Sa Amba Sahda Shiva — Sanskrit Chant

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Shiva is a Hindu God, a destroyer who ends the cycle of time which, in turn, begins a new Creation. At the highest level, Lord Shiva is regarded as limitless, formless, transcendent, and unchanging. This chant reminds us that Shiva (the energy of destruction and regeneration) is always accompanied by the eternal Mother of the Universe.

Lyrics:

Sa Amba Sada Shiva
Sa Amba Shiva Om
Sa Amba Sada Shiva
Sa Amba Shiva Om

Om Mata, Om Mata
Om shri Mata Jagadumba
Om Mata, Om Mata
Om shri Mata Jagadumba

Translation:

The ever auspicious Lord Shiva is one with the Divine Mother
Oh Mother, Oh Mother
Radiant Mother, Mother of the Universe

Music composer unknown
Arranged by Heather Houston

Bright Morning Stars – An Appalachian Folk Tune

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Bright Morning Stars – An Appalachian Folk Tune

Bright morning stars are rising
Bright morning stars are rising
Bright morning stars are rising
Day is a’breaking
In my soul
Oh where are our dear fathers?
Oh where are our dear fathers?
They are down in the valley a’praying
Day is a’breaking
In my soul
Oh where are our dear mothers? Oh where are our dear mothers?
They are gone to heaven a’shouting
Day is a’breaking In my soul
Bright morning stars are rising
Bright morning stars are rising
Bright morning stars are rising
Day is a’breaking
In my soul

Love Is Moving in My Heart — Rickie Byars

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I learned this uplifting song when the Agape choir sang at the opening celebration for 1440 Multiversity. Great song to get you going in the morning! It’s a zipper song: add one of your own words in.

This song is in the public domain
Used with permission

Lyrics:

Love is moving in my heart in a (joyful, loving, easy, etc.) way x2
Shining like the sun, warming up my day
Love is moving me on my way

The World We Want to See — Heather Houston

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A song for these COVID times… We are transforming before our own eyes… Let’s stay awake, do the deep work, have the hard conversations, activate, dream, imagine, vision, and create the world we want to live in.

Lyrics:
We are creating the world we wanna see
We are creating the world we wanna see
We are creating the world we wanna be
We’re calling ourselves to believe
We’re calling ourselves to be free

© Heather Houston 6/2020
All rights reserved

Sacred Fire – Heather Houston

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“Women we’re calling you… home to the sacred fire.
Healing our hearts, planting our seeds,
Weaving our prayers, amplifying our dreams.”

Women, we know how powerful it is to gather in circle with our sisters. Let’s keep calling ourselves home, each other home. It is here, in this sacred container that we find the courage to heal and transform our lives.

© Heather Houston 2019
All rights reserved

Sacred Vessel – Heather Houston

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A love song to the body temple, and a prayer that we all may treat our bodies as the sacred vessels they are. The healing wisdom lies within.

My body is a sacred vessel
That cycles with the stars and the moon
My body is a sacred vessel
Her rhythm is always in tune
And I cherish who she is becoming
And I listen to the wisdom she brings
I love her as she is in this moment
I am lifted as she sings

My body is a sacred vessel
That sheds my tears
And embraces the rain
My body is a sacred vessel
There is wisdom in her pain
And I honor her in her fullest expression
I’m opening to all that she feels
And I am thankful for the journey we’re sharing
I am lifted as she heals

My body is a sacred vessel
That holds my heart
And frees my soul
My body is a sacred vessel
Her every need I come to know
And I treat her with compassion and kindness
And I hold her close and remove all her sheathes
I invite her to dance with grace and devotion
I am lifted as she breathes

Love Moves In Me – Heather Houston

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This song called me into a deeply meditative and prayerful space for hours on the Saturday morning of October 27th, 2018. Little did I know that as the song was pouring through me, the mass shooting at the synagogue in Pittsburgh was taking place. I can only hope that my space of deep love and prayer touched a broken heart or two. May this song invite us all to be a conduit for Love in every circumstance.

Lyrics:

Love moves in me
Through me, as me
Love moves in me,
Through me, as me

And I’m receiving each breath with love
And I am walking each step with love

© Heather Houston 2018
All rights reserved

 

 

Oh Holy Morn — Heather Houston

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I received this sweet song on the beautiful frosty morning of Dec. 22nd, 2017. I harmonized it on Dec. 21st of 2019. I just love these tight harmonies! It can also be sung as a round.

Lyrics: 

Oh holy morn of frosty winter
Dawn of love’s returning light
Speak to me in songs of wonder
Teach my heart to shine so bright

© Heather Houston 2017
All rights reserved

Hope Lingers On – Low Lily

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By Low Lily (Lissa Schneckenburger)

A beam of hope in these trying times! The miracle cure… choosing love over hate and fear.

Lyrics:

My mother, when love is gone
My mother, when love is gone, in our darkest hour, hope lingers on
My father, when peace is gone
My father, when peace is gone, in our darkest hour, hope lingers on
I will not hate and I will not fear, in our darkest hour, hope lingers here
My sister, when equality’s gone
My sister, when equality’s gone, in our darkest hour, hope lingers on
My brother, with tolerance gone
My brother, with tolerance gone, in our darkest hour, hope lingers on
I will not hate and I will not fear, in our darkest hour, hope lingers here
My love, when honor is gone
My love, when honor is gone, in our darkest hour, hope lingers on
My country, when justice is gone
My country, when justice is gone, in our darkest hour, hope lingers on
I will not and I will fear, in our darkest hour, hope lingers here
I will not and I will fear, in our darkest hour, hope lingers here

Used with permission

© Lissa Schneckenburger
All rights reserved

Home

Arranged by Heather Houston

Re-Wild My Soul — Heather Houston

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This beautiful chant poured through me one morning in a meditation on my sister’s land in northern Washington. With Mt. Baker above me, Canyon Creek below me, sunshine, wind, eagles, vast sky and forest all around me, I went into a deep state of communion with the land and allowed this song to move through. It doesn’t make grammatical sense entirely, but it’s easier to teach this way. Enjoy!

Lyrics:

Note: The order of the verses here is as recorded on my Sisters of the Moon album, the first SoundCloud track below. The practice tracks are an earlier version with a different order of verses and slightly different wording on the “Vast Sky” verse. Please use the most recent lyrics when you offer this song, thank you!

Oh RIVER, re-wild my soul
Help me let go of control
Show my heart how to flow with ease again
I am ready, take me in

Oh MOUNTAIN, re-wild my soul
Help me let go of control
Show my heart how to lift mine eyes again
I am ready, take me in

Oh EAGLE, re-wild my soul
Help me let go of control
Show my heart how to fly so free again
I am ready, take me in

Oh VAST SKY, re-wild my soul
Help me let go of control
Show my heart how to be spaciousness again
I am ready, take me in

Oh SOFT WIND, re-wild my soul
Help me let go of control
Show my heart how to be clear and cleansed again
I am ready, take me in

Oh FOREST, re-wild my soul
Help me let go of control
Show my heart how to trust this path again
I am ready, take me in

Oh SUNSHINE, re-wild my soul
Help me let go of control
Show my heart how to shine with warmth again
I am ready, take me in

Oh MAMA, re-wild my soul
Help me let go of control
Show my heart how to beat with yours again
I am ready, take me in

©Heather Houston
All rights reserved

Sisters of the Moon album version:

Practice Tracks: