Holy Saturday...In musical imagery, this time is like "rests"...spaces...pauses between the notes. It's what we try to allow to happen in meditation...I originally thought to write "It's what we DO in meditation"...but chose "to allow" instead...Gradually, we are invited to bring this practice of mindful presence with us into our day... Strawberry Fields (04:40) Elysian Fields (05:44) Phil Lesh...Walking his father home... A co-write from bassist Phil Lesh and Robert Hunter, Box Of Rain would also mark Lesh’s first lead vocal. According to Hunter, “Phil Lesh wanted a song to sing to his dying father and had composed a piece complete with every vocal nuance but the words. If ever a lyric ‘wrote itself’, this did – as fast as the pen would pull.” The result is a work of rare beauty and reflection that resonates through the decades as one of the best Grateful Dead songs. The Story of "Box of Rain" by The Grateful Dead (02:26) “Some folks trust to reason/Others trust to might/I don’t trust to nothing/But I know it come out right” --Playing in the Band - Grateful Dead Set the (scape) Goats Free...Let my people goat.... "and the goat jumped over the sun..." Sunday Human nature, when seeking power, wants either to play the victim or to create victims of others. Once we start feeling sorry for ourselves, we will soon find someone else to blame, accuse, or attack—and with impunity!  —Richard Rohr Monday If Jesus’s life reversed the fate of victims he had met, then his death reverses the fate of future victims. He becomes the scapegoat to end all scapegoats—and exposes the truth that could end human blame and violence once and for all.  —Jennifer Garcia Bashaw Tuesday The central message of Jesus on love of enemies, forgiveness, and care for those at the bottom was supposed to make scapegoating virtually impossible and unthinkable. —Richard Rohr Wednesday Because God was present with Jesus on the cross and thereby refused to let Satan and death have the last word about his meaning, God was also present at every lynching in the United States…. The lynching tree is the cross in America. —James Cone Thursday Jesus came to reveal and resolve the central and essential problem—humanity’s tendency toward fear and hate. Love is the totally enlightened, entirely nonsensical way out of this pattern. Love has to be worked toward, received, and enjoyed. —Richard Rohr Friday God is not revealed in killing and conquest … in violence and hate. God is revealed in this crucified man—giving of himself to the very last breath, giving and forgiving.  —Brian McLaren Week Thirteen Practice Lingering in the Tension Author Kat Armas reflects on the spiritual practice of lingering in the tension between winter and spring, the cross and resurrection: You know those last few weeks before spring, when winter is trying desperately to hold on, her bony fingers cold and frail, losing their grip to the warmth of the sun? The trees towering above your head might still be bare, but when you look down, buds of purple are sprinkled across the ground, bursting forth from earth’s womb…. If we pay close attention, we might notice the earth constantly beckoning us to receive this gift. On bended knees with cool breath and a warm touch, the natural world asks us to stay in this moment. Right here. A little longer. Do you feel it?... The life and death of Jesus offers an invitation to sit in a sacred tension, but many are not comfortable doing this. We are a people hell-bent on fix-its, uncomfortable with struggle or with sadness. Perhaps this is why, for many of us, Holy Saturday has long been ignored. This is the day between the death of Christ on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday. In the immigrant Catholic church I attended with abuela [grandma] growing up, this holy day of waiting was as important as Easter Sunday because it mirrored our reality—the constant push and pull between sorrow and joy, death and resurrection. On this day, we lit velas (candles) and sat in front of the altar for what felt like years. We knew joy would come, but there was no rush. The holy tension was a space in which we felt most alive. I didn’t know it back then, but la Espíritu Santa [Holy Spirit] was forming something sacred in me. Armas invites us to consider: What moments of sacred tension stand out in your life? What did they speak to you about your humanity? Read this meditation on cac.org. Back in "Ordinary" Time... 2024 Daily Meditations:Radical Resilience Contemplation helps us engage with a world on fire — without burning up or out. We live in a world on fire. As the flames of unjust societies, humanitarian disasters, and ecological crises flicker around us, it is easy to feel helpless and overwhelmed. How can we respond to this destructive era with wisdom, love, and peace? The path ahead will be challenging, but we will walk it together. That is why this year the Daily Meditations will explore contemplation as a way to build Radical Resilience — tending our inner flame so we can stand in solidarity with the world without burning up or out. What is Radical Resilience? Radical Resilience is the ability to face hardship with greater love and deeper awareness. We believe that contemplation, the practice of being fully present, is one way to grow more resilient — teaching us how to sustain inner strength, purpose, and connectedness. Contemplation shapes Radical Resilience as a way to choose love and peace over anger, denial, and despair. Imagining a better future begins by finding it within ourselves—only then can we help others tend to their own inner flame. Together we can live that better future out into the world.  [More at link] Practice With Us Discover contemplative wisdom and practices that are easy to understand and apply to your everyday life. Contemplation is the practice of being fully present—in heart, mind, and body—to what is in a way that deepens awareness, encourages oneness, and strengthens compassion. A committed daily contemplative practice doesn’t have to be long or complex—it simply needs to allow deep listening to open your heart to love. Discover ways to embody the contemplative life with this collection of practices that help us align actions and values, re-engage with our True Self, and show up in service to the world. [More here] Theresa Torres’ description of receiving her faith through her grandmother is a wonderful reflection of how faith was once passed down generation to generation. Her grandmother, or abuelita, inspires spirituality not as a religious creedal statement or morality code, but as a healing and transformational way of life. [More here] Daily Meditations Team Many hearts, heads, and hands go into creating Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations. We invite you to learn more about the team behind this important CAC program. [More here] #music #HolySaturday #PhilLesh #father #GratefulDead #RobertHunter #JerryGarcia #RobertHunter #JenniferGarciaBashaw #JamesCone #BrianMcLaren #KatArmas #resilience #

ACT ONE: Seeing the light...in the strangest of places... These and other reflections can be pondered here: Once in a While You Get Shown the Light: The Grateful Dead and the Bible - Andrew McCann on Patheos.com The Meaning Behind The Song: Ballad Of Casey Jones by The Grateful Dead [from this article] In conclusion, “Ballad Of Casey Jones” by The Grateful Dead is more than just a song – it is a narrative that explores themes of sacrifice, responsibility, and the transient nature of existence. The captivating storytelling, combined with the mesmerizing music, makes this track a timeless masterpiece that continues to captivate audiences to this day. (more in the above link) Jerry Garcia - David Grisman - Casey Jones (04:10) ACT TWO: Let's move beyond the blame game...and start by facing the person in the mirror... Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror (Official Video) (05:03) ACT THREE: "Forgive US/them...WE/they don't know what WE/they are doing" Brian McLaren invites us to an imaginative experience of the painful reality of scapegoating that occurred on Good Friday: Let’s imagine ourselves with the disciples just before three o’clock on this Friday afternoon. A few of us have come together to talk about what has happened over the last twenty-four hours…. Why was there no other way? Why did this good man—the best we have ever known, the best we have ever imagined—have to face torture and execution as if he were some evil monster? As the hours drag on from noon to nearly three o’clock, we imagine many reasons…. Jesus has told us again and again that God is different from our assumptions. We’ve assumed that God was righteous and pure in a way that makes God hate the unrighteous and impure. But Jesus has told us that God is pure love, so overflowing in goodness that God pours out compassion on the pure and impure alike. He not only has told us of God’s unbounded compassion—he has embodied it every day as we have walked this road with him. In the way he has sat at table with everyone, in the way he has never been afraid to be called a “friend of sinners,” in the way he has touched untouchables and refused to condemn even the most notorious of sinners, he has embodied for us a very different vision of what God is like…. If Jesus is showing us something so radical about God, what is he telling us about ourselves—about human beings and our social and religious institutions? What does it mean when our political leaders and our religious leaders come together to mock and torture and kill God’s messenger?... Is this the only way religions and governments maintain order—by threatening us with pain, shame, and death if we don’t comply? And is this how they unify us—by turning us into a mob that comes together in its shared hatred of the latest failure, loser, rebel, criminal, outcast … or prophet?... What kind of world have we made? What kind of people have we become?... In the middle of the afternoon … even from this distance, we can hear Jesus, “Father, forgive them!” he shouts. “For they don’t know what they are doing.” Forgive them? Forgive us? Our thoughts bring us again to the garden last night, when Jesus asked if there could be any other way. And now it seems clear. There could be no other way to show us what God is truly like. God is not revealed in killing and conquest … in violence and hate. God is revealed in this crucified man—giving of himself to the very last breath, giving and forgiving. And there could be no other way to show us what we are truly like. We do not know what we are doing, indeed. If God is like this, and if we are like this … everything must change. Read this meditation on cac.org. ACT FOUR: More Franciscan Wisdom... First the fall, and then the recovery from the fall, and both are the mercy of God. —Julian of Norwich Richard Rohr - Order, Disorder, Reorder (The Stage of Initiation) (06:42) The Three Boxes [from this meditation] Whenever we’re led out of normalcy into sacred, open space, it’s going to feel like suffering, because it is letting go of what we’re used to. This is always painful at some level. But part of us has to die if we are ever to grow larger (John 12:24). If we’re not willing to let go and die to our small, false self, we won’t enter into any new or sacred space... Let’s think in terms of what I call “the three boxes”:  order > disorder > reorder. While We're Keeping Vigil...outside...or inside...the tombs of our lives and those of our loved ones... Deserving of a separate post, I'm simply passing along these links, as I may not pass this way again... Biblical Symbolics and the Grateful Dead --(a.k.a., "Conversations with the Dead") GRATEFUL DEAD Christian music/Jesus People songs PLAYLIST (28 songs) And this from one of my other early and major influences... #music #GratefulDead #JerryGarcia #DavidGrisman #scapegoat #RichardRohr #MichaelJackson #DwightEisenhower #BrianMcLaren #RamDass

Day 5...Continuing the format, we'll be considering our personal and the larger society's (mis)treatment of...scapegoating of the "strangers among us"... ACT ONE: The Sun shines on EVERYONE...It doesn't make choices... BUT FIRST...I'm offering us a music- and mantra-full message from the woman whose words opened the door to my soul's "music room" in my Kundalini yoga classes at Echo Park in West Hempstead. In "other places" in this blog, I've previously told of this transformative period...So, here's the short story version [Remember this - I can be brief : ))) ] To continue my yoga practice at home, when I'd play Snatam's songs at home, "Yogi YouTube" would offer suggestions in the right frame. There are many versions of this in the universe's online "yoga space"...Today, this one's thumbnail called my name... the sun shines on everyone-el sol brilla para todosSNATAM KAUR-lyrics-traducido (08:17) The Sun Shines on EVERYONE...It doesn't make choices... As I started to say above, my selection of this particular version of Snatam's tune was... "Gratefully" influenced by the important role that children have and continue to play in my transformation... And by my relationships with people from different parts of our sacred world...Key among them are these two here in my backyard. I've previously posted about their influence as we share our lives in the sacred spaces of their living rooms, around their dinner tables, in state parks and other outdoor places... WEBSITE FACEBOOK ACT TWO: Ain't No Time to HATE... "It's the same story the crow told me, it's the only one he knows Like the morning sun you come and like the wind you go Ain't no time to hate, barely time to wait Wo-oh, what I want to know, where does the time go?" --"Uncle John's Band" - Grateful Dead Same song...new singers... FIRST, a high energy, low key, acoustic interpretation... Grateful Dead Acoustic Uncle John's Band (06:55) Grateful Dead 12.26.1969 Dallas, TX Acoustic Set SBD As I see it "with two good eyes"... "12/26/69" - this is from "the second day on Earth" of two saviors: Jerry & Jesus...There were and are more...and will be until we learn AND PRACTICE their message: "Love One Another" NEXT, an Indigenous...Multicultural Interpretation... "It's the same story the crow told me..." "He's come to take his children home..." The Grateful Dead - Uncle John’s Band (1970-71) *NEW VIDEO (04:54) ACT THREE: SEEKING SHELTERS FROM THE STORMS... Dylan's words are used to reflect the plight of people who fight a tyrannical leader in the aftermath of a devastating plague. In a post-apocalyptic world where "it's doom alone that counts," the survivors find "shelter from the storm" in the form of an elderly woman who seeks to rebuild a democratic society. [A comment on this site] Shelter from the Storm-Bob Dylan & The Grateful Dead -live Oakland 1987 (05:04) ACT FOUR: The REX FOUNDATION - GRATEFUL DEAD GIVING BACK WEBSITE ACT FIVE: Perfect LOVE Casts Out Fear Richard Rohr names how fear diminishes our ability to love and forgive: Jesus came to resolve the central and essential problem of hate. We’ve produced so much utopian talk about Jesus and love, we’ve forgotten Jesus had a very hard time getting to the issue of love. First, he had to expose and destroy the phenomenon of hatred. Once he exposed the lie and illusion of hate, love could show itself clearly—and it did. The pattern, unfortunately, remains the same. Hate, it seems, is the ordinary, daily agenda. Love is the way out of this ordinary programming. The Gospels present the dilemma in a personal narrative that grounds the whole issue in history and in one man’s enlightened response to the human situation. Jesus accepts the religious and social judgment of hate and publicly bears the consequences, but in an utterly new and transforming way that reveals new patterns and possibilities. For two thousand years, he has remained the most striking icon of a possible new agenda. His death exposed the lie and the problem. His risen life tells people their lives could have a different story line. He didn’t just give us textbook answers from a distance; he personally walked through the process and said, “Follow me.” I believe fear is almost always behind hate. Sometimes it looks like control, but even then, people are usually just afraid of losing something they think they have. It is almost always unrecognized or unaddressed fear that justifies hatred. The best and most convincing disguise for fear is seeming virtue, or godliness. Then it never looks like fear. It looks like reason, prudence, common sense, intelligence, the need for social order, morality, religion, obedience, justice, or even spirituality. It always works. “Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14, NRSV). What better way to veil vengeance than to call it justice? Only people who have moved beyond their wounded ego and the need to control all outcomes, only those practiced at letting go, can see fear for the impostor that it is. To be trapped inside of our small ego is always to be afraid. Great religion tries its best to free individuals from the tyranny of their small and fragile selves. It always points toward a larger identity that we call the Godself, the True Self, the self “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3), the trustworthy Lover. Healthy and true religion, like Jesus himself modeled, tells us there is Someone we can trust. [1] Jesus came to reveal and resolve the central and essential problem—humanity’s tendency toward fear and hate. Love is the totally enlightened, entirely nonsensical way out of this pattern. Love has to be worked toward, received, and enjoyed; the first move is to recognize our deep capacity for fear and hate. But remember, we gather around the negative space quickly, while we “fall into” love rather slowly, and only with lots of practice at falling. [2] Read this meditation on cac.org. #music #KundaliniYoga #SnatamKaur #EchoPark #Bahai #MulticulturalSolidarity #MCSLI #MLK #MartinLutherKing #GratefulDead #indigenous #BobDylan #RexFoundation #RichardRohr #CAC #CenterForActionAndContemplation #hate #fear #love #Peanuts #Snoopy #CharlieBrown

[SOURCE] ACT ONE: MR. CHARLIE TOLD ME SO Exploring the Lyrics The lyrics of Mr. Charlie poetically depict the tale of racial discrimination and bigotry prevalent in American society during the 1960s. The song portrays a fictional character named Mr. Charlie, representative of an archetypal white authority figure who perpetuates the systemic racism of that era. The line “Mr. Charlie told me so” implies a societal indoctrination that justifies and perpetuates racism. The song goes on to describe the struggles faced by the African American community, emphasizing the importance of unity and overcoming the divide created by race. Through poignant lyrics and a catchy melody, Grateful Dead brings attention to the need for change and social justice, urging listeners to confront the injustices prevalent in society. [more in the article link below] The Meaning Behind The Song: Mr. Charlie by Grateful Dead - OldTimemusic November 13, 2023  / By Kari Middleton "From the mouths of infants and children..." Grateful Dead - Mr Charlie (00:26) Lightning Hopkins' storyteller version of another Charlie...I'll sit forever at the feet of a musician that spins yarns while dispensing tunes... Samuel "Lightnin" Hopkins - Mr. Charlie's Rolling Mill (07:17) Grateful Dead - Mr. Charlie 5-03-72 (03:48) --It's Pigpen's, so I borrowed this vid from another place... ACT TWO: THE CROSS OF RACISM Theologian James Cone (1938–2018) draws a parallel between Jesus’ crucifixion and the lynching of Black Americans: Theologically speaking, Jesus was the “first lynchee,” who foreshadowed all the lynched black bodies on American soil. He was crucified by the same principalities and powers that lynched black people in America. Because God was present with Jesus on the cross and thereby refused to let Satan and death have the last word about his meaning, God was also present at every lynching in the United States. God saw what whites did to innocent and helpless blacks and claimed their suffering as God’s own. God transformed lynched black bodies into the re-crucified body of Christ. Every time a white mob lynched a black person, they lynched Jesus. The lynching tree is the cross in America. When American Christians realize that they can meet Jesus only in the crucified bodies in our midst, they will encounter the real scandal of the cross. God must therefore know in a special way what poor blacks are suffering in America because God’s son was lynched in Jerusalem.… The lynching tree is a metaphor for white America’s crucifixion of black people. It is the window that best reveals the religious meaning of the cross in our land. In this sense, black people are Christ figures, not because they wanted to suffer but because they had no choice. Just as Jesus had no choice in his journey to Calvary, so black people had no choice about being lynched. The evil forces of the Roman state and of white supremacy in America willed it. [1] Jennifer Garcia Bashaw charts a path forward for Christians to stop racial scapegoating: The final step we must take to abolish the scapegoating of Black Americans is to raise up the voices of the victims, to hear their experiences and learn from their resiliency. We need to listen to Black historians and Bible scholars, Black theologians and ethicists, Black social advocates and pastors, Black artists and poets. They will be the lights that lead the church from ignorance to understanding; they will show us how to live into the inclusive and liberating kingdom of God rather than the empire of domination and power…. We have a long way to go before our community resembles the beloved community of Christ. Those of us who have participated in, allowed, or ignored racism must walk the painful road of confession and atonement before we can mend the rift in the body of Christ that we caused…. God’s power does not enslave, or lynch, or choke, or disenfranchise. It preserves life, lifting up the needs and voices of the oppressed and giving them dignity. This is what Jesus did in his life and death and what God’s spirit does in the resurrection and through the message of the Gospels. We who are followers of Jesus must stop our scapegoating and the racism that powers it if we are to walk on that resurrection road behind him. [2] Read this meditation on cac.org. ACT THREE: OF BIBLE BELTS AND ROPES... Referring to the cross, the late James Cone wrote, “Unfortunately, during the course of 2,000 years of Christian history, this symbol of salvation has been detached from any reference to the ongoing suffering and oppression of human beings.” Indeed, the cross has lost much of its original meaning. It’s become a hollow and feel good trinket suitable for all occasions. It can be made in precious gold, adorned with diamonds or left tastefully rustic. It’s the perfect reminder that we’ll never need to suffer because Jesus suffered for us. [More in the next article] Jesus was lynched. Holy Week’s symbols should include a cross and a noose - Baptist News Global ACT FOUR: HANGING AROUND WITH THE WRONG CROWD... This is one of several 2024 posts I've done and am still doing helping me and hopefully others consider what this act in history means...personally and societally... The Cross & Social Justice: “Followers” of Jesus hung Black Bodies from trees… #music #racism #cross #SocialJustice #children #GratefulDead #Pigpen #LightninHopkins #RichardRohr #CAC #CenterForActionAndContemplation #JamesCone

FIRST ACT: WE NEED TO DIE B4 WE CAN REALLY LIVE...LOVE This fits in...stay with me...let's see where the tracks lead...and, please don't blame me...scapegoat me...if you get lost or don't like what you see, hear, read or feel...OR...I GET LOST... As I did on first read, so will you find the Grateful Dead among the gems in this woman's soul-revealing tale...That is, unless: "You have two good eyes, but still can't see..." [see "Appendix" for more] "After all, I'm just following the tracks..." [see "Appendix" at the end...of this post...not the tracks] Her full "report" (review) follows it's link. I recommend spending some time and letting her words...her life...enter ours...So she can tell me her story first hand, I ordered her book. I share these connections with Brieanne: the healing and soul opening provided by Kundalini yoga, writing, Myers-Briggs (I'm an "ENFJ"), and, as the oldest of 7 children, I pushed my parents to their limits...and G-d carried them and me the rest of the way... Book Review: “PurgeAtory” by Brieanne K. Tanner - Lucky Otters Haven A friend I met on Twitter, a young woman named Brieanne Tanner, has had an interesting life.  It’s been a crazy and enlightening journey in every sense. In her first book, PurgeAtory: You Can Purge Your Karma, she tells the story of Liv, a fictional woman whose life experiences are based on Brieanne’s own.  Liv’s memoir-like tale starts with a near-tragedy, the suicide attempt of her sullen and rather antisocial golden-child Kurt Cobain-lookalike brother, Reid.  Liv, an INFJ–introverted, dark, artistic, and introspective–is the scapegoat in her narcissistic family, ignored by her father and constantly berated by her mother who can’t or won’t appreciate her daughter’s unique qualities. A turning point arrives at a party at which Liv is given a date-rape drug and the unthinkable happens.   Liv grows into adolescence hardened and cynical but still open to new experiences.  She’s Gen-X personified–embracing her generation’s ’90s incarnation of who-cares grungy, gothic edginess.  She worships the Cure, the Grateful Dead, and Nirvana, wears loose black clothing, and writes dark angsty poetry. Later, she loses herself (and sometimes finds herself) in music and for awhile, psychedelic drugs–and meets a lot of odd, scary, and unforgettable people along the way.   She suffers great losses and seems to have lived the life of an 80 year old even though she is only in her early 30s. Through a new mentor, Liv finally discovers yoga and begins to write, and finds both of these activities to be cathartic and healing.  She begins to contemplate her own karma and the meaning of everything that has previously happened. I won’t say more about Liv’s story so as not to spoil anything–you just have to read it for yourself.   It’s one woman’s spiritual and emotional journey from an abusive childhood to wellness and wholeness.  It’s about fulfilling one’s destiny and moving on from the limitations of the past without forgetting their lessons.  It’s a story about narcissistic abuse that is so much more than that. PurgeAtory is not long–just 83 pages and even includes a glossary.  It’s a mix of short essays, vignettes, poetry, drawings, and profound and sometimes funny ruminations about loving and living life to the fullest. I recommend this book to all survivors of narcissistic abuse, and all survivors of just having lived life, which is itself a potentially traumatic experience.  