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This is one of two posts with photos from John's 2025 adventures in the Orient and beyond. This next link will return you to the main story... Let’s follow our SON: a China Cat Sunfollower… NOTE: These dated photos are from the Emei Mountain summit. Wikipedia September 8 September 9 September10 Sacred Monkey Business Photos and video taken during the climb up Mount Emei. 5/25/26: More to follow #JohnTittmann #China #adventure #EmeiMountain

This is one of two posts from John's 2025 adventures in the Orient and beyond. This next link will return you to the main story... Let’s follow our SON: a China Cat Sunfollower… NOTE: Captions for these photos will be added when John returns from his third stop: Ibiza. September 14: Samye Chimpu September 15: Drak Yangdzong Cave September 17: Lake Namtso September 18-19: Lhasa September 19: Lhasa #JohnTittmann #Tibet #adventures

"PAPER" BOOK REPORT To give Tom Coogan's work "some room to move", I separated it from the larger post (link at end) about the Half Step gig at Garden City's Cathedral of the Incarnation...added some fitting musical accompaniment and included some examples of how the Deadhead spirit is being kept alive for the newer generations.... What I liked most about the conversation between author Tom and Kyle Sabo from the Cathedral is that neither tried to convince us of their "side"...rather, they simply provided what Tom had hoped for: a place where we could have a meaningful conversation... BOOK'S PURPOSE: In penning this, Tom's desire is to invite those who follow a Christian version of "G-d" to get to know a little more about the characteristics of those who follow the Grateful Dead and their offshoots. He believes that they will notice similarities in how they treat other travelers on our planet. BOOK SUMMARY: A peace-and-love movement that began with itinerants living hand to mouth at the fringes of society and referring to one another as brother and sister continues to flourish decades after the death of its leader. This book explores the ways in which that description applies equally well to the early days of the Jesus movement, as recorded in Scripture, and to the current stage of the Deadhead movement, which, with the recent successful tours by Dead and Company, is as robust as ever, thirty years after the last concert by the Grateful Dead. This book is about the common attributes of Deadheads; it is not about the music they love nor the band that created that music. Its purpose is to invite people of faith to judge whether something of the same divine Spirit that animated the early Church is at work today among the Deadheads. Source A long strange trip from early Christianity to the Grateful Dead's Haight-Ashbury days Two evenings after Saturday night's Half Step event, a bunch of us went back to the Cathedral to meet Tom Coogan - the author of this comparative history book. Tom and his wife Beth also participated in Saturday's show. Here's a HALF STEP Facebook post promoting Tom's appearance: One reader's observations on the book: "(RNS) — Both Christians and Deadheads were a ragtag group of communal devotees, preaching a simple message of love and peace and challenging the materialism of the powers and principalities of their respective eras." (Source: next link) A long strange trip from early Christianity to the Grateful Dead's Haight-Ashbury days Don Lattin (Religion News Service) Another perspective: "Most Christians have a muddled view of what a fan of the Grateful Dead is, and most Deadheads have an equally muddled view of Christians." (Source: next link) Thomas A. Coogan, Deadheads and Christians: You Will Know Them by Their Love One more: "The words 'Deadhead' and 'Christian' aren’t often spoken in the same sentence, if only because the former doesn’t seem to have much to do with the latter. But upon deeper inspection, there may be more overlap than one might think. The eclectic 1960s rock band The Grateful Dead, has no shortage of spiritual ideas that have turned its 'Deadhead' followers into a traveling movement, bonded by shared ideals and a strong community. Even in the decade since the band’s surviving original members performed their last concerts in the 2015 Fare Thee Well tour, the movement remains active and strong through the internet. This spiritual aspect of the band is the subject of a new book by Thomas A. Coogan. A 63-year-old member of Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton, N.J., Coogan has been a Grateful Dead fan since the 1970s. His book, Deadheads and Christians: You Will Know Them By Their Love, explores the spiritual intersection between Christianity and the “peace and love” vibes of the band. The Grateful Dead certainly wouldn’t have considered themselves a religious band, especially in the context of what organized religion often means in the popular American context. However, Coogan points out that they did consider themselves spiritual, grasping for a deeper and higher meaning that is more than mere entertainment. "'To me, it means welcoming the stranger, seeing the divine in everybody you encounter, finding commonality with anybody you encounter,' Coogan said. 'The common attitude is a hopeful and optimistic attitude in the face of our mortality. Their imagery and songs are largely about how this time in our world is short and what are you going to make of it. That can lead to cynical hedonistic attitudes, but in our community it’s a peace and love attitude. Christians ought to be able to extend a friendly greeting to anybody they encounter.'" A Christian appreciation for The Grateful Dead - Baptist News Global (2025) Kindness Pre-School Includes our "Ripple" Introducing the Grateful Dead to Your Kids: A Friendly Guide for Toddlers & Early Readers - Counterculture Kids (2025) Grateful Dead are not over the Hill...they're ON IT! Tom included these two stories in his "Introduction"... Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-NC) Tribute to The Grateful Dead (02:25) (from the link) They truly were an amazing American Adventure for over five decades their unique blend of rock folk and improvisation transcended boundaries inspiring countless artists and enchanting millions of dedicated fans in a world often divided the Grateful Dead reminds us that music has the power to bridge divides and bring people together Their music served as a Beacon of Hope an escape and a testament to the power of artistic expression through their music The Grateful Dead taught us the value of community compassion and the beauty of living in the moment as we celebrate the Grateful Dead we also pay tribute to the late Jerry Garcia and all the band members who graced the stage with their exceptional talents Let's also acknowledge the unwavering dedication of the deadheads the devoted fans who traveled far and wide to be part of the Grateful Dead experience their unwavering support and their enthusiasm nurtured a unique bond between the band and its audience Jerry on Jerry: "I like people who like the Grateful Dead!" Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell admits to being a fan of the Grateful Dead during his semiannual monetary policy report to the House Financial Services Committee on June 21. Fed's Powell Admits to Being a Deadhead (00:54) AUDIO BOOK REPORT "Ripple" Lyrics By: Robert Hunter Music By: Jerry Garcia If my words did glow with the gold of sunshine And my tunes were played on the harp unstrung Would you hear my voice come through the music? Would you hold it near as it were your own? It's a hand-me-down, the thoughts are broken Perhaps they're better left unsung I don't know, don't really care Let there be songs to fill the air Ripple in still water When there is no pebble tossed Nor wind to blow Reach out your hand if your cup be empty If your cup is full may it be again Let it be known there is a fountain That was not made by the hands of men There is a road, no simple highway Between the dawn and the dark of night And if you go no one may follow That path is for your steps alone Ripple in still water When there is no pebble tossed Nor wind to blow You, who choose to lead, must follow But if you fall you fall alone If you should stand then who's to guide you? If I knew the way I would take you home La dee da da da La da da da da Da da da, da da, da da da da da La da da da La da da, da da La da da da La da, da da Musical Accompaniment to Tom Coogan's Presentation Half Step's Tom San Filippo returned to Monday evening's presentation and offered us this sacred Grateful Dead hymn: RIPPLE Complete song at next link. Friends Who Like HALF STEP - Grateful Dead Tribute by Michael Windischmann · Tom playing solo at The Cathedral of Incarnation, Garden city. Book review of Deadheads and Christians!!! Fun night in the Church… BONUS: Tom San Filippo - solo acoustic Found while researching: Tom San Filippo Performs an Original Song Called "This Old Guitar" (03:40) Will the Deadheads...the movement continue? A question that's part of Tom Coogan's inquiries... I've selected some young musicians who are carrying the Grateful Dead's music "FURTHUR"...SO, let's get on the bus... BARTON HILLS CHOIR The BHC performing the Grateful Dead's 'Ripple' in front of Wrigley Field at Gallagher Way Chicago for The Rock and Roll Playhouse's Grateful Dead Father's Day celebration. June 15th, 2019. With special guests David Gans (guitar/vox), Adam Roberts (bass) and Michael Schroeder (drums). Written by Garcia/Hunter Classic tee!!! 