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Oh to Be Alive!

by Gretchen Sleicher

Lyrics

All Parts of Round
Oh, to be alive amid the Great Turning!
Oh, to be alive in this time of change.
Embrace the changes!
Open new ways for life to sustain.



Notes

This simple round works well as a Gratitude or Going Forth song, alluding to the great gift it is to be alive now, during the Great Turning, with its constant challenges and changes. Each part comes in after one line, and it’s best to limit it to two or three parts going at once. This recording starts on G.

Words and music by Gretchen Sleicher.  Used with permission.


Full Song (courtesy of performer)

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We Shall Be Known

by Karisha Longaker of MaMuse

Lyrics

We shall be known by the company we keep
By the ones who circle round to tend these fires
We shall be known by the ones who sow and reap
The seeds of change, alive from deep within the earth
It is time now, it is time now that we thrive
It is time we lead ourselves into the well
It is time now, and what a time to be alive
In this Great Turning we shall learn to lead in love
In this Great Turning we shall learn to lead in love
Part 1
We shall be known by the company we keep
By the ones who circle round to tend these fires
We shall be known by the ones who sow and reap
The seeds of change, alive from deep within the earth


Part 2
It is time now, it is time now that we thrive
It is time we lead ourselves into the well
It is time now, and what a time to be alive
In this Great Turning we shall learn to lead in love
In this Great Turning we shall learn to lead in love


Notes

This song calls us to learn to lead in love in these times of Great Turning. It inspires us to appreciate the good company we keep, and go deep into "the well", our source our creativity, connection and ability to thrive - now! Composer Karisha Longaker, of the duo MaMuse, first received this song through in a dream. She says: "I woke from a dream where two dear old musical friends (one of whom has already passed) were beckoning me to come to my 'creative place'. I followed them, their smiles and warm hearts asking me to come forward... I awoke from the dream with the first part of the song singing though me: 'We shall be known by the company we keep'. It haunted me (...) and later rest of the words found themselves in the pages in my journal."
Used with permission. https://www.mamuse.org/




Song and Parts

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Truth Mandala

Words, Music and Performance
by Gretchen Sleicher

Lyrics

Dry leaves speak of our pain and sorrow
Tears for the losses deeply mourned
Beneath them lie our caring
For we can only mourn what we truly love

Silent stone is the fear that grips us
Fear of the future, fear for our lives
Speaks to the courage it takes
To face the suffering with an open heart

Stick of wood cries out our anger
Fiery rage with all who are wronged
Burns with a passion for justice
Moves us to keep on keeping on

Empty bowl is our confusion
Hollow place of uncertainty
Opens the space for new creation
Lightness that can set us free

Each voice speaks for many others
Held in this net we’re not alone
Truth when told and heard and held
In loving confidence breathes us home




Notes

One of the most moving practices Joanna Macy has developed is the Truth Mandala, in which participants are invited take turns stepping into the center of a ritual circle, divided into four quadrants, each containing an object through which they can speak their pain for the world. The objects --dry leaves, a stone, a stick and an empty bowl-- are picked up and used to express the emotions of fear, sorrow, anger and confusion, each of which has its "tantric flip" side. The words to this song emerged as a way to remember the essence of this practice.

Describing this practice in her book Coming Back to Life Joanna says: “Truth-telling is like oxygen: it enlivens us. Without it we grow confused and numb. It is also a homecoming, bringing us back to powerful connection and basic authority.”

Words and music by Gretchen Sleicher. Used with permission.


Song

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People of the World

By Maggie Wheeler

Lyrics

These are the people of the world
Driven by belief
Stricken by grief
Yearning for relief

These are the people of the world

Walking in grace
At their own pace
Through what they must face

These are the people of the world

In fire and flood
In ashes and mud
Lying in blood

These are the people of the world

Then what you gonna do
If all of it is true?
Tell me what you gonna do
If it happens to you?

These are the people of the world

Planting a seed
Aching with need
Starved out by greed

These are the people of the world

Huddling for heat
Wrapping their feet
Sleeping in the street

These are the people of the world

In fire and flood
In ashes and mud
Lying in blood

These are the people of the world

Then what you gonna do
If all of it is true?
Tell me what you gonna do
If it happens to you?

These are the people of the world

Oh can you hear them crying?
What you gonna do, what you gonna do?
What you gonna do, what you gonna do?

These are the people of the world

Tossed to the wind
No family or friend
Crying
When will it end?
When will it end?




Notes

Honoring our pain for the world is what this song does, with its cry of grief and outrage for the suffering people of the world. It’s a wake up call. What you gonna do?

Words and music by Maggie Wheeler. Vocal/Percussion by Emile Hassan Dyer. Used with permission. www.maggiewheeler.net


Song

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All the Time in the World

By Betsy Rose

Lyrics

There are those who try to set fire to the world
We are in danger
There is only time to move slowly
There is no time not to love

But we’ve got all the time in the world
All the time in the world
We may be going to hell in a handbasket
Or right on the edge of something fantastic
Since we don’t know what time it is
We’ve got all the time in the world
Grass can only grow so fast
Clouds have to wait on the wind
Dark cocoons will only burst
When the butterfly grows its wings
Hearts and minds need time
For their wisdom to unfurl
For the wings of inspiration to carry us
Into a brand new world

We’ve got all the time in the world
All the time in the world
We may be going to hell in a handbasket
Or right on the edge of something fantastic
Since we don’t know what time it is
We’ve got all the time in the world

It may be urgent, it may be too late
We may be right on time
We may be at a point in evolution
Where there’s a quantum shift of heart and mind
It may be a long slow dying
Or a miracle of birth
But whatever time we are living in
We have all the time on earth

We’ve got all the time in the world
All the time in the world
We may be going to hell in a handbasket
Or right on the edge of something fantastic
Since we don’t know what time it is
We’ve got all the time in the world

We’ve got all the time
All the time
We’ve got all the time in the
world........




