These songs are modern folktales — little Dharma doors disguised as stories you can hum.
Each one takes an ancient teaching and dresses it in denim and dust, carrying the Lotus Sutra’s paradoxes down the backroads of American soul.

From mountains that burn for a thousand years to a single smile that saves the world, these tunes ask the same question in a dozen ways:
What if you already have what you’re searching for?

Fingerpicked guitars and wailing harmonicas trade verses with silence and breath.
The teacher and the wanderer, the saint and the sinner — they all walk the same path under different skies.
It’s Appalachia meets the Infinite, Delta blues meets Dharma truth.
The sound of enlightenment pulling up a wooden chair and saying, “Sit down, friend. Let’s play.”

Parables of the Open Road

A blues anthem for anyone who's ever felt broken beyond repair.

This song tells the story of Maya Chen—a disbarred lawyer serving time for embezzlement—and Rosa, the older woman who taught her a simple Buddhist chant in their shared cell block. What starts as desperate skepticism becomes a practice of transformation: Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Through gritty fingerpicked guitar, raw vocals, and layered harmonies that build from one voice to a chorus of women, "Cell Block Chant" explores what "protection" really means. Not a shield from hardship, but the strength to stand in the storm. Not magic, but the daily work of turning poison into medicine. Not receiving salvation, but discovering you had the power all along—and using it to help the next person who needs it.

The song moves from the isolation of Cell Block D to a circle of voices, from shame to purpose, from one cracked mirror to an unbreakable reflection. It's about what happens when you help someone else wake up: you wake up more.

This isn't prosperity gospel. This is survival blues. This is the sound of resurrection through giving what you were given.

Musically rooted in deep blues, folk, and gospel traditions—think early Mavis Staples meeting Brandi Carlile in a prison yard—with handclaps, foot stomps, harmonica, and a Buddhist chant that sounds like it's always belonged in American roots music.

For everyone who's been told they're irredeemable. For everyone who found strength in their scars. For everyone who learned that protecting others is how you protect yourself.

"It ain't magic, it ain't mercy—it's a mirror in the morning, showing you who you're gonna be."

CONTENT NOTE: This song deals with themes of incarceration, shame, addiction, and transformation. It's meant to honor the resilience of people navigating these realities.

ABOUT THE CHANT: Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is a practice from Nichiren Buddhism meaning "I take refuge in the mystic law of cause and effect." It's used here with deep respect for its tradition and the real people who've found strength through it.

Featured: Acoustic guitar (DADGAD), upright bass, vintage drums, electric guitar, Hammond B3, harmonica, layered vocals, handclaps, foot stomps

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Cell Block Chant

Three voices, one family breaking apart. A mysterious neighbor with an open door and endless tea. A blues-folk story about the three poisons we carry—greed, anger, and numbness—and the unexpected way we learn to set them down. Told through the eyes of a daughter scrolling her pain away, a son burning with rage, and a mother who's forgotten how to feel. Sometimes the person who saves you is just a mirror showing you who you already are.

Inspired by Buddhist parables and modern urban loneliness. Pour yourself some tea and listen.

Lyrics: 
Verse 1 
There's a rooster in my chest, won't let me rest, 
Peckin' all night long, sayin' more, more, more 
There's a snake wrapped 'round my son's young heart, 
Spittin' poison through a bedroom door 
And mama's gone to somewhere we can't reach, 
Like a pig with its eyes rolled back 
We're three people eatin' dinner in silence, 
Each one walkin' a different track

Chorus 
But there's a light on in apartment 4B, 
Door standin' open wide 
Kettle singin' on the stove, 
And an old woman waitin' inside 
She says, "Child, come in from the rain, 
Let me show you somethin' true— 
The one you're lookin' for to save you, 
Baby, that's already you"

Verse 2 
She was ancient as the hills, that Mrs. Chen, 
With a face like a walnut tree 
And she had this way of knowin' 
What was eatin' you and me 
She'd say, "Girl, you tryin' to hold water in your fists? 
Boy, those coals are burnin' your hands. 
Mama, you can't hide from your own heartbeat— 
That ain't livin', that's just sand"

Chorus 
There's a light on in apartment 4B, 
Tea cups on the table set She says, 
"Don't pray to me, just breathe with me, 
Imagine who you haven't met— 
The you that don't need what you ain't got, 
The you that don't need to fight, 
The you that ain't afraid to feel— 
Baby, that's your birthright"

Verse 3 
She told my girl, "When the wantin' starts to claw, 
Picture someone satisfied 
Not 'cause they got everything, 
But 'cause they got nothin' to hide" 
She told my boy, "When the hatred starts to burn, 
Try to see through their eyes— 
Hurt people hurt people, son, 
That ain't judgment, that's just life"

Bridge 
And she sat with me, Lord, she sat with me, 
While I cried for the first time in a year 
She said, "You think you're separate from your pain, 
But that's the lie, my dear 
When you numb yourself from sufferin', 
You numb yourself from joy— 
The door's been locked from the inside, 
And you're the one with the key, boy"

Verse 4 
Six months passed like morning rain, 
Somethin' shifted in our home 
My daughter put her phone down smilin', 
My son stopped throwin' stones 
I picked up a paintbrush, my hands rememberin', 
What it felt like to be whole 
We'd sit in 4B every Tuesday, 
Drinkin' tea and feedin' our souls

Chorus 
Yeah, there's a light on in apartment 4B, 
We're laughin' like we're free 
She says, "See? The jewel was in the lotus, 
You just couldn't see 
The mud don't hide your nature, 
It's where the lotus grows— 
Your greed, your rage, your blindness, 
That's the only path home"

