I Hear Them All

Ten Thousand Eyes and Hands

Returning from a retreat on ancestral land, I found myself singing a song over and over again. With passion and emphasis. A tune that has become an anthem for me in these challenging days for — well, humanity.

As always: Like, share, comment, buy me a latte (pay for?) a subscription. A little bit of applause or financial support goes a long way with me!

NOW. LISTEN:

---

The tune rocks it. And the lyrics, a mantra, an all inclusive prayer that takes me from outrage and despair to imagination and vision.

WHAT I NEEDED. TODAY.

Boundless compassion: 

From the  “crying of the hungry 
in the deserts where they’re wandering”

To the "crooked wits of tyrants 
when they call”

“I hear them all, I hear them all, I hear them all”

Aspiration:

”I hear leaders quit their lyin’, 
I hear babies quit their cryin’
I hear soldiers quit their dyin’ 
one and all”

“I hear them all, I hear them all, I hear them all”

A Closing Invocation:

"I hear the tender words from Zion, 
I hear Noah's waterfall

See the gentle lamb of Judah 
sleeping at the feet of Buddha

And the prophets from Elijah 
to the old Paiute Wovoka

Take their places at the table
when they're called"

“I hear them all, I hear them all, I hear them all”

---

Topped off with “This Land is Your Land”.
WELL YES. IT IS. OURS. Tell em Pete!

That’s Pete with celebrity admirers 
John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, 
Dave Matthews , Neil Young.  

Yeah, Pete is feeble here; 
he died a few months later. 

And he is juiced/juicing US. 
He never gave up. Nor can we.

---

“As I went walking I saw a sign there,
And on the sign it said “No Trespassing.” 

But on the other side it didn’t say nothing.
That side was made for you and me."

YOU AND ME! You got that right

(Did you notice Pete sings ”No Trespassing
at the beginning AND the end?)

Maybe it had a special meaning for
for him as well?

And not just this land, and not just you and me. 
You see why I had the windows open, 
singing, the steering wheel a drum?

---

---

Above: depiction of Kwan Yin”.
Also known as “Kwan Seum Bosal".

The “bodhisattva”(=mensch!) 
with 10,000 eyes and hands 
to hear the cries of the world.

When I lived at Providence Zen Center 
we chanted “Kwan Seum Bosal”daily
. 
Reaching out with our 
10,000 eyes and hands.

To relieve all suffering and
enter into the heart of compassion.

"To take our places at the table
when we're called."

(and we are. Now.)

“We hear them all, we hear them all, we hear them all.”

---

READ MORE about my life at Providence Zen Center.