Spirit in Action
The Freedom Song of Sara Thomsen
Sara Thomsen is strongly called to heal the world through her music. One of her songs, "Is It For Freedom", has been heard repeatedly on Democracy Now, because of its poignant call for our nation's self-examination following 9-11. Her concerns are wide - women, LGBT issues, care for creation, peace and more - and she writes and sings with soul-deep sensitivity.
All the songs in this program are performed by Sara Thomsen
- Broadcast on:
- 13 Sep 2009
- Audio Format:
- other
[music] Let us sing this song for the healing of the world that we may hear as one with every voice of every song We will move this world home and our lives will feel the echo of our healing Welcome to Spirit in Action. My name is Mark Helpes Me. Each week, I'll be bringing you stories of people living lives of fruitful service, of peace, community, compassion, creative action and progressive efforts. I'll be tracing the spiritual roots that support and nourish them in their service, hoping to inspire and encourage you to sink deep roots and produce sacred fruit in your own life. Let us sing this song for the dreaming of the world that we may dream as one with every voice of every song We will move this world home. Today for Spirit in Action, I welcome back singer-songwriter Sarah Thompson. She's been my guest for a song of the soul in the past, and it was a deep, wonderful visit, and I thought it was especially appropriate to invite her to join me for Spirit in Action, because I use Sarah's recording of Turning of the World as my theme song for this program. Her music covers the gamut, leading us to a life of peace, equality, healing, hope and wholeness, and it's a delight to join her by phone from the Duluth Superior Region. Sarah, it's so good to have you back today for Spirit in Action. Well, it's great to be here. Thanks for having me. Last time you were with us, it was for song of the soul, which I hope all of our listeners go back and listen to that. But so much of your music speaks of how we're going to heal the world, how we're going to improve it, a world view that can lead to improvements in this world. And I want to start off right now by saying thank you. I'm using a portion of your song, Turning of the World, for Spirit in Action. So people, as this program started up, we're listening to your wonderful voice. So thank you for that gift from my program. Yes, and thank you to Ruth Pelham, the author of that song. I've recorded it, and it's a woman in New York that does great music as well that wrote that song. But it took someone from the Midwest to make it perfect, I think. Oh, well, thanks for that compliment. I think of you, especially after having had my experience of interviewing you for song of the soul, I think of you as a spiritual person working in the world. So many of your songs, as I said, do talk about ways to heal the world. Do you do a lot of benefits and fundraisers, that kind of thing, for worthy causes? I do end up doing a lot of that. Yeah, I think, I mean, there's just so many good things happening on the news we're always hearing about. They're not so good, but there really are just so many organizations and people working on all these issues, and I think bringing the arts and bringing music into sort of help draw awareness to those things is definitely something I've kind of in the roots of all my music making has always been there. What's the most recent fundraising or benefit kind of thing that you did to help out something in the world? Probably I direct this choir in Duluth called Echo the Peace Choir, so we do two major concerts a year, and so last spring was our last biggest concert, and the benefit actually went for a group of individuals from Duluth that are forming this sort of a sister-city friendship relationship with a city in Iraq. So they were raising funds to actually go to Iraq and create this relationship, and then eventually the dream down the road is to have a group of people come back to Duluth from there. So the answer was raising awareness of that issue, so that's the most recent. But there's so many of them I'm sure. Yeah, like come up all the time. Yeah, the choir often will sing at just, you know, we've sang at a walk for breast cancer awareness. For instance, we'd show up for that. Actually this coming weekend I sing at the Harvest Festival that happens in Duluth, and that's about raising awareness, about living ecologically, sustainably, and so things come up all the time. I don't always even remember sometimes that I've, oh yeah, that's right, I just sang at that for this or that event. Well let's start off with your music that speaks of some of the causes that you want to hold up, that you want to help heal the world in. Where would you like to start off in terms of your concerns for the world? Well, I guess maybe starting with a personal story, which often is where things are always branch out from the personal to the bigger picture. There's a song that's more of a walt, kind of a country waltz that you could say, but also a lament or kind of a raising awareness about the issue of gay lesbian, transgender love and relationships, in particular for my experience as a lesbian and being in relationship with someone, this song springs from that. That would be a place to start to share that song. This is Forbidden Love, it's by my guest for today's Spirit in Action, Sarah Thompson. "Kiss is stolen in empty hallway, not another soul, but a round. Songs about love and passion are heard of, song softly, there's a snowfall down. Oh love, forbidden, kiss it, hidden from you, love me, my love for you. Mama, oh papa, would miss understand, wonder what that I'm known. Mama, it cries if something had died, no papa, would try to be strong, oh papa, would try to be strong, oh love, forbidden, kiss it, hidden from you, love me, my love for you. Oh papa, oh papa, would try to be strong, oh papa, would try to be strong, oh papa, would try to be strong, oh love, forbidden, kiss it, hidden from you, love me, my love for you. Preacher loves a son of love, hates the sin, amazing grace, how sweet the sound, oh love was wonder what's wrong with them, oh love was wonder what's wrong with them, oh love was wonder what's wrong with them. Oh once was love, but now I'm found, once was love, but now I'm found, oh love, forbidden, kiss it, hidden from you, love me, my love for you. I'm found, hidden from you, love for me, my love for you, love me, my love for you. You know Sarah of