Prayer Wheel

 

‘Prayer Wheel’ is the new collection of songs from Bird Thompson.

Keys to the Prayer Wheel album

Now Available on iTunes, Amazon, and all your favorite digital retailers.

A prayer wheel is a revolving cylinder containing written mantras used by Tibetan Buddhists in praying.  They range from hand-held, like the one on the cover of the CD, to huge installations in rows at monasteries. A compact disc is a prayer wheel of sorts if it contains prayers & mantras & true quotes & songs…

• The 7-line prayer is to Guru Rinpoche, also known as Padmasambhava, the Lotus-born.
  Hung!
  In Orgyen’s land upon its north-west rim
  On lotus, pistil-cup & stem
  Wondrous, supreme mastery you found
  And as the Lotus-born you are renowned
  A ring of many dakinis encircle you
  In your footsteps practicing we follow you
  To grant your blessings come we pray
  Guru Padma Siddhi Hung
• Lovelight started out as “Love Isabel…”. She was a beautiful woman at a Santa Fe plaza free summer concert who had some interest in Tibetan Buddhism…
• Mamafesta is from James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake.  May all finnegans wake!
• Wishes originated from the beginnings of a short-lived love affair.  Presence.
• Anyen Rinpoche once suggested I write a song about samsara in Santa Fe.  I didn’t think about it much until on the way back from Denver one time in my 97 Camry alone…
• Tao is an old song I wrote based on a translation by Witter Bynner of the Chinese.  Verse one. Tao translates to “Way”.
• Nobody Knows is also old.  The little girl’s name was Rain.
• Jai Ma is for Amma, the hugging saint.
• Windhorse is based on an analogy from Rinpoche.  The mind can control the breath.
• Doctor features the mantra of Medicine Buddha: Tayata Om Bekanze Bekanze Maha Bekanze Bekanze Radza Samudgate Soha.
• Tibetan Lovelight is the lyric to Lovelight in Tibetan as read by Lama Gyurme.
• On Your Way is my attempt to put the 6 bardos (intervals) into song: 1.birth to dying 2. dream 3. meditation 4.dying 5. after death 6. on your way to a new birth.