You don’t have to be into yoga or Eastern religion or a member of Generation X to appreciate and learn from Brieanne’s message of hope and healing. PurgeAtory is available for purchase on Amazon. SECOND ACT: MOUNTAIN GOATS The Mountain Goats - Ripple - Live Asheville 2013 Grateful Dead cover (03:16) THIRD ACT: ARE WE KIND TO "LOSERS"? "I’ve always thought a hallmark of Hunter’s lyrics was that we can, through them, come to see the world from a point of view other than our own—whether we are taught to empathize with losers or criminals or con men or poets." [from the article] Greatest Stories Ever Told - "Loser" - David Dodd Loser - Grateful Dead (07:02) FOURTH ACT: WHARF RATS...SOBER DEADHEADS... "Strangers stopping strangers..." offering the hand of RECOVERY to various types of "losers"... Want and need help? Click here and other link below... Wharf Rats Website Old man down (note 1) Way down, down by the docks of the city (note 2) Blind and dirty Asked me for a dime, a dime for a cup of coffee I got no dime, but I got some time to hear his story Dead.net All lyrics Grateful Dead - Wharf Rat (09:48) INTERMISSION: Lemme enjoy these tasty connecting "DOTS"... Earlier this morning (Tuesday) as I was in CT in the waiting area of my alternative medicine doctor Perry Perretz, I perused his book table and was led to explore...When much to my surprise...I find myself gazing at this scapegoating cartoon in the March 25th issue of The New Yorker...another sign that I'm following the right tracks, be they steel, concrete or dirt... FOURTH ACT: RED LETTER DAY As in the two previous pots in this Passion Week series, I've included the complete Daily Meditation for today. As I did with yesterday's, I chose to start with Fr. Richard's seeds and see where they lead...FYI - On Palm Sunday, I began with Jerry and his "Palm Sunday" meditation and followed that lead..."SPIRIT, lead on..." As I was highlighting his words below, I saw them as a contemplative version of the traditional way of seeing the "red letters" of Jesus in the newer testament. Father Richard explains the Hebrew scapegoat ritual and how the pattern continues to play out in secular contexts today: In Leviticus 16 we see the brilliant ritualization of what we now call scapegoating, and we should indeed feel sorry for the demonized goat. On the Day of Atonement, a priest laid hands on an “escaping” goat, placing all the sins of the Israelites from the previous year onto the animal. Then the goat was taken out into the wilderness and left there. And the people went home rejoicing, just as European Christians did after burning a supposed heretic at the stake or white Americans did after the lynching of Black men. Whenever the “sinner” is excluded, our ego is delighted and feels relieved and safe—for a while at least. Usually, the illusion only deepens and becomes catatonic, conditioned, and repetitive—because of course, scapegoating did not really work to eliminate the evil in the first place. [1] As a Christian, I do believe that Jesus’ death was a historical breakthrough. It is no accident that Christians date history around his life. Afterward, we could never see things in the same way. The seeds of the gospel were forever planted into human history, but some followers of other religions seem to have “watered the seeds” more than many Christians. It seems to me the Christian West was so destabilized by the gospel that it had to go into “overdrive” to hide its shadow and cover its fear and its need to hate others. All this despite the teachings of its designated God! The central message of Jesus on love of enemies, forgiveness, and care for those at the bottom was supposed to make scapegoating virtually impossible and unthinkable. Many Christians, with utter irony, worshipped Jesus the Scapegoat on Sundays and, on the other six days of the week, made scapegoats of Jews, Muslims, other Christian denominations, heretics, sinners, pagans, the poor, and almost anybody who was not like themselves. One would have thought that Christians who “gazed upon the one they had pierced” (John 19:37) would have gotten the message about how wrong domination, power, and hatred can be. The system has been utterly wrong about their own chosen God figure, yet they continue to trust the system. Scapegoating depends upon a rather sophisticated, but easily learned, ability to compartmentalize, to separate, to divide the world into the pure and the impure. Anthropologically, all religion begins with the creation of the “impure.” Very soon an entire moral system emerges, with taboos, punishments, fears, guilts, and even a priesthood to enforce it. It gives us a sense of order, control, and superiority, which is exactly what the ego wants and the small self demands. The religious genius of Jesus is that he utterly refuses all debt codes, purity codes, and the searching for sinners. He refuses to divide the world into the pure and the impure, much to the chagrin of almost everybody—then and now. [2] Read this meditation on cac.org. "They'll know we are ______________by the company we keep" 'Instead of defining ourselves by what we're against, let's define ourselves by what we're for.' Who are our influencers? APPENDIX: ENDS AND ODDS... Comment found under Serpent Power's "Endless Tunnel" (13:14) "Heard it many times on WNEW FM with Jonathan Schwartz and Rosko. I’m sorry to see those days gone forever. The song presents a good image of today’s world; no leadership everyone just following the tracks to nowhere." On how we see...OR, found this while looking for something else... Hmm...PERHAPS, A Grateful Dead land-based version of those UK blokes and their Yellow Submarine... SOURCE: Deviant Art “Trains, cats, and cards..” - Phil's summary of common GD topics...Listen in: Greatest Stories Ever Told - "Casey Jones" - David Dodd CAUTION: Before crossing the tracks to board...This is NOT Sodor and you are NOT boarding Thomas the Tank Engine....That said, C'mon aboard, strap yerself in and enjoy the ride... Casey Jones Grateful Dead Live at Hollywood Bowl on 1972 06 17 (06:31) And if your eyes are seeing double...better ask your Sugar Magnolia to check out who's the conductor and before you depart, ask him, "Where are you taking me...?" Shining Time Station - Mr. Conductor's Evil Twin - Part 1/2 (13:52) Shining Time Station - Mr. Conductor's Evil Twin - Part 2/2 (14:27) #music #humor #scapegoat #goat #FrRichardRohr #GratefulDead #JerryGarcia #PhilLesh #DavidDodd #SerpentPower #JonathanSchwartz #Rosko #WNEWFM #CAC #CenterForActionAndContemplation #DrPerryPerretz #RobertHunter #BrieanneTanner #MyersBriggs #KundaliniYoga #MountainGoats #WharfRats

FRANKly...there must be music in heaven... Stairway to Heaven (Russian accordion cover) (03:25) STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN (Led Zeppelin) Harp Twins - HARP ROCK (04:51) SUPPOSE WE WANT TO TAKE THE TRAIN...WHICH ONE? E, F, J...? NAW! This one: They encourage dancin' in the aisles... Duke Ellington & Orchestra, Take the A Train, 1943 (colorized) (03:20) WHERE'S THE END OF THE LINE? The Traveling Wilburys - End Of The Line (Official Video) (03:25) LAST STOP... Seinfeld - A Stop at Willoughby (Twilight Zone) (03:25) FOR ALL OF US...WISDOM ALL ALONG LIFE'S STOPS...STEPS... "I Hear Trumpets Blow" "I am not of royalty I'm an ordinary guy From a little family And the riches pass us by No red carpets on the floor Nothing fancy I can show But when we all stand together I hear trumpets blow" The Tokens - I Hear Trumpets Blow - [original STEREO] (03:17) Simple Man - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Lyrics HD (05:50) TRYOUTS FOR HEAVEN'S BANDS Have you sat in with these guys? Perhaps, you'll dedicate it to your only daughter: Eileen Little Girl - Lawrence Welk Show [February 2, 1963] (1:37) Frank, I heard you tried out for other gigs than your original polka guys...How's that comin'?I heard Gabriel put in a good word for you with this group. Louis Armstrong "When The Saints Go Marching In" on The Ed Sullivan Show (03:29) If you get a few free minutes, here are 2 shows I know you'll enjoy: Lawrence Welk The Irish Show 1979 (58:04) The Lawrence Welk Show - Big Band Days - 10-13-1973 (57:42) POSTSCRIPT I thought I was done and then heard the words of this next song's title...Because of present content, I chose this version with an interstellar railroad that stops in the attics of our lives... Pink Floyd - The Great Gig In The Sky [clip HD] (04:45) "Attics"... "Sliiiiiiide" 'Attics Of My Life' by the Barton Hills Choir (04:25) "I have spent my life Seeking all that's still unsung" The Annotated "Attics of My Life" An installment in  The Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics. By David Dodd 1997-98 Research Associate, Music Department, University of California, Santa Cruz David is my SME for taking deep dives into and climbing the heights of the many mystical threads and themes in the Dead's wisdom. I encourage interested travelers to click the above link. Here's a sampling: tastes, lights, hear Hunter uses the senses repeatedly in this lyric, evoking how it is we know "reality," and then counterposing the sensual world to the spiritual realm: the attics--"upstairs"--which contain the inner world of dreams. Hunter seems to be addressing the source of his inspiration, and in this the lyric has similarities to "Ripple" and to "Terrapin". And closed my eyes to see This note from a reader: Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2001 02:01:38From: "rick waters" Hello, I recently found this prayer and was struck by a line that is very similiar to one in 'Attics of my Life'. Is it just coincidental? or do you think there is a possibility that Robert Hunter may have been influenced by this prayer? The line is: "you fill to the full with most beautiful splendor those souls who close their eyes that they may see" it came from this site: http://www.webdesk.com/catholic/prayers/stdenisprayer.html Bye now Thanks, Rick. The prayer is St. Denis's Prayer, a 14th-century poem from St. Denis's The Cloud of Unknowing. #music #humor #Frank #FrankDuffy #Eileen #LawrenceWelk #accordion #HarpTwins #LedZeppelin #DukeEllington #TravelingWilburys #Seinfeld #TwilightZone #Tokens #LynyrdSkynyrd #LouisArmstrong #DavidDodd #BartonHillsChoir #GratefulDead

