Why are we Singing our Song
Simon Heather at the College of Sound Healing asked for some personal quotes of why singing is important to each of us. Wow, thats a big one for me as I expect it is for you. There are so many quotes from great singers, writers and philosophers, and it is so easy to crib a quote, feel good because you have done something, written it down for others to see. But who reads it? I’m the one who writes this and probably I will be the one to read it, its like in a conversation, we talk to others, mostly trying to convince ourselves by what we are saying; not listening to learn something new, we give a spiel as an outlet for our own thoughts, emotions and experiences.
Over the last weeks I’ve been looking at my life and why I sing, and what it brings to me, and projects from me so that I get benefit. I get so much benefit and relief from singing. When I wake invariably I find a song on my tongue, either Arti an ancient Indian chant that goes on for ever, or the song of the sacred directions or golden light song, I INVITE GOLDEN LIGHT INTO THE EARTH THROUGH ME. But why do I do it, why do I start my day like this? It brings me into my centre, out of my dream state into some semblance of order, into alignment. My opposites are united, my inside and outside, top and bottom are being brought together, and into the part that is most valuable to my daily living happiness. Singing, the power and act of singing brings me home, into the me that I am learning to love and value. It’s so easy to wake up and allow the crazy parrot on my shoulder to rub its eyes awake with a judgement and start lecturing me about this and that. I have to grab the control quickly and say “Hey crazy mind! you are not the boss, now listen to something beautiful, I’m going to sing you into love and care and appreciation and gratitude. and you crazy parrot if I don’t do it no one else will, its just you and me and you are not going to ruin my day, so there it is, go and climb a pole!”
So singing puts me in order when I start my day. As the day progresses singing continues, dropping in or coming through. There is something inside that likes to sing, because it puts my inner house in order, keeps me happy and focused on the important qualities that I have available to me. And I have instrumental helpers, guitars, flutes, many drums, rattles, kora, harp, harmonicas, an endless supply of assistants to keep me on track. These tools of my singing trade support my voice, encourage me to sing my song and above all to be creative.
Without creation life is so drab, there is no colour or excitement. I know modern biologists have tried to kill the notion of us having a soul, oh the lost vision of these flat earth thinkers. I love biology with a passion but the concept our life function as being nothing more than super complex algorithms leaves me cold. My voice and especially song and singing is my soul calling. All the instruments are nothing more than beautiful objects that through touch and breath augment my creative soul. It is the creation that is the sparkling key that unlocks the creaking door of my doubts.
Then there is the inner explosion that follows on from this revelation. The explosion of being useful and available as a being and having purpose. Creation is available to come through me if I am in tune, but only if I am in harmony with myself. Every thought and action I make has consequences. If I am in tune, and this in-tunement comes from singing, then the creative power that is locked away inside can be released and like a great bird I can fly into new beginnings.
Two nights ago I could not sleep, I went into my study come music room, picked up my classical guitar and instantly a theme of chords flew like a song bird through my fingers, and I could hear an underlying melody being given to me to follow, I followed the sound with my voice and then went fishing into ‘what needs to be said from the inner me, through my singing into the world around me?’ and this is what came through:
HEY YA, HEY YA
Ho great mountain you throw your snow on me
I can fly like a bird on a creamy ice blue sea
This world is for our children
HEY YA, HEY YA
Ho green meadows stretching body out in the sun
We see flowers in your fresh green grass
This world is for our children
HEY YA, HEY YA
Ho homes and gardens caves for fearful people
Don’t take to much, how much do you need?
This world is for our children
HEY YA, HEY YA
Ho rain and thunder tell us your story
Of where the great giant lives in these mountains
This world is for our children
HEY YA, HEY YA
Ho Anna clouds breath, yes Mona of Holy Island
Come claim what is yours
This world is for our children
HEY YA, HEY YA
Ho Sacred Earth and great Sun in the sky
Teach us how to call you
This world is for our children
HEY YA, HEY YA
To get a personal quote out of this essay is not simple and yet it is. Singing is my way of going fishing, casting my baited hook into the great unknown. What do I experience so far in my life of 66 years that makes me happy, purposeful and real as a living being? Singing is not just a spiritual happening, its very emotional and physical, it keeps me digging, swimming and exploring my inner world in relationship to my outer reality, singing is my most powerful life adventure.
We have just been walking in the meadows, listening to a blackbird singing in an apple tree, maybe its voice so high and twirling has the same purpose as mine, it brings joy to its world and lets remember this world is for our children and so as adults we can sing into a bright powerful and clean future as a gift to them. With our lilting voice we are sending arrows of love into our potential and possibilities. As the aboriginal people say, our singing is the creative juice that keeps the great dream of life alive.
HEY YA, HEY YA HO