'Ripple' - BHC Chicago show (05:01) PLAYING FOR CHANGE: CHICAGO CHILDREN'S CHOIR We are proud to share with you this Song Around The World in honor of the Grateful Dead's 50th anniversary. Our friends at JamBase asked us to turn the Grateful Dead's 1970 classic, "Ripple" into a PFC Song Around the world as part of their "Songs Of Their Own" series (http://www.jambase.com/soto.aspx) and after many miles on planes, trains and automobiles we can finally share it with all of you!! "Ripple" is in support of the Playing For Change Foundation's music schools and programs for children worldwide and we need your help. Watch the video and then let’s turn that inspiration we all share into something bigger. Join the "Ripple Effect" campaign so we can all leave the world better than we found it, one heart and one song at a time. As Jerry Garcia said, "Let there be songs to fill the air..." Special Thanks to our Supporters: The Jerry Garcia Foundation (http://www.jerrygarciafoundation.org/), The Ripple Foundation, SeaChange (http://www.schange.com), Michael Klein and Judi Hunt. Including some "family" members...and musical friends... Ripple (Grateful Dead) feat. Bill Kreutzmann | Playing For Change | Song Around The World (04:41) GRATEFUL DEAD FOR KIDS @ BROOKLYN BOWL June 21, 2026 The Rock and Roll Playhouse Plays: Music of Grateful Dead + More As they're singing "wake up to discover that you are the eyes of the world..." The Music of Grateful Dead for Kids | Brooklyn Bowl | 1/26/19 | Relix (1:25:53) Click this link for some of the tune... FYI - Half Step does shows here: Half Step - Grateful Dead Tribute - Brooklyn Bowl - Brooklyn, NY 3-5-26 - Set 1 (1:11:53) Half Step - Grateful Dead Tribute - Brooklyn Bowl - Brooklyn, NY 3-5-26 - Set 2 (1:24:28) Ripple at The Sphere The next visual fits in with the main post's tales of Gaia and Half Step at the Cathedral of the Incarnation. Dead and Company: Bob Weir, guitar and vocals Mickey Hart, drums John Mayer, guitar and vocals Oteil Burbridge, bass and vocals Jeff Chimenti, keyboards and vocals Jay Lane, drums Sphere at the Venetian Resort Las Vegas, NV 08/10/24 Dead & Company | "Ripple" | Sphere 08/10/24 (Grateful Dead) (06:27) Playing for Change JOIN THE MOVEMENT Subscribe to our newsletter: http://bit.ly/1x9CAfJ Join us as a YouTube Member here: / @playingforchange GET SOCIAL / playingforchange / playing4change / playing4change Playing For Change (PFC) is a movement created to inspire and connect the world through music, born from the shared belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. The primary focus of PFC is to record and film musicians performing in their natural environments and combine their talents and cultural power in innovative videos called Songs Around The World. Creating these videos motivated PFC to form the Playing For Change Band—a tangible, traveling representation of its mission, featuring musicians met along their journey; and establish the Playing For Change Foundation—a separate 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to building music and art schools for children around the world. Through these efforts, Playing For Change aims to create hope and inspiration for the future of our planet. To learn more about the work of the PFC Foundation, visit http://www.playingforchange.org Go out into the world and... Spotted this a few nights ago when Eileen and I went to a teacher/staff cabaret night at the East Woods School in Oyster Bay where our son John was accompanying the performers on piano. Here's one that echoes one of Tom's key points about similarities of Deadheads and Christians: From my collection - snapped this at a Half Step gig at Seaman's Neck Park on July 21, 2021halfstep. The Wizard's "lions and tigers and bears"...echo this advice... A love-one-another encounter on Planet Earth between the Half Step Band & fellow passengers in a Garden City Cathedral --Check out this Garden City Cathedral's version of Dead music...I'm sure you'll be Grateful... CONTACT INFO Cathedral of the Incarnation Website Facebook YouTube - Better to use Facebook and other social media sites Tom Coogan: Read his book (links above) Half Step Band Website Facebook: Friends Who Like HALF STEP - Grateful Dead Tribute Facebook (Band site) YouTube Brooklyn Bowl Website Facebook YouTube Barton Hills Choir Website Facebook YouTube Playing for Change Website Facebook YouTube Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children's Choir) Website Facebook YouTube Check out this motivating video of who they are (0:1:25) We are proud to share with you this Song Around The World in honor of the Grateful Dead's 50th anniversary. Our friends at JamBase asked us to turn the Grateful Dead's 1970 classic, "Ripple" into a PFC Song Around the world as part of their "Songs Of Their Own" series (http://www.jambase.com/soto.aspx) and after many miles on planes, trains and automobiles we can finally share it with all of you!! "Ripple" is in support of the Playing For Change Foundation's music schools and programs for children worldwide and we need your help. Watch the video and then let’s turn that inspiration we all share into something bigger. Join the "Ripple Effect" campaign so we can all leave the world better than we found it, one heart and one song at a time. As Jerry Garcia said, "Let there be songs to fill the air..." Special Thanks to our Supporters: The Jerry Garcia Foundation (http://www.jerrygarciafoundation.org/), The Ripple Foundation, SeaChange (http://www.schange.com), Michael Klein and Judi Hunt. JOIN THE MOVEMENT Subscribe to our newsletter: http://bit.ly/1x9CAfJ Join us as a YouTube Member here: / @playingforchange GET SOCIAL / playingforchange / playing4change / playing4change Playing For Change (PFC) is a movement created to inspire and connect the world through music, born from the shared belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. The primary focus of PFC is to record and film musicians performing in their natural environments and combine their talents and cultural power in innovative videos called Songs Around The World. Creating these videos motivated PFC to form the Playing For Change Band—a tangible, traveling representation of its mission, featuring musicians met along their journey; and establish the Playing For Change Foundation—a separate 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to building music and art schools for children around the world. Through these efforts, Playing For Change aims to create hope and inspiration for the future of our planet. To learn more about the work of the PFC Foundation, visit http://www.playingforchange.org Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children's Choir) Uniting Voices Chicago (Josephine Lee, President) is a nonprofit organization that inspires and unites youth from diverse backgrounds to become global leaders through music. Founded in Hyde Park in direct response to the Civil Rights Movement in 1956, Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir) has grown from one choir into a vast network of in-school and after-school programs serving 5,200 students across the city of Chicago. Uniting Voices Chicago has impacted the lives of more than 50,000 diverse youth throughout its 66-year history. Since its founding, Uniting Voices Chicago has focused on building programs that reflect the racial and economic diversity of Chicago. Eighty percent of youth served are from low-to-moderate income homes, with over 4,000 students annually participating completely free of charge. All singers in Uniting Voices Chicago programs receive some level of subsidy. High school seniors enrolled in Uniting Voices Chicago have a 100% graduation and college acceptance rate, becoming global ambassadors who carry on our core values in a wide array of professional fields. Learn more at unitingvoiceschicago.org #music #humor #TomCoogan #KyleSabo #CathedralOfTheIncarnation #GardenCity #GratefulDead #HalfStep #TomSanFilippo #DeadAndCompany #JerryGarcia #Ripple #Furthur #BartonHillsChoir #UnitingVoicesChicago #ChicagoChildrensChoir #PlayingForChange #BrooklynBowl #kindness #WizardOfOz #Snoopy #EastWoodsSchool #JohnTittmann #WileyNickel #JeromePowell