In this second in this series for Passion Week (a.k.a, "Holy Week), we'll see that both Jesus and the Grateful Dead were comfortable hanging around with and caring for those on the fringes of their societies... "When I left my home and my family I was no more than a boy In the company of strangers In the quiet of the railway station Running scared Laying low, seeking out the poorer quarters Where the ragged people go Looking for the places Only they would know" --The Boxer - Simon & Garfunkel Simon: Well I have an old friend who is coming out to join me tonight... I met him in 1967... I was coming up to the Haight-Ashbury to invite The Grateful Dead to join the Monterey Pop Festival. I knocked on the door of their house, and Bob Weir opened the door... and we've been friends ever since! But actually, this is our first duet! [from the next link] Paul Simon - The Boxer (with Bob Weir) – Outside Lands 2019, San Francisco (08:29) The Unconventional Misfits That Made Up the Grateful Dead...-Newsweek ...and those that followed them... INTERMISSION...SNACK TIME... Grateful Goats: "Make Cheese, Not War" Look at the publication date: TODAY! This is yet another in my ever-expanding occurrences of "I'm amazed...But not surprised"... "After four years of newborns, the Timlakes had up to 13 goats at one point last year. And for many Deadheads, names like Rider, Cosmic Charlie and Iko might start ringing a bell. The farm name pays homage to the Grateful Dead band, and all the goats are named after the group’s songs. Farrell has followed the Grateful Dead, literally while they were on tour, since the 1980s and converted Laurie (his wife) to a Deadhead soon after they met." More at the next link. ‘Be Goatful for What You Have’ — A Deadheads’ Lakebay Goat-Milk Farm Jesus, too, hung around and cared for those on the edges of society...Women, the poor, the powerless, the outsiders... Theologian Jennifer Garcia Bashaw describes how the Gospels are liberating for the excluded and scapegoated: From the inception of the Gospel narratives, we can see that they were not just stories written about a scapegoat—they were stories written by scapegoats…. When the [New Testament] authors told the stories of Jesus’s life or of the early church, they wrote and interpreted from this fringe position. The Gospel writers also focused on the stories of the marginalized…. These were the people Jesus taught, healed, and befriended in his life—the societal victims and outcast people who lived not only on the periphery of the empire but on the periphery of their own culture. The gospel story, then, is a story about a victim, written by victims, and featuring victims. It is good news for victims; it is a scapegoat’s gospel. [1] Jesus’ death on the cross reveals the violence of scapegoating. Jesus willingly becomes a scapegoat to draw attention to the scapegoaters; he submits to death on a cross to draw attention away from the scapegoats.… In his life, Jesus championed women, befriended and healed the poor and the disabled, and welcomed in the outsiders. In his death, Jesus becomes the woman, the infirmed, and the outsider. The Jesus who saved women from society’s shaming was himself publicly shamed, stripped naked, and despised. The Jesus who healed sick and disabled bodies became disabled himself, flesh pierced and torn, weakened and held captive by nails and his failing body.… If Jesus’s life reversed the fate of victims he had met, then his death reverses the fate of future victims. He becomes the scapegoat to end all scapegoats—and exposes the truth that could end human blame and violence once and for all. As they tell the Jesus story, the Gospel writers ensure that followers of Jesus see his scapegoat death for what it is…. They show us the innocence of Jesus so that we might recognize the innocence of all scapegoat victims before it is too late…. After Jesus became a victim on the cross, exposing the scapegoat mechanism and its fatal effects, the story is carried forward by the scapegoats of Jesus’s society. It is the women disciples who discover the tomb (Mark 16:1–8; Matthew 28:1–10; Luke 24:1–11; John 20:1–18) and become the first witnesses to the resurrection and the first evangelists to carry the news to other Jesus-followers. [2] Jesus’ death compels us to join in solidarity with the scapegoated. Bashaw continues: Without a clear comprehension of Jesus’s pattern of life and death, those of us who follow Jesus can unknowingly become the ones who scapegoat rather than the ones who follow the scapegoat. When we enter the story of Jesus with an eye on society’s victims, however, we can grasp more fully the life, ministry, and death of the scapegoat that was supposed to end all scapegoats—Jesus. Maybe then we can stop creating scapegoats and work on their behalf instead. [3] [SOURCE} Who's to Blame? Women, black cats, liberals, conservatives, Jews, Christians...Muslims...and the beat(ing) goes on... The early pilgrims to the USA brought a religious superstition to its shores that resulted in wariness of anything not defined in their worldview. Black cats were among their targets in looking for explanations for disasters. Unfortunately, this irrational belief lingers to this day as black cats are five times more likely to be euthanised and continue to be subjected to horrendous abuse. Scapegoating women is as old as the story of Adam and Eve. Alexis Carrel blamed the shambles and ageing of a post World War I France on women, for they had “ceased to obey the law that binds them to the propagation of the human race.” The Spanish Civil war was blamed on women whose “vaginas had given birth to republican filth.” From the Laws of Manu to early Christian apologists like Tertullian to the Buddhist thinker Santideva, men found solace in blaming women for their desires. Women were called evil and confined to the home, as society needed to be protected. Jack Holland in his book Misogyny: The World’s Oldest Prejudice argues that women are the universal scapegoat of history. Source: Next link Scapegoats: Our Desperate Need to Blame Others - Nicole Conner Stevie Wonder - Superstition (04:27) Sonny&Cher - The Beat Goes On (live) (04:26) #music #humor #Gospel #PassionWeek #HolyWeek #BobWeir #PaulSimon #GratefulDead #scapegoats #goats #SimonAndGarfunkel #TheBoxer #superstition #StevieWonder #SonnyAndCher #RichardRohr #CAC #CenterForActionAndContemplation

"Hear's" the plan...It's Passion Week so I'm planning to post every day...prayerfully, passionately with life-giving words, images and songs...to help us learn to love...beginning with ourselves... "I can tell your future just look what's in your hands (palm)" --Uncle John's Band Pre-show warm ups Before we get too deep and heavy, here's all we need to practice...At their bottom lines, all spiritual traditions worth learning from...tell us to LOVE...First, ourselves...and then others...This reminder section will be repeated in every post this week...I benefit from reminders... "LOVE one another AS we love ourselves..." And, if there's an entrance exam to whatever's next...Here's the final test question: ENTRANCE HYMN: PALM SUNDAY Jerry Garcia Band "Palm Sunday" 3/19/78 (03:56) --with Maria Muldaur, Keith & Donna Godchaux, John Kahn and others Passionate Comments @maxragno9881 3 years ago Every year on Palm Sunday, the first thing I do upon waking is to listen to this song. It’s kind of a tradition for me at this point @saintofcircumstance108 2 years ago Looks like Palm Sunday again. We made it another year, Lord. @qbeedoo6166 2 years ago Lovely...what a privilege and a joy to listen to today...I just emailed it to God and His wife, the Mother of Creation! @michaelmarley6102 3 years ago I was at this show I remember it vividly - it was actually on Palm Sunday Troj, Phil Mark and I made a road trip and stayed at Mark's parents in Squirrel Hill Great show w/ Maria Muldaur throughout and she sang Midnight at the Oasis w/ Jerry grinning the whole time. ENCORE: THE CROWD CRIED OUT FOR MORE... "Palm Sunday" 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 Writer(s): Robert C. Hunter, Jerome J. Garcia JGB-Palm Sunday (02:15) Moments to Contemplate...pause...digest...breathe...imagine... Here, I will be including Richard Rohr's Daily Meditations for Holy Week...More than anyone, he has served as a guide and companion for my journey...Helping me to see more than I saw before... Palm Sunday As Holy Week begins, Richard Rohr reflects on how quickly we tend to transmit our pain to others: Human nature, when seeking power, wants either to play the victim or to create victims of others. In fact, the second follows from the first. Once we start feeling sorry for ourselves, we will soon find someone else to blame, accuse, or attack—and with impunity! It settles the dust quickly, and takes away any immediate shame, guilt, or anxiety. In other words, it works—at least for a while. When we read today’s news, we realize the pattern hasn’t changed much in all of history. Hating, fearing, or diminishing someone else holds us together for some reason. Scapegoating, or the creating of victims, is in our hard wiring. Philosopher René Girard called “the scapegoat mechanism” the central pattern for the creation and maintenance of cultures worldwide since the beginning. [1] The sequence, without being too