Verse 5 
Then one Tuesday the door was empty, 
Just a kettle and a note It said, 
"The door was always yours, my loves, 
I just held it while you learned to float 
Keep it open, keep it brewin', 
Someone else will need a light— 
I wasn't up there savin' you, 
I was just your mirror shinin' bright"

Breakdown/Spoken Word over soft guitar 
And we understood then, 
Sittin' in that empty room, 
She was never someone else— 
She was just what we could become 
When we stopped pretendin' 
We were separate from the pain, 
Separate from each other, 
Separate from the rain

Final Verse 
Now we live in 4B, keepin' that door wide, 
Kettle singin' all day long 
When the angry boy walks past, my son says, "Hey, I know that song" 
When the woman with the vacant eyes comes by, 
I hand her a brush and say, "Paint" 
When the girl can't stop scrollin', my daughter smiles, 
Says, "I used to be you, ain't that quaint?"


The Woman in 4B

"The Ballad of Elias Stone" is a bluesy folk tale that explores two paths to the same truth.

It tells the story of Elias, a legendary musician who achieves greatness through twenty years of grueling sacrifice, embodying the belief that enlightenment is earned only through immense struggle. His path is challenged when the conservatory's Founder makes a radical promise: that the same ultimate prize can be won through a single, fleeting moment of joy.  

This song is a modern parable inspired by a core teaching in the ancient Buddhist text, the Lotus Sutra. It's a story about the power of sincere faith, the different "skillful means" we use to find our way , and the idea that the seed of greatness, or "Buddha-Nature," already exists within all of us, waiting for a moment of joy to awaken it.  

Set to a sparse, soulful arrangement of acoustic guitar, harmonica, and a steady foot stomp, this is a story-song for anyone who has ever wondered about the true nature of sacrifice, faith, and the simple, transformative power of joy.


(Song Lyrics)
(Acoustic guitar intro, simple and melancholic)

(Verse 1)
At the Grand Conservatory, up on Harmony Hill
The only road to glory was an iron-clad will
They'd tell you 'bout Elias, a man of grit and bone
Practiced twenty years, son, and slept on cold, hard stone
He played until his fingers bled a symphony of pain 
Just to earn the Maestro's title, again and again.

(Chorus)
But the Founder came a-callin', with a whisper soft and low
"Just one moment of joy, son, is all you need to know.
Hear a single sweet phrase from my 'Unfolding Heart'
And I'll guarantee your soul, right from the very start."

(Verse 2)
The students and the masters, they gathered in the hall
Elias stood among 'em, the man who'd gave his all
The Founder looked right at him, the man who'd paid the cost
And spoke about a new path, for all the tired and lost
The crowd began to grumble, "What about the price we paid?"
Was twenty years of sufferin' a foolish choice he made?

(Chorus)
'Cause the Founder came a-callin', with a whisper soft and low
"Just one moment of joy, son, is all you need to know.
Hear a single sweet phrase from my 'Unfolding Heart'
And I'll guarantee your soul, right from the very start."

(Instrumental Break - Harmonica takes a short, soulful solo over the acoustic guitar)

(Bridge)
She said, "Your house is burnin', but you're too lost in your games 
So I call you out with promises, I whisper all your names
The struggle was a toy cart, boys, to get you to the door
But the prize was always bigger than what you were fightin' for
'Cause the music ain't somethin' you build with sweat and tears
It's a seed inside your own heart, been sleepin' there for years." 

(Verse 3)
And Elias, he stood listenin', the legend carved from strife
Heard about the music that was waitin' all his life
And a slow smile spread across his face, a crack in weathered ground
He finally understood the truth in that sweet and simple sound
The climb ain't the reason, it's always been the view
And the path of joy was standin' there, shiny, fresh, and new.

(Chorus)
Yeah, the Founder came a-callin', with a whisper soft and low
"Just one moment of joy, son, is all you need to know.
Hear a single sweet phrase from my 'Unfolding Heart'
And I'll guarantee your soul, right from the very start."

(Outro)
Yeah, guarantee your soul...
Just one moment...
(Acoustic guitar fingerpicks a final, resolving chord, and a single, long harmonica note fades to silence.)

The Ballad of Elias Stone

This song weaves an ancient Buddhist paradox into American roots music tradition. It's the story of Strong-Heart, who gave everything—even setting himself ablaze for centuries—trying to reach enlightenment on a distant mountain. And it's about an ordinary kid who heard the same teaching and just... smiled.
When the teacher tells Strong-Heart that both journeys are equally valid, everything changes. The mountain you're climbing? It's already inside you. The light you're searching for? You've been carrying it all along.
Fingerpicked guitar, mournful harmonica, and a walking bass line carry this tale from the darkness of extreme sacrifice into the revelation that we already have what we're looking for. We just forgot.

VERSE 1
Well, there’s a mountain that glows in the eastern sky
Strong-Heart said, “I’ll climb that peak or else I’ll die”
He gave away his silver, gave away his gold,
Set himself on fire — burned for ages untold.

