this is it!

LYRICS:

oh sacred mystery
beauty that inspires me
awe and wonder

oh living mystery
beauty that's surrounding me
awe and wonder

1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...
D..k..T.C...D.TkD..k..T.C...TkTk

Gaia

Honolulu, Hawaii

Another song for Interfaith Ecstatic Chanting. (I gotta tell you, it's quite an adventure to find ways to express deity without hooking into someone's specific religion. I'm pretty pleased with this one so far :) One thing I find hopeful about the present moment is that more and more people are waking up to the fact that ALL we have to take care of the Earth - and that doing that is in the little things: our choices around diet, recycling, consumerism, green products and the like. A nod here for the melody i used on the second part, originally from "Weavers" by Shekhinah Mountainwater

LYRICS:

Gaia holy mother
Gaia sacred earth
bountiful goddess Gaia
nature soul, our rebirth

you are the green, and you are the sea
you are the air that's around and in me

you are the fountain, you are the well
you're the source of life from which all things swell

Rhythm: Bhajan

alphaOmega

Honolulu, Hawaii

It's Valentines Day - and flowing along on the english kirtan stream, it seemed like a great day for a love song to God/Goddess/Spirit/One! This sure came out easy.... Still playing around with the idea of an OM sound coming off "one" - anyone know anything about chanting "oN"?

Lyrics:

boundless spirit divinity
numinous spark of infinity
alpha! omega!
eternal beloved, loving one (OM)

1..2..3..4..
C.DC.CkDDkDD

There In The Silence

Honolulu, Hawaii

For the last few months I have been singing as one of Honolulu's "Kirtan Renegades". Kirtan has its roots in Hinduism, and translates literally as "singing the names of God". It will probably come as no surprise that I have been passionate about bringing songs in English, and this has been supported by a group desire to keep things Interfaith. This song is the result of an intention I set for a Kirtan song to come through, and it's been sneaking in around the edges for the last couple of weeks. Today it all came together... well, at least this far! I'll probably use parts of "Fire Whispers" with it as well.

Lyrics:

you're there in the silence
breathing... life
candle in the stillness
burning, you're the flame

with all my heart I call your name
with all my heart I call your name
with all my heart I call your name
with all my heart I call

1...2...
D..T..T.