| Dharma
Music at Vajrapani Institute
History
Download
Dharma Music
History
In the pioneer days of
Vajrapani Institute, when George Galt and Diney
Woodsorrel came to stay on the land, they brought their
love of music and dharma with them. The weekly music
nights added an element of delight and relaxation to the
hardworking lifestyle of devotees of Lama Yeshe who were
busy offering their bodies, their wealth and their love
to the creation of this marvelous retreat center. . Lama
Yeshe’s students came from the “Woodstock
Generation” where music was our dharma, so it was only
natural, that after meeting with our Tibetan spiritual
friends, that the dharma would flow out of us in our
natural creative expression: music. A regular highlight
of our retreats was when George and his band would come
and set up in the dining room and play our version of
dharma offerings: music and dancing. What a time of joy
that was!
Over the years,
George’s band, Mostly Human played music for us at our
gala celebrations. On many occasions throughout the
year, George would come by himself to lead sing-a-longs
and we would watch weary retreaters revitalize when they
could make music they love with dharma meanings. When
Ven. Amy Miller was director here, she would request
George to write Long Life Songs for the Lamas when they
were in residence visiting and teaching, and he could
always compose a wonderful dharma song. In the more
recent years, George has been joined by Paula Chichester
and Warren Clark who share the dharma music that has
come to them. And
we also have music now from Columbia when Hamilton and
Fenix sing their version of dharma in Spanish.
At our music nights, we
encourage anyone to sing or play and share their dharma
insights, aspirations and sorrow. It’s so relaxed, no
one cares how “good” it is, it’s the spirit of
freedom and song that we all love. We have such a
collection of songs now, that we decided to put them on
the web, so that other people can enjoy making music or
listening to music that has dharma meanings in the
lyrics. After all, popular music is loved by so many
people, why not put dharma imprints into our minds while
we listen to music that lifts our spirits and soothes
our souls?
Lama Yeshe asked us to
make American Buddhist Culture... and to find our own
way. He told us that Buddhism was not about Tibetan
Culture, and asked us to sift the dharma from the
culture and make it our own. Music is such a large part
of our lives, we love it so, so let’s sing out the
Dharma for all to hear and enjoy!
Let the bodhisattva out into the world... and
PLAY!
If anyone one wants
their dharma music on the web, just send us an mp3 and
we’ll see what we can do... or better yet, come to one
of our music nights, or even better, one of our
retreats, we play music the last night and have so much
FUN! All
the joy of meditation finds its voice in music that
resonates with our hearts.
Download
Dharma Music
Offering
- Songs of an
Aspiring American Buddhist - George Galt and the
Dakiniland Choir
(CLICK HERE FOR
ALBUM INFO)
| TITLE |
DOWNLOAD |
LYRICS |
| Offering
Song |
MP3 |
|
| How
Great it Would be |
MP3 |
Lyrics
|
| Long
Life Song for His Holiness the Dalai Lama |
MP3 |
|
| Quick Return
Song for Ribur Rinpoche |
MP3 |
|
| Shaky
Ground |
MP3 |
Lyrics
|
| Long
Life Song for Kyabje Thubten Zopa Rinpoche |
MP3 |
Lyrics
|
| Quick Return
for Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche |
MP3 |
Lyrics
|
| Don't
know much about emptiness |
MP3 |
|
| From a
Beautiful Land |
MP3 |
|
Root
Recordings-Gifts from the Sky - Paula
Chichester
(CLICK HERE FOR
ALBUM INFO)
|