clever, goes something like this: we compare, we copy, we compete, we conflict, we conspire, we condemn, and we crucify. If we don’t recognize some variation of this pattern within ourselves and put an end to it early on, it’s almost inevitable. That’s why spiritual teachers of any depth will always teach simplicity of lifestyle and freedom from the competitive power game, which is where it all begins. It is probably the only way out of the cycle of violence. It’s hard for us religious people to hear, but the most persistent violence in human history has been “sacralized violence”—violence that we treated as sacred, but which was, in fact, not. Human beings have found a most effective way to legitimate their instinct toward fear and hatred. They imagine they are fearing and hating on behalf of something holy and noble: God, religion, truth, morality, their children, or love of country. It takes away all guilt, and one can even think of oneself as representing the moral high ground or being responsible and prudent as a result. It never occurs to most people that they are becoming what they fear and hate. [2] Therapist Matthias Roberts describes how Jesus defied the scapegoating pattern: Jesus walked willingly into a human world defined—as it still is today—by violence and dependence on scapegoats…. He was murdered not because God wanted or needed his sacrificial death but because as humans, when the stakes are high, we determine who is in and who is out through violence and death. But Jesus … broke the system because what was supposed to happen didn’t. The scapegoat didn’t stay dead. And the victors, in this case, didn’t get to write the only version of the story. The scapegoat came back to life and told a different story, a truer story, a story about life and love. And through his story, Jesus revealed our ideas about God had been wrong all along. God and Jesus are nothing like the violent and vengeful world we live in. [3] References:[1] The scapegoat concept is a key feature of Girard’s thought, especially in Violence and the Sacred (1972), chapter 4; and The Scapegoat (1982), chapter 3. [2] Adapted from Richard Rohr, Things Hidden: Scripture as Spirituality (Cincinnati, OH: Franciscan Media, 2008, 2022), 144–145. [3] Matthias Roberts, Holy Runaways: Rediscovering Faith after Being Burned by Religion (Minneapolis, MN: Broadleaf Books, 2023), 178. Image credit: Benjamin Yazza, Untitled (detail), New Mexico, 2023, photograph, used with permission. Click here to enlarge image. Who do we push outside the circle of our acceptance to sing alone on the branches of a burnt and mangled desert tree? Source for links and references #music #passion #PassionWeek #PalmSunday #JerryGarcia #JerryGarciaBand #RichardRohr #CAC #CenterForActionAndContemplation

This post is my musical way to inquire about the status of the repair to our front storm door's plastic panel...Lemme 'splain... --> Oh, If you're just "hear" for the sounds, there's a link below to a playlist of 11 of them... Background Over a year ago, the plastic panel on our aluminum front storm door started failing... ...It developed a crack...in time, the crack spread... It's at least 27 years old - as that's when we moved in. So, applying my mechanical skills, I first applied Crazy Glue...Lasted a couple of door slams...Next, I applied more glue...then, clear packing tape. "Looks good!" I applauded myself...Slooooowly, the crack spread like the San Andreas Fault... So, more tape...After a year of procrastination (see musical at end), Eileen started inquiring about getting this resolved. According to those she spoke with, due to its Tudor-style oval shape, the panel wasn't repairable and we'd have to buy a complete door...Starting at $2,000. "Wow!" I thought, "That's a lot of latte's and macchiatto's at Witches Brew Coffee House!" This got my wheels turning (a veritable caffeinated epiphany!!!) and I began what became a convoluted search that was rewarded when I finally connected with Chris at the Mr. Glass shop in Seaford, NY. He asked me to bring the panel to his shop and he'd take a look. I did. Despite possible challenges, he said he'd be able to help me. WHEW! Website Foreground Last night, Eileen asked me to follow up on my previous call and find out when the repair would be completed. In a firm but gentle manner, I repeated what I had said the last time she asked me to call...that I would wait for the shop to call me…As I saw it, they were helping us and saving us money and I didn't want to put them under any unnecessary pressure. Today, I had a change of heart…likely helped by my earlier centering prayer meditation time followed by a home Kundalini yoga practice. As I now see it, because of my willingness to agree to Eileen’s request that I follow up again, I was “gifted new eyes to see”…to see a way to do this with fun and song…way better than me putting up a song and dance about doing it “her way”…This change of mind is due to a change of heart on both our parts that’s helping both of us learn new ways to “love one another”… Bob Marley, hear our prayer "I can see clearly now..." One part of this “new way” was using their business website’s contact form to inquire about the repair. I felt this way, I wouldn’t give Chris the extra pressure of hearing the customer’s voice and simultaneously would satisfy Eileen’s request. Around 7 PM, I went out side and spotted a guy across the street and asked him I he'd help me by taking a few photos. Randy was waiting for his daughter to come out of school. I quickly explained the purpose for my gag video and he enthusiastically agreed...even asked if he could take a video. Here's the YouTube link to the video: "I can see clearly now...(00:13) So, a few hours after midnight, I used the contact form on their website to send them my request for a repair update and included this post to put a smile on their faces... Heel marks and heal marks I’m in an ongoing space where I’m being invited to recognize old, established patterns of behavior and change some…with “the wisdom to know the difference “ PLAYLIST (11 tunes)...While you're in the land of cracks and storms and waiting for the light to change... Delay of Pane PROCRASTINATION - The Musical (02:21) "I can see clearly now..." Jimmy Cliff - I Can See Clearly Now (Video Version) (03:20) Goin' Where??? Songs to ease the pains of change...loss... "I'm going where the chilly winds don't blow..." In the haunting ballad "Worried Blues," Bob Dylan takes listeners on a journey through the depths of a troubled mind, exploring themes of anxiety, the longing for freedom, and the fear of abandonment. [article continues here] Worried Blues - Bob Dylan (02:35) Adding this YouTube version so I can include it in the playlist. Bob Dylan - Worried Blues (Studio Outtake - 1962 - Official Audio) (02:39) "I'm goin' where the weather suits my clothes..." Harry Nilsson - Everybody s Talkin Lyrics (02:44) "I'm goin' where the chilly winds don't blow - Take 2 Nina Simone - Chilly Winds Don't Blow (04:05) Chilly winds...Cold rain and snow - Take 3 Grateful Dead - Cold Rain and Snow (Studio Version) (02:27) Windows don't always give us shelter from the storms of life Bob Dylan - Shelter From The Storm (Live 1976) (05:19) "I was gifted new eyes to see..." The Meaning Behind The Song: Budding Trees by Nahko And Medicine For The People As a music enthusiast, I am always on the lookout for songs that captivate me and have a deeper message. One such song that has resonated with me is “Budding Trees” by Nahko And Medicine For The People. I first heard this song on a road trip with friends, and from the moment it started playing, I was hooked. The unique blend of folk, rock, and Native American influences, coupled with the profound lyrics, made this song truly special. “Budding Trees” is the sixth track on their sophomore album, “Dark As Night,” released in 2013. The song holds a significant meaning, as it was written during a crucial period in Nahko’s life. After undergoing LASIK eye surgery to treat his partial blindness, he experienced a newfound appreciation for the world around him. His ability to see clearly for the first time in years inspired him to write about the shift in perspective and the beauty he witnessed. The lyrics encapsulate the transformation Nahko underwent, both physically and emotionally. In the moon of the budding trees, he describes being gifted new eyes to see and acknowledges the various ways in which individuals can exist and evolve. There is a sense of awakening and a call to turn dreams into realities. [more in this article] I got to experience his energies at a Summerstage concert in Central Park. Nahko And Medicine For The People - Budding Trees [Official Music Video] (06:48) Look Out of Any Window... Box Of Rain Lyrics By:Robert Hunter Music By:Phil Lesh Look out of any window Any morning, any evening, any day Maybe the sun is shining Birds are winging, no rain is falling from a heavy sky What do you want me to do To do for you to see you through? For this is all a dream we dreamed one afternoon long ago Walk out of any doorway Feel your way like the day before Maybe you'll find direction Around some corner where it's been waiting to meet you What do you want me to do To watch for you while you're sleeping? Then please don't be surprised