[Dialogue] question to ponder

Thu Jun 25 12:06:15 CDT 2009

Dear Nancy and Fred,
Congratulations on your anniversary. Thanks for sharing all the other news as well.

I came into the community late enough that I always presumed our singing together came largely from the church tradition.  Part of this assumption was based on the fact that most of our RS-I short courses were straight out of Wesley's instructions on how to sing which are still printed in the front of the Methodist hymnal.

One of my college friends who came to our wedding (the same friend that encouraged me to come to Chicago and take RS-I the first time) came back through the city a few weeks after our wedding.  He told me that we would probably never see each other again (which is so far true) and that he would have nothing more to do with the Institute.  I asked why and he said it was because of the singing at our wedding.  He said that it frightened him.  He said that any group that could sing like that could accomplish anything that they set out to do in the world.  He said that he hadn't recognized that power in any of the singing that was done in his courses, but now that he had experienced the gathered community he was truly frightened, because we could use that power for good or ill and either way, there would be no stopping us.

Years later doing "sounding" work with several different groups I really began to recognize what he was saying in a new way.  Part of what happened in the singing was an attunement of ourselves one to another.  It was interesting to reflect on the difference between the time when we sang before every collegium or meeting and the shape of meetings after we quit doing that.  Not nearly so fine.

I suspect that JWM was perfectly clear on this which only came to me later.  I was working on the Canonical Hours books when he put John Baggett into a room nearby and told him not to come out until he had written at least one song for each of the sections of the Other World Charts.  He came out with many and although the words were good, Joe would reject some because the tune was not right for the sea or whatever.  Late at night (I was permeating then), I would sneek John food and Joe would call whomever was still around to come and try and sing the songs John brought out.  They were heady times.  We all knew that for people coming in for the summer we would have to have songs to help them get ahold of the Other World.

Those are my stories about singing.  I am really glad you are still doing it.  I love putting my congregation through its paces singing the hymns, but it is amazing how much that is there still needs demytholigization.

With love and thanks, Margaret

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Nancy Lanphear 
  To: Colleague Dialogue 
  Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 11:48 PM
  Subject: [Dialogue] question to ponder

  Dear Ones, 

  WHERE DID OUR SINGING AS AN ORDER COME FROM ?  WAS IT THE CHURCH?  WAS IT FROM MOVEMENT BUILDING ACTIVITIES?  One of our Songaians asked that question of us - he had given a tour today and was asked?  Please respond with answers or just your own stories.  I would love to hear from you about a spiritual practice that has opened so many hearts and places of energy, and at times literally kept us alive.

  This has been a big week here at Songaia!  The national Cohousing conference is being held in Seattle this year and the executive director lives here.  He has enlisted most of us to contribute in one or many ways during the week.

  On Monday night we hosted the International Summit group from the conference which translated into 38 folks from the group at dinner in our common house along with the 30 of us Songaians.  Of course we were our authentic selves and had singing, introductions, a birthday celebration with questions, and a fantastic meal -  a joyful time was had by all.

  I led the singing and included Consider Yourself, This Little Light of Mine, and Oh, Mr. Sun and Russian Hymn for the Earth - the first was a song of welcome and the others, in acknowledgement of Summer Solstice and the wonder of gathering as Earthlings.  We ate in honor of communitarians and those who had not yet found themselves enveloped in a welcoming community.  

  Following the meal we celebrated one member's birthday.  His name is Nartano and as he has been so moved by the ritual around each members birthday, he wanted to share the ritual with our guests.  Fred asked the questions of him and then shared words that recognized Nartano's role in the community.  

  We closed the evening by singing the Irish Blessing to our guests.  They left with tears and smiles of joy and hope that if we could share the values of our community lifestyle with the world, it would be a more peaceful place to live.

  Yesterday, Fred was awarded the Geoph Kozeny Award for a life of communitarian activities.  Our friend Geoph died a year ago with cancer.  Fred was so honored to be the first recipient of the award.

  Today, we hosted 40 people who were on a cohousing community bus tour.  They came for lunch and a tour of Songaia.  Again, we sang before lunch, they joined in with great gusto!

  Fred continues to be his spirited, wonderfilled self.  The huge limitations of movement and dextarity frustrate him but he keeps finding new ways to type - he now uses his thumbs and a voice activated computer program.  SINGING here at Songaia and at church is a lifeline for him.  Somehow with his breathing capacity greatly diminished, he still sings with joy and twice as many breaths.  At his ALS diagnosis 1 1/2 years ago, he promised me we would still be together to celebrate the journey of the 2 of us and the life of our family. We are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary on July 4th with family and our community. 

  We are so very grateful to be living in our community of Songaia.  And we are grateful for you,  our spirit community of many years.  Take care and remember that you are all loved, 

  Nancy

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