Come join your fellow passengers as we explore a tale about some "Dead" music that was included at a Garden City, NY Cathedral's month-long series of events entitled: "GAIA: This Fragile Earth, Our Island Home." (link with details is further down) Life's adventures are always continuing...SO, consider yourself a fellow passenger on this trip...AND, if following Jesus appeals to you, click the link at the end for an interesting comparison between his tribe and Jerry's...as Tom Coogan, the author of "Deadheads and Christians You Will Know Them By Their Love," returned to the Cathedral two nights later. Some appropriate liturgical vestments... He's got the whole world in his hand... Praise from one of Saturday night's "PASSENGERS" FYI - link to Brian's Facebook post follows his images. The following is REAL...not a backdrop...Appropriate for an album cover for Led Zeppelin's "Houses of the Holy"... Jerry in votive... And recent arrival: Bobby... Below, our emcee - Kyle Sabo (Dean's Verger) - adding further light to our evening. Note: Candles are "old" but not in the way...because even though we have 'two good eyes...sometimes we still can't see'... Half Step's Tom San Filippo leading "worship"...(more on Tom below) Scott Bardolf Craig Privett Cindy Lopez Drummers Adam Polabov (left) and Dave Diamond (right) Jason Crosby. Tom San Filippo sent this bio: "He was our special guest for the evening. Jason has played with Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Jackson Browne and John McLaughlin, to name a few. He is a Long Island native who relocated to California and is a longtime friend of Half Step band members." Facebook source for all the above images in Brian's post Seeing Furthur: Source After seeing the two large Greek letters on the book's pages, I searched for "Grateful Dead and Alpha Omega" and this resulted: As far as I can tell, the above comments were generated by AI, as I never found these words in the main Wikipedia article. We are fellow Passengers... Considering the current shape of our world, Half Step chose this interesting number - a song penned in 1977 and never played after 1981. Using author Tom Coogan's terminology in his "Deadheads and Christians" (see link at end to the related post on his book), I'd categorize this as a type of song Tom terms "SORROWFUL." (Liturgy Chapter 10) Passenger Lyrics By: Peter Monk Music By: Phil Lesh Firefly Can you see me? Shine on, glowing Brief and brightly Could you imagine (note 1) One summer day That same night Be on your way Do you remember? Hearts were too cold Seasons had frozen us (note 2) Into our souls People were saying The whole world is burning Ashes were scattered Too hard to turn (note 3) Upside out Or inside down False alarm, the only game in town No man's land, the only game in town (note 4) Terrible, the only game in town Passenger Don't you hear me? Destination Seen unclearly What is a man Deep down inside But a raging beast With nothing to hide Source Greatest Stories Ever Told - “Passenger” - David Dodds I'm a regular reader of Dave's observations. A key reason is that he creates an environment for open conversation with his readers. He doesn't tell us what to think. This mirrors the same approach of Tom Coogan, author of "Deadheads and Christians." Here's how Dave expresses this openness at the beginning of his blog: "Here’s the plan—each week, I will blog about a different song, focusing, usually, on the lyrics, but also on some other aspects of the song, including its overall impact—a truly subjective thing. Therefore, the best part, I would hope, would not be anything in particular that I might have to say, but rather, the conversation that may happen via the comments over the course of time—and since all the posts will stay up, you can feel free to weigh in any time on any of the songs! With Grateful Dead lyrics, there’s always a new and different take on what they bring up for each listener, it seems. (I’ll consider requests for particular songs—just private message me!)" (Source: Above link) Peter Monk bio (from above link): "The brief biographical essay about Peter Monk included in The Complete Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics was contributed by Alan Trist. It notes that Peter Richard Zimels, aka Peter Monk, was born in March 1937 in New York City. He studied philosophy and graduated from the University of Michigan in 1958, and then served in the US Navy until 1962. After leaving the Navy, he traveled extensively, especially in Asia, where he became an ordained Buddhist monk. Therefore, his adopted surname is more of a trade-based honorific (think 'Peter, the monk'. He returned to the States in 1967, and acted as a spiritual figure in the extended Grateful Dead family, attending births and performing wedding ceremonies (he officiated at the wedding of Jerry Garcia and Carolyn 'Mountain Girl' Adams, for instance). He died in 1992." "I’ve always thought that the 'passenger' is, as are all of us, a passenger on the planet we inhabit, hurtling through space at some ungodly rate of speed." "That one line: 'What is a man, deep down inside, but a raging beast, with nothing to hide?' hit me hard when I first heard it. I internalized it in a big way—and given the manner in which it was performed by Bobby and Donna on Terrapin Station, it seemed to be meant to be heard as an important line. In my mind’s eye, I pictured the silhouette of a man, set against a sunset sky, rampaging across the horizon, swinging some kind of hammer or sword, and this image seemed archetypal, proceeding from 'deep down inside,' and carrying with it the potential for the seed of understanding of who I might be, and who my fellow-travelers on the planet might be. That Grateful Dead sense of light and dark, or roses and thorns, of the totality of existence all seemed wrapped up in those lines and in the imagery they brought to my mind." Source: The above link Eyes of the World Notice the Cathedral's Stealie under the 2 spotlights keeping a watchful eye on our planet... Here's a closer view from Ron's earlier pic: Source (Ron Rig's Facebook post) Cathedral's Gaia Event... Click next link for details. See the Earth as astronauts do — floating in three dimensions in our historic Gothic nave Gaia at the Cathedral | April 25–May 31, 2026 Luke Jerram's sculpture will be the first exhibition of Gaia in a US house of worship Measuring six meters (20 feet) in diameter, Gaia is a breathtaking replica of planet Earth created from detailed NASA imagery of our planet's surface. The internally illuminated, rotating sculpture will be suspended in the Cathedral's historic neo-Gothic nave, offering visitors an extraordinary opportunity to see Earth as astronauts do—floating in three-dimensional space. "After the profound impact of the Museum of the Moon last spring, we knew we wanted to continue exploring the intersection of art, science, and faith," said The Very Rev. Canon Michael T. Sniffen, PhD, Dean of Long Island. "With Gaia, we turn our attention from our celestial companion to our own fragile home, inviting reflection on our responsibility as stewards of creation." The installation's theme, "This Fragile Earth, Our Island Home," draws from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer and underscores the urgent need for environmental awareness and action. Gaia aims to inspire what astronauts call the "Overview Effect"—a cognitive shift that occurs when viewing Earth from space, characterized by feelings of awe, an understanding of the interconnectedness of all life, and a renewed commitment to environmental stewardship. Accompanied by a specially commissioned surround sound composition by BAFTA award-winning composer Dan Jones, the installation creates an immersive experience that has captivated audiences worldwide. In Greek mythology, Gaia is the personification of Earth, the ancestral mother of all life. Created in partnership with the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Bluedot, and the UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres, Gaia has been presented in museums, cathedrals, and public spaces around the world. The sculpture has consistently drawn massive audiences, with some installations attracting over 200,000 visitors. Visiting Information Daytime Visiting Hours Daytime visiting hours begin Wednesday, April 29 and last through Thursday, May 28. Please check this website before coming as last minute changes to this availability are possible. Daytime admission is free. Tuesday: 1pm–4pm Wednesday 1pm–4pm Thursday 1pm–4pm Select Saturdays: May 2 and May 9, 10am–1pm Select days are available for Group Tours. Please email connect@incarnationgc.org for more information. Evening Visiting Hours Evening visiting hours begin Tuesday April 28 and last through Wednesday, May 27, 2026. There are selected evenings available from 6:00pm – 9:00pm. Evening admission is $10 suggested donation. Reserve your timed evening entry on Eventbrite — evenings under Gaia are not to be missed. Questions? Contact us at connect@IncarnationGC.org or (516) 746-2955. Possible "Furthur" Enhancements at a new wing for the Cathedral Windows upgrade Grateful Dead band members depicted in stained glass on 1972 Hundred Year Hall album icon. New Columbarium...Ashes to Ashes...Dust to Dust... As the Cathedral's Verger, Kyle Sabo is responsible for their columbarium - the repository for the ashes of those who have passed on. Here's a novel approach: Rest in Peace, Man, in This Groovy VW Columbarium Includes this video: Musgroves Family Cemeteries - Peace Columbarium (01:34) Deadheads and Christians DEADHEADS and CHRISTIANS: Spreading Ripples of Kindness across our Planet Earth... More LUNASEE at the Cathedral A Lunar Schtick is in the halls of this historic Garden City Cathedral (Apr. 11, 2025) #music #humor #CathedralOfTheIncarnatiom #Gaia #GardenCity #HalfStepBand #TomCoogan #DeadheadsAndChristians #Facebook #BrianClukie #KyleSabo #TomSanFilippo #RonRig #DavidDodds #ScottBardolf #CraigPrivett #CindyLopez #AdamPolapov #DaveDiamond #JasonCrosby #columbarium #VWBus