when you find me dreaming too Look into any eyes You find by you; you can see clear to another day Maybe been seen before Through other eyes on other days while going home What do you want me to do To do for you to see you through? It's all a dream we dreamed one afternoon long ago Walk into splintered sunlight Inch your way through dead dreams to another land Maybe you're tired and broken Your tongue is twisted with words half spoken and thoughts unclear What do you want me to do To do for you, to see you through? A box of rain will ease the pain and love will see you through Just a box of rain, wind and water Believe it if you need it, if you don't just pass it on Sun and shower, wind and rain In and out the window like a moth before a flame And it's just a box of rain, I don't know who put it there Believe it if you need it or leave it if you dare And it's just a box of rain, or a ribbon for your hair Such a long, long time to be gone and a short time to be there Box of Rain - The Film...Sneak Peek! (02:47) "Maybe you'll find direction around some corner where it's been waiting to meet you..." Box of Rain Trailer (2022) - Grateful Dead Fan Documentary (02:03) While a rough version, I chose it because it was the final song from their final show. And Jerry would leave us just 30 days later... "Such a long, long time to be gone, and a short time to be there"... Grateful Dead - "Box of Rain" (Soldier Field, 7/9/95) (Best Quality) (04:55) A Crack in Time I came down the line Through a crack in time Slipped between two seconds in the night From the shadows I sprang Someone screamed my name And I headed for the morning light Out on the edge I go And god only knows Anything goes down there Black is white when you Run through the night You got to fight somewhere Way down there Where only one thing is real I'll have to do anything To live how I feel Way down there Where only one thing is true I will do anything To get next to you I ran through the street And the sound of my feet Echoed off an empty sky Two and two is five And it's hard to survive No one can tell me Why CALVIN RUSSELL - A Crack In Time -Clip 1990 (06:02) C R A C K S... Leonard Cohen - Anthem (Live in London) (08:27) #music #humor #cracks #MrGlassSouthShore #BobDylan #GratefulDead #HarryNilsson #LeonardCohen #CalvinRussell #NinaSimone #MaryPhillips #Eileen #BobMarley #procrastination #Nahko #MedicineForThePeople #JimmyCliff #EricClapton

My sister Mary asked me to share some of my Grateful Dead paraphernalia with her for a young man she knows named James...James loves the Grateful Dead... So, let's start... JAMES, I hope you have fun and enjoy these photos and songs... RAISING GRATEFUL KIDS Grateful Dead's 'Eyes Of The World' by the BHC with special guest David Gans (05:24) "Monkey and the Engineer" live in Denver, CO - Barton Hills Choir (02:47) 4 year old sings "monkey and the engineer" (02:47) Grateful Dead meet Charlie Brown: Ripple (04:12) More Monkey Business below... MOBILE MESSAGES: On Vehicles One of my hobbies is taking photos of license plates with messages. On back windows... MOBILE MESSAGES: On Body Parts Grateful Dead: "We're Everywhere..." On lawns... At concerts... "Half Step" - a "Grate" Long Island cover band... Later...at the Half Step concert at the nearby LIRR Malverne station with friend Brian: On the court... FYI - Bill Walton is a Deadhead... Bill Walton took some Celtics teammates to a Grateful Dead concert 35 years ago today - USA Today On the Diamond... FLA@SF: Grateful Dead perform national anthem - MLB (02:34) In Healthcare In Houses of Worship In Politics Move over Donkeys and Elephants...Make room for a Dancing Bear... In the Playhouse...the Rock & Roll Playhouse The Music of Grateful Dead for Kids :: 1/26/19 | 12PM ET :: Brooklyn Bowl :: Full Show (1:25:33) --Use the Chapter links to see where the music starts... Finally, in my Basement Playhouse The famous "Ice Cream Kid" His favorite brand: Half Step concert poster - "Grate" Long Island cover band... Gift from my sister Mary Life and Dead My 1965 VW Bus...Coast-to-coast License Plates West Hempstead Book (shelves) of the Dead Replica of my Bus...I repainted it 1970 Cadillac green and added white air scoops at the back (was air-cooled and rear engine) and finished it off with polyurethaned redwood bumpers...No extant photos and we were living life without selfies and social media....Dinosaur age.... And my brother Mike's #music #humor #Mary #Mike #James #GratefulDead #JerryGarcia #LicensePlates #BillWalton #basketball #baseball #BartonHillsChoir #VWBus #HalfStep #MikeCummo #RockAndRollPlayhouse #CharlieBrown #TomAndJerry #BenAndJerry's #CherryGarcia

ArtShare: MUSIC..."Songs We Love" This post describes a presentation called "Songs We Love" sponsored by the Baha'i Fellowship of Long Island, NY on Feb. 24, 2024 at the Baha'i Cultural Center 11 W. Jamaica Ave. Valley Stream NY 11580. Participants were asked to bring a song "that inspires you, has touched your heart or brings you joy." Future monthly themes will rotate among written, visual, performing and musical arts. See flyer at end for info about the next one. Sat. March 16 from 7-8:30 “Be a part of the most powerful creative force in the universe – the connecting of human hearts” --on the event flyer made by member Agnes Wolf WELCOME! Our time together opened as participants shared their perspectives on questions like these: What is music? What does it do for us? How do we use it? Please name some musical instruments. Does anyone here play one – now or previously? How do you/did you feel while playing it? What’s another instrument that we don’t have to make, rent or buy? Name some ways we can use our bodies as instruments… Sing, clap hands, dance… Does a baby in it’s mother’s womb hear sounds & music? Mother’s heartbeat SHARING OUR FAVORITE SONGS At our gathering, I offered some of my personal journey into music. Kundalini yoga class awakened my musical soul. Over 6 years ago, I enrolled in a Kundalini yoga class at Echo Park in West Hempstead, NY. It was sponsored by the Town of Hempstead. During each class, Elena, our teacher, played music by Snatam Kaur, a Sikh musician. I listened to her when I did my home practice. Once Yogi YouTube (a.k.a., Guru Google) learned my listening patterns, I was offered other music to try. This opened the musical parts of my soul to the WHOLE WORLD of musical vibrations... Let's begin our evening sharing our songs that inspire us...touch our hearts...or bring us joy... Note: It was decided to include only the shared songs and not the participants' comments. Some Highlights from our time together: During our evening, many shared a story about why their song was a favorite. One memorable part saw one "audience member" take the mic to sing along to a backing track of an Elvis standard "It's Now or Never." Another fun part was an impromptu conga line forming as "La Cucaracha" was playing. A mom brought her 2 elementary-aged children who shared their favs. The person who shared the Miles Davis number in the first playlist provided us with some musical education...wisdom that also applies in other areas of our lives. See "Music as Conversation" below. Here are two playlists of the songs shared by our enthusiastic participants. Baha'i Community ArtShare: Music (15 videos) On Feb. 24, music lovers came together to share their favorite songs...Different songs...One heart... Baha'i Community ArtShare: Music...After hours (5 videos) This playlist is a continuation of the first one and contains additional songs a few participants offered in case we had extra time. MUSIC AS CONVERSATION Miles Davis said, "It's not the notes you play; it's the notes you don't play." Rather than merely playing the notes on the page, this practice allowed him to reflect on what he wanted to "say"...Simultaneously, it enabled him to "listen" to the other members of the group and play off what they were "saying"...In essence, instead of just following the script, they were having an unrehearsed conversation. Now, imagine this practice being applied in our everyday conversations...at work...at home...wherever we are... Source for these quotes AUGUST RUSH FILM: Music connects us... Listen. Can you hear it? The music. I can hear it everywhere. In the wind... in the air... in the light. It's all around us. All you have to do is open yourself up. All you have to do... is listen... August Rush Opening (01:50) Wizard (Robin Williams): Do you know what music is? Wizard: It's God's little reminder there's something else besides us in this universe. Harmonic connection between all living beings everywhere, even the stars. What is music?: August Rush movie scene MORE MUSICAL Rx: Take as directed...NAW: PRN (nursing term means "AS NEEDED") When can your baby hear you? Mickey Hart - Music to Be Born By (00:48) Alive Inside Official Trailer 1 (2014) - Alzheimer's Documentary HD (02:17) Former Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart (born in Brooklyn, raised on Long Island) has been using music as medicine at both poles of life: Beginning and Ending. Life's Rhythms Reimagined w/ Mickey Hart & Dr. Adam Gazzaley (05:56) From the big bang to cosmic vibrations, Grateful Dead’s Mickey Hart plays the rhythm of the universe – PBS NewsHour (08:26) This next Sikh musician was one of the first I listened to after Snatam Kaur. I was fortunate to see both him and her in concert and did a workshop in NYC with Snatam. There is a thread that runs through GuruGanesha’s music that pulls you towards the raw and beautiful pulse of life. He opens up the warm spaces of his heart, sharing the fragility of life, love and the search for meaning. At 70, he has accessed a new deepness to his voice and a more subtle lyricism to his guitar playing. Influenced by the music of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton, his life of spiritual exploration adds a depth to his songs that transcends genre. GuruGanesha creates music that carries a profound wisdom that only comes with the experience of facing our shadows with love and acceptance. As the founder of Spirit Voyage Records, GuruGanesha helped launch the careers of many of sacred world music’s singers including Snatam Kaur, Jai-Jagdeesh, Mirabai Ceiba, Nirinjan Kaur and more.  