I Wonder — Heather Houston

This song came through in a difficult time. One morning I took myself on a long hike and prayed and opened to the magic of the Universe. This song dropped in as a mantra: “I wonder how easy this can be?” Singing and opening to the mystery, I got myself in a place of surrendered calm. When I got home, a piece of guidance dropped in, and within minutes, my prayers were answered, and the result was much better than I could have dreamed. A way was made out of seemingly no way. Grateful for the deep knowing that prayer is a powerful thing.

You are welcome to sing and share this song!

Lyrics:
I wonder how easy this can be?

© 2019 Heather Houston
All rights reserved

Evening Rise – Composer Unknown

An absolute favorite in my song circles and in my choir. The harmonies are hauntingly beautiful, easy enough to learn and very satisfying for everyone once they get all of the parts. I learned this song from my dear friend Lydia Neilsen, who learned it in her permaculture community. As far as I can tell, this song is in the public domain. I have not been able to track down the composer. Please let me know if you have any information.

Lyrics:

Evening rise, spirits come
Sun goes down when the day is done
Mother Earth awakens me
to the heartbeat of the sea

You Are So Loved — Heather Houston

This song originally flowed through as a lullaby for parents and babies, but it has become a favorite within my circles of singers. We love to invite women into the center of the circle and sing to them when they are in need of some TLC.

My intent with this lullaby is for all humans to tap into the feeling of being deeply loved, deeply loved by our own selves, by our friends, by our communities and circles of friends, and then spreading that energy of love to our wider circles and sending it out to the planet for anyone in need of some nurturing.

Lyrics:

You are so loved

© Heather Houston
All rights reserved

Album version with my choir!

Parts tracks:

(A note on the image on these SoundCloud files: I adore the energy of love and care that is captured in this painting by Katie m. Berggren.) 

You are so Loved in languages other than English:

—–

Tagalog –

—–

Lyrics:
Ikaw ay mahal,
Ikaw ay mahal,
Ikaw ay minamahal,
Ikaw ay mahal,.
Pronunciation: (underscore syllables that get emphasized)
Ee-kow eye ma-hahl (1st, 2nd & 4th lines)
Ee-kow eye mi-na-ma-hahl.
Translation of Tagalog back to English:
You are dear (understood as akin to loved)
You are loved.

Rising Strong — Heather Houston

Inspired by the youth in our nation who are rising strong! Dedicated to the people who are committed to all of the powerful movements that are happening around the globe. This song flowed through shortly after the Parkland, Florida school shooting happened.

© Heather Houston 2018
All rights reserved

Lyrics:

Part 1:
Oh take my hand now, yes you belong
And lift your voice now, we’ll sing this song
And we will root down into the ground now
We’re rising strong, yeah, we’re rising strong

Parts 2 and 3:
Ooooo….

Parts 4 and 5:
And we are warriors of the light
And we are stronger when we unite
We are here to waken the love
We are rising strong, yeah we’re rising strong!

The Monday Morning Song – Heather Houston

This fun little ditty flowed through on a Monday morning (big surprise, I know) when I was pressuring myself to get the whole week’s worth of tasks completed on Monday morning. It also works well to sing “January” in the month of January. Enjoy!

I like to get everyone moving around and mixing their voices in the center.

© Heather Houston 2018
All rights reserved

Lyrics:

Part 1: You don’t have to get everything done on Monday morning, take a deep breath and tune in to your heart.

Part 2: Don’t take yourself so seriously, lighten the load, there’s beauty to see.

Part 3: Let it go, and learn to delegate.

The Veil — Heather Houston

This hauntingly beautiful multi-layered song poured through me on All Hallows’ Eve in 2017. We love to sing it by candlelight. I like to offer a space for the women to name and deeply honor a few of their ancestors.

© Heather Houston
All rights reserved

Lyrics:

Part 1:
The veil between worlds it is opening
The spirits are calling our names
To listen to their wisdom
To gather round sacred flame

Part 2:
In the silence we hear them
Voices from the past
Giving name to illusion
Truth that we have outcast

 

Tending the Spark — Heather Houston

A song for these uncertain times. This one moved through me one evening as the Chico Campfire was raging in CA. Tuning into that reality, and the reality of climate change, feelings of vulnerability, uncertainty, grief, and a spark hope, were swirling through me all at once. I asked for a song to drop in, and this is what landed – a gift from beyond. May we continue to care for each other as the world as we know it unravels, and may we continue to plant the seeds of intentional new beginnings that uplift the planet and humanity as a whole.

© Heather Houston
All rights reserved

Lyrics:

And we will care for each other
As the world around us unravels
And we will tend to the spark
Of hope that lives within our grieving hearts
And we are here now, in this present moment
Lifting our voices and hearts
And we are here now, we have come together
We are tending the spark of hope
Oh may it grow
And we will care for each other

 

How Sweet the Sound — Doug von Koss

A dreamy song that I learned around the campfire at Song Village. It can be sung just as is, or in a round. I loved it so much that I tracked down the composer and asked his permission to use it in my song library.

Recorded with permission from Doug.
Listen to his original version here  (with slightly different melody and small lyric changes.)

Lyrics:

How sweet the sound was in the night,
the melody flowed like water,
the women sang of the moon’s delights,
and the men all sang about honey

© Doug von Koss
All rights reserved

https://dougvonkoss.com