Roses instead of lilies... Curious about Jerry's shortened digit? Entrance Hymn: Palm Sunday Only performed twice... "The river so white The mountain so red And with the sunshine over my head The honky-tonks are all closed and hushed It looks like Palm Sunday again It looks like Palm Sunday again It looks like Palm Sunday again" Jerry Garcia Band "Palm Sunday" 3/19/78 (03:56) Jerry Garcia – guitar, vocals John Kahn – bass Keith Godchaux – piano, vocals Donna Godchaux – vocals Maria Muldaur – vocals Buzz Buchanan – drums Reading from the book of psARMS Meditation - 1: Trust the way of peace...there will be an answer...let it be... Mother Mary is our guide... The Beatles - The Beatles - Let It Be (Official Music Video) [Remastered 2015] (04:02) And when the broken-hearted people Living in the world agree There will be an answer, let it be For though they may be parted There is still a chance that they will see There will be an answer, let it be Let it be, let it be Let it be, let it be Yeah, there will be an answer, let it be First reading: Make peace...not kings 2026 No Kings Day...extended one day: Palm Sunday...No kings here either... Lots of web tales about the next-day timing of these two "protests" against the powers of their day. The Palm Sunday story line reminds us that... Source "We have no king but Caesar...but the president...but the..." "Give us Barabbas..." Son Of God | No King But Caesar Clip | Jesus Christ Superstar (01:26) The Offering...our true selves...East speaks to West Buddha and King Story..! Once a great King decided to go meet Buddha for first time. His wife had been a lay-disciple of Buddha for long time even before she was married to King. When Buddha came to King’s capital, wife said to King, “It doesn’t look right that when a man like Buddha comes to your capital, you won’t even go to welcome him. Therefore, i am going. When i meet him, he is sure to ask about you. What should is say then?” King thought for a moment and said, “OK, I will also come to welcome him to our kingdom but i am meeting him for first time, i would like to give him some present.” King then proudly said, “I have a very precious diamond, no one else have that. If i take it as gift then Buddha will appreciate it.” Wife started laughing and said, “Rather than diamond, it would be better if you take just a fresh lotus flower from pond. I have known and following him for long, therefore i know that to Buddha lotus flower is more beautiful than a diamond. Buddha is a Sanyasi, what will he do with diamond. It will be an unnecessary burden.” King replied, “OK, then i will take both and let us see what Buddha will take and who wins.” Buddha was going to start his morning talks, surrounded by thousand of monks who were waiting to listen to him. Just then King came on his golden chariot to the commune of Buddha. King stepped out of his chariot and walked toward Buddha. With him he was carrying gift for Buddha. He bowed down to Buddha and offered him the diamond. Buddha said, “Drop it!!” King knew that diamond was very precious and it was very difficult for him to drop his diamond. Buddha again said, “Drop it.!” He hesitated but he was surrounded by thousand of monks and listening to those words, he had no other choice. So King dropped it. Then King offered the lotus flower to Buddha. Again Buddha said, “Drop it!!” King thought, “Is this man crazy?” and dropped lotus flower too. Buddha said, “Don’t you listen? Drop it.!” King replied, “But both my hands are empty. Now what do you want me to drop?” At that moment, one of old disciples of Buddha said,”You don’t understand. Buddha is not asking you to drop things you are holding in your hand. Buddha is saying – Drop your personality, Drop that your are King, Drop this mask, Be just Human because through the mask it is impossible for Buddha to approach you.” King never thought about it. But then great silence and King felt something and spontaneously fell at the feet of Buddha. Now, Buddha said, “ That’s what i have been telling you: Drop it. Now sit down. Be just human, here nobody is emperor, nobody is beggar. Here everybody is himself. Just be yourself. ” Source Meditation - 2: Peace palms...Require our bodies I searched for "peace psalm" and was led to this Daily Meditation that highlights the importance of our "incarnated" bodies in achieving this peace... Psalm 23 a political tract? Here's a teaser... "While Psalm 23 is beloved for its message of consolation, Diana Butler Bass recounts how she was challenged to read it through the eyes of those who face poverty, food insecurity, injustice, and marginalization."  Source: Next link A Psalm of Peace and Justice - The Center for Action and Contemplation Psalms 23: Robert Alter’s Brilliant Translation - Stephen D Morrison "The brilliance of Alter’s approach is made clear in the Psalms. Here Alter is careful to note the structure of the Psalms as well as the ways previous translations have done it a disservice. The Hebraic poetry it entails is incredibly concise and imaginative, and Alter attempts to capture the rich lexicon of bodily images that have often been “interpreted” by other translator’s (and thus distorted)." Morrison continues to show how Alter's methodology keeps us in the present rather than some future by-and-by state. "It is also interesting, on that note, to pay attention to the lack of eternal implications in the final line of the psalm. It is not 'forever' but 'for many long days' that I shall dwell in the house of the Lord. Alter stresses that the Christian tendency towards eschatologicalizing everything must be resisted when translating the Hebrew Bible. They had in mind a very 'here and now' perspective, free from the tendency to think in terms of some far off future." Recessional Songs STOP THE WARS - A Global Cry for Peace (Official Video) (03:26) Curtis Mayfield - We Got To Have Peace (Official Lyric Video) (04:49) "And the people in the neighborhood, Who would if they only could, Meet and shake the other's hand , Work together for the good of the land." Notice the similarity to these words from the Grateful Dead's "Scarlet Begonias": "The wind in the willows playing Tea for Two The sky was yellow and the sun was blue Strangers stopping strangers just to shake their hand Everybody is playing in the heart of gold band" Give Peace a Chance - Plastic Ono Band (04:55) C'mon, Holy Rollers...All Aboard the PEACE TRAIN!!! Note the "BROOKLYN" tee... "Peace Train" featuring Yusuf / Cat Stevens | Playing For Change | Song Around The World (04:09) The work of Playing for Change, their Foundation and the world's music makers support communities and their children around the world in bettering their conditions. Thanks to all the world's music makers for also being peacemakers!!! Peace Train Read Aloud with Cat Stevens Peace Train | Storytime Read Aloud w/Cat Stevens (02:50) #music #political #PalmSunday #JerryGarciaBand #arms #meditation #Beatles #NoKingsDay #peacemakers #Barabbas #Buddha #CenterForActionAndContemplation #RobertAlter #StephenMorrison #poetry #Psalm23 #RobertHunter #children #CurtisMayfield #CatStevens #PlayingForChange #PeaceTrain

READERS: This is a draft idea for a musical oral history of our town: West Hempstead, NY. Three of the organizers met yesterday (4/8/25) to kick it off...More to come... READERS: In the meantime, please contact me if you have any "tales of tunes around town" AND are interested in sharing them. For example, our Island Garden Arena hosted several popular acts and it would be great if you caught any and shared your experiences here. ttittmann@icloud.com READERS: If you're game, you could also add your comments on the applicable Island Garden Arena shows listed on sites like setlist.fm SETLIST (post topics) ORAL HISTORY PROJECT IDEAS CREATIVE CORNER ISLAND GARDEN ARENA (1957-1973) THE ILLUSION - from West Hempstead & Franklin Square 1969: SUMMER OF LOVE OTHER IDEAS FOR ADDS... ORAL HISTORY PROJECT IDEAS Include Creative Corner, WH Library, WH High School ... Assign roles for technical support: shooting/editing oral history video footage  Interview Harry Baldino, Creative Corner's founder Interview Danny Finkelstein about earlier live music at the Witches Brew Coffee House Go to West Hempstead Library and see what they have Gather residents stories about their experiences in the 1969 Summer of Love that included partying at Woodstock and "walking on the moon" with Neil Armstrong Hold an Opening Night…or afternoon at the library where we present our findings as a way to ask the community to share their own stories via a new Oral History of West Hempstead Music project .  