An evening of music, poetry, and prayer

Starting this month, we are hosting an evening for music, poetry, and prayer at our home on every first Saturday of the month. It’s a time for us to pause in our busy lives and reflect on things that are the most important to us, such as love, peace, unity, etc.

Last night, our theme was “joy.” Here are a few selections from the readings and music. For people who cannot join us physically, please join us virtually.

~ ~ ~

He who binds to himself a joy
Does the winged life destroy.
But he who kisses the joy as it flies
Lives in eternity's sun rise.

- William Blake

~ ~ ~

Be happy and joyous because the bestowals of God are intended for you and the life of the Ho Spirit is breathing upon you."

-Bahá'í Writings

~ ~ ~

Listen, o fortunate ones, to my joyful song,
That all my desires have been fulfilled.
I have obtained God, the Supreme Being,
And all my griefs have disappeared.
My sorrows, afflictions, and sufferings have departed
By listening to the true Word.

The saints and the holy are filled with joy,
When they hear the Word from the perfect Preceptor.
He who hears the Word is made pure,
He who speaks is made holy,
The Eternal Preceptor will fill their hearts.
I proclaim, for those who attach themselves to the Enlightener’s feet,
The heavenly music plays.

- Japji (Sikh Scripture)

~ ~`~

Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

- The Bible

~ ~ ~

Let your joy
Be the joy
Born of My Most Great Name,
A Name that bringeth rapture
To the heart,
And filleth with ecstasy
The minds
Of all who have
Drawn nigh unto God.

- Baha’u’llah

~ ~ ~

We create a sacred space with beautiful flowers and candle lights, listen soothing and spiritually enchanted music, and read poems and holy writings from different religions. It’s an oasis of well-being for the body, mind and soul.

The Obligatory Prayer

Sitting on the rock of Eagle Falls at the Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe, when my heart was closest to the nature, I said the obligatory prayer:

"I bear witness, O my God,
that Thou hast created me
to know Thee and to worship Thee.

"I testify, at this moment,
to my powerlessness and to Thy might,
to my poverty and to Thy wealth.

"There is none other God but Thee,
the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting."

So powerful that my mind's eye
Sees the light of eternity.

So dim, and so bright, that I know
The pass is narrow and long.

So blissful that I am shown the way,
And my heart throbs with joy.

Life and Death of A Tree

This Independence Day weekend, we went to Lake Tahoe. A hike to Eagle Falls gave me unexpected inspiration....

At the bridge of Eagle Falls,
A dying tree
Stands, strikingly,
Against the vitals of green.

A few inches below its roots,
The life-giving water creek
runs, ceaselessly,
toward the valley.

To the sky above,
The lifeless branch,
Stretches, desperately,
As if asking for its life back.

Alas, a narrow distance,
A thin line
Separates, eternally,
Life and death.

Nearby, beside it,
A young tree
Martyrs, peacefully,
To be in the arms of the eternal.

The Pearl River

The Pearl River flows 1,500 miles from the south China plateau eastward to the South China Sea. It is one of the most beautiful rivers in China, with foliage flourishing on its banks all year round.


In the evening, the lights on both sides of the river glow so splendidly that they brighten half the night sky. Legend has it that over two thousand years ago a celestial pearl was lost in the river and, since then, the river has been shining with radiant lights at night. People named it the “Pearl River.”

At its bank stands one of China’s most dazzling cities – Guangzhou, like a brilliant pearl shining on the river.

Courage

Copyright 2007 Helen Wang

Courage is to speak the truth
when the truth is hard to tell;

Courage is to stand up for what's right
even if it's unpopular;

Courage is to go beyond the convention
and challenge the unchallengeable;

Courage is daring to be hopeful
while there seems no hope.

Surrender

Copyright 2004 Helen Wang

Surrendering, I let go my ego,
Surrendering, I am in no fear,
And surrendering, I am set to be free,
- I turn to Thee.

Let my pen be Thy Pen,
Let my words be Thy Words,
And let my wonder be Thy Wonder,
- I turn to Thee.

The Light in Thy Love

A lovely gift from my friend Elika Mahony for Naw Ruz:



Please see more of her music here.