MELODIES of the UNIVERSE

MELODIES of the UNIVERSE (1998)

Ground of All Being

Ground of all Being, Breath of all life, Spirit within all things!
Open our eyes. Open our ears. Stir in our hearts. Awaken our minds.
And then we will bend low and then we will know that all is Holy.
All is One. All is Holy, wholly One.

For the Mountains

For the mountain we stand. For the mountain we speak.
For the mountain we grieve. For the mountain we rise.

For the forest we stand. For the forest we speak.
For the forest we grieve. For the forest we rise.

For the rivers we stand. For the rivers we speak.
For the rivers we grieve. For the rivers we rise.

For all creatures we stand. For all creatures we speak.
For all creatures we grieve. For all creatures we rise.

The Bioregional Song

We must return home to the land! We must return home to the land:
to mountains and to deserts, forests and wetlands; we must return home to the land!

We reverence the land where we live! We reverence the land where we live:
its power to nourish, sustaining all of life; we reverence the land where we live!

We celebrate this region of life! We celebrate this region of life:
the plants, the trees, the rivers, the birds and animals; we celebrate this region of life!

We honor the fruit of this land! We honor the fruit of this land:
their life and their energy providing strength to all; we honor the fruit of this land!

One Breath

There is one breath. There is one life.
There is one Earth. There is one chance.
All is holy, so holy. All is sacred, so sacred. All is one.

Take Off Your Shoes

(Refrain)
The Earth is the burning bush. The Earth is Holy Ground.
Take off your shoes for where you stand is holy.

Circle of Power, Rings of Fire, echoes of ancient song;
Spirits of those who prayed long ago are here. (Refrain)

Shadows and light caress this place. Ferns dance with joy in the wind.
Circling above, hawk stirs my soul with love. (Refrain)

Mountains so high and caves so deep, hot springs and mounds of stone;
healing and hope rise up from the soul of Earth. (Refrain)

Ballad of the Universe

Once upon a time all there was, was emptiness, nothingness and darkness; night prevailed.
The dark was so lonely that straight from its belly came a wondrous surprise!
Behold! the Fireball, daring, flaring forth into space and time.
First hydrogen, then helium, galactic clouds are formed!
Spinning, dancing, summer-salting; galaxies delight!
Celebration! Jubilation! Universe Alive!

Billions of years had past. The galaxies were happy dancing through the cosmos side by side. Then all of a sudden a star lit the heavens, outshining the Milky Way.
Behold! Our Tiamat, Grandma Superstar, bursting into light;
Sacrificing, mesmerizing! giving up her life.
Cosmic quaking, reawaking fragments of herself!
Supernova; dying, sighing! Solar system’s born!

Five billion years ago the planets danced around the sun, spiraling in circles, laughing, having fun! The Earth laughed so hard that she took all off guard and brought forth a new day!
Behold! Prokaryotes, eukaryotes; the first cells of life:
waiting, mating, eating, feeding, photosynthesis;
there’s mutation, transformation: cells developing!
Life exploding in its coding: multi-celled creatures!

Ocean life evoked corals, clams and starfish, sponges, spiders, leeches, wiggly worms.
Then one day a sea plant crawled out of the water onto the shore!
Behold! Trees marching tall cross the continents; populate the land;
Amphibians, reptilians: playing in the sand.
Brontosaurus, diplodocus; dinosaurs galore!
Mass extinction! Great destruction! Giants no more!

The dance of life progressed; mammals running everywhere, flowers in the meadow; birds in the air. Amidst all this wonder there came a great thunder announcing a new day!
Behold! Two legged ones standing erect, making tools of stone;
hunting, painting, music-making round the sacred fire;
weaving, grieving planting, chanting, all is ritualized!
Self-reflecting, gawking, talking, Homo Sapien!

What a miracle! The Universe is thinking,
pondering, and searching; discovering its sacred past.
This is our story! A tale of true glory!
Go out, tell the world!

Sacred Fire

Sacred Fire, burning before me;
burning within me; deep in my soul!
Sacred Fire, transforming Fire,
recreate me. Make me whole.

Prayer to the Four Directions

We greet the East, the bringer of day, Grandfather Sun, burning so bright!
Come with your power to see and to know! Soul of the Fire, we greet you this day!

We greet the South, protector of land. Grandmother Earth, life-giving soil!
Come with your power to grow and bring forth! Soul of the Land, we greet you this day!

We greet the West, spirit of the sea, Grandmother Ocean, womb of all Life!
Come with your power to cleanse and to heal! Soul of the Water, we greet you this day!

We greet the North, Breath of all life, Grandfather Sky, refreshing cool breeze!
Come with your power to change and to dance! Soul of the Air, we greet you this day!

Holy Embrace

There is a curvature in the universe, a curvature holding all.

It is a holy embrace. It is a holy embrace, a holy embrace holding all.

It is an arm of love. It is an arm of love, an arm of love holding all.

We’re in a holy embrace. We’re in a holy embrace, a holy embrace holding all.

There is a curvature in the universe, a curvature holding all.

A Farewell Blessing

Spirit of Life, remain in this land. Remain in these hearts, Spirit of Life.

Spirit of Love, remain in this land. Remain in these hearts, Spirit of Love.

Spirit of Peace, remain in this land. Remain in these hearts, Spirit of Peace.

Spirit of Truth, remain in this land. Remain in these hearts, Spirit of Truth.

Spirit of Joy, remain in this land. Remain in these hearts, Spirit of Joy.