When I mentioned this project to my wife Eileen she said she saw the Dave Clark Five  at Island Garden. She went with a high school friend who, as she says, “was obsessed with all things British.” CREATIVE CORNER WEBSITE: FACEBOOK: Check here first for the latest info about events, open mike nights and band performances - like this gig: In the following March 2022 article that includes a series of short videos, owner Harry Baldino  talks about why he opened this multifaceted arts center that includes musical offerings. Community Spotlight: Creative Corner a staple in West Hempstead - West Hempstead Echo The next article includes testimonies from people on how Creative Corner has helped foster their artistic interests. [from the article linked below] As the lights go down at Creative Corner , an art center in West Hempstead, the amps are put up. Every Monday, the center holds their Open Mic Night  where residents of the community are welcome to enjoy an evening of music, creative expression and fun. Acts that showcase people of all ages and range from budding talent to professional come and share a quick set, whether it be a cover or something new and unique. Owner Harry Baldino opened Creative Corner in 2014. What began as a spur of the moment endeavor, Baldino said, has since grown into an encouraging and supportive creative outlet, especially for younger members of the community. His daughter and Creative Corner’s manager,  Nichole Baldino , added that although the Open Mic Night is their staple, they primarily give lessons in music and art. “It’s unique, because it’s an open place without private cubicles, unlike typical music schools.” she said. “It makes it so we’re all learning together.” An outlet for young talent in West Hempstead - LI Herald Creative Corner    482 Hempstead Ave. West Hempstead, NY 11552 I went to my first Creative Corner jam after being invited by Ryan Closs  – a local musician - who went to West Hempstead High School  with our son John . All musicians – instrumental and vocal - are invited and whoever shows up determines the evening’s musical menu. Lotsa fun! ISLAND GARDEN ARENA (1957-1973) Source The Island Garden Arena was a 5,200-seat arena in West Hempstead, New York. It was built in 1957 by Arnold "Whitey" Carlson , a descendant of Swedish immigrants. Carlson's grandfather was Henrik Carlson, a noted San Diego sculptor who was the Foreign Art Director for the San Diego Exposition (now Balboa Park ). Over the years, many concert acts such as Cream, the Dave Clark Five, Tiny Tim, Louis Armstrong, The Byrds, Sly and the Family Stone, The Dave Brubeck Quartet and Bob Dylan performed at the venue. In addition to concerts, the Island Garden Arena has also hosted boxing matches, professional wrestling, circuses, rodeos, stamp shows, midget car racing, and boat shows. SOURCE Additional performers at Island Garden Arena listed at setlist.fm include: Ten Wheel Drive, Family, Al Kooper, Savoy Brown, Jeff Beck Group, Mountain, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Procol Harum, Peter, Paul and Mary, The Chambers Brothers, The Statler Brothers, June Carter Cash, Johnny Cash, Joan Baez and Duke Ellington and His Orchestra. Image source Bob Dylan's Feb. 26, 1966 setlist March 7, 1969 Source Feb. 26, 1965 ( Setlist - includes a download link for all 27 songs ) March 1, 1969 Source Here's one that wasn't listed in the earlier articles: June 12, 1970 ( Source ) Island Garden Wikipedia Island Garden Arena West Hempstead Concert Setlists (1958-1969) There aren't any photos or videos of the DC Five at Island Garden , so here's a clip from The Ed Sullivan Show The Dave Clark - Five Bits And Pieces 1964 (Ed Sullivan Show HQ) (02:05) THE ILLUSION - from West Hempstead & Franklin Square On 10/6/25 I met Al by Riesterer’s Bakery and he talked about them.and how they came from West Hempstead and Franklin Square. THE ILLUSION Inducted into the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame - LI Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (2023) [From the article]  The Illusion; the band largely credited with kicking the door open (paving the way for so many Long Island entertainers), was recently inducted to the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) and performed on stage for the first time in fifty-one years. The original Illusion band members from West Hempstead and Franklin Square (Western Nassau) include John Vinci, Mike Maniscalco, Rich Cerniglia, Chuck Alder and Mike Ricciardella, who are now inducted into the history and family of Long Island’s musicians & entertainers. During a time when it was considered inconceivable for record executives (and concert promoters alike) to give a band from Long Island the time of day, The Illusion came on to the scene. A force to be reckoned with, wowing crowds with outrageous stage shows, custom-made clothes, seemingly untouchable musicianship, and five-part harmonies. Captivating audiences, The Illusion would draw thousands of fans to every show. The Illusion is largely credited with being ground-breaking in the rock music genre influencing other bands and most notably legendary musician Jimi Hendrix at the time with their performance style and psychedelic outfits . They first met Hendrix by chance at a recording studio very early in his career and they went on to become friends and frequently played together at the Steve Pauls’ Scene Club and opened for Hendrix in Boston Gardens. Alder said they didn’t really think about making history at that time, it was just something they did. “Nobody was dressing like that, nobody was moving around on stage doing a show, getting the audience participation, that was all new, Alder recalls. “I think before us it was called “rock and roll” and after us, it was called “rock” we dropped the “roll” there was no rolling tonight, it was just rock and that’s the way I like it.” "See the moon at midnight..." The Illusion - Did You See Her Eyes (Live audio Leone's 1969) (03:04) 1969: SUMMER OF LOVE Let's collect peoples' stories about that amazing summer when 500,000 people partied at Woodstock and an Earthling did the first "Moon Walk" ...years before MJ did his version in Billie Jean . More to come... ​ OTHER IDEAS FOR ADDS... I copied this next section from my website and just updated the appropriate links to 2026.   “Summer’s here and the time is right for dancing in the streets...”   PASSED... West Hempstead Summer 2021 Music and Food Festival Sunday July 25 3-7 PM Cherry Valley Shopping Center West Hempstead, NY (490-510 Hempstead Tkpe) Sponsors: West Hempstead Chamber of Commerce & Cherry Valley Center 2026... 2026 Town of Hempstead Summer Concert Series – FREE!!! (your soul...) Calendar of events - show times to follow   Nassau County Summer 2026 Free Concerts & Movies County Website   For Deadheads and those that wish they were... Half Step Band Website You’ll see the upcoming events, then, if you dare, press “Enter” to journey “Furthur”...) They have gigs booked on July 26, 29, Aug. 6 & 8, Sep. 6 (at the beach...where they’ll be “playing in the sand”)   For more fun and adventure, check out my post:  Curious about the Grateful Dead but not willing to take a WHOLE step? Take a HALF STEP...   #music #humor #WestHempstead #HarryBaldino #BrianBarry #KarlReisterer #ReisterersBakery #CreativeCorner #WestHempsteadHistoricalSociety #RichKarlson #WestHempsteadPublicLibrary #WestHempsteadHighSchool #IslandGardenArena #DaveClarkFive #EdSullivanShow #WestHempsteadEcho #LIHerald #WitchesBrewCoffeeHouse #DannyFinkelstein

Reader: I had to rush out on a call...and will complete this post ladder ...later... The call was to go celebrate at our local fire department drills and tournament in Hempstead...and notice the address: 300 Weir Street I was invited by Jonathan, a young next door neighbor who volunteers at our West Hempstead Fire House - two short blocks from my house and directly across the street from my favorite barista: Witches Brew Coffee House on Hempstead Turnpike, where I turn out daily for my cup... Here's the guy Eileen and I met on my 2020 birthday (Sept. 27) in a Long Island mall. 3/12/26 DONE!!! [insert photo of guy we met in a local mall who was wearing a tee shirt with the colors of the Port Chester, NY Fire Department] I might be going to hell in a bucket... ...but at least I'm enjoying the ride... Grateful Dead - Hell In A Bucket (Official Music Video) (05:36) START HERE: Grateful Dead Themed Fire Department Next To The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester - Relix (05:18) More stories about this "GRATE" fire company  Port Chester Fire Department: Passionate About the Grateful Dead and the Community (Nov. 2022) Includes these inspirations: "people who build their personal passions into their work lives are able to see the world in a different light." (see image below about "light") "We all live a truer life by expressing ourselves through fandoms." More about Harry Howard Hook & Ladder Company harryhoward.org https://harryhoward.org/ More Assembly Required An old friend of our family who moved to Florida years ago, sent us a note on the anniversary of the birthday of their son Danny, who'd just started his career with the Jacksonville, FL Fire Department. We are the proud godparents! add Text to MORRELL’s https://www.dead.net/features/greatest-stories-ever-told/greatest-stories-ever-told-fire-mountain On duty 8 days a week… I got your back… Fr. Mark Kiesel had been a NYC Firefighter. Our Sunday School kids would hang on his every word…as he told stories of running into burning buildings and rescuing people. Please say Hi! for us. Thanks, tOM My post re meeting firefighter from Port Chester My prayers whenever the WHFD sirens sound Grateful Dead in Jacksonville FL doing their popular combination of two tunes: including Scarlet/Fire Grateful Dead - Veteran's Memorial Coliseum, Jacksonville, FL - April 8, 1978 Westerner’s racing team drills Fr Mark Kiesel Next door neighbor is a volunteer took me to the drills Previous neighbor was an adult volunteer at the West Hempstead House. Sent from my iPhone

