Here is the ALL ONE chant (aka SHLOMO, K.D. AND ME) that I sang at last night's Aquarian Minyan Bay Area Authors series, with awesome support and accompanyment by Rob Katz on the guitar, and an audience that fully engaged the opportunity to sing along. Picking up on the evening's theme that there are many types of love, and with new lyrics to Kris Kristofferson’s classic modern love song Me and Bobby McGee, this song is an ode to Shlomo Carlebach, Krishna Das and the transformational power of love through chant in Jewish Renewal, Kirtan and other mystical traditions. (I also presented 3 love poems http://marksrubin.blogspot.com/2011/02/love-poems.html)
The influence of Shlomo Carlebach, known as "The Singing Rabbi," continues to this day, with his many contributions to our liturgy and his beautiful nigunim. Krishna Das (born Jeffrey Kagel) is perhaps the foremost western-style singer of Indian devotional chants called kirtans. KD traveled to India in the 1960s where, along with Ram Das, he sat at the feet of Neem Karoli Baba (aka Maharaj-ji).
Shlomo and KD are, to me, emblematic of their traditions’ love of chant as a tool for connection and transformation. By helping us find a place of shared grounding and ecstasy, nigunim and kirtan each can contribute greatly to opening our hearts, a necessary -- perhaps even the first -- predicate for love.
One last bit of background. Skokie IL is a Chicago suburb that had more Holocaust survivors as residents than anyplace else in the country. In 1967, 10 years before it became the target of a famous neo Nazi march, Skokie became a sister city of Porbandar, India, Mahatma Gandhi's birthplace.
The same year also marked the early phase of Reb Shlomo’s House of Love and Prayer in San Francisco. KD was about to meet Ram Das and head off to the Himalayas. Kris Kristofferson was about to pen Me and Bobby McGee. And I was thrilled about having been the #1 10 year old pick in Skokie’s baseball little league draft, but aware that was not enough, something was missing. Only later did I learn about ecstasy and grounding, and how each can be rooted in and contribute to love.
The ALL ONE Chant (aka SHLOMO, K.D. AND ME)
An ode to Shlomo Carlebach, Krishna Das and the transformational power and love of chant in Jewish Renewal, Kirtan and other mystical traditions
(With apologies to Kris Kristofferson, sung to Me & Bobbie McGee)
Growing up in Skokie, heading for the shul,
Sensing that there must be something more
Shlomo and K.D. out there, waiting for their cue
To lift us high and help us really soar.
Needing to uncover, the treasure of sweet practice
Tasting many, not one (alone) feeling altogether true
With spirit pulsing (and) hearts open, letting Shlomo and KD fuse
We sang (the) holy “all one” – joyfully to You.
Freedoms just another word for more Renewal Jews,
And sacred ain’t sacred until it’s free,
Feelin good was easy, Lord, with Shlomo and K.D. fused,
And sister, that was good enough for me,
Good enough for Shlomo, K.D. and me.
From the temples of Chicago to the California sun,
Niggun and kirtan shared the secrets of my soul,
Standin right beside me through everythin I’ve done,
And every night they keep me from the cold.
I pray now that I’ve found them, Lord, I never let them slip away,
“All one” is greater than any love I ever dared hope to find,
I look forward to tomorrows, and let go of yesterday,
My spirit ever closer to You, divine.
Freedoms just another word for more Renewal Jews,
And sacred ain’t sacred until it’s free,
Feelin good was easy, Lord, with Shlomo and K.D. fused,
And sister, that was good enough for me,
Good enough for Shlomo, K.D. and me.
Om shanti, om shanti, om shanti shalom
My spirit ever closer to You, divine.
La da da da da da,
La da da da da,
My spirit ever closer to You, divine.
La da da da da da da da
La da da da da da da
My spirit ever closer to You, divine.
La da da da da da da da
La da da da da
da da da da da da
My spirit ever closer to You, divine.
I pray now that I’ve found them, Lord, I never let them slip away,
“All one” is greater than any love I ever dared hope to find,
I look forward to tomorrows, and let go of yesterday,
My spirit ever closer to You, divine.
Om shanti, om shanti, om shanti shalom
My spirit ever closer to You, divine.
© Mark Rubin 2009-11
Friday, February 11, 2011
Love poems
Here are three poems about love that I presented at the Aquarian Minyan's Bay Area Authors Series, by invitation at last night's pre Valentine's Day event. I also sang the All One song (http://marksrubin.blogspot.com/2011/02/all-one-chant.html).
THE MYSTERY OF THE KISS (A Response To The Zohar)
Heaven needs earth, as earth needs heaven.
Kiss me you fool!
Let your wise heart be not afraid.
Let us open and walk through the door of opportunity.
That sacred door.
Let us bless and be blessed By kissing into existence the marriage of heaven and earth.
