Easy Does It Now — Heather Houston

A beautiful reminder to tune INTO our voices — pure enjoyment, pure bliss, pure pleasure.

Lyrics:
Easy does it now
Slow it down
Feel the sound
As you breathe, sing, freely now
Tune, croon, swoon…

Heather Houston
© June 2022

Sun Shine — Jan Estep

Our very own Sisters in Harmony Song Leader Training graduate Jan shares this song with us:

A four-part layer song, written to celebrate the power and healing presence of the Sun. Multiple harmonies and rhythms stack together, bursting with light and energy. For anyone who has experienced dark days of depression, being outside on a bright sunny day is natural medicine.

Lyrics:

Parts 1 & 2, melody and higher harmony:

Sun shine down on me, let my body breath the light
Sun shine down on me, let my body feel your warmth
Sun shine down on me, help me thaw these frozen bones
Sun shine down on me, help me find my way back home

Part 3, low:

Sun shine, sun shine, healing me, setting me free (4x)

Part 4, high:

Shine your light (2x)
Shine your light, shine your light, shine your light, shine your light (2x)

© Jan Estep 05/18/2021
All rights reserved
Jan’s site

 

Braving the Wilderness — Anne Woodward

Our very own Sisters in Harmony Song Leader Training graduate Anne shares this song with us:

With gratitude to Brené Brown and her book, “Braving the Wilderness.” There is a yearning, especially in women, to find their voice and express themselves. For most of my life, I’ve been deferential (particularly around men), avoiding arguments and fearing confrontation, finding it difficult to speak up, even when encountering negativity, judgment, b.s., or polarization (things I know in my heart aren’t helping foster connection). Each time I remain quiet, I give away my power. We “brave the wilderness,” when we act with integrity by speaking up and voicing our opinion (with civility), rather than remaining silent… even when it’s not easy. And the more often we do so, the more graceful our delivery, and the more awesome it feels to be true to ourselves!

3 parts: melody, vocalized syncopated beat low layer, and high harmony

Lyrics:

I’m a woman
Who wants to be heard
I’m a woman, singing her song
I’m a woman, braving the wilderness
Speaking my voice
And rising strong

We are women
Who want to be heard
We are women
Singing our songs
We are women
Lifting our voices
And braving the wilderness
To right what’s wrong

Braving the wilderness to right what’s wrong
Braving the wilderness to right… what’s… wrong…

© Anne Woodward 06/2021
All rights reserved

Ride Your Thermals — Anne Woodward

Our very own Sisters in Harmony Song Leader Training graduate Anne shares this song with us:

When anxious, I feel physical sensations of unrest coursing through my veins. It’s an unpleasant feeling – and, when it happens, I know the struggle my body is having is created by patterned ways of thinking (limiting beliefs). Recently, I felt that familiar sensation of anxiety in my body. I wanted to let go of the thoughts creating fear, so I decided to write a Medicine Song to help me shift my awareness. I remembered a powerful essay by DeWitt Jones that I’d read 20 years ago… It deeply impacted me at the time and I wanted to capture its wisdom in a song for myself. So, I re-read the essay, “Stop Flapping,” by DeWitt Jones… and this is the song that came through.

Lyrics:

Quit flapping, ride your thermals
Rise, baby, rise
Stop struggling, ride your thermals
Rise, baby, rise

Trust that they are there
No need to worry or be scared
Move to your edge
Let go and soar…
Soar!

© Anne Woodward 7/2021
All rights reserved

Sisters of the Moon – Heather Houston

An affirmation of who we are as we weave the web of love across the world. May we continue to rise together! I usually teach only the melody of this song and just have fun singing it!  🙂

Lyrics:

We are sisters of the moon
And daughters of the sun
We are mothers of the world
Our voices they are one

We are lovers of the earth
And guardians of the land
We are weavers of the dream
Together we are standing

We are healers
We are teachers
We are dreamers
We are revealers
Of the TRUTH

We are sisters of the moon
And daughters of the sun
We are mothers of the world
Our voices they are one

We are lovers of the earth
And guardians of the land
We are weavers of the dream
Together we are standing

© Heather Houston

All rights reserved

River of Kindness — Heather Houston

Inspired by a Continuum Movement practice led by Beth Riley. Awakening the rivers of love and kindness within.

Lyrics:
A river of kindness flows through me
Undulating her way to the sea
Surrendering to love’s embrace
Held within the arms of grace

© Heather Houston
1/2021
All rights reserved

Take Me To The Edge – Heather Houston

Take Me To The Edge by Heather Houston

This one flowed through after our first community singing retreat at Esalen. I was on my way to the song leader after-party, and it jumped in. Rhythmically challenging and fun to do with a group of more advanced singers. Funky, groovy, soulful.

Please sing and share. Please do not record.

Lyrics:
Take me to the edge
Of the world
Take me to the edge of the sea
Take me to the edge
of my resistance
Where I meet the one who’s longing to be free!

© Heather Houston
all rights reserved

Sa Amba Sahda Shiva — Sanskrit Chant

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

Love Is Moving in My Heart — Rickie Byars

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

Vocal Meditation Practice – Major Scale

What a gift this precious instrument we call the voice. It gives us the opportunity to deepen. We deepen our awareness, we let go, we expand our consciousness and return home to our hearts. We are forever changed.