#Sally Rogers #Claudia Schmidt #folk #traditional #Americana #singer-songwriter #contemporary folk #Appalachian dulcimer
Claudia
Schmidt and Sally Rogers have been weaving their voices, dulcimers, and
guitars together for decades, creating an atmosphere of joy and musical
lushness that audiences find so irresistible, they frequently join
right in. Starting with their soaring
harmonies - "blood harmony" was how one fan described it - fascinating
double dulcimer work, the mix of 6 and 12 string guitars, then brought
together with a wide choice of material encompassing their originals,
traditional, and choice compositions of contemporary songwriters, a
concert by these two masters of their craft is an immensely satisfying
and restorative experience. Time has only deepened and enriched the
music they create together. From: https://sallyrogers.com/concert-booking/sally-and-claudia/
The Navaho term for the spiritual path, their practice of the holy life, has been translated as The Beauty Way. This way of referring to spirituality, when I first encountered it, was so different from the dry, ascetic pursuits of Zen or intensive meditation that I was first attracted to in my 20's, and spoke to the deep heart of the Holy that was so missing from my vision of spirituality, and from my young and undeveloped self at that time. Understanding the spiritual path as The Beauty Way also opened me to the wonder of the Creator's creation that shone with holy light all around me, not only in the natural beauty of nature, but also in the simple beauty of sunrise, of the in and out of my breath, of the breath of my children as they slept. All was Beauty. It took this Navaho prayer to open my heart to the same truth that my Jewish roots, in the deep mysticism of Kabbalah, spoke to as well: there is no where God is not - all of creation is made of the sparks of the Creative.
I offer two short versions of Beauty Way prayers here that their resonance may bless you as they have blessed me.
R. Waldrip prefaced his use of this blessing with a note that seemed appropriate to include here:
"Let me be clear: I didn't write this song. When I saw it at the Anasazi Museum at Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, I was so impressed that I copied it for the introduction of my novel, Anasazi Harvest."
Today I will walk out, today everything evil will leave me,
I will be as I was before, I will have a cool breeze over my body.
I will have a light body, I will be happy forever,
nothing will hinder me.
I walk with beauty before me. I walk with beauty behind me.
I walk with beauty below me. I walk with beauty above me.
I walk with beauty around me. My words will be beautiful.
In beauty all day long may I walk.
Through the returning seasons, may I walk.
On the trail marked with pollen may I walk.
With dew about my feet, may I walk.
With beauty before me may I walk.
With beauty behind me may I walk.
With beauty below me may I walk.
With beauty above me may I walk.
With beauty all around me may I walk.
In old age wandering on a trail of beauty,
lively, may I walk.
In old age wandering on a trail of beauty,
living again, may I walk.
My words will be beautiful.
From: http://www.pathwaysforhealing.com/node/160
