From the recording Acoustic Remedy
Music by Johnny Schaefer
traditional chant combined with prayer by Marianne Williamson, used by permission
Lyrics
This recording is really what gave rise to my recording an album. I am a cantor at Blessed Sacrament Church in Hollywood, CA. On Pentecost I was singing the Golden Sequence, a beautiful chant sung before the Gospel just on that day which invokes the Holy Spirit. It was written around 1200 AD and has been attributed to the Archbishop of Canterbury. It occurred to me how it was very similar to Marianne Williamson’s beloved opening prayer, “A Way In.” Marianne is a best-selling author and lecturer on spirituality whose wisdom has nurtured my soul for decades. When I laid the prayer next to the chant, I was taken by the similarity in arc and intent. I composed music utilizing instruments from around the world to act as a foundation for the interplay of the chant and the prayer. I use a drone on didgeridoo that on an A throughout to help tie everything together. The key of A is associated with the third eye chakra. At the end, I lift to a B, after a moment of silence, which is the sound of the crown chakra. Marianne often talks of "lifting the vibrations." So, if the drone represents the earthly vibrations of this life, we are lifted up through meditation and prayer and the Holy Spirit's answer to our invitation. The result is contemplative and transformative music that I think will truly move people. Be sure to watch Michael Canyon Drebert's exquisite video.
Track 13: Invocation: The Golden Sequence and "A Way In" featuring Marianne Williamson
Marianne Williamson: "A Way In"
Johnny Schaefer: The Golden Sequence
circa 1200 AD, attributed to the Archbishop of Canterbury
Come, thou Holy Spirit, Come And from thy celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine
We see in the middle of our mind
a little ball of golden light
and we watch this light as it begins to grow
larger and larger
until now it covers the entire inner vision of our mind
Come, thou Father of the poor, Come, thou source of all our store
Come within our bosoms shine
And we see for ourselves within this light a beautiful temple
Thou of comforters the best;
Thou, the souls most welcome guest
and we see a garden that surrounds the temple
and a body of water that flows through the garden
Sweet refreshment here below
In our labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.
We see that the inside of the temple is lit
by this same beautiful golden light
shed a ray of light divine
larger and larger
O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of thine
And our in-most being fill
and here we are
for we have been drawn together
by the power and in the presence of God
Where thou art not man hath naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
We devote our time spent together
all of our relationships to one another
and our experiences of each other to Him
Nothing free from taint of ill
and we ask that His most Holy Spirit
enter into the deepest regions of our thoughts
and our feelings
Heal our wounds , our strength renew
On our dryness pour thy dew
Wash the stains of guilt away
and lift us up above and beyond the limitations,
the fears and the thought forms of this world
Bend the stubborn heart and will
Melt the frozen, warm the chill
Guide the steps that go astray
Rearranging our perceptions
On the faithful who adore and confess thee evermore
In thy seven-fold gift descend
to the love and to the peace that lay beyond
Give them virtue's sure reward,
Give them thy salvation, Lord
May we become happier, more peaceful, more loving human beings
Give them joys that never end.
And so it is
Together we all say
Amen
Amen, Alleluia
©2012-Johnny Schaefer, Auditory Verve Music, ASCAP
Marianne Williamson’s recordings and materials are used with gratitude by permission and are the sole property of Ms. Williamson. To learn more about her work, visit www.marianne.com © 1983, 2013 Marianne Williamson
Michael Canyon Drebert's terrific video is a Milenia production. www.milenia.com