He burned his arms to stumps, seventy-two thousand more 
Till ain't nothing left of Strong-Heart but ash upon the floor 
But the teacher at the mountain top, he just shook his head 
"Son, you've been carrying what you're looking for," he said

CHORUS 1
You got the light, you got the light 
You got the light you already got 
Ain't no mountain you gotta climb 
Ain't no fire you gotta burn 
You got the light, you got the light 
Just waiting on your turn

VERSE 2
Now there's a girl in the valley, she ain't done nothing much 
She heard a story 'bout that mountain, felt something in her gut 
Just one moment, just one smile 
Like sunshine breaking through the clouds of doubt
The teacher turned to Strong-Heart, said "Listen here to me 
That girl who smiled just one time? She gets the same guarantee" 
Strong-Heart said, "Now hold on, that don't seem quite right" 
"I burned for thirteen hundred centuries, she just smiled at the light!"

CHORUS 2
She got the light, she got the light 
She got the light she already got 
Ain't no mountain she gotta climb 
Ain't no fire she gotta burn 
She got the light, she got the light 
Just waiting on her turn

BRIDGE
"Now listen, Strong-Heart,” said the teacher kind,
“Your fire was the smile she found in her mind.
If I’d told her your story, she’d have turned away,
But you, who burned the longest, can hear what I say…”

"See, I told it to YOU, old friend 
'Cause if I told it to the lazy ones 
They'd say it was too easy, just a game to play 
But you, who burned the longest, 
You can understand what I say..."

“The mountain that you're climbing 
Is already in your chest 
And every single step you take 
Whether fire or whether smile 
Is just remembering what you are 
What you been all the while"

VERSE 3
So Strong-Heart, he starts laughing 
Through the tears running down 
"You mean all that burning I was doing 
Was the light I'd already found?"
"That's right," the teacher whispered 
"Your fire and her joy 
Are the same recognition 
Can't be measured by what you destroy"

FINAL CHORUS
LEAD: We got the light!
BACKING: (We got the light we already got!)
Ain’t no fire we gotta burn,
Ain’t no truth we gotta learn,
We got the light, we got the light —
Been shining since we were born.
Every single one of us, waiting on our turn

Yeah, we got the light, (we got the light) 
Whether you burn or whether you smile 
We got the light, (we got the light) 
Been carrying it all the while

OUTRO/SPOKEN WORD
Now some folks gonna burn for a thousand years 
Some folks gonna smile just once 
But the teacher said they're both the same road 
Just different ways of coming home
The question ain't how hard you try 
The question is: do you remember? 
Do you remember what you are? 
Do you remember you're already 
Already... 
Already home?

The Light You Already Got

Why would people hate you for offering a cure?
This slow-burning spiritual blues explores a timeless paradox: the most transformative teachings often provoke the strongest resistance. Inspired by the Lotus Sutra's prophecy of persecution and the delta blues tradition of singing truth through suffering, this song is both a warning and a medicine.
Featuring raw, soulful vocals, National steel guitar, Hammond B3 organ, and gospel harmonies, "Love Till Love's the Only Sure" walks you through darkness into light—from stones thrown to birds taking flight.
A parable. A prayer. A blues song about carrying impossible love through an impossible world.
65 BPM. D minor. Your heart, broken open.

[Verse 1 - Slow, Deep] 
Well the old physician rolled into town
Said, “I got medicine, gonna pass it around.”
“Ain’t no quick fix, no sugar-sweet lie,
One drop of this truth and you’ll never die.”

(Pause, low growl)
“But I’ll warn you, child—it cuts both ways.
This cure burns bright and it don’t obey.”

[Chorus - Call and Response] 
Why they gonna hate you for the cure? (Tell me, tell me)
Why they gonna hate you for the cure? (Lord, have mercy)
‘Cause truth don’t fit the story they adore—
That old story, Lord, they’re clingin’ for sure.

[Verse 2 - Building] 
There were three healers in that town,
One cooled fever, one calmed it down.
Built their names on what they knew—
Then came the stranger sayin’, “That ain’t true.”

“Y’all been teachin’ folks to cope,” said he,
“But hope’s the only remedy.”
“The sickness ain’t what you believe—
It’s the fear you won’t release.”

[Chorus] 
Why they gonna hate you for the cure? (Tell me, tell me)
Why they gonna hate you for the cure? (Lord, have mercy)
‘Cause truth don’t fit the story they adore—
That old story, Lord, they’re clingin’ for sure.

[Bridge - Speaking Blues Style] 
Now listen here...
The headache woman, she turned pale,
Thirty years of learning felt like fail.
“If pain ain’t my mountain, what’s left of me?”
She cried to the man by the healing tree.

He said, “Sister, I ain’t here to win—
I’m just showin’ you where health begins.”
“That fear you feel’s the final wound,
My medicine works there too—real soon.”

[Verse 3 - Intensity Rising] 
He called the young ones, said, “Gather ‘round,
This truth’ll cost you—dear and profound.”
“When you carry this medicine through the town,
Those old healers’ll try to strike you down.”

“They’ll call you fool, they’ll call you liar,
But love’s the flame that lights the fire.
When the stones start flyin’—don’t you hide,
That’s the moment faith’s been tried.”

[Big Chorus - Full Voice] 
Why they gonna hate you for the cure? (Tell me, tell me)
Why they gonna hate you for the cure? (Lord, have mercy)
‘Cause truth don’t fit the story they adore—
That old story, Lord, they’re clingin’ for sure.

[Verse 4 - Softer, Mystical] 
“You won’t be walkin’ all alone,
Every healer’s ghost will see you home.
Guardians fierce, soft as lullabies,
Keep watch beneath the mercy skies.”

