Sung by Rabbi Mónica Gomery, Rabbinic Intern Koach Baruch Frazier, and Aly Halpert

We Let It Be, by Rickie Byars Beckwith

Wild and Free

Maybe It's Enough

"I move from wholeness to wholeness, always complete, always full."

             - Jonathan Gustin & Purpose Guides Institute from The Purpose Octagon # 1 : Care of the Soul


You do not have to be good
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.

             - excerpt from Wild Geese by Mary Oliver

lyrics:
i move from wholeness to wholeness
always complete, always full

you do not have to be good

let your soul work on you


song + vocals + percussion: Joanna Laws Landis
lyrics: Jonathan Gustin & Purpose Guides Institute; Mary Oliver
artwork by Maggie Walker

Wholeness to Wholeness

"The foundation of Wild Sweet was born out of a loop pedal improv on a New Year's sunrise set at a small festival many years ago. But the song was fully written during our recording process together in Asheville. Each of us was tasked with bringing two original songs to record. While I had a few options of lullabies to bring, and even started recording 1 of them, I felt something else wanting to come through. Tina encouraged me to keep searching and in the wee midnight hours, I rediscovered this melody from the archives of my recordings. One of our songwriting prompts during our group mastermind had been ‘polishing an old gem’, so I dove into polishing this song seed. The lyrics came swiftly, inspired by the energy of being in the cocoon of staying at home during lockdown, as well as the cocoon of our songwriting immersion, and the magic of recording this album together. It was the final song to be written during this cycle of our collective song-catching journey and captures the essence of what we were gathering. Wild Sweet sings to the emergence of widened wings after a deep season of rest, just as humanity is re-emerging into a new season of becoming." ~ Ayla Nereo

Cradle

Wild Sweet

This song was birthed through grief. After my father passed, I embarked on a a grief journey and learned about grief rituals. I soon began to facilitate grief rituals in my community. This song speaks to fear of many in our society to let themselves feel pain and heartbreak. But that is the only way through. This is sacred work and must be done on a personal level, but it is also a beautiful thing to have a community to support you - to hold and nourish you in the process. This is my wish for all to experience.

Darkness - Sarah Bentley
The way to healing is through the grief
No one can do it for you
The way to wisdom is through the dark
The lessons are revealed to you

Oh, we can hold your hand and nourish you
Oh, we can tend your heart and witness you

Walking the path of love and loss 
Is not for the faint of heart
But the other path is too dark

Sometimes we need to go into the darkness for a while
Sometimes we need to go into the dark

Darkness

This I know: 
That my body is a vessel for the song
Let the drum beat through me
Let the great bells ring through me
Sing through me

Vessel for the Song

chant by Kath Weider
(phrase from Course in Miracles)

Kath Weider: vocals
Lori Fithian: percussion, vocals
Dan Bilich: bass, vocals
Sam Clark: guitar, vocals
Paul VornHagen: sax/flute/clarinet, vocals

recorded live at Interfaith Center for Spiritual Growth
May 13, 2023

drones

LET EVERY VOICE BUT LOVE (live)

Gift

SONG FOR ALL OF US

Let Us See the Beauty

Sarah S. Bentley is a song catcher and song carrier, based in Austin, Texas. She facilitates down-to-earth, heart-centered, and powerful sacred singing circles. Sarah gracefully weaves the art of embodied singing, mindful movement, ritual, and communal prayer into her circles.

Sarah started singing as a child and has performed as a singer/songwriter. She draws on her studies in integrative medicine (qigong, yoga, meditation), health promotion, behavioral science, and community resilience to provide a rich and healing experience for her participants. Her intention is to spread peace in the world by sharing the wisdom of movement and heart songs to harmonize our communal resonance and raise the vibration of the Earth and Her inhabitants.

Gift

Sarah S. Bentley

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