His deep love of music inspired him to create a record label devoted to sharing music that can heal and transform people.  His own music carries that heartfelt intention, and this new single is sure to open hearts and create a sense of connection in these unprecedented times. SOURCE: SpiritVoyage.com GuruGanesha Singh - Mysterious Pathway (Official Music Video) (06:26) MUSICAL POSTS Music as Medicine - 1 (2018) There are several other "Music as Medicine - " posts. Additionally, almost EVERY POST in my blog includes #music... ART HELPS REWIRE OUR BRAINS Art Is a Tool for Reorganizing Our Lives: A Conversation With Cognitive Philosopher Alva Noë - Flavorwire "Art, in this definition, is very much like philosophy, and both are preoccupied with 'the ways we are organized and with the possibility of reorganizing ourselves.'” MARCH ArtShare: POETRY & PROSE (Already occurred) Our featured artists are partners...parents...and poets... They each have a Facebook page. Here's an interesting 2018 interview with both. Following their offerings, we'll have an open mic session: Bring your family-friendly poetry or short written piece to share... Hey! I've recently been hanging out in places where poets gather and they're rubbing off on me...I already have a poem of my own to share...A few days ago, I woke up with it...CAN'T WAIT! APRIL ArtShare: Meditative LABYRINTH WALK Please RSVP as shown on the flyer. #Bahai #ArtShare #baby #music #AugustRush #MickeyHart #GuruGaneshaSingh #SnatamKaur #AdamGazzaley #PBSNewsHour #Alzheimers #poetry #TerriMuss #MattPasca #MilesDavis #labyrinth

I needed to find an appropriate tune to provide Furthur inspiration for a whimsical tale involving the Grateful Dead and St. Patrick's Day. Well, the luck of the Irish was with me (I'm half Irish and me mate Eileen is full-blooded ), and my muse married my intention to a "Corker"...Keep on readin'... FYI - My punny title has already been used and copyrighted: I even made a festive QR code for this happy occasion:. It links to me happy tune. Click me, there’s Whiskey in the Jar… Grateful Dead - Whiskey In The Jar (04:17) 3/20/24 UPDATE: See end for Metallica's raucous version, thanks to Witches Brew barista AJ... NOW, this is verifiable SHAM ROCK! CELTIC KNOTS... [from the article below] Although the time of the ancient Celts has long passed, their culture still lives on today. You can find it in how the Celtic nations – Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and a little area of France (Brittany) still celebrate and live their ancient Celtic culture – but you can also find it throughout modern popular culture. Celtic Knots have become one of the most popular ways people celebrate and connect with their Celtic ancestry, from tattoos, jewelry, and pottery, to clothing, accessories, and homewares. These Celtic knot designs are found everywhere. So, what actually is a Celtic knot? A Celtic knot is a woven design with interlaced patterns based on traditional three and four-chord plaits. They have no beginning and no end, which is why many Celtic knot meanings are connected to eternity and eternal life. Are you ready to learn more about the eight traditional variations of the Celtic knot? The 8 Celtic Knots And Their Meanings Wake the Dead Band - A Celtic Take on the Dead Welcome to the WAKE THE DEAD website — home of the World’s Only Celtic All-Star Grateful Dead Jam Band. Since 2000, this hot Northern California septet has been blending Celtic traditional music and the songs of the Grateful Dead—at first impressing the Dead themselves enough for them to release the début CD on Grateful Dead/Arista Records. Now, ever more inventive and ever more energetic, WAKE THE DEAD spreads their reach to embrace the entire Summer of Love, keeping it alive for Deadheads and Celtoids alike as only they can. (SOURCE) Check out their "ghoul" (cool) album artwork: The Band: Cindy Browne — Bass Danny Carnahan — Octave Mandolin, Fiddle, Vocals Kevin Carr — Fiddle, Uilleann Pipes, Galician Pipes Sylvia Herold — Guitar, Vocals Paul Kotapish — Mandolin, Vocals Brian Rice — Percussion, Vocals Wake the Dead: "O'Carolan's Draft" / "Black Muddy River" (07:15) "GUINNESS and the GRATEFUL DEAD" These search words led here...there...and everywhere... And the Guinness World Record for...Goes to... [SOURCE] 2. And here... Guinness & Grateful Dead (00:57) 3. And here... Grateful Dead Perform Longest Song Of Their Career, On This Day In 1974 [Listen] --Article includes an audio track....46:43 minutes of the one song...To locate the "Playing in the Band" track, scroll through the audio player in the article. "Hear's" another way to listen: Playing in the Band (Live at Hec Edmundson Pavillion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA... (46:31) Tales from the Crypt: The Dancing Pint Eileen's nephew Mike Duffy hails from Massachusetts. In the day time he teaches high school...And after hours you can find him strumming his guitar to the delight of friends and family. Here's his most recent release...A fitting tale of fact and blarney... Here's the Spotify link. INTERMISSION...After a Dead show cleanup Bring Out Your Dead - Monty Python And The Holy Grail. Remastered [HD] (01:56) RememBEARing my sister JULIE - my Irish twin... After I posted this tale, my sister Peggy sent this photo of an Irish bear that belonged to another of our sisters - Julie, who's presently caring for all the stuffed animals in heaven...who, in turn, are playing with the children who brought them along. Born 364 days after me, she will always be my Irish twin... In Boston...Basketball is DEAD... Bill Walton took some Celtics teammates to a Grateful Dead concert 35 years ago today - USA Today [from this article] The Grateful Dead took the stage at The Centrum in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Nov. 4, 1985. Band members Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Brent Mydland, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann checked their instruments, ensuring they were ready and then launched into the set opener “Alabama Getaway.” Sitting off to the side on the stage that night were members of the Boston Celtics, including noted Deadhead Bill Walton. Thirty-five years ago, Walton enticed members of the Celtics, including Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Rick Carlisle and Robert Parish among others to attend two Grateful Dead concerts on Nov. 4-5. “Two of my favorite subjects – the Grateful Dead and Boston Celtics,” Walton told USA TODAY Sports on Monday. For Walton, basketball and music are passions, and he ascribes a personal philosophy to both. Grateful Dead ~ Interviews + Bill Walton ~ The Redhead's Been A Deadhead (04:25) Hmmm...Bill as a toddler??? STAY GRATEFUL...EVERY DAY Grateful Dead - "Standing On The Moon" (Boston Garden, 9/26/93) (08:49) POST- GAME FAN EXTRAS The above inclusion of the word "crypt" leads here: The Other One ☮ Grateful Dead, 1977 (07:46) "That's It for the Other One" is a song by American band the Grateful Dead. Released on the band's second studio album Anthem of the Sun, it is made up of four sections—"Cryptical Envelopment", "Quadlibet for Tenderfeet", "The Faster We Go, the Rounder We Get", and "We Leave the Castle". Like other tracks on the album, is a combination of studio and live performances mixed together to create the final product. While the "We Leave the Castle" portion of the song was never performed live by the band, the first three sections were all featured in concert to differing extents. "Cryptical Envelopment", written and sung by Jerry Garcia, was performed from 1967 to 1971, when it was then dropped aside from a select few performances in 1985. "The Faster We Go, the Rounder We Get", written by Bill Kreutzmann and Bob Weir and sung by Weir, became one of the band's most frequently performed songs in concert (usually denoted as simply "The Other One").[2] [Wikipedia] 3/20/24 UPDATE: "HEAR'S" Metallica's raucous version, thanks to Witches Brew barista AJ... At first take, this venue looks like castle walls...Hmm, are they designed that high...to keep something OUT...OR, to keep something in...Let's see... Metallica: Whiskey in the Jar (Slane Castle - Meath, Ireland - June 8, 2019) (06:11) #music #humor #StPatricksDay #MikeDuffy #GratefulDead #WakeTheDead #BillWalton #basketball #BostonCeltics #CelticKnots #MontyPython #Julie #Metallica