"They'll keep your heart soft when the world gets hard 
They'll stand watch while you're standing guard" 
"And that attacker throwing stones at your head? 
That's your teacher in disguise," the old man said

[Verse 5 - The Teaching] 
"See, every curse word is a chance to be kind 
Every rejection is a way to refine" 
"That headache healer with the angry face 
She carrying the medicine too, just ain't found the place"

"Deep down inside where she's afraid to look 
That's where the healing is, that's the holy book" 
"And when she finally gets a pain won't quit 
She might remember you offered something different"

[Final Chorus - Resolution, Hope] 
Let ‘em hate you for the cure—love ‘em anyway,
Let ‘em hate you for the cure—sing while you pray.
Love what they can’t endure till daybreak’s pure,
Love till love’s the only sure.

Love Till Loves the Only Sure

What do you do when the world's suffering feels too vast to bear? When your two hands seem powerless against an ocean of problems?

This song was born from an ancient Buddhist teaching about Avalokitesvara—the Bodhisattva who listens to the cries of the world—and a very modern question: How do we stay engaged with compassion when we feel overwhelmed and alone?

"Empty the Ocean" tells the story of someone trying to clean a polluted harbor one bucket at a time, and the wisdom teaching that transforms exhaustion into sustainable action. It's a song about the shift from power to wisdom, from isolation to interconnection, from burnout to collective change.

Musically, it blends fingerpicked acoustic blues with spiritual folk and gospel testimony—think delta blues meets dharma teaching, with harmonica crying over ocean waves. The production includes singing bowls, harmonium, and the sound of water itself, creating a sonic meditation on compassion, accountability, and hope.
This isn't a song about giving up or transcending the world's problems. It's about understanding that we're not separate from those problems—or from each other. We are the ocean, waking up to itself, learning to clean and heal and change the flow.

For activists burning out. For helpers feeling helpless. For anyone who's ever stood at the edge of the world's pain and wondered what their small acts could possibly matter.

"We can't empty the ocean with our small human hands / But we ARE the ocean, waking to itself today"
Listen with headphones. Breathe with the rhythm. Let it remind you: you're not working alone.

Lyrics: 

[Verse 1]
Woke up this morning with a bucket in each hand
Gonna clean this whole ocean, gonna save this drowning land
But the water keeps on rolling, Lord, it never seems to end
I'm just one tired soul trying to make this whole world mend

[Chorus
You can't empty the ocean, baby, with your two small hands
You can't empty the ocean trying to move all that sand
But you can listen to the water, hear what it's trying to say
You can be the ocean cleaning itself today

[Verse 2]
Old woman told me, "Child, you're asking the wrong thing
You ain't got the power of God, you ain't got angel wings
But you got wisdom if you use it, you got eyes that still can see
There's one piece of trash right there, and that child who's asking 'Why?'"

[Chorus]
You can't empty the ocean, baby, with your two small hands
You can't empty the ocean trying to move all that sand
But you can listen to the water, hear what it's trying to say
You can be the ocean cleaning itself today

[Bridge]
She said, "You think you're just a drop, separate and small
But drops don't live in oceans—there's no separation at all
You're the water in the water, you're the wave upon the sea
When you act with truth and courage, you're changing history

[Verse 3]
Now I still come to the harbor when the morning light is new
But I ain't trying to empty nothing, I just do what I can do
Help a stranger with their burden, teach a child about the tide
Every little thing's connected on this oceanic ride

[Chorus]
No, you can't empty the ocean, baby, with your two small hands
You can't empty the ocean trying to move all that sand
But you can be the ocean, flowing where it needs to go
You're a thousand arms of kindness in the undertow

[Verse 4]
Sometimes I get weary, feel like giving up the fight 
But some folks say "just clean your shore" while factories dump at night
Being water in the water means you gotta change the flow
Sometimes love means speaking truth to power's undertow

[Final Chorus]
We can't empty the ocean, no, with our small human hands
Can't empty the ocean trying to move all that sand
But we ARE the ocean, waking to itself today
We're the deep listening, we're the compassionate way

[Outro]
"Deep as forever... never full, never empty...
Each drop reflecting the whole...
Just listen... just respond...
You're not working alone."

Empty the Ocean

A stripped-down folk-blues meditation for anyone who's ever felt the weight of the world on their shoulders. "The Dewdrop and the Sea" is a story about moving from the burnout of trying to fix everything to the quiet hope found in small, meaningful action. It’s a song about a simple truth: our individual acts of kindness are never lost, but are like dewdrops rejoining an ocean of compassion that holds us all. A front-porch tune for a heavy heart.  

Lyrics:
(Verse 1) Well, the garden of this world is overgrown and wild The soil is cracked and thirsty for the tears of every child I took my rusty shovel, I took my calloused hands Tried to fix the sorrow spread across these broken lands But the weeds just grew up higher, the more I cut 'em down Felt the weight of every soul in every lonely town.

(Verse 2) I was sittin' in the silence, 'bout to give up the fight When I heard a sound like water in the stillness of the night It wasn't thunder, wasn't rain, it was somethin' soft and low The sound of someone listenin' to the seeds that wouldn't grow A name that came like mercy, a voice that heard my plea Said the work is not in conquerin', but in what you learn to be.

(Chorus) 'Cause the vow is deep as the sea, friend, it's wider than the sky And you're just a single drop of dew beneath a watchin' eye Don't you try to hold the ocean in the bottom of your cup Just let your own small sorrow join the tide and lift you up.  

(Verse 3) I tried to build a fortress, tried to make the crooked straight Broke my back against the stone and cursed the hands of fate Thought the answer was in power, in the strength that I could own But the whisper came again and said, "It's in the quiet seed you've sown." It ain't the mighty river that can carve the canyon deep It's the patient, steady water that is flowin' while you sleep.  

