INTERSPIRITUAL MEDITATION -- 21

+ This is the second post on Step Two of InterSpiritual Mediation: MAY WE BE GRATEFUL FOR LIFE’S MANY GIFTS.

+ Here are some excerpts from Todd Rundgren’s “Healing,” an amazing song of meditation, contemplation and prayer found on his 1981 record album entitled Healing.  You can find several versions of “Healing” on Youtube.  

Listen to your heart
Tune into the rhythm
Listen to your heart
Beating with precision
Like the waves upon the seaside
It goes on and on
Like the spinning of the world
It goes on and on.

…

Look upon yourself
Only with compassion
Strip away the shell
Hiding your perfection.

…

Listen to the cry of a world that's calling to you
Listen to the cry of the helpless souls that need you
Though you may have trepidation, you can not refuse
You will find your own salvation in the path you choose.

…

You could not be closer to your maker

Never more or less alone

If you know thyself, there's nothing else to know

You are whole, you are whole

+ This song connects this ISM step with all of the others as only great artists can do.  I am grateful for the transforming energy of rock’n’roll throughout my life.  I love rock’n’roll and Todd Rundgren is not only a great rock musician but a great spiritual teacher.  This song can truly be viewed as an InterSpiritual anthem.  I am grateful for this song which makes me happy and motivates me to work to be whole, to be healthy, to be transformed as I reflect on its vision and values, to be more loving and compassionate, mindful through my breathing and body awareness, wise through going deep into heavenly realms as I meditate and coming back to my mission on earth to serve all beings.  That covers all seven ISM steps.

I have been inspired by this song since 1981.  As recently as 2010 he took all of the Healing songs on the road.  You can find it on Youtube.  One of the venues was in Morristown, NJ, only a few miles from my childhood home in Denville.  There he was joined by some delightful young singers which you can see and hear in the Youtube videos. 

My gratitude is for all artists who get us in touch with ultimate reality and what we need to be and do to make ourselves, our families, our communities, our planet more heavenly.  For me, many rock’n’roll musicians have been instrumental in making me aware of Ultimate Reality.  More recently I have found Celtic music to do that for me as well.  Other kinds of music work too. What artists and musicians have impacted you over the years and particularly recently?

Here are links to the Healing videos on Youtube and a few other Todd Rundgren songs and links:

·        The Original Recording of Healing

·        Healing Part 1 (live) via HarryRunt danu subscription  | lyrics part 1

·        Healing Parts 2 & 3 (live) via HarryRunt danu subscription | lyrics part 2 | lyrics part 3

·        Healing Part 1 (live) via Noragon subscription | lyrics part 1

·        Healing Parts 2 & 3 (live) via Noragon subscription | lyrics part 2 | lyrics part 3

·        Healing wiki

·        Compassion (live)

·        Healer (live)

·        Love is the Answer

·        Interview and concert clips

·        Youtube Search for Todd Rundgren

·        todd-rundgren.com

+++++++++++++

+ This is a series of posts on InterSpiritual Meditation: A Seven Step Process created by Dr. Edward Bastian. I am an InterSpiritual Mentor certified by SpiritualPaths Institute which Ed established. In these posts I am offer reflections of mine and others on each of the steps which are:  

1. Motivation: “May we be Happy and Healthy.”

2. Gratitude: “May we be Grateful for Life’s Many Gifts.”

3. Transformation: “May we be Transformed into Our Highest Being.”

4. Compassion: “May we be Loving and Compassionate.”

5. Mindfulness: “May we be Mindful through Our Breathing.”

6. Wisdom: “May we Become Wise through our Meditation.”

7. Service: “May we be in Service to All.”

+ I invite you to purchase and read Ed's wonderful books including InterSpiritual Meditation: A Seven Step Process Drawn from the World’s Spiritual Traditions and Mandala: Creating an Authentic Spiritual Path -- An InterSpiritual Process.

+ I invite you to consider taking a comprehensive e-course on InterSpiritual Meditation offered by Spiritual Paths.  The course is always available but periodically it is taught via Zoom by Ed and other teachers as an 8-week course with group participation. Another wonderful Spiritual Paths course which is always available and periodically taught via Zoom is the InterSpiritual Mandala Course. It is designed to “Create your Spiritual Practice and Path by harnessing your Spiritual Styles to Find Answers to your Spiritual Questions.”

+ I invite you to join The New Faith for the New Earth Facebook Group where I and group members post and comment on InterSpiritual Wisdom & Practices and other topics.