“THEY'RE SINGING YOUR SONG”
“When a woman in a certain African tribe knows she is pregnant, she goes out into the wilderness with a few friends and together they pray and meditate until they hear the song of the child. They recognize that every soul has its own vibration that expresses its unique flavor and purpose. When the women attune to the song, they sing it out loud. Then they return to the tribe and teach it to everyone else.
“When the child is born, the community gathers and sings the child's song to him or her. Later, when the child enters education, the village gathers and chants the child's song. When the child passes through the initiation to adulthood, the people again come together and sing. At the time of marriage, the person hears his or her song. Finally, when the soul is about to pass from this world, the family and friends gather at the person's bed, just as they did at their birth, and they sing the person to the next life.
“In the African tribe there is one other occasion upon which the villagers sing to the child. If at any time during his or her life, the person commits a crime or aberrant social act, the individual is called to the center of the village and the people in the community form a circle around them. Then they sing their song to them.
“The tribe recognizes that the correction for antisocial behavior is not punishment; it is love and the remembrance of identity. . . .
“. . . You may not have grown up in an African tribe that sings your song to you at crucial life transitions, but life itself reminds you when you are in tune with yourself and when you are not. When you feel good, what you are doing matches your song, and when you feel awful, it doesn't. . . . “ ~Alan Cohen~
then i was looking up how to sceen print and found this too. i think it's a pretty good story and he said some thing about how he only had the education of wood cutting in high school, he didn't know where else he got, he said it's just in there, it's just there when i need it. everyone has these innate qualities but we loose them. i'm inspired.
3 comments:
That's beautiful -- about the song -- I love that. I wonder if it is true. It makes me think I should write a song for Regin. (Other than the silly things I sing about going potty or changing diapers of course). :)
PS Along similar lines with the song idea. This artist/designer whose blog I follow has recently begun making these cute "You Are Awesome" posters for kids (and adults) with their names on them. She said something about how it's such a validating thing to see your own name in print. And it's not moving in the same way as your story about the song, but it resonated a bit with me after reading the song thing. Anyway, here is the link. Check it out.
they're cute, i might have to make my own for palmer. . . . but i definitely start listening for his song~
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