As I got ready for Sunday service, as we rehearsed, and throughout the service itself, I couldn’t help thinking that we won’t be doing this for some time to come.
And that — more than anything else so far — brought home to me that this is really happening. We’re really leaving for Sacramento in just a few more days and then the adventure really gets interesting!
Sunday mornings are full, of course. Today we arrived at the Temple of Light at 8:40am to rehearse and make other preparations for Sunday service singing and chanting.
Afterwards Ramesha had plans to spend time with a friend, while I did a darn good job of replicating yesterday’s achievement.
In other words, I’m proud to say that I didn’t do much of anything all afternoon and into the evening. High points were relaxing with a novel on the patio; taking a nap; reading some more; and eating.
I’m getting pretty good at this “doing nothing” stuff!
Because no one knows exactly when St. Francis of Assisi was born, his feast day is celebrated on October 4, the anniversary of his death in 1226.
We hadn’t thought about any of this when the music was planned for today’s Sunday service. But through a series of serendipities (in hindsight, at least) we ended up singing two of Swami Kriyananda’s St. Francis songs: Make Us Channels of Thy Peace (which we even “randomly” decided to do in both English and Italian!) and Peace.
I love it when Divine Mother organizes things without our conscious participation!
For a while now we’ve been planning to increase our Sunday service singing group to two singers on each part, for a total of eight in the group (woohoo!).
This was finally going to be the week…such anticipation!
Instead, we got to face a big dose of reality regarding the surging numbers of COVID cases in Nevada County, and realized that this is not the time to add singers. 😕
The plan is now on hold and we’re bummed…as are the others who are craving the opportunity to sing again.
But I’m concentrating on being grateful that so far we’re managing to keep live music happening for Sunday service, no matter how small the group has to be.
Today was the first time since December that we had live music for Sunday service! And — boy oh boy — did it feel GOOD!
I think you can tell from these photos just how happy we were to be singing again! There was such overwhelming joy at one point during our warm-up rehearsal that I couldn’t hold back the tears. I’ve so missed being a channel for this music.
It was this verse from “Well Done, Lord!” that really got me: Well done, Lord! Oh, very well done! At last I’ve discovered the mystic key: The world’s joy, O Secretive One! Replies to Your sweetness in me. For here in my heart lies the answer: Your love, shedding light like the sun! All life seems to leap like a dancer When, gazing, I see only Thee!
I feel the joy, the sweetness, the love and the light so strongly through our music. And I’m so grateful.
I was looking for something else entirely, but found this treasure instead. I believe this was a Sunday service at Ananda Assisi shortly before Swami Kriyananda moved to India in November 2003; Ramesha and I had been together less than a month!
And aren’t I wearing the loveliest shawl? I adored that shawl and the way it matched virtually everything in my wardrobe. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of thinking it could be washed in cold water and was heartbroken when it shrank to less than a quarter of its size.😢
What a joy to share today’s Sunday service together as a community. I couldn’t stop simply looking all around me; I was just so thrilled to see so many friends for the first time in three months.
What made it possible was the fact that we were outdoors in the amphitheater, with lots of distance between chairs and everyone wearing masks.
It was even more of a thrill to sing a 4-part song as a live group — also for the first time in three months! And it was the perfect song: Come Gather ‘Round!
I have much deeper appreciation now for the joy of gathering together and I would never have guessed how profoundly I would be affected by the words “come gather…”
Come Gather ‘Round (by Swami Kriyananda)
Come gather round: Let joy sing out today! Dawn now is breaking, And the mountains say: “It’s only light Can make the darkness run. Lift up your head, Greet the rising sun!” Mm-m-m greet the rising sun!
Some people think To harvest happiness By weeding troubles, Easing every stress. The trouble is That troubles never end: Get rid of one, And you face it’s friend! Mm-m-m and you face it’s friend.
It’s in your heart The songs of joy resound: You’ll hear but echoes In the world around. Wind on a hill Sounds lonely if you’re sad, Free if you’re free, Cheerful if you’re glad. Mm-m-m cheerful if you’re glad.
Friends, come with me — We’ll chant of battles won: Shots not of anger; Joy will be our gun! Before the light The veils of sorrow rend; In inner freedom All delusions end. Mm-m-m all delusions end.
A screenshot of Ramesha and Bhagavati singing “Shawl of Gold” in their living room. The video was recorded on March 28 for Sunday service in the Temple of Light on March 29!
Doesn’t it feel as though the entire world switched to online everything from one day to the next?!? As music ministers, we’ve been creatively expanding our knowledge base and skill set in order to maintain our voluntary self-isolation while still providing music for Sunday service at Ananda Village.
Of course, orchestras and choirs all over the world are extremely motivated to experiment along these exact same lines. As one person put it, we’re hardwired to perform, to make music together. Even when we can’t be together.
The end result is that we’re seeing the supposed barriers of time and space dissolving right before our eyes. We may be physically separated, playing or singing our part at different moments in time, but the power and magnetism of the music are still palpably present. Why? Because, in actuality, there is no time or space. We’re all one, right now.
Here at the Village we have a ways to go in terms of technology and resources. But here’s an example of the infinite possibilities…
Ramesha and I were on to do the music for this morning’s Sunday service. Nowadays it comes as almost a shock when we’re called on to perform just the two of us, since we spend most of our time either in front of our computers or rehearsing with the full choir.
But it’s nice to find that — when we do get to stop and just make music together — our unique musical attunement is still very much there. Not that I would have expected otherwise!
