Archive for February, 2008

Akka Mahadevi - You are the forest

Ivan M. Granger February 29th, 2008

You are the forest
by Akka Mahadevi

English version by A. K. Ramanujan

You are the forest

you are all the great trees
      in the forest

you are bird and beast
      playing in and out
      of all the trees

      O lord white as jasmine
      filling and filled by all

      why don’t you
      show me your face?

— from Speaking of Siva, by A K Ramanujan


/ Photo by Hamed Masoumi /

I really like the image of God (in this case, Shiva) as a forest, as every tree in the forest, and simultaneously as the myriad of animals “playing in and out / of all the trees”.

Contemplate this image for a moment.

First, God is the forest — the place, the region. You might call this the field of being.

But then God is also seen as “all the great trees” — the green and living pillars that collectively embody that field of being. This is like stepping in awareness from the unmanifest to the manifest. Continue Reading »

Video: Robert Bly Reads Kabir

Ivan M. Granger February 29th, 2008

Robert Bly’s sleepy voice, Kabir’s words, the music of a sitar…

Enjoy!

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Music: Primitive Heart, by Peter Ross

Ivan M. Granger February 29th, 2008

Peter Ross
Primitive Heart

Listen - Purchase

“Passionate and hypnotic world music played on the Shakuhachi and ethnic bamboo flutes.”

I was lucky enough to hear a master shakuhachi player several years ago in Hawaii. Shakuhachi is the elegant Japanese bamboo flute. This CD combines the meditative currents of the shakuhachi with more primal rhythms and sounds. Very nice.

More Music Selections

What is there…

Ivan M. Granger February 29th, 2008

What is there
but Self
experiencing Self?