Prathama yoga atma vidya
(First you must know yourself)

(The first yogic practice is the yoga of self understanding)

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First you must know yourself

Define your truth,  

follow with steadiness,

life becomes one with the divine

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Yama Niyama abhyaasa karo

(Practice the Yamas and Niyamas,)

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Asana Pranayama 

(Asana and Pranayama)

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Pratyahara Dharana Dhyaan se

(From Pratyahara Dharana and Dhyaan)

pavana Samadhi

(you will attain the state of Samadhi)

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Taba Jivan Sukh Paave

(Then you will get contentment in life)

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Lam, Vam, Yam, Ram, Hum, Aum

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Lam

(Seed mantra for the Muladhara root chakra, ushering in grounding, stability, security)

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Vam

(Seed mantra for the Svadhisthana sacral chakra, ushering in creativity, pleasure, emotional balance)

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Ram

(Seed mantra for the Manipura solar plexus chakra, ushering in personal power, willpower, self-confidence)

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Yam

(Seed mantra for the Anahata heart chakra, ushering in love, compassion, connection)

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Ham

(Seed mantra for the Vishuddha throat chakra, ushering in clear communication, self-expression, authenticity)

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Aum

(Seed mantra for the Ajna third eye chakra, ushering in intuition, insight, spiritual vision)

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Mmm

(Silent Om represented with a trailing mmm sound, seed mantra for the Sahasrara crown chakra, ushering in spiritual connection, higher consciousness, enlightenment)

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About the Piece:

This piece explores a yogic angle on education - and outlines the fundamental philosophy that the cultivation of knowledge of oneself is the foundation to a fulfilled, integrated life. It derives from the ancient Sanskrit concept of Ashtangas of yoga or 8 limbs, that say the following:

Niyama: Restraints (Define your boundaries)

- Satya: define your truth

- Ahimsa: follow a path of non-violence and cultivate compassion towards yourself on your journey

- Asteya: don't cheat yourself or cut corners on your path

- Aparigraha: don't harbor jealousy towards others and get distracted from your path

- Brahmacharya: keep control of your life force creative energy and channel it towards your truth

Yama: Observances (Cultivate these habits)

- Saucha: be pure of heart

- Santosha: be content

- Tapas: be rigorous

- Svadhyaya: self reflect

- Ishvara Pranidhana: recognize there is a force greater than you that is the universal force

Asana: Posture (This refers to the physical postures practiced in yoga to promote physical health, strength, and flexibility)

Pranayama: Breath control (This refers to the practice of controlling the breath to promote relaxation, concentration, and vitality)

Pratyahara: Withdrawing from senses (This refers to the practice of withdrawing the senses from external distractions and turning inward)

Dharana (Concentration): This refers to the practice of focusing the mind on a single object or point of focus, and cultivating focus.

Dhyana (Meditation): This refers to the practice of sustained concentration and mindfulness.

Samadhi (Union with the Divine): This refers to the state of deep integrated living, where one is fully aware and integrated with the universal energy, where one feels a sense of oneness with the divine. 

In Vedic studies, this fundamental concept of self is first cultivated, and then once this is defined, students learn various other subjects based on their chosen vocation. 

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The piece also uses the Seed mantras that are said to activate energy centers in the body. 

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Musically, the piece is in the Raaga or melodic mode of Shuddh Kalyan (which means pure blessings). The 7 Swaras or notes in Indian Sargam or Indian Solfeg are also said to tie to energy centers, so each seed mantra is set to the corresponding Sargam note as used in this scale. 

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I encourage the audience to engage in a meditation while listening to this piece, and experience your energy flow through each energy center in your body with each seed mantra.

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O beautiful for spacious skies,

for amber waves of grain,

for purple mountain majesties

above the fruited plain!

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America! America!

God shed his bounteous grace on thee,

and crown thy good with brotherhood

from sea to shining sea!

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O beautiful, that ancient feet,

beneath the countless stars,

ten thousand years in beauty walked,

through wilderness unmarred.

