Sometime this past summer Jonathan spoke with us about what we think we own and what we really own (nothing). I was immediately reminded of a few songs by a band called, Shelter. The lyricist who penned these songs, Ray Cappo, is Krishna but I find his lyrics to be very similar to Christian values and inspirational.
I also find that sometimes other's words are better than our own so I simply want to share his words here:
Saranagati : Surrender
People in this world actually claim they possess, land and sky and water, but they try to forget, that everything that they build and everything they kill, was handed to them by YOUR free will. Second hand gods, that's all we are. Not creating... manipulating, and leaving the scars. Robbing from the earth and stealing from the trees. Not out of need but greed and false prestige. But it's all YOURS! What can we own? Not family, property,... it's all on loan. But our miserly minds, of "I", "ME", and "MINE", fight in wars for what's not ours so here's my plea for Saranagati, surrender. I'm trying to understand YOU'RE the Supreme Friend. YOU'RE beside me and you guide me like no one else can. Help me see you in everything and everything in YOU; When will I appreciate all that YOU do? Even pain in this world is to help us see the reality of material misery. Please help me transcend, I want it to end. Happiness without YOU, I can only pretend. And cause YOU'RE so kind, YOU give us a mind to choose to love YOU or leave YOU behind. Forgetting reality, we create this duality... and I'm sick of this fallacy... Saranagati, surrender. YOU'RE the roots of creation and we're just some leaves. By fulfilling YOUR desire, we find our relief. Enjoyment apart from YOU just creates more grief. These leaves become dry, we cry, and drop with the breeze. I've tried to gratify my senses, but what have I gained? This so-called pleasure is just a cessation of pain. Fooled myself with love, again and again. Attracted by romance and smashed in the end. Surrounded by people, and left all alone. And even amongst friends I felt far from home. We're one with each other, but YOU'RE different from me. Like a drop from the sea... If we want to be free... Saranagati, surrender.
The loose translation of Saranagati is simply, "The process of surrender"
I first heard these lyrics nearly twenty years ago and I've been trying to work towards that goal ever since.
I wanted to share this with you a while ago, but life got in the way.