Notes

This song is inspired by Joanna Macy’s work with Deep Time. Our planet seems in the throes of a great change; we wonder if we are midwives at a great birth, or holding her lovingly in hospice care. What time are we living in?

Words and music by Besty Rose (www.betsyrosemusic.org). Used with permission.


Song Performed by Betsy Rose

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We Are The People

By Sue Kirkpatrick
Performed by Two Bays Choir.

Lyrics

We are the people, we are the ones.
We hold the future, the future's just begun now.
We are the people, we are the ones.
We hold the future, the future's just begun now.

Listen to the earth, listen to the sky.
Listen to the wisdom of the ones before us.
Listen to the earth, listen to the sky.
Listen to the wisdom of the ones before us.




Notes

This song evokes the future beings and the wisdom of the ancient ones, sending us present-day beings forth, together in community. Composer Sue Kirkpatrick says: "I use it a lot when I work with children. Sounds good with a strong drumbeat in the background."

Each stanza expands into three part harmony, layering one on the other, and then both stanzas are sung at the same time, producing a delicious rhythmic effect.

Words and music by Sue Kirkpatrick. © 2000 APRA/AMCOS. Used with permission. www.twobayschoir.blogspot.com

Poster image by Tatiana Makovkin.


Song

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Hold On Strong

By Ben Bochner

Lyrics

Hard times are coming, you can feel it in the air
You can read it in the paper, you can see it everywhere
Gonna be trials and tribulation, astonishment and shock
You’re gonna need a strong foundation, need a solid rock

Chorus:
We gotta hold on to each other, hold on strong
We gotta hold on to each other, until the danger's gone
We gotta hold on to each other, all night long
We gotta hold on to each other, got to hold on

It’s easy to get lonely, yeah, it’s easy to get lost
And it’s easy to get crumpled up, towed away and tossed
Don’t let yourself get isolated, don’t get caught up in despair
Don’t run and hide, just come inside, you know you’ll
find us there

Chorus

Even the tallest tree in the forest can’t make it on its own
You’re gonna need some friends around you when that wind begins a-blowin’
It’s gonna shake up all our branches, it’s gonna tug on all our roots
Til the only thing left standing is the love that's great and true

Chorus




Notes

As the Great Unraveling unfolds along with the Great Turning, we'll need songs like this to keep us turning toward rather than against each other. Eugene singer-songwriter Ben Bochner's comforting voice and song with an easy-to-learn chorus help us do just that.

Original lyrics, as heard on this recording say "the one that's straight and true" but Ben is happy with the change to "the love that's great and true".

Words and music by the late Ben Bochner.  (May he delight the angels with his songs for ever and ever.) Used with permission.

More Ben Bochner tunes at:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ben+bochner


Song Performed by Ben Bochner

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Riding My Bike

By Laurence Cole
Performed by Gretchen Sleicher.

Lyrics

Part 1
Riding my bike, riding my bike,
riding my bike to work and back


Parts 2 and 3

Ooo I like to ride my bike,
ride it to work, and back



Part 4

I can hear the birds, I can feel the breeze

I can smell the blossoms on the trees

I can feel my body growing strong

It just makes me want to sing this song




Notes

Many of the changes that are part of the Great Turning - like getting out of our cars and onto our bikes - actually UP the fun factor, as they heal the planet and build community. Let this song infect us all with the joy of riding our bikes, carbon-free, everywhere!

It's really fun to mill around and pretend you're riding a bike while singing this song with a big group.

Music and lyrics by Laurence Cole. © 2010 Used with permission. www.laurencecole.com

Image source:
https://jodressler.wordpress.com/2013/03/17/colouring-in/


Song Mix -- All Parts

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Parts

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Part 3

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Gonna Let Life Move Me

By Scott Kalechstein Grace
Performed by Gretchen Sleicher and PT Songlines Choir.

Lyrics

I'm gonna let life move me

I'm gonna let life stir me deep

I'm gonna let life wake me from an ancient sleep

I'm gonna laugh all my laughter

I'm gonna cry all my tears

I'm gonna love the rain
just as deeply as the sun when it clears




Notes

This simple call and response is a great opener, and embraces all four points of the spiral of the Work That Reconnects. For added fun, make up gestures to go with the lyrics.

This version of the song has morphed considerably from it's author's original version called An Open Heart. He gives his blessing to spreading this version as well. See his website: www.scottsongs.com

Used with author's permission.

Performed by Gretchen Sleicher and PT Songlines choir.


Song

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Turning of the World

By Ruth Pelham

Lyrics

Let us sing this song for the turning of the world
 
That we may turn as one
 
With every voice, with every song, we will move this world along
 
And our lives will feel the echo of our turning
 
With every voice, with every song, we will move this world along (2x)
 
And our lives will feel the echo of our turning

Verses: for turning, turn, substitute 2) loving, love  3) healing/heal 4) dreaming/dream




Notes

This is a popular “zipper” song (with a word or phrase that varies from verse to verse) makes a great singalong to get a group to open up their voices and sing in the Great Turning.

Lyrics and music by Ruth Pelham ©1982. Recorded by Sara Thomsen. Used with permission. www.sarathomsen.com


Ruth Pelham


Song Performed by Sara Thomsen

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