(Chorus) 'Cause the vow is deep as the sea, friend, it's wider than the sky And you're just a single drop of dew beneath a watchin' eye Don't you try to hold the ocean in the bottom of your cup Just let your own small sorrow join the tide and lift you up.

(Bridge) That voice can wear a thousand faces, a thousand different skins It's in the beggar's open hand, the place where grace begins It's in the mother's gentle touch, the ruler's steady gaze It's livin' in the web of life through all our tangled days You think you're workin' all alone, a solitary soul But every thread you gently mend helps make the whole thing whole.  

(Verse 4) So put away your anger, friend, and lay your armor down You can be the hands that soothe a fever in this town You can be the ears that listen to a story full of pain You don't have to stop the flood, just offer shelter from the rain That is how the vow is lived, that is how the work is done Not with the power of a god, but the wisdom of the sun.  

(Outro) (Guitar slows, returning to the opening riff. Harmonica comes in, playing a final, quiet melody that fades out slowly.) A single drop of dew... In the ocean, me and you... Deep as the sea... Deeper than me...

The Dewdrop and the Sea

A raw, Delta blues track that wrestles with the difference between trying to fix a broken world with force and finding strength in a quieter, more patient wisdom. "The Sun Don't Preach" is a story told through a bottleneck slide and a steady foot stomp, contrasting the "power of a God" with the "wisdom of the Sun." It's a gritty, front-porch sermon about letting go of the hammer, trusting the process, and learning how to just shine.

(Lyrics)
(Music starts with a slow, heavy slide guitar riff. A single, steady foot stomp begins, like a heartbeat.)

(Verse 1) 

Tried to be a god, Lord, with a hammer in my hand 
Gonna beat this crooked world straight, across this broken land 
Tried to grab the thunder, tried to command the rain 
Swore I'd build a kingdom, and wash away the pain 
But the thunder, it just mocked me... and the hammer, it just fell 
Left me standin' in the silence of my own self-made hell.

(Verse 2) 
I got down on my knees, Lord, and I prayed for holy fire 
To burn the wicked clean away, and lift the righteous higher 
I called for signs and wonders, for a voice to shake the stone 
To prove that I was chosen, and not standin' here alone 
But the fire, it never answered... and the stone, it never stirred 
Just the echo of my own angry, lonely word.

(Chorus) 
(The guitar riff becomes a little brighter, more resolute. The slide holds a long, clear note.) 

And a whisper came like sunrise, through the darkness and the doubt 
Said, "Son, you got the meanin' of this whole thing twisted 'round." 
"It ain't the power of a God that's gonna see you through... 
It's the wisdom of the Sun, in everything you do."

(Verse 3) 
'Cause the sun don't preach a sermon, don't choose who's right or wrong 
It just shines on down the valley, where the weary souls belong 
It don't force the seed to open, don't tell the roots to grow 
Just gives the light and warmth it has, patient and so slow 
And the life that's meant for livin'... finds its own way to the light 
Breaks the soil in its own time, with all its own true might.  


(Chorus) 
(Guitar and vocals build in quiet intensity.) 
Yeah, that whisper came like sunrise, through the darkness and the doubt 
Said, "Son, you got the meanin' of this whole thing twisted 'round." 
"It ain't the power of a God that's gonna see you through... 
It's the wisdom of the Sun, in everything you do."

(Outro) 
(The foot stomp slows. The slide guitar plays a final, mournful but peaceful melody, letting the notes ring out.) 

Yeah, the wisdom of the sun... 
Don't have to force no one... 
Just shine... 
Just shine on... 
Mmm... shine on...

(The final slide note hangs in the air, then fades to silence.)

The Sun Don't Preach

Inspired by a timeless spiritual paradox, "The Open Gate" is a blues-folk story that suggests the most profound truth isn't hidden away for the chosen few—it's accessible to everyone.

Using the ancient parable of a loving father saving his children from a burning house, the song explores the idea that the greatest wisdom doesn't require immense skill or a lifetime of practice, but simply an open heart. With a soulful, acoustic groove, "The Open Gate" is a reminder that the path to peace is not a steep mountain to be climbed, but a door standing wide open for all.

Lyrics

(Intro - Acoustic guitar and a single, long slide guitar note)

(Verse 1)
Some folks try to climb a mountain, thinkin' that's the only way
Practice hard for countless ages, just to see a brighter day
They believe you gotta be a scholar, or a saint of high degree
That only the strongest souls can find the key to be set free
And for them, that road is true, but it's a hard and lonely state
It takes a will of iron just to get past the first gate

(Chorus)
But the Teacher, in his wisdom, he turned it all around
Said the truest, deepest teaching is for the lowest ground
Some paths say you must be worthy, before you even start
But the real Truth is a river, for every broken heart
It don't depend on your own power, your wisdom or your might
It's the power of the Love itself that brings the darkness into light

(Verse 2)
They tell a story 'bout a Father, watchin' his whole house burn down
His children played inside with toys, the most distracted kids in town
He called out, "I've got precious treasures, wonders to behold!"
A loving lure to save them from that ruin, weak and old.
But he didn't give those separate gifts, when they were safe and near, 
He gave them one great open road, and put an end to all their fear.

