If you’ve read my first book, Spirituality Simplified, you know that certain song lyrics have played a key role in my life by both inspiring me and providing important guidance as well. The music of various artists also has served as an important tool for helping me to process negative emotions out of my body. There have, in fact, been many times in my life when just listening to a particular song has brought a flood of tears to my eyes, and yet I really have no clue as to what event(s) in my past may be the source of all that emotion. Based on books like “Dying for A Change” by Will Murtha, however, I’ve come to believe quite strongly that it is absolutely critical for all human beings to fully express their emotions (i.e., let them flow and let them go), so it really doesn’t matter what is coming up to be cleared – what matters is that it is indeed cleared once and for all. And, it’s not only about releasing negative emotion, it’s also about music’s ability to bring happiness and joy to the surface and spring to our steps as well (i.e., dancing).
A key thing about music, though, is that obviously not everyone is drawn to the same type. In my case it happens to be song lyrics and music in the pop/rock-n-roll category, whereas for you it might be something totally different. In the end, what is important is to listen to music that serves to evoke emotions within you that would otherwise remain hidden, as these buried emotions could ultimately express themselves in a negative way physically.
Of all the musical artists I’ve listened to over the years, there is no one whose work has affected me more powerfully than that of the eccentric and innovative Todd Rundgren. If you don’t know of his work it wouldn’t surprise me, for although he’s been in the business for perhaps 50 years he’s not a household name. Nonetheless, he has written hundreds of songs during his career, with several of them having some very profound spiritual messages. One of the most inspirational and thought-provoking of them is called “I Love My Life.” I’ve pasted in the lyrics to this song below and have italicized certain parts that I feel are the most insightful. Click on this link to reach a page on YouTube site where you can access this song. It’s quite a rousing number, which hopefully you’ll enjoy.
I LOVE MY LIFE – Todd Rundgren
Every day I hear the news, seems like people worship pain. All your Oprahs and Donohues, they just can’t explain. As you reap, you shall sow, I looked high, I looked low, now I know that I love my life, I love my life.
I said me and my Creator; we got a funky love thing. It’s happenin’ now and not later, yeah, that’s why I sing. First came thought then came deed, I got caught; now I’m freed. All I need is to love my life, I love my life.
Time, the topic of the summit tonight is T I M E. Time, the thief of hope. Time, the ameliorator of all our endeavors, Time.
What would we do, with Time off our back? We would make this world a perfect place. We would make our lives a perfect play, if not for Time. But I tell you now, Time is an illusion. Time is not real, Time is an illusion. Time is what is the dividing line, between what is true, and what is not true, between what is real, and what is not real, between what is so, and what is not so.
But who? I said who, who stands for time? Who stands at the threshold? Who stands at the threshold of time? Who decides what is true, and what is not true? We do, you and I.
You and I we decide, what is true and what is not true.
But what shall be, our guiding light?
Happiness, I say happiness…
But in a world, I say people in a world, fully of misery. In a world full of sorrow. Why should we be happy? Tell me why should we be happy?
We need a message. We need a message from above. Look over there. Look over here. I can see it; there is beauty in the world. There is beauty, beauty, beauty in the world!
First came thought, then came deed. I got caught, now I’m freed. As you reap, you shall sow.
I looked high, I looked low. Now I know, that I love my life, I love my life!
