La Illaha Illallah

Parent Prayer

Ye are the saplings

MAINE 2025 SATURDAY WRAP PARTY JAMS

After all the effort to put on our annual show in the middle of the woods at the Silent Stage Theater, all the puppeteers, performers, stagehands, and audience deserve a big Wrap Party at Captain Dave’s log cabin porch to celebrate. These jams were extraordinary, thanks to the deep talents of the musicians and singers. And fun times had by all.

This music was recorded in August 2025, on an island in the middle of a big lake in Northwest Maine, where we’ve been gathering, thanks to the Loons, for decades. Many of these friends, musicians, and singers from Maine and from all over the country and abroad, hadn’t seen each other, much less played with each other, for at least a year. It’s all improvisation, Jams, not Performances, with no prior Rehearsals or Song Lists, so this is as real as it gets.

This album is arranged in the actual order in which the music was played, minus the many out-takes, but, when it’s all done, it seems I couldn’t have thought of a better order. The music is all acoustic Americana, though it ranges all over the place, from Bluegrass to Jazz to Folk to Country to Rock to Reggae, but it really works as an organic album, and that’s big for people like me, who still appreciate albums.

Sounds best, like you’re right on that island in Maine partying with us, when played on a good stereo with two separated speakers, left and right, or on a headset, or, one of my favorites, on a car stereo, so that this stereo recording will actually sound three-dimensional. You can hear the location of each instrument and singer. More than ever before, I was able to immerse myself (and my stereo pair of mics) into the belly of the music, literally surrounded by the musicians, the instruments, voices, and harmonies, so that, if you listen in true stereo, I can take you right in there with me.

On some songs, there’s a little too much chatter, but when you’re actually at a campfire, and people are talking, laughing, and partying, you filter that out, and the only thing you hear is the music. Crank it up, and let your imagination take you there, and enjoy. It’ll surprise you.

Recorded, edited, and mastered
by Mike Berliner, aka Mikethemikeman


20 Summer's End

"O MAN OF TWO VISIONS! Close one eye and open the other. Close one to the world and all that is therein, and open the other to the hallowed beauty of the Beloved"
   -Baha'u'llah, Hidden Words

O Man of two visions

"O SON OF BEING! Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee"..."Ye are the saplings which the hand of Loving-kindness hath planted in the soil of mercy"
   -Baha'u'llah, Hidden Words and Epistle to the son of the wolf

O Son Of Being! Thou art my lamp

I adjure Thee by Thy might, O my God!  Let no harm beset me in times of tests, and in moments of heedlessness guide my steps aright through Thine inspiration.  Thou art God, potent art Thou to do what Thou desirest. No one can withstand Thy Will or thwart Thy Purpose.
   -The Bab

I Adjure Thee

Chords: A E

O Thou kind Lord!  Unite all.  Let the religions agree and make the nations one, 
so that they may see each other as one family and the whole earth as one home.  
May they all live together in perfect harmony. O Thou kind Lord!  Unite all.  x2

Unite All

spirit has influence

This song called “Turn”, is the tenth song in a collection of 10 songs called ‘Music Inspired by the Heroes Teaching Conference’.

In April this year, some 1,000 Baha’is and like-minded friends from all over Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales, Australia, gathered together in the city of Brisbane to attend a historic conference aimed to help its participants find their place in service to Baha’u’llah and humanity.

The conference was called ‘The Heroes Teaching Conference’, and woven throughout the two-day program were beautiful songs performed by conference participants who were inspired by stories of heroism in the Baha’i Faith’s history, and from the spirit generated at the event. Within a few weeks after the conference, these songs were recorded live in a music studio in Brisbane, and we’re so excited to share this wonderful collection of inspiring songs!

Here is the quote from the Baha’i Writings used for the lyrics of the song:

“My God, my Adored One, my King, my Desire!  What tongue can voice my thanks to Thee?  I was heedless, Thou didst awaken me.  I had turned back from Thee, Thou didst graciously aid me to turn towards Thee.”
-Baha’u’llah

LYRICS & CHORDS:

Standard tuning capo 7th fret      

D/F# -   2-x-x-2-3-x
G/B  -   x-2-0-0-3-0

G                  C          G            Am         G    D/F#
My God my Adored One, my King and my Desire
          
Em                             D/F#       G                Am          G                D         Em
What tongue can voice my thanks to Thee, I was heedless Thou didst awaken me 
   
Em             G       Am   G/B  C                     D
I had turned back from Thee, Thou didst graciously aid me 

Em    D/F#   G
To turn towards Thee

Am      G       D/F#
To turn towards Thee
      
Em    D/F#    C
To turn towards Thee
     
C         D       G
To turn towards Thee

G                  C          G            Am         G    D/F#
My God my Adored One, my King and my Desire
          
Em                             D/F#       G                Am          G                D         Em
What tongue can voice my thanks to Thee, I was heedless Thou didst awaken me 
            
Em             G       Am   G/B  C                     D
I had turned back from Thee, Thou didst graciously aid me 
      
Em    D/F#   G
To turn towards Thee
     
Am      G       D/F#
To turn towards Thee
      
Em    D/F#    C
To turn towards Thee
    
C         D       G
To turn towards Thee
     
Em    D/F#    C
To turn towards Thee
     
C         D       G
To turn towards Thee

-------------
Included below are the video and audio playlists for the ‘Music inspired by the Heroes Teaching Conference’, and you may also enjoy watching the highlight video about the conference, and some of the talks from the conference:

* YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/35SsRNg
* Soundcloud playlist: https://bit.ly/2Dzizp6
* Talks from the Heroes Teaching Conference: https://bit.ly/2DtGBBQ
* Highlights from the Heroes Teaching Conference: https://bit.ly/33un7ri

Turn - Music inspired by the Heroes Teaching Conference

Composition and Vocals by Nica Sabet / Engineered and Produced by Conor Kearney / Cello by Hoda Jahanpour / Lyrics from writings of The Báb and Qurrat al-ʿAyn's poetry / Cover Photographed by Delara Youssefian

Face to Face

Sufficient

Welcome to Baha’i Blog’s SoundCloud channel!

We are an independent initiative for Australian Baha’is and likeminded friends to connect with personal stories, inspiration, arts and media about the Baha’i Faith, its ideals and transformational impact. 

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The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha’i Faith. The official website of the Baha’i Faith in Australia is: Bahai.org.au, and the global website for the Baha’i Faith is Bahai.org

Turn - Music inspired by the Heroes Teaching Conference

Baha'i Blog

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