Echoes of the Heart Volume 2
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Text: Hazrat Inayat Khan
Words: “Toward the One, the Perfection of Love, Harmony and Beauty, the Only Being, United with All the Illuminated Souls, Who form the Embodiment of the Master, the Spirit of Guidance.”
This Universal Sufism invocation calls forth the Spirit of Guidance, inviting its presence to manifest in those gathered.
Text: Hebrew, Psalm 133:1
Music: Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
Words: “Heenay heenay, mahtov mahtov, umah nahyeem, shevet, shevet aheem gam yahad.”
Translation: “O how good and O how pleasant it is for brothers and for sisters to dwell as one. I shall dwell in God’s house, you shall dwell in God’s house, we shall dwell in God’s house, now and always.”
This piece celebrates the Joy and Grace that accompany spiritual community.
Text: Traditional Latin
Music: Traditional
A 9th century Latin round pleading with the Divine to “Grant Us Peace.”
Text: Traditional Hindu Chant
Music: Anandashram
Words: “Sri Ram, Jai Ram, Jai Jai Ram Om,
Sri Ram, Jai Ram, Jai Jai Ram Om”
Translation: “God, who is at once both truth and power, impersonal and personal, Victory to Thee! Victory, victory to Thee!”
This mantra was shared with Murshid Samuel Lewis by Swami Papa RamDas.
Text: Traditional Islamic
Music: Nickomo Clarke
Words: “Bismillah Ir-Rahman Ir-Rahim”
Translation: “In the name of the One, Who is Compassion and Mercy”
This holy phrase of Islam commits subsequent endeavor to be done in the name of God, Whose essence is mercy and compassion.
Text: Hazrat Inayat Khan
Music: Carol Ann Sokoloff (SOCAN)
Words:
“Awake My Soul to the Call,
To the Call of the Spirit of Guidance.
Awake My Soul to the Call.
To the Call of the Spirit of Guidance.”
The text is based on the Nature Meditations of Inayat Khan, taken from the book and CD set, New Sufi Songs and Dances, http://www.carolsokoloff.com
Text: Hazrat Inayat Khan
Composer: Allaudin William Mathieu
“O Thou the Sustainer of our Bodies, Hearts and Souls,
Bless all that we thankfully receive.
O Thou, the Sustainer of our Bodies, Hearts and Souls,
all that we thankfully receive.”
This version of Hazrat Inayat Khan’s prayer Nazar (from Hebrew meaning “to consecrate”) is sung as a three-voice counterpoint canon. It is an old favorite in the Sufi Ruhaniat branch of Universal Sufism, having been composed by Allaudin, the original director of the Sufi Choir founded in San Francisco in 1969.
Text: Traditional Buddhist Chant
Music: Neil Douglas-Klotz
Words:
“Gate, Gate; Paragate; Parasamgate; Bodhi Svaha.”
Translation:
“Going, Going; Going On; Always Going On Together;
Always becoming Buddha. So Be It!”
This is the final phrase from the Prajna Paramita Hridaya sutra, often called the Heart of Perfect Wisdom sutra. It is a clarion call to awaken the heart both as an individual and as a community, to surrender attachment to the past and future and to be steadfastly open to the Buddha Nature, living in the moment, in the heart.
Text: Universal Sufi
Music: French Folk Tune
Words:
“Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Allah Hu, Allah Hu;
There’s a bodhisatva, there’s a bodhisatva,
Inside me, inside you.”
One of the lighter pieces on the CD, this song celebrates a common thread in the mystical teachings of Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism, namely that within each sentient being there lays the essence of the Enlightened One.
Text: Traditional Arabic
Music: Nickomo
Words:
“Asalaam, Asalaam, Asalaam, Asalaam
Asalaam, Asalaam – Alaykum Asalaam ”
Translation:
“Peace be with you, peace be with you,
Peace be with you – and also with you.”
This beautiful composition by Nickomo calls the hearts of all to peace. You may find more of his work at http://www.nickomoandrasullah.com/
Text: West African Traditional
Arrangement: Gerhard Lipold and Quartet
Words:
“Yemaya asesu, asesu Yemaya
Yemaya asesu, asesu Yemaya
Yemaya olodo, olodo Yemaya
Yemaya olodo, olodo Yemaya”
A song to Yemaya, the Mother Goddess of Yoruba, West Africa, beautiful in its rhythm and in its ability to quicken the soul. This song celebrates the moment when the river reunites with the ocean.
Text: Traditional 9th Century Latin Prayer
Music: Taizé
Words:
“Ubi caritas et amor,
ubi caritas, Deus ibi est.
Translation:
Where loving-kindness and love are together,
Where this love exists,
God is always there.
Text: Traditional Lullaby
Music: Arr. by our Quartet
Words:
Chorus:
“All night, all day, my Lordy,
Angels watchin’ over me, my Lord
All night, all day, angels watchin’ over me.”
Verses:
1. “Now I lay me down to sleep, O Lordy
Angels watchin’ over me my Lord.
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
Angels watchin’ over me.”
2 “If I die before I wake, O Lordy,
Angels watchin’ over me my Lord.
I pray the Lord my soul to take.