(Chorus)
'Cause the Teacher, in his wisdom, he turned it all around
Said the truest, deepest teaching is for the lowest ground
Some paths say you must be worthy, before you even start
But the real Truth is a river, for every broken heart
It don't depend on your own power, your wisdom or your might
It's the power of Love itself that brings darkness into light

(Bridge)
In these modern, troubled days, the world is full of strife
The old maps are all faded, they've lost the power for this life
So you don't need a grand cathedral, don't need a scholar's mind
The only thing that's asked of you is the faith that you can find
Just a simple act of trust, a whispered prayer or tune
To awaken that bright Spirit, that's been sleeping in the gloom

(Outro)
Yeah, the gate is standin' open, for the sinner and the saint
For the fisherman's child, the warrior, for the weary and the faint
The truest teaching... is for the open gate...

The Open Gate

"Poison Into Medicine" is a bluesy folk anthem about finding strength in struggle and transforming life's hardships into wisdom. Inspired by the Buddhist teacher Nichiren's teachings, this song weaves ancient philosophy with raw, soulful blues to remind us that our greatest challenges can become our greatest teachers.

Like the lotus that blooms from muddy water, this song celebrates the beauty that emerges from difficulty. With gritty vocals and heartfelt lyrics, it speaks to anyone who's ever faced adversity and chosen to grow through it rather than be broken by it.

Perfect for fans of spiritual blues, conscious folk music, and anyone seeking songs about resilience, transformation, and finding joy in the journey—even when the road is rough.

Key themes: Turning obstacles into opportunities • Buddhist wisdom meets American blues • Resilience and personal growth • Finding delight in the struggle • The lotus blooming in mud

Verse 1: 
Well, I woke up this morning, trouble at my door Same old heavy burden that I've been carrying before But the teacher said to me, "Don't you turn and run— The lotus blooms in muddy water, rising to the sun"

Chorus: 
Gonna turn this poison into medicine Let the struggle make me strong again Every trial is a teacher, every tear's a friend Gonna turn this poison into medicine

Verse 2: 
Lightning in the darkness shows you where to go Can't appreciate the mountain if you never climb the road The fire that tests you is the fire that makes you shine Your earthly troubles are the path to the divine

Chorus: 
Gonna turn this poison into medicine Let the struggle make me strong again Every trial is a teacher, every tear's a friend Gonna turn this poison into medicine

Bridge: 
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, that's the ancient song Finding joy right in the middle when everything goes wrong The seed breaks open in the dark beneath the ground Before the flower shows its face, it's got to be broken down

Verse 3: 
So bring your storms and bring your rain, bring your heaviest load I'll be chanting through the pain, walking down this road 'Cause suffering ain't the enemy I used to know It's the gateway to the wisdom that will help me grow

Final Chorus: 
I'm turning poison into medicine Let the struggle make me strong again Every trial is a teacher, every tear's a friend I'm turning poison into medicine Oh, I'm turning poison into medicine

Outro: 
Delight is in the struggle, friend Delight is in the struggle, friend The lotus rises, and will rise again

Poison Into Medicine

Firewood and Flame

From the heart of the struggle comes a song of profound hope. "Firewood and Flame" is a raw, bluesy folk anthem for anyone who has ever felt weighed down by their own imperfections. With a sound that feels like it was born on a dusty porch at twilight, this track weaves a timeless story of transformation.
The song's central message is a powerful one: our troubles, our anger, our deepest sorrows—our "firewood"—are not obstacles to be discarded. Instead, they are the very fuel needed to ignite the "flame" of wisdom, compassion, and a resilient spirit. It’s a reminder that we don't have to wait to be perfect to find peace. The journey to enlightenment begins right where we are, in the middle of our messy, beautiful, and complicated lives.  

"Firewood and Flame" is more than just a song; it's a universal Dharma teaching wrapped in soulful melodies and honest lyrics. It speaks to the idea that the "Land of Tranquil Light" isn't a distant paradise, but a reality we can create right here, right now, by transforming our own hearts. This is a track for finding the sacred in the struggle and the light within the darkness.  

Lyrics:
(Verse 1) 
Got a heart full of holes, a head full of doubt 
Tryna be a good soul, but the devil gets out 
Heard you gotta be perfect, gotta wash your hands clean 
To find that sweet heaven, that far-off, peaceful scene 
So I packed up my troubles, tried to leave 'em behind 
But they followed me down every road I could find  

(Chorus) 
But an old master told me, 
"Son, don't you run... 
That firewood of trouble, that's where the light comes from 
Your anger's the kindling, your sorrow's the coal 
Chant a song to that fire, and make your own spirit whole."  

(Verse 2) 
This jealousy's a poison, this fear is a chain 
Every time that they rise up, I just feel the shame 
Been told they're my weakness, a flaw in my soul 
Something to get rid of, to make myself whole 
But what if they're treasures, a compass so true? 
Just pointin' to the places that need a little love from you  

(Chorus) 
And that old master told me, 
"Son, don't you run... 
That firewood of trouble, that's where the light comes from 
Your anger's the kindling, your sorrow's the coal 
Chant a song to that fire, and make your own spirit whole."  

(Bridge) 
This ground that I'm standin', ain't no cursed land 
It's the Land of Tranquil Light, right here where 
I stand And the pain that I'm feelin', I see it in your eyes 
We're all in this together, beneath these same skies 
To suffer with another... that's what compassion means 
It's the wellspring of courage, the river of our dreams.  

(Chorus) 
Yeah, that old master told me, 
"Friend, don't you run... 
That firewood of trouble, that's where the light comes from 
Your anger's the kindling, your sorrow's the coal 
Chant a song to that fire, and make your own spirit whole."  

(Outro) 
Yeah, make your spirit whole... 
Just start where you are... got to start right where you are... 
Got this rusty old key... to a palace of stars...  

