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Christine Morris was inspired by the teachings of Bill Sell during his visit in 2006, and wrote the following song:

Tool Belt Mudra

by Christine Morris

(dedicated to the Albuquerque Shambhala sangha and Bill Sell of Boulder, CO)

____________________________________

Intro: 

Hands have a language all of their own

A language without words

They make shapes in the air and shapes out of stone

They sing and fly like birds

They can pass love notes back and forth

Or be extremely rude

They speak with an accent, strong or soft

Convey your attitude

And when it’s time those hands go to work

For butcher or baker or candy store clerk

And even with work that’s not manual work

Your hands can help there too

Chorus: 

Do the tool belt mudra.

     The tool belt mudra

Do the tool belt mudra

     To help with the work that you do

Verse 1

No, it’s not appendicitis,

     I’m not going for a gun

It’s a movement that the mind makes

     When it sees that there’s work to be done

Repeat Chorus

Verses 2 & 3 (no chorus between)

Now, some tools are very useful

     and others go back on the shelf

I can’t tell you which ones to take for your own—

     You’ve got to find those for yourself.

No, it’s not that it’s a secret,

     Or some treasure that cannot be shown—

But what works well for me might not be right for you

     You’ve got to find out on your own--

     Yeah. the tools that work best

              are those you find on your own

Repeat Chorus

Verse 4

The strap on that old tool belt

     That strap is made of my breath.                                    

It’s always right here with me                     

     And it don’t come off til this body meets death,

No, it won’t come unbuckled til this body meets death

Almost ending coda (to tune of  “Sixteen Tons”):

              You dig 16 tons

                   and what has it got ya?

              Deeper in the heart of a

                   Bodhisattva

              You dig 16 tons…

(repeat x 3)

(Final Chorus into closing: “To help with the work that….)

              You do

              ·

              He do

              ·

              She do

              We do

              They do

              Who do?

              ·

              I do.

Closing: 

You don’t have to stay stuck

 In “shouldn’t you” or “should ya”

If you just keep doing

 The toolbelt mudra.

© 2006 Christine Morris

A Poem by Joan Abend

Your sound awakens an ancient memory

Of what must have been, once upon a time

In Spring and Fall you fly your river route

And my heart remembers those Shambhalian times

When all went rather well

Knowing it cannot be recaptured

I always hope I will be outside

When you fly past

Just to feel that awakening once again!

Song of a Warrior

By

Vicente (JV Marco)
Warrior in the World, February 3, 2008

A muddied diamond has not lost its luster
it glistens peerlessly even within a cocoon of beliefs
a private space, asleep to reality.

There is much labor in holding together an illusion
forcing something to be real, that is not real
an imagined humanity that has no being.

The essence of a warrior was never born
its joy not subject to sensory confusion
the five children of human-ness.

Human-ness without beingness is ignorance
the delusion that concepts are real
a disconnection from immediacy.

Reality does not exist for the warrior
the warrior exists for it
no longer laboring to maintain ignorance.

Shambhala says, a warrior never hesitates
they shine their light on everything
even a pile of shit.

Peek-a-boo           

    By            

Michael Hanauer 

Oh, I have been so far away.

            Absent gone to China-to-China.

Feeling alive experiencing simple joys.

            As I notice what is about me.

Been to China-to-China.

I leaped today oh the invigorating rush.

Saw China again China.

Touching the artistry of intimacy.

            I listened with curiosity.

Found China, China so far away.

I got scared today.  I see that I still am.

            I can work with this.

Boy I like China, China today.

I made a choice.  Set my reaction aside.

            I responded with integrity.

China, China such a big place.

Learn more about meditation and buddhism at shambhala.org
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501 Calle del Pajarito NW, Albuquerque,  NM 87114
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