Angels watchin’ over me.”
Sung in the Gospel tradition, this lullaby is well known in American churches.
Text: A Hebrew Zikr, i.e. a song of Remembrance
Composer: Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
Words:
“Echad Yachid Umi Yuchad.” Repeat x 4
Translation:
Echad — The One
Yachid — Every single one
Umi Yuchad — Each one joined and united in The One.
Text: Traditional Islamic Zikr
Music: Aslan Scott Sattler
Words:
“La ilaha il Allah Hu, La ilaha il Allah Hu;
La ilaha il Allah Hu, La ilaha il Allah;
Allah, Allah.”
Translation:
“There is nothing in existence that is not of God.
There is no reality but that which is of God;
There is no reality that is separate from the manifestation of God;
There is no reality but God… God… God.”
Before Sifat, manifestation, it is said that the Divine existed as Zat, the unmanifest. We often sing to the Sifat aspect of the Divine that we see, feel and touch with our senses. This Zikr, however, we sing to the Zat, the primal unmanifest presence of the One, with remembrance, gratitude and humility.
Text: Traditional Islamic
Music: Shabda Kahn
Words: “Ishq Allah Mahbood Lillah”
Translation: “God is Love, Lover and Beloved”
To Sufis, the core attribute of the Divine is Love, and the transmission of that divine presence lives within every being. Love is the glue that holds our cells together, and our society and our planet. We often repeat this mantra to remind us to simply be of love.
Source: Traditional Mexican/Aztec Folk Song
Words:
“Altísimo corazón,
altísimo corazón,
altísimo corazón Que floresca!
Que floresca la luz,
Que floresca la luz,
Que floresca la luz, Que floresca!”
Translation:
“Highest Heart,
How you glow!
How glows your light!
How you glow!”
Sung of the Virgin of Guadalupe, this traditional song is beloved in Mexico. It is also a favorite in the Dances of Universal Peace. For more information about the Dances, visit this website: https://www.dancesofuniversalpeace.org/
Text: Multicultural Mantras
Arranger: Aslan Scott Sattler
Words:
Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram
La illaha il Allah
Alleluia
Echad Yachid Umi Yuchad
Translation:
- Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram – Sanskrit for “Divine Truth and Power, Victory, Victory to Thee!”
- La illaha il Allah – There is no reality but God.
- Alleluia – Praise be to God!
- Echad Yachid Umi Yuchad – The One, every single one, each one joined and united in the One.
This medley of mantras is sometimes sung at Sufi gatherings to celebrate the harmony of various spiritual traditions. Each line may be sung in unison or in harmony individually or simultaneously with any or all of the others.
Text: Traditional Latin
Music: Taizé
Words:
“Laudate Omnes Gentes, Laudate Dominum”
Translation:
“Sing praises, all people, Sing praises to the Lord.”
This piece holds great beauty.
Text: Traditional Islamic
Music: Shabda Kahn
Words: “La illaha il Allah Hu”
Translation: “There is nothing that is not of God.”
This three-part zikr reminds all to pause and experience the omnipresence of the Divine.
Composer: Karen Stoke
Words:
“Peace is the world smiling.
Peace is a gentle dove.
Peace is sharing, peace is caring,
Peace is filling the world with love.”
Sometimes the simplest song reflects the clearest message.
Text: Traditional Islamic
Composer: John Sausedo
Arrangement: Aslan Scott Sattler
Words:
La illaha el Allah Hu
La illaha Allah
La illaha el Allah Hu
Ishq Allah mahbood lillah
Translation:
There is only God,
Only The One
There is only God.
God is Love, Lover and Beloved.
Composed in Hawaii, the music of this zikr captures the flavor of the Pacific Ocean and the islands.
Text: Original Hebrew, Psalm 150
Music: Traditional
Words:
Kol HaN‘shama tihalel Ya, Hallelujah!
Translation:
The whole soul prays within the breath of God, Praise God!
Taken from the Psalms, this haunting verse reminds us that we are, in our essence, spiritual beings undertaking this very human journey, this human pilgrimage.
Text: Traditional Tibetan Buddhist Chant
Music: Unknown
Words:
Om Mani Peme Hum
Translation:
Om – the Sacred Cosmic Sound – Invokes the Buddha Nature
Mani – Jewel – Symbolic of compassion and love
Peme – Lotus – Symbolic of Wisdom, Supreme Knowledge
Hum – Union – Indicates the Union of Wisdom and Action
Practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism often use this practice. It invokes the power and the wisdom of the Buddha of Compassion. Great merit lies in its recitation.
The Inayati Quartet is an outgrowth of the Universal Sufi choir formed at Dervish Healing Order retreats held annually since 1996 in Haus Schnede, Germany. Inspired by the teachings of Pir-O-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan, Murshid Samuel L. Lewis and Murshid Sauluddin Barodofsky, the Quartet created these CDs in order to share the beauty of this eclectic holy music with all who have an attunement to the Divine, whatever path they may walk.
The Inayati Quartet May, 2006
Tenor: Jelaluddin Hauke Sturm
Alto: Barbara Valentin
Bass: Aslan Scott Sattler
Soprano: Nuria Maike Krossmann