LOVE IS
love is a simple thing
it only takes an opening
find out what makes you really sing
let your heart connect with glee...badabing!
now listen to your heart once more
it’s wisdom will tell you when (its time) to soar
love can be a simple thing
but first you need to wisely let it in
hiding is another game
maybe good for wealth or fame
but not being who you really are
will rarely get you very far
and what a shame for those who’d miss
the kisses of your lovely bliss
love can be a simple thing
but first you need to truly let it in
hidden not only from public view
you’d risk losing sight of the real you
stuck in neutral or low gear
perhaps avoiding your greatest fear
love leaves that far behind
finds who you are, lets hearts align
love is a simple thing
provided, lovers, that you let it in
but even when you think you’re aligned
with your lover(s) of whatever kind
meet them exactly wherever they are
and give them the love they need most by far
hoping that they’re ready to share
the love you need won’t get you there
doing so will only waste
a precious chance to inhabit the right place
free yourself to be as you are
a child of G-d, a shining star
and allow God’s will and abundant grace
to transport you to your own magical place
the place where you are sure to find
all the love you ever dared be thine
now let it live and flow through you
you are home now, be the love you always knew
love is a simple thing, once you fully let it in
THE TRIUMPH OF LOVE
Can you feel it, my love?
the pause after the movement.
the still point of awareness, of presence, of listening to one’s heart.
the sacred gift that allows us to open. and thus to receive. and to truly give.
all the while knowing we are safe, entitled and loved.
trusting in the triumph of love.
How i have longed for you, my love. do you long for me, as i do you?
dare we bare ourselves and explore this blessed opportunity?
do we dare to love? none of these are questions, not really.
we are here, now, together, our hearts’ desires primed to launch what shall unfold.
we need only to listen to our hearts, and follow.
This dish is best when served ripe, my love. and we are lush, our juices flowing. ready.
the opportunity, perhaps unexpected, thankfully reminds us we are not the gardener.
we are the lucky ones: recipients of invitations to play in the garden of love!
its time, my love, for the juiciest of RSVPs. time to embrace the lushness of life. time to love.
Breathe in, my love, then out, then pause before starting again.
again and again. over and over.
thank you for noticing you, first in the pause, then in the breath.
and for your awareness of me. and for being present with me now. namaste.
now breath with me, as we enjoy the mystery.
and begin the dance.
the ecstatic journey of co-creating the rhythm and flow of our love.
What an exquisite opportunity to engage, embrace and indulge our hearts’ desires.
without care, worry, or need for control.
how amazing to share this place of connection with self and all that is.
living from the heart based on a knowingness of what is real, true.
you. and me. loving what is, and each other.
the hope of the triumph of love.
THE MYSTERY OF THE KISS (A Response To The Zohar)
Heaven needs earth, as earth needs heaven.
Kiss me you fool!
Let your wise heart be not afraid.
Let us open and walk through the door of opportunity.
That sacred door.
Let us bless and be blessed By kissing into existence the marriage of heaven and earth.
LOVE IS
love is a simple thing
it only takes an opening
find out what makes you really sing
let your heart connect with glee...badabing!
now listen to your heart once more
it’s wisdom will tell you when (its time) to soar
love can be a simple thing
but first you need to wisely let it in
hiding is another game
maybe good for wealth or fame
but not being who you really are
will rarely get you very far
and what a shame for those who’d miss
the kisses of your lovely bliss
love can be a simple thing
but first you need to truly let it in
hidden not only from public view
you’d risk losing sight of the real you
stuck in neutral or low gear
perhaps avoiding your greatest fear
love leaves that far behind
finds who you are, lets hearts align
love is a simple thing
provided, lovers, that you let it in
but even when you think you’re aligned
with your lover(s) of whatever kind
meet them exactly wherever they are
and give them the love they need most by far
hoping that they’re ready to share
the love you need won’t get you there
doing so will only waste
a precious chance to inhabit the right place
free yourself to be as you are
a child of G-d, a shining star
and allow God’s will and abundant grace
to transport you to your own magical place
the place where you are sure to find
all the love you ever dared be thine
now let it live and flow through you
you are home now, be the love you always knew
love is a simple thing, once you fully let it in
THE TRIUMPH OF LOVE
Can you feel it, my love?
the pause after the movement.
the still point of awareness, of presence, of listening to one’s heart.
the sacred gift that allows us to open. and thus to receive. and to truly give.
all the while knowing we are safe, entitled and loved.
trusting in the triumph of love.
How i have longed for you, my love. do you long for me, as i do you?
dare we bare ourselves and explore this blessed opportunity?
do we dare to love? none of these are questions, not really.
we are here, now, together, our hearts’ desires primed to launch what shall unfold.
we need only to listen to our hearts, and follow.
This dish is best when served ripe, my love. and we are lush, our juices flowing. ready.
the opportunity, perhaps unexpected, thankfully reminds us we are not the gardener.
we are the lucky ones: recipients of invitations to play in the garden of love!
its time, my love, for the juiciest of RSVPs. time to embrace the lushness of life. time to love.
Breathe in, my love, then out, then pause before starting again.
again and again. over and over.
thank you for noticing you, first in the pause, then in the breath.
and for your awareness of me. and for being present with me now. namaste.
now breath with me, as we enjoy the mystery.
and begin the dance.
the ecstatic journey of co-creating the rhythm and flow of our love.
What an exquisite opportunity to engage, embrace and indulge our hearts’ desires.
without care, worry, or need for control.
how amazing to share this place of connection with self and all that is.
living from the heart based on a knowingness of what is real, true.
you. and me. loving what is, and each other.
the hope of the triumph of love.
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