Here I sing, as it is life-force. Here I "hold the sunshine in my lap", my songbook, right where the light of my heart chakra and soul reside. So are the wise words of my ancestors from over 4000 years ago. Some things are timeless.

I sang in the mass choir of 1000 singers at the 15th Canadian-Latvian Song and Dance Festival in Toronto over the summer 2019. Singers from Canada, America, Europe, Australia and of course Latvia. We sang songs of unity, inclusiveness, universal love and of getting through life, the good the hard times. Latvians and the Baltic nations are very small countries wedged between world superpowers. To survive we sing these power songs of the soul. We sing together, in 7 part harmony, in synchronicity. It is natural, pure and the ultimate feeling of connection. It is loving medicine that the universe channels for us to use ourselves and as a group.

Indeed, the universe provides love and guidance; and like a loving mother, she tests us. She does not coddle or gift us. So was the situation in the mass choir performance. A storm, a city block power outage for about 90 minutes of the concert. We continued. The audience continued.

Lec, Saulite! -- Rise, Sun (youtube)

(description from youtube video reposted below)

Rise, Sun!

Composer: Raimonds Tigulis

Lyrics: Rasa Bugavičute-Pēce

Performed at the XV Canadian Latvian Song & Dance Festival, Toronto, July 6, 2019

The lyrics in this song ask the Sun to rise, to teach us clarity of mind & inner strength, & to pierce through the darkness to unite the Latvian people. During the Mass Choir Concert, the entire city block blacked out, & the hall went dark. However, Latvians don’t need microphones, amps, or speakers to share the music they love so much. Lit only by the dim glow of emergency lights powered by backup generators, we sang through the darkness, undeterred, just as our ancestors sang for strength & freedom under the darkness of occupation. Rise, Sun! Pierce the darkness! Unite Latvia!

English Lyrics (trans. Inkflower):

I am the bosom of the Earth

You are my sun

So did the Thunder God decide

The flow of fate

Teach me clarity of mind

Teach me the strength of the Earth

As Fate herself had given

Winding the scroll of life

Rise, Sun, shine brightly!

Adorn the cornfield, adorn the yard

Rise, Sun, pierce the darkness!

Make our land sacred

I am the roof of the sky

You are my Sun

So did the Thunder God decide

The flow of fate Teach me peace of the soul

Teach me the strength of the sky

As Fate herself had given

Winding the scroll of life

Rise, Sun, shine brightly!

Adorn the cornfield, adorn the yard

Rise, Sun, pierce the darkness!

Make our land sacred

Rise, Sun, shine brightly!

Adorn the boy, adorn the girl

Rise, Sun, pierce the darkness!

Unite the Latvian people!

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May you all find clarity of mind, strength of the Earth, as you journey the winding scroll of life.

Let the Sun pierce the darkness! 

Anda :o)