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But fateful then, that sailing fleets,

a new world sought, and found,

and whose bright promise wrought a doom 

whose echoes yet resound.

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America, America!

May God forgive thy vying strains,

thy pride yet tame with rightful shame,

that others’ loss bought selfish gain.

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O sorrowful for captive feet,

in chains, against their will,

who toiled through centuries

of wrong, to triumph still;

whose heroes proved so beautiful

in claims of lawful rights,

who more than self thy justice loved,

and mercy more than life.

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America, America!

may God yet mend thine ev’ry flaw,

Redeem thy soul and be made whole,

thy liberty in law.

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O beautiful for patriot dream

that sees beyond the years,

thine alabaster cities gleam

undimmed by human tears.

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America! America!

from farthest shores thy people stream,

the multitude that seek thy good,

and share a common dream.

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America! America!

God shed his bounteous grace on thee,

thy beauty crown with unity

from sea to shining sea!

This land is your land,

this land is my land,

This land was made for you and…

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This land is my land;

ain’t it made for you and me?

This land is my land; shinin’ sea to sea.

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Oh this land is your land, this land is my land,

From California to the New York island,

From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters:

This land was made for you and me.

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As I went walking that ribbon of highway,

I saw above me that golden skyway.

I saw below me that golden valley:

This land was made for you and me.

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This land is your land, this land is my land,

From California to the New York island,

From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters:

This land was made for you and me.

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I’ve roamed and rambled, followed my footsteps,

To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts;

All around me a voice was sounding:

This land was made for you and me!

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When the sun come shinin’, then I was strollin’,

And the wheat fields wavin’, and the dust clouds rollin’,

That voice come a’chanting, yeah!, as the fog was lifting:

See, this land was made for you and me.

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In the squares of the city, in the shadow of the steeple,

By the relief office, I saw my people.

And as they stood hungry, I stood there wond’ring:

Is this land made for you and…me?

My land; ain’t it made for you and me?

This land is my land; shinin’ sea to sea.

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Oh, this land is your land, this land is my land,

From California to the New York island,

From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters:

This land was made for you and me.

This land was made for you and me.

This land was made for you and me.

This land!

It’s so sad, we don’t understand each other yet.

How can this be when we’ve been livin’ together

so long, so close to each other’s beauty?

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It’s so sad, makes me feel so bad.

I can’t stand by anymore. Gonna sing about it.

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Gonna sing it when I feel like crying,

when I’m uncomfortable and don’t know why yet,

when I am guilty of the laissez-faire,

my ignorance of you laid bare.

I’ll talk to you before I raise my hand,

so you can call on me to make a stand.

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Am I responsible?

Are you responsible?

What are we responsible for?

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I’m gonna look up from my own concerns,

reach across the chasms of what I never learned

So wide, so full of burning.

Your eyes are turning to me now saying,

“It’s time, it’s way past time

to step outside the echo chamber.

Stop pretending it’s alright.

Stop pretending this is not our fight.”

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Democracy will not come today. 

It will not come this year, nor ever through compromise and fear.

Again, I say! Democracy will not come today. 

It will not come this year, nor ever through compromise and fear.

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I have as much right as the other fellow has to stand on my two feet and own the land.

I tire so of hearing people say, “Let things take their course, tomorrow is another day.”

I do not need my freedom when I’m dead.

I cannot live on tomorrow’s bread.

Freedom is a strong seed planted in a great need.

I live here, too.

I want freedom just as you.

When will the light turn on again? 

When will you hold my hand again?

When will I reach the bitter end?

When you don’t laugh at my pretend?

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Jump down, blade up, 

you closed my cup

Locked doors, don’t fuss,

Can’t find our trust

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When will the light turn on again?

When will you hold my hand again?

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We can’t know it all

Find the beauty in this time

We can’t fear the fall

Cannot forfeit, fear, or fight

Don’t wander tonight

Take the truth from my eyes

Reunite

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When will the light turn on again?