Firewood and Flame

"Good Seed" is a patient, grounding folk-blues meditation on the wisdom of tending life like a garden. With fingerpicked acoustic guitar, warm harmonica, and call-and-response vocals, this song explores what it means to plant good seeds, give freely without demanding results, and learn from the spaces where nothing grows.

Drawing on timeless gardening wisdom and spiritual insight, this track reminds us that we can't force growth - we can only create the conditions and trust the process. Some seeds bloom in spring, some take years, and some teach us through their silence. The empty spaces in our garden hold wisdom just as profound as the flowers.

Perfect for anyone who's learning to work at a different pace, to give light without attachment, to honor both the blooms and the bare soil. A companion piece to the bardic tradition of carrying wisdom through song.

Key themes: Patience and trust • Learning from what doesn't grow • Giving freely like the sun • Garden wisdom • Letting go of control • Empty spaces as teachers • Scattering kindness like seeds

Lyrics: 
[Verse 1]
Got my hands in the dirt, got the sun on my face
Been learning to work at a different kind of pace
You can't pull on a seedling to make it grow tall
Sometimes the waiting is the wisest work of all

[Chorus]
Just plant good seed, tend the garden well
Give it light and water, let the seasons tell
Some will bloom in spring, some will take their time
And the ones that don't grow, well they teach you just fine
Plant good seed, let it be

[Verse 2]
I used to think that I could force my way through
Fight and push and make things do what I want them to
But the sun don't demand, and the rain don't command
They just give what they got, leave the rest in nature's hands

[Chorus]
Just plant good seed, tend the garden well
Give it light and water, let the seasons tell
Some will bloom in spring, some will take their time
And the ones that don't grow, well they teach you just fine
Plant good seed, let it be

[Bridge]
Every flower that don't bloom
Is teaching something true
Maybe wrong soil, maybe wrong time
Maybe it's making room for something else to shine
There's wisdom in the empty space
Where nothing shows its face

[Verse 3]
So I listen to the silence where the seeds won't grow
There's a message in the nothing that I need to know
Not everything's meant for every piece of ground
Sometimes letting go is the most fertile thing I've found

[Verse 4]
I'm just a gardener with a patch of earth and time
Scattering kindness like seeds along the line
Can't control the weather, can't command the spring
Just offer up my light and see what mercy brings

[Final Chorus]
Plant good seed, tend the garden well
Give it light and water, trust the story it will tell
Some will bloom tomorrow, some will take some years
And the ones that don't grow hold a wisdom just as clear
Plant good seed
Oh, plant good seed
And let it be

[Outro]
(Slow and peaceful)
Hands in the dirt, sun on my face
Learning to work at a different kind of pace
Plant good seed... and let it be


Good Seed

“The Sky of Merit” is a grounded folk-blues meditation on wisdom, merit, and the Eightfold Path. Inspired by Chapter 17 of the Lotus Sutra, this song strips away superstition to reveal the true heart of practice: seeing clearly and walking rightly in a world that’s both muddy and luminous.

With fingerpicked guitar, upright bass, and a dust-road harmonica, the song feels like a conversation with the Dharma at dusk—honest, soulful, and unvarnished. It reminds us that merit isn’t something earned by ritual, but awakened through right view, right thought, right word, and right action.

Like the lotus rising through mud, it’s a hymn for those who stumble but keep walking, who find their clarity not in temples or incense, but in the way they live and love each day.
 This is blues for seekers—a truth song for anyone learning to see through the haze and find freedom right where they stand.

Lyrics: 
[Verse 1]
I laid down my offerings, a flower and a flame,
Thought I’d buy a piece of heaven, but it don’t work that way.
The Sutra said, “Child, don’t count your prayers in gold—
Merit’s in the seeing, in a mind grown whole.”

[Chorus]
It ain’t in the incense, it ain’t in the song,
It’s in the seeing clear what’s right and what’s wrong.
Right view, right word, right deed, and right way—
That’s how you walk the night into the bright of day.

[Verse 2]
I copied down the verses, ink dark as the sea,
Every word a mirror holdin’ truth back to me.
The letters start to shimmer, the self fades away—
One breath, one thought, one step in the Way.

[Chorus]
It ain’t in the temple, it ain’t in the name,
It’s the mind that’s steady in the heart of the flame.
Right thought, right work, right rest, right play—
That’s how you live the Dharma every day.

[Bridge]
Now some chase heaven, and some chase fame,
But I found wisdom in the dirt and the rain.
The lotus blooms muddy, but the light shines through—
The merit’s not above you, it’s the truth in you.

[Final Chorus]
It ain’t in the riches, it ain’t in the praise,
It’s the still small truth that clears the haze.
Right view, right love, right peace, right way—
That’s how you find the sky of merit today

The Sky of Merit

“Faith Calls, Insight Answers” is a Delta Dharma Blues song about the inner dialogue between faith and understanding — a call-and-response between the heart that believes and the mind that sees.

Carried by slide guitar, handclaps, and a voice worn smooth by the road, this track brings the Eightfold Path down to earth. It’s not about heaven or hell — it’s about the moment you stop talking long enough to hear what silence tells.

Each verse walks barefoot through wisdom’s mud, where kindness and courage light the way. Faith calls out, insight answers, and together they build a road of merit straight through the mystery of life.

For anyone on a spiritual path — seekers, wanderers, or weary truth-tellers — this is porchlight blues for awakening souls.

Lyrics:

[Intro – Slide guitar riff, foot stomp rhythm]
(Spoken)
Ain’t about heaven, ain’t about hell—
It’s about learnin’ to see what the silence tells.