Beginning with the DRUMMERS... Of the original crew, it's noteworthy that BOTH DRUMMERS are still above ground... Mickey Hart Grateful Dead Drummer Makes Music with Patients at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital (02:29) Archive: Legendary Grateful Dead Drummer Offers Music as Medicine to Children Rock Icon Mickey Hart Lifts Spirits at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital 2012 Bill Kreutzman Ripple (Grateful Dead) feat. Bill Kreutzmann | Playing For Change | Song Around The World Grateful Dead - Touch Of Grey (Official Music Video) [HD] (04:52) Physical Therapy Class Skeletons dancing to Grateful dead (01:27) Art Therapy Class Poetree in Motion... Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - The Skeleton in Armor (05:52) MOE atree in Motion... A simple rhyme...led here... The Three Stooges - The Ghost Talks (16:18) (full movie) ... ...and...Yup, Red Skeleton is part of the humor... and another... "tree" leads here: The God of the Universe Dances in Trees Paperback – September 28, 2007 by Catherine Tittmann  (Author) PRAYing Skeletons... Prayer team... Odds 'n Ends #music #Janet #Jim #GratefulDead #skeleton #spine #SpinalSurgery #MickeyHart #BillKreutzmann #children #healing #CatherineTittmann #poems #humor #dancing #prayer #PrayerTeams #ThreeStooges #RedSkelton #RedSkeleton #armor

Source Pata Pata...the LION sleeps tonight.... Miriam Makeba - Pata Pata (Live on The Ed Sullivan Show 1967) (03:31) Out of Africa: The song's Johannesburg origins... Solomon Linda & The Evening Birds – Mbube the original version, origin of The Lion Sleeps Tonight (02:43) Miriam Makeba's Pata Pata song & dance... " Pata Pata " is an Afro-pop dance song popularized internationally by South African singer Miriam Makeba. Its composition is credited to Makeba and Jerry Ragovoy. Her most popular recording of "Pata Pata" was recorded and released in the United States in 1967. [1][2]  The song is considered by many to be Makeba's signature hit and it has since been recorded by many artists. Origins The song's title "Pata Pata" means "touch touch" in the Xhosa language, in which the song was originally written and sung. [2]  "Pata Pata" was also the name of a style of dance that was popular in the shebeens of Johannesburg's Townships [3] in the mid-1950s. The dancer crouched before his partner and patted her body to the rhythm of the music as he rose up and she spun around, making hip circles. [4][5]  In another version of the dance, The male dancers stand in a row with their arms extended out to the front, palms to the floor, while the women pat each in turn in a manner resembling security search body-frisking, after which the men do the same to the women. [6] Source: Wikipedia (includes links) Pata Pata...Let's DANCE... Pata Pata: Chicago Sister Cities International: South Africa Dance (00:54) Pata Pata / The Lions Sleeps Tonight - André Rieu (03:31) Pata Pata Recording Session at Apogee Studios | Playing For Change (04:55) Let's meet Miriam...Musical politics... "Let's awaken!" Source: The next link ‘Why shouldn’t power be Black’? How Miriam Makeba won and lost the US - Aljazeera (2024) Pata Pata ...Let's TOUCH... "Pata Pata" means "touch" "touch" The Doors - Touch Me (03:14) #music #MiriamMakeba #racism #apartheid #lion #SolomonLinda #ChicagoSisterCitiesInternational #AndreRieu #PlayingForChange #Aliazeera #TheDoors #JimMorrison

I'm grateful for finding this sacred space...Not because of pink Lenten vestments; rather, because of Pink Floyd! In April, Garden City's Cathedral of the Incarnation presented us with "Moon as a Sacred Mirror" - a program that combined science, spirituality and sounds. Thanks Barbara H for letting me know about it. The sounds were provided by "Us and Floyd" - a terrific Pink Floyd cover band. You can learn more about these past events by clicking on the links at the end of this post. The Center for Spiritual Imagination While on my April "moon walks" during their series of creative offerings, I discovered a subset of the Cathedral known as "The Center for Spiritual Imagination." Curious? Let these lyrics play in the background as you stroll around their site... "We'd like to help you learn to help yourself Look around you, all you see are sympathetic eyes Stroll around the grounds until you feel at home" --Mrs Robinson - Simon & Garfunkel Two of the Center's upcoming events that may interest you: Weekly Meditation and Contemplative Prayer Mondays 6:30pm to 7:00pm ET Info & Zoom link Monthly Center Down Contemplative Sessions Please register here. I'm in West Hempstead and will be driving there. If you live near me want to join, call 516-850-2493 NEW EXPERIENCES... My family has had a centering prayer/contemplative prayer practice for almost 50 years. Over time, some things we do regularly can become stale. To help me learn about this body of practitioners, I enrolled in and completed their course called "The Incarnation Method of Prayer." It's been breathing new life into stale places. A helpful component is that it uses some familiar sources I grew up with in the charismatic renewal as it is presenting me with NEW WAYS to utilize what I had previously been given...as well as offering me new territories to explore... I’ve been benefiting as I travel to inner places and outer spaces with the Center for Spiritual Imagination ---from the dark side of the moon and now to Brooklyn… https://www.facebook.com/ben.dehart.5/posts/10101047822308182/ An important component of our time at this gathering was maintaining silence. As an example, we ate our lunches in silence. I joined a few others who sat here in the courtyard garden space in front of St. John's . Several times, I noticed passersby glancing in to see what we were doing. I heard a few ask our celebrant Fr. Ben DeHart , "What's going on?" Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (Lyric Video) 03:56 Jazz Eucharist To avoid giving my sometimes distractable mind more distractions...I chose not to take any photos or videos...So, to give you an idea of how this type of ceremony could be conducted... here's a recent clip from St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church in Portland, OR . The other 12 videos from this "gig" (1) are also on their YouTube channel . (1) No sooner did I write the previous paragraph than "gig" provided a perfect example of a distraction BUT one that I'll share with you. My "Holy justification, Batman!" rationale is Incarnation's inclusion of Pink Floyd in their April 11 "gig" that you can check out at the links at the end of this post. Sample Jazz Eucharist A Jazz Eucharist at St Gabriel s (2 of 13) (08:46) Josue Perea , one of my fellow Jazz participants at St. John's and facilitator of the event had a shirt with this image. As you'll see below this icon, it's a real club/church in San Francisco ... Facebook: Saint John Will I Am Coltrane African Orthodox Church-Jurisdiction West. " Mission: To paint the globe with the message of A Love Supreme, & in doing so promote global unity, peace on earth, & knowledge of the one true living God." Website: Saint John Coltrane Church Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Speech at 1964 Berlin Jazz Festival "God has wrought many things out of oppression. He has endowed his creatures with the capacity to create-and from this capacity has flowed the sweet songs of sorrow and joy that have allowed man to cope with his environment and many different situations."  "Jazz speaks for life. The Blues tell the story of life's difficulties, and if you think for a moment, you will realize that they take the hardest realities of life and put them into music, only to come out with some new hope or sense of triumph. This is triumphant music."  "Modern Jazz has continued in this tradition, singing the songs of a more complicated urban existence. When life itself offers no order and meaning, the musician creates an order and meaning from the sounds of the earth which flow through his instrument." "It is no wonder that so much of the search for identity among American Negroes was championed by Jazz musicians. Long before the modern essayists and scholars wrote of racial identity as a problem for a multiracial world, musicians were returning to their roots to affirm that which was stirring within their souls. Much of the power of our Freedom Movement in the United States has come from this music. It has strengthened us with its sweet rhythms when courage began to fail. It has calmed us with its rich harmonies when spirits were down. And now, Jazz is exported to the world. For in the particular struggle of the Negro in America there is something akin to the universal struggle of modern man. Everybody has the Blues. Everybody longs for meaning. Everybody needs to love and be loved. Everybody needs to clap hands and be happy. Everybody longs for faith."  "In music, especially this broad category called Jazz, there is a stepping stone towards all of these.""We must use time creatively." - Martin Luther King, Jr Encore: From the cushion to the concrete In meditation circles, we are reminded that what happens on our prayer cushions is supposed to carry over into our daily lives... Here's an example: A few days after my participation in the Jazz Eucharist , this next song "appeared" in my search results... and, while I was searching for something else. "...and the tongue of the " mute" shall shout for joy..." Wynton Marsalis Eric Clapton Just A Closer Walk With Thee (12:33) "In and Through the Body..." I feel that another reason I was drawn to Incarnation is that the "incarnation" in their name has to do with our bodies and I'm at a place in my journey of spirit where I've begun to re-experience and appreciate my own body . My wife Eileen and I have an ongoing conversation about the body and spirit dichotomy. How, in some circles the role of our bodies in downplayed... As I'm experiencing it, why would our spirits be given bodies if they aren't an important part of the experience? I add, that's why in the Garden story, I imagine G-d creating us - so G-d could actually experience life from a corporeal perspective.  