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Please come and join the third quarterly Interfaith Devotional sponsored by the Baha’i Community of the Town of Vienna and the Northern Virginia Family Church on Friday November 20th at 7:30 pm at the Northern Virginia Baha’i Center, 21415 Cardinal Glen Circle, Sterling, Virginia 20164.  The theme for this event is “Gratitude.” 

Representatives from various faiths will share a few words and prayers from their own faiths. There will also be various musicians [including me] who will offer their talents to uplift the spirit of this gathering.
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NoVA Baha'i Center
Please come and invite your friends to this spiritual evening and meet new friends from different faiths and traditions.

For more information please email Rhonda Williams at [music art 2 heal [at] aol [dot] com] or contact me through the contact form and I will email you a phone number you can call.
 
 
I will be performing at the Arlington Prayer Station, 7:30 p.m. on October 12 in a private home.  Contact me for more details or email mitko(at)befriendedstranger(dot)com.

My performance will consist of a musical introduction to grassroots service activities conducted by Baha'is around the world for the spiritual enrichment of their local communities.  I will be playing a mostly acoustic set of my own compositions and a few covers related to study circles, devotional gatherings, children's classes, and junior youth groups.

"Thousands upon thousands, embracing the diversity of the entire human family, are engaged in systematic study of the Creative Word in an environment that is at once serious and uplifting. ... Responding to the inmost longing of every heart to commune with its Maker, they carry out acts of collective worship in diverse settings, uniting with others in prayer, awakening spiritual susceptibilities, and shaping a pattern of life distinguished for its devotional character. ... Aware of the aspirations of the children of the world and their need for spiritual education, they extend their efforts widely to involve ever-growing contingents of participants in classes that become centres of attraction for the young... They assist junior youth to navigate through a crucial stage of their lives and to become empowered to direct their energies toward the advancement of civilization. And with the advantage of a greater abundance of human resources, an increasing number of them are able to express their faith through a rising tide of endeavours that address the needs of humanity in both their spiritual and material dimensions." 

--The Universal House of Justice, April 2008
 
 
My friend and fellow musician Elika Mahony visited my site the other day and pointed out that I haven't blogged in a while.  One reason is that recently I have been going through some mental/emotional/spiritual tests, and I didn't particularly want to broadcast my struggles to the world.  Now that I'm on the other side of this process (whew!), I thought I would try to share some of the fruits.

I recently met a lovely cellist named Jesse (that's a whole other beautiful story) who has as her email signature,

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?” ~ Khalil Gibran

I think this quote captures the essence of my recent experience, and I am grateful to have gone through this difficult time, as it stretched my heart to ultimately make room for more joy, peace, and certitude. 

I wrote a song during the rough period in an effort to release some of the pain.  I didn't finish it at the time, but tonight I filled in what was missing.  Despite the pain expressed here, I wanted to end the song with a note of hope, so I decided to sing one of my favorite prayers over the chorus at the end.  The prayer is by `Abdu'l-Bahá, and the words are: 

O God!  Refresh and gladden my spirit.  Purify my heart.  Illumine my powers.  I lay all my affairs in Thy hand.  Thou art my Guide and my Refuge.  I will no longer be sorrowful and grieved; I will be a happy and joyful being.  O God!  I will no longer be full of anxiety, nor will I let trouble harass me.  I will not dwell on the unpleasant things of life. 

O God!  Thou art more friend to me than I am to myself.  I dedicate myself to Thee, O Lord. 

...and here are the lyrics to the song: 


Freedom of Choice 

my heart is burning
holes in my chest
my mind is churning
over this test

i wish i could
fast forward to when
this will all be gone

take the pain
i'll take the blame
take my heart
break me apart

take my soul
just make it go away
i can't go on

[chorus]
God don't make me choose
'cause either way, I'm sure to lose

my heart is breaking
in anticipation
with undulating
reverberation

shaking, making me
close in, to stop the din

i give in
i give in
i give in
i give in

take me

[chorus]

[chorus with Refresh & Gladden overlaid]
 
 

I've been practicing "What the Fire Is" in preparation for recording the piano and vocal tracks this weekend and for the performance May 30.  It's coming along!  I can't wait to share it with you.  Hopefully we'll get a good recording of it this weekend, and I will be able to post it after its debut at Tiny Planet.

 
 

I just love this prayer and have had the first two lines set to music for weeks along with some of the chord progressions, but I was stuck on the length of the phrases.  I decided to try leaving out some words and phrases so that it would make sense musically.  The prayer is below, and below that, my excerpted version.  I am really excited about this new piece--it will be one of the most complex pieces I have ever written, and very dramatic.


****************************************** 

I know not, O my God, what the Fire is which Thou didst kindle in Thy land. Earth can never cloud its splendor, nor water quench its flame. All the peoples of the world are powerless to resist its force. Great is the blessedness of him that hath drawn nigh unto it, and heard its roaring.

Some, O my God, Thou didst, through Thy strengthening grace, enable to approach it, while others Thou didst keep back by reason of what their hands have wrought in Thy days. Whoso hath hasted towards it and attained unto it hath, in his eagerness to gaze on Thy beauty, yielded his life in Thy path, and ascended unto Thee, wholly detached from aught else except Thyself.

I beseech Thee, O my God, by this Fire which blazeth and rageth in the world of creation, to rend asunder the veils that have hindered me from appearing before the throne of Thy majesty, and from standing at the door of Thy gate. Do Thou ordain for me, O my Lord, every good thing Thou didst send down in Thy Book, and suffer me not to be far removed from the shelter of Thy mercy.

Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful, the Most Generous.

- Bahá'u'lláh

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I know not…what the Fire is
which Thou didst kindle in Thy land.
Earth can never cloud its splendor,
nor water quench its flame.
All the peoples of the world are powerless
to resist its force.
Great is the blessedness of him
that hath drawn nigh unto it, and heard its roaring.

Some…Thou didst…enable to approach it,
while others Thou didst keep back…
Whoso hath hasted towards it
and attained unto it hath,
in his eagerness to gaze on Thy beauty,
yielded his life in Thy path,
and ascended unto Thee,
wholly detached…

I beseech Thee…by this Fire which blazeth
and rageth in the world of creation,
to rend asunder the veils that have hindered me
from appearing before the throne of Thy majesty ….
Do Thou ordain for me…every good thing
Thou didst send down in Thy Book,
and suffer me not to be far removed
from the shelter of Thy mercy.

Powerful art Thou
to do what pleaseth Thee.
Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful,
the Most Generous.