⸻

[Verse 1]
Faith calls— you hear it in the bones,
Insight answers— when the wind starts moanin’ low.
You don’t need no scripture fancy,
Just a mind that wants to know.

[Chorus – Call and Response]
[Call]  Merit builds the road you’re walkin’.
[Response]  Step by step, clear eyes see.
[Call]  Every act of kindness lightin’
(Response)  A lantern on that mystery.

⸻

[Verse 2]
Old preacher said, “Boy, stop talkin’.
Start listenin’ to what’s true.”
Said, “Faith and reason ain’t rivals, son—
They just dance like me and you.”

[Chorus – Call and Response]
[Call]  Merit builds the road you’re walkin’.
[Response]  Step by step, clear eyes see.
[Call]  Even one line of truth believed in—
[Response]  Can set your spirit free.

⸻

[Bridge – Spoken over slow slide riff]
Don’t talk about reachin’ heaven,
That road don’t run that far.
It’s right here, right now—
Every heart a shinin’ star.

⸻

[Verse 3]
I been down that Eightfold highway,
Dust on my boots, peace in my chest.
Right view ridin’ shotgun,
Right speech layin’ the rest.
Each mile a lesson in seein’,
Each breath a gate to the sky,
Faith calls and Insight answers—
That’s how the blind learn to fly.

⸻

[Final Chorus – Full band enters, handclaps and harmony]
(Call)  Merit builds the road you’re walkin’.
(Response)  Step by step, clear eyes see.
(Call)  Faith calls and Insight answers—
(Response)  That’s the truth inside of me.
(Call)  You don’t need gold or temple treasure—
(Response)  Just a heart that’s brave and kind.
(Together)  When you walk with right understanding,
Ain’t no darkness left behind.

Faith Calls, Insight Answers

A folk-blues meditation on perception and awakening. The singer wanders through a world of fear, loss, and disillusionment—only to discover that the paradise he sought was never elsewhere. Inspired by the Parable of the Skillful Physician and the revelation of the Eternal Buddha’s Pure Land, the song reimagines enlightenment as an act of seeing clearly: that this burning, broken world is already sacred.

Sparse finger-picked guitar, weathered vocals, and a hush of resignation carry the listener from lament to illumination.

This isn’t escape — it’s arrival.

Lyrics: 

(Folk-Blues / Finger-Picked Acoustic)
[Verse 1]
The world I see is smoke and rust, a land of grief and dread,
The evening news, a trail of dust, just whispers of the dead.
They say this world’s consumed in fire, with fear in every stone,
And the only peace I ever knew was a place I’d never known.
A distant land, a tranquil shore I’d never get to see—
Too many miles, too many wars between that world and me.

[Chorus 1]
But a voice rings out across the years, a truth I barely heard,
It cuts right through a thousand fears with just a single word.
He said, “My pure land’s not destroyed, it’s not some other sphere—
You’re standing in the tranquil void… Eagle Peak is here.”

[Verse 2]
I’ve heard the tales of that bright place where jeweled trees bear fruit,
Where heavenly drums keep time and grace and kindness takes its root.
Where blossoms rain from silent skies in soft and fragrant streams,
And I thought it was a bedtime prayer, a half-remembered dream.
A paradise for saints to find when all their work is done,
But not for my own troubled mind beneath this bitter sun.

[Chorus 2]
Still that voice rings out across the years, a truth I never heard,
It cuts right through a thousand fears with just a single word.
He said, “My pure land’s not destroyed, it’s not some other sphere—
You’re standing in the tranquil void… Eagle Peak is here.”

[Bridge]
He said, “The fire’s in your eyes, the sorrow in your soul,
The world you see is made of lies that you can’t control.
But if your heart turns straight and true, and your intent is kind,
You’ll see me standing here with you and leave the flames behind.
This sahā world, this patch of ground— the light’s been shining clear.”

[Final Chorus]
And that voice rings out across the years, a truth I’ve finally heard,
It cuts right through my lingering fears with just a single word.
He said, “My pure land’s not destroyed, it’s not some other sphere—
You’re standing in the tranquil void… Eagle Peak is here.”

[Outro]
(Tempo slows; single guitar breathes between lines)
The fire’s just a shadow now, the fear’s become a name,
This dusty road, this broken vow— it’s holy all the same.
Eagle Peak is everywhere…

(One last open-string chord fades into silence.)

Eagle Peak is Everywhere

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Welcome to the musical world of The William Altig Choir, where ancient wisdom meets contemporary sound.

Inspired by the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and infused with deep spiritual themes, my music blends the rich traditions of blues and folk with modern elements, creating a unique fusion that resonates with both the heart and soul.

I've been captivated by the Lotus Sutra's messages of compassion, wisdom, and transformation since my youth. It's a journey of self-discovery that has found its voice in my music. Each song is a reflection of my own spiritual awakening and a celebration of universal truths.

My style is characterized by emotive storytelling, powerful lyrics, and a commitment to exploring the depths of human experience. Featuring contemplative blues, acoustic slide guitar, saxophone melodies, and the harmonies of a gospel choir, my music reflects a quest for enlightenment and a better understanding of the self.

Join me on this musical journey. Together, we can explore the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, finding solace, hope, and a deeper connection to the world around us.

#SpiritualMusic  #LotusSutraMusic  #ContemplativeBlues  #BuddhistGospel #AcousticSlideGuitar  #GospelChoir  #Self-Discovery  #SpiritualAwakening  #Hope  #The_William_Altig_Choir