Continuing...looking at OUR relationship with the Divine...its depth, it's closeness depends on how much WE experience the Divine... I'm seeing this new awareness as helping me move from spending a lot of time in my head to moving  "Furthur"   into the other parts. Trevor Hall - IN AND THROUGH THE BODY (DELUXE EDITION) [Full Album] (1:41:34) I was first introduced to Trevor when he played a "gig" at Mulcahy's in Wantagh. Distractions that lead us to healing spaces... Perhaps Fr. Adam and Kristin might consider using these 3 enCHANTresses in a new form of prayer chanting in the Center for Spiritual Imagination's contemplative prayer sessions. The chants are a powerfully healing component of their "Exploring the Incarnation Method of Prayer" course that I've just completed. In the spirit and energy of JANIS... 12 The Great Gig in The Sky, Pink Floyd , PULSE (05:12) Previous Posts About the Cathedral inSPIREd April Lunar See at Historic Garden City Cathedral: MOON as Sacred Mirror April 11, 2025 A Lunar Schtick is in the halls of this historic Garden City Cathedral April 11, 2025 #music #humor #CathedralOfTheIncarnation #BarbaraH #GardenCity #meditation #ContemplativePrayer #CenteringPrayer #PinkFloyd #JazzEucharist #Brooklyn #SaintJohnsEpiscopalChurchParkSlopeBrooklyn #FatherBenDeHart #SaintGabrielsEpiscopalChurchPortlandOR #ReverendAdamBucko #KristinVieiraColeman #SaintJohnColtraneChurch

DANNY, Joining the many others who are celebrating this anniversary of your "latte-est" (latest) revolution around our sun. Thanks for all the delicious and healthful vittles with which you please our palettes. Thanks, too, for the other ways you give back to our community - like the 11 AM THURSDAY AA meetings (these are closed meetings...the shop opens their healing spaces an hour before opening to the public) Cozy Winter Coffee Shop with Snoopy ☕ Relaxing Jazz for Calm Days (3:02:01) Danny, may you experience many more suns and moons… Your sign - Pisces - is second from the Moon... Trevor Hall - MOON / SUN (Official Music Video) (04:03) The vegan nature of your shop means it's fish-friendly. The "SIGN SYMBOL" below reminds us of the tables inside where you serve us delicious meals with caring smiles... Another: Happy Mirthday!!! A little mirth for yer birthday... As I see it, on the 8th day, god (as I understand god) created humor…to help us deal with the other 7… SPACEBALLS Clip - "Mr. Coffee" (1987) Rick Moranis (06:26) Another translation says... #Danny #WitchesBrew #birthday #skateboarding #music #AA #Snoopy #JoeCool #Hippocrates #food #humor #Spaceballs #MelBrooks

(*) "Nein" is German for "NO" EXPEDITIONARY PATHS thru some occupied territories... Playlist for our journeys Ice Nine's History Uncle John's Band: A song that UNITES us... I Ching: Collective wisdom in tough times for living and DEAD Gathering Together Holding Together I Ching Hexagram 56: Traveler...Stranger...Wanderer...and "Fire on the Mountain" Get on the Consciousness Bus... A Young Woman of Color's Cry..."There is fire on the mountain..." "Weir" Grateful for Poets...living and DEAD... MiCl..."Rock" Salt melts I.C.E. (Micknesium Chloride) I.C.E.: NEIN! * "WE don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows..." A New Winter Sport: Dark ICE-Capades NOW...Let's get on the bus, go out into our shared world, connect with others...and let our love FLOW... Related February 2026 posts Ice Nine's History Ice Nine offer us a lot of music that brings people together...while I.C.E. divides and separates loved ones and communities...Read on... Oh...Occasionally, the band pauses to assume a prophetic role...See below... Robert Hunter, chief lyricist of The Grateful Dead , chose the name based on Ice-9 , a new form of water, which once released from its vial would crystallize all forms of water on the planet to permanent ice from Kurt Vonnegut's novel, 'Cat's Cradle' . Rock Scully  was instrumental in forming Ice Nine as a partnership of Grateful Dead's writers in 1967. The legendary San Francisco music lawyer of the time, Brian Rohan  set it up. Ice Nine was registered as a corporation by the Dead’s long time attorney, Hal Kant  in 1970. Source Ice nine publishing Uncle John's Band: A song that UNITES us... Bobby, Thanks for your UPlifting energy...! FIRST, some reflections from THE DEAD guru of songs and their meanings... [from the link that follows] Blair Jackson once wrote something to the effect that “Uncle John’s Band” is the song. I’ve thought a lot about that statement over the years. And I think I know, or feel more than know, what he meant. When the Dead played the song, the crowd came together in a huge way. We were in  that band; we were coming to hear Uncle John’s band by the riverside. Ain’t no time to hate. Barely time to wait. And, where does the time go, anyway? Regardless: there ain’t no time to hate. In my mind, if there is just one lesson to take from all of Hunter’s poetry, that is the one. He approaches it from a number of angles, but for me, it always comes down to that. “Without love in the dream, it’ll never come true.” Thanks, Emily (Dickinson), and thanks, Hunter. Greatest Stories Ever Told - "Uncle John's Band" - David Dodd on Dead.net Fulfilling this song's prophetic words... ...all three front men: JERRY, BOBBY & PHIL - have passed through the veil... Grateful Dead : Uncle John's Band @ Radio City 10-31-80 (08:19) Afterthoughts on the lyrics... "It's a buck dancer's choice my friend, better take my advice You know all the rules by now, and the fire from the ice (ICE)" I Ching: Collective wisdom in tough times for living and DEAD Ice Nine's logo is the I Ching hexagram for 'Gathering Together' changing to ' Holding Together' . Source Gathering Together I Ching Hexagram 45: Gathering Together, astrological interpretation   I-Ching Category (click next link for in-article links) Interpretation:  Harmony, arbitration, and mediation should be promoted. We have to act diplomatically and with empathy, respect, and perspicacity so that we gain as much approval as possible, and we need to understand the use of gathering together, like a bunch of grapes, where each seed represents a separate individuality but together they also form an organized unit.This is a time for making propositions and finding solutions, allies, and assets, and all means of approaching dialogue should be used; openness and trust in others should be considered.It is a good idea to smooth over differences and focus more on what brings people together and unites them, that is, shared traits and goals.Being honest is a vital prerequisite, but it is also important to be conscious of the fact that a group, a community of people, or a couple cannot be dealt with in the same way that we deal with ourselves when we are isolated and alone, and this inevitably calls for some conciliation.Pooling strengths and means is helpful prior to initiating action, making a decision, or effecting change.Avoid being too individualistic and solitary in the choices you make. Astrological points to pay attention to:  Uranus’s energies come into play quite a lot in terms of mechanisms for “social harmony” or setting up a group or a community with the aim of working together, championing a cause, and creating a community of ideas.We also find Venus to be very present, especially in terms of its rulership over Libra / the 7th house, which in turn represents the qualities of exchange, seduction, politeness, kindness, and empathy, and which we also find more on an affective level.Air forces are greatly accentuated, which implicates anything that allows us to engage in sociability, exchange, communication, and transmission, so we also encounter Mercury’s energies, as well as some facets of Jupiter in terms of its likeable aspects and ability to socialize, and even some of its religious aspects. Remarks:  This hexagram represents the intermediaries that may sometimes exist in-between polar opposites, as well as the moment when we understand that different points do come together despite everything and create attraction and magnetism between them. I Ching Hexagram 45: Gathering Together, astrological interpretation Holding Together I Ching Hexagram 8: Holding Together, astrological interpretation I-Ching Category (click next link for links in-article links) Interpretation:  This coming together is dictated by common interests and a need for exchange and socialization with reciprocated goodwill, involving dialogue, tolerance, and understanding. This is what will lead to success.You may succeed in convincing, seducing, negotiating, and reconciling, and you should make sure not to let any offers pass you by that are related to these things and which may allow your strengths to coalesce.Friendship and love are of course highlighted, as well as love of your neighbor in a broader sense, respect, a sense of commitment and honor, and a communion of affects. Astrological points to pay attention to:  First of all, many highly social Air energies are expressed here, so we will encounter Mercury/the 3rd house and of course the air-like aspect of Venus through Libra and the 7th house, which deal with partnerships, associations, and couples, adding forces of sympathy and courtesy, especially if Jupiter is involved.Once sublimated, in their upper octave, we of course encounter the forces