When will you hold…

Ooh ah…

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Wander tonight

Take the truth from my eyes

Reunite

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When will the light turn on again?

When will you hold my hand again?

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The stars are twinkling in the skies;

the earth is lost in slumbers deep.

So hush, my sweet, and close thine eyes,

and let me lull thy soul to sleep.

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Compose thy dimpled hands to rest,

and like a little birdling lie secure within thy

cozy nest upon my loving mother breast,

and slumber to my lullaby.

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So hushaby, hushaby,

hush my sweet and close thine eyes,

and slumber to my lullaby,

so hushaby, hushaby.

The moon is singing to a star

the little song I sing to you.

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The father sun has strayed afar

as baby’s sire is straying too.

And so the loving mother moon

sings to the little star on high;

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and as she sings, her gentle tune is borne to me,

and thus I croon for thee, my sweet, that

lullaby of hushaby, hushaby,

hush my sweet and close thine eyes,

and slumber to my lullaby,

so hushaby, hushaby.

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There is a little one asleep

that does not hear his mother’s song;

but angel watchers as I weep

surround his grave the night-tide long.

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And as I sing, my sweet, to you,

oh, would the lullaby I sing,

the same sweet lullaby he knew

while slumbering on this bosom too,

were borne to him on angel’s wing!

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So hushaby, hushaby,

lullaby, lullaby, hushaby, hushaby,

lullaby.

Oooohhh

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“Don’t believe our world is colorblind

‘Member red roses always get chosen first”

Papa’s scars looked me in the eyes

He said “camouflage to show your worth”

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Pulled out the wooden bench and sat me

Down with the iron, curing poison curls, mm

“Every burn on your neck is resilience…

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The more that you learn, the stronger you’ll be

It’s your saving grace to escape poverty

You’ve gotta fight ‘til your knuckles bleed.”

Please, please

Let me go,

Sold these broken dreams

To fit their mold

Raised addicted to perfection, but

I deserve the right to make mistakes, to choose my way

To be loved the same, to just be

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How to find, the essence of my being

Work til I fall asleep, then work in my dreams

Stuck in this self-affirming prophecy

Big achievements mean you’re loved

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But am I only worth a number when you see my skin and scoff?

When you can’t pronounce my name, think I took another’s spot?

Am I valued if not at the top?

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Can’t disappoint, my ancestry

Spend my whole life chasing a degree

Look good on paper, is that equality?

Please please

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Let me go,

Sold these broken dreams

To fit their mold

Raised addicted to perfection, but

I deserve the right to make mistakes, to choose my way

To be loved the same, to just be.

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Cold winds blow over my barren soul,

Scattered pieces of my life across broken time,

I am alone.

Surrounded by eternity

I hear a voice

Calling me:

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Come back…

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I am broken, yet whole.

Listen deeply,

Your true self sings

Throw open the door,

Come back to that voice,

Share that voice,

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Your voice…

Chorus:

Everybody oughta treat a stranger right.

Everybody oughta treat a stranger right.

And everybody oughta treat a stranger right.

A long way from home,

A long way from home,

 A long way, a long way from home

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Verse 1:

Be mindful how speaking.

Be careful how you go along.

You must always treat a stranger right.

Don't insult him in your home,

don't insult him in your home

and everybody oughta treat a stranger right.

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(Repeat Chorus)

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Verse 2:

Well all of us are strangers

and none of us has a home.

You must never hurt your brother or sister

and cause them to pull their own, 

And cause them to pull their own

and everybody oughta treat a stranger right.

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‍(Repeat Chorus)

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary

When troubles come and my heart burdened be

Then, I am still and wait here in the silence

Until you come and sit awhile with me

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You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders

You raise me up... To more than I can be

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There is no life - no life without its hunger

Each restless heart beats so imperfectly

But when you come and I am filled with wonder

Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity

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You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains

You raise me up to walk on stormy seas

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders

You raise me up... To more than I can be

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You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders

You raise me up... To more than I can be

You raise me up... To more than I can be