of Neptune and Uranus, which tend to open these energies up to more absolute, humanistic, altruistic, devoted, selfless, and compassionate views, or even to forgiveness, sacrifice, sharing, and many other very “Christian” values, potentially even adding an undeniably “religious” aspect to things.The energy of a Trine may also have an effect by favoring an energetic exchange between two parts of your birth chart, in which case it would be particularly important to analyze these two sectors and work to develop them further. Remarks:  This hexagram represents lofty ideals that should be implemented, in terms of noble, wholesome, human values for an entire society or community. It is important to be able to choose that which unites over that which divides, as this is what will have the best payoff at present. I Ching Hexagram 8: Holding Together, astrological interpretation I Ching Hexagram 56: Traveler...Stranger...Wanderer...and "Fire on the Mountain" Hexagram number 56 indicates a journey of discovery. It could be an outer journey to a new place or employment, or may reference a journey of self-discovery. This is a time to be sincere and extremely honest with yourself. What are you really looking for? Where do you think it will be found? Wandering over mountain tops, the wise person sees each step as a gift, and knows that home is always right where one stands. If you feel like staying, stay. If you feel like moving, move. Let your heart be your guide. Source Source [from the article link that follows with my added emphases] The I Ching  contains a hexagram, #56, titled variously “The Traveler,” “Travel,” “The Stranger,” and so on. It is represented by the two trigrams of fire and mountain , with fire resting on mountain. I have received quite a bit of mail over the years with convincing interpretations of how this applies or might apply to the Dead, or to the scene, or to world politics, or to the individual spiritual journey of the person writing the email, and truly, I think these are all  valid ways of looking at the hexagram, in the context of “Fire on the Mountain.” On the other hand, “Fire on the Mountain” is also a line from a nursery rhyme (a frequent source for many lines in Grateful Dead lyrics); a fiddle tune; the title of a book by Edward Abbey , and so on. Greatest Stories Ever Told - "Fire On The Mountain" - David Dodd Get on the Consciousness Bus... [from article link that follows with my emphases] This book takes a playful and insightful look at the relationship between the Grateful Dead and the I Ching . The Grateful Dead and the I Ching have a surprisingly rich history and resonance together. The Grateful Dead have been the pied pipers of consciousness expansion for generations. They lead us on a journey into the ocean of the numinous where the mythical content of the collective unconscious dwells. As drummer Mickey hart put it, "we are in the transportation business." The I Ching is an ancient way of accessing the collective consciousness and one that the Grateful Dead were quite familiar with. We explore the band's relationship with the I Ching and the considerable resonance between the I Ching, the Grateful Dead, their songs and the ritual of their shows. The author is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine , a professor at Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts and attended his first Dead show of many in the 1980's. The book includes insightful commentary from Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter, Phil Lesh, John Perry Barlow, Ken Kesey and Terence McKenna, among many others. Come get on the bus and enjoy the ride! Source A Young Woman of Color's Cry..."There is fire on the mountain..." There is fire on the mountain And nobody seems to be on the run Oh, there is fire on the mountaintop And no one is a-runnin' I wake up in the mornin' Tell you what I see on my TV screen I see the blood of an innocent child And everybody's watchin' Now I'm looking out my window And what do I see? I see an army of a soldier man Marching across the street, yeah Hey, Mr. Soldier man Tomorrow is the day you go to war But you are fighting for another man's cause And you don't even know him Oooh! What did he say to make you so blind To your conscience and reason? Could it be love for your country? Or for the gun you use in killing? Asa - Fire on the Mountain (3:36) "Weir" Grateful for Poets...living and DEAD... Thanks, Bobby, for your service to humankind. We miss you... ...With his ever-watchful eye on our next generation... Grateful Dead - Throwing Stones (Official Music Video) (04:38) The Grateful Dead - Estimated Prophet - 1977 - with lyrics (05:50) "Estimated Prophet" is a song by the Grateful Dead that debuted in 1977, known for its unique themes of destiny, self-assurance, and a spiritual journey, often performed live with extended jams. Click here for more insights. MiCl..."Rock" Salt melts I.C.E. (Micknesium Chloride) A majority of those targeted by ICE agents are ordinary people and usually near the bottom of the food chain... "Let's drink to the hard workin' people Let's drink to the lowly of birth Raise your glass to the good and the evil Let's drink to the salt of the earth Say a prayer for the common foot soldier Spare a thought for his back breaking work Say a prayer for his wife and his children Who burn the fires and who still till the earth" The Rolling Stones - Salt Of The Earth (Official Lyric Video) (04:48) I.C.E.: NEIN! * * "Nein" is German for "NO" "WE don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows..." For what it's worth ...The road sign shown below is an example of paranoid leaders... Source CAUTION: Next video contains scenes of violence. Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth (2025 Protests) (02:43) Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues (Official Video) (02:15) A New Winter Sport: Dark ICE-Capades Jan 28, 2026 To the Editor: Fear has raised its ugly head in the U.S. again. Trump charged DHS/ICE with impossible quotas, while telling us only the “worst of the worse” would be deported. Instead, DHS has lowered recruitment standards and inadequately trained agents, who have netted thousands of basically law-abiding people of color. Most deported immigrants hadn’t committed serious crimes (according to police and ICE records, only c. 4% of those deported over the past year were convicted of felonies, and c. 48% committed misdemeanors, many of them minor (e.g., traffic violations). Thus ICE is able to meet their quotas only if they arrest children, documented and undocumented people of color working/living peacefully in their community – even Native Americans and citizens. I happen to think that ICE frightening lawful immigrants and citizens of color into staying away from work, schools, doctors, or grocery stores isn’t American, more like something you’d see in Iran. The sheer terror ICE has created – wearing virtually faceless masks, ramming doors down, shattering car windows, often refusing to look at I.D., screaming and/or pointing guns at captives, frequently having no warrant, manhandling their captives without explanation into a vehicle (which constitutes kidnapping – a felony), shooting at runaways, has spawned profound fear and angered communities/states and our former allies. Why? Because civil rights and other laws are ignored; because communities have lost teachers, nurses, farm workers, employees, employers; because “mistakenly” sending lawful people of color to unsanitary torture prisons outside the U.S. where they’re beaten, raped, given spoiled food and tainted water, deprived of sunlight and proper medication is unethical. Because this isn’t normal in a democracy. Legally, morally, we need to hold these ill-recruited and ill-trained government agents as well as DHS accountable and limit ICE to arresting only the “worst of the worst.” Sharon Wirt Southbury SOURCE NOW...Let's get on the bus, go out into our shared world, connect with others...and let our love FLOW... The Youngbloods- Get Together ( Woodstock-1969) (04:41) Related February 2026 posts Polar opposites: Ice Nine & I.C.E. Nein...(*)...1st Unites...2nd Divides We begin with a light dusting of word play & transition to deeper drifts...shifts of consciousness...Eastern & Western...of course, there are tunes... I was a stranger...and you called I.C.E... Wandering from hypocrites to hip hop, we explore our current immigration situation... Safe LI Refuge for Immigrants and Refugees Offering Long Islanders a safe source for their immigration questions. Immigrants...We get the job done... In their own words, we hear their stories of unfair treatment... May our eyes be WET as we look at these faces of our fellow human beings... In the style of Visio Divina, a look at the faces of those trying to find a better life for themselves and their families... Huddled Masses...DEPORTED... The New Colossus - Emma Lazarus (01:27) #immigration #SocialJustice #SocialInjustice #EmmaLazarus #StatueOfLiberty Our country runs on the sweat of undocumented workers... NOW is the time for the ethical treatment of undocumented workers #music #immigration #IceNine #ICE #RobertHunter #GratefulDead #KurtVonnegut #CatsCradle #RockSkully #IChing #traveler #stranger #wanderer #DavidDodd #bus #PeterShea #Asa #BobWeir #prophet #SocialJustice #SocialInjustice #RollingStones #MickJagger #BobDylan #weatherman #BuffaloSpringfield #Youngbloods