course you got it wrong, it's supposed to be love, forbidden, but you got it backwards, are you just a radical in everything you do? I also thought that with respect to choosing a country music twang to talk about lesbian gay by trans issues, that's like the last place that I thought that people would go musically to talk about such issues, that's supposed to be the community that's completely unresponsive and wants to pass the amendment saying it's one man, one woman, did you consciously choose the country music venue to talk about this issue? Actually not at all, I mean that's interesting to think about, it just came out as a waltz, one thing that's interesting, this song was written years ago, it came out on my most recent album which came out in 2008, but I wrote the song way back before I even recorded my first album which was in 1995, so there's a space of 13 years before I sort of let this song out in a more public way, and the song it just came out as a country waltz, and I don't know how that happened, but it took me 13 years to even say okay I can put this on an album and put it out there in the world, not a big deal, but it was when I first was coming out it wasn't something I felt comfortable just putting on my first album. I think that situation has certainly gotten less threatening for lesbian gays by compared to what it was 13 years ago or whenever, but I still think it must open you to some scrutiny, to some, perhaps, derision from people, do you end up receiving that yourself personally? You said this was on a personal note, and you have lines in the thing like "Mama Papa would misunderstand, wonder where they went wrong," is that your history and do you actually get flak for speaking openly about your relationship? You know, it is definitely written from my personal experience, and yet in sharing the song I haven't gotten that much flak, I mean maybe there's flak going on that I don't hear about, but it's actually kind of been more of a growth area for me to be like, okay, like this is also my, you know, I'm so much more able to stand up at a peace rally or an anti-war rally and speak out or sing out about all these various issues, and it was just a sort of realization at some point, like, wow, but it's so hard for me to like, you know, kind of be more open and out about this is who I am, and I think that was a gradual thing, it's just more comfortable for me now, and yet probably the hardest places are in places where you know it's least accepted. It's easy for me and the community up here in Duluth where I just feel very opening and accepting place and sort of the circles I walk in, but there has been struggle in family connections, and yet there's been a lot of growth and surprise for me in that area as well as to how accepting in ways people have moved and being more accepting over the years. So I think as I grow in my ability to just be kind of out there and being out isn't, it's such an interesting thing because it isn't like I see myself as a major activist in that area, but when you're that person who for whatever reason there's people are putting in a box or a society has these oppressive rules or ideas about, then you just by saying, hello, here I am, this is who I am, you are. Being an activist just by simply showing up and being, quote, out, I guess I've learned that more and more, and so it's just singing that song is kind of a spiritual and activist piece for me. I think you're also an activist in terms of asserting the quality of women, and you've got music about that, I think you want to include one on that today? Yeah, there's a song I wrote, and actually was the song came about because it was commissioned to write it for a women's college in Minnesota that would celebrate women's history months every year and have different themes, and this theme that year was a woman's place in the world. So this song came about my reflecting on that, and certainly throughout my life I've had strong family role models. I grew up thinking women were in charge, and it was later on that I realized the bigger picture of it wasn't always seen that way. So anyway, the woman's place song really, for me also is a celebration of who and what we can be, and there's so much joy that's also in that song. There's other songs I'll share that are, that definitely are more, the lament is in there, but this also I think it's just such a joy to be able to celebrate who and what we can be and who we are. I am a woman, and my place is in the hole, and my hole is a whole wide world. [music] We are world shapers, we are chains, angel makers, we are bodies spinning clay, we are dreamers of a new day. We are asking questions, we are opening up the door, we are searching finding answers, we are wisdom seeking more. We are revising a teacher, professor poet, preacher, driving buses, studying air, we are away, we are women, we are sweeping the heart, we are dreaming in the dark, we are weaving at the loon, we are the rhythms of the moon, we are world shapers, we are chains, angel makers, we are tenders of the earth, we are women, we are women. We are packing lunches, we are sewing the clothes you wear, we are sleeping on park benches, we are kneeling down in prayer, doctor, dancer, scientist, carpenter and journalist, telling stories or rocking chairs, we are away, we are women, we are stirring the pot, we are keeping the fire hot, we are holding a child's hand, we are the rhythms of the land, we are world shapers, we are chains, angel makers, we are bodies spinning clay, we are dreamers of a new day. We are laughing, crying, we are taking the time to play, we are singing, we are saying, we are making our own way, politician, volunteer, refugee and engineer, in the streets and on the air, we are away. [Music] We are world shapers, we are chains, angel makers, we are potters spinning clay, we are dreamers of a new day, we are rule breakers, we are home makers, we are healers of the earth, we are midwives at the blood earth, we are women, and our place is in the home, and our home is a whole wide world. The song was "A Woman's Place" by Sarah Thompson, who is with us here today for spirit and action. Sarah, I am a bit older than you, I probably, I forget what I am, 15 years older than you, so I have seen a really remarkable change in terms of women's equality in my lifetime. From your perspective, how equal do men and women look? That song, as you said, is joyful because the quality is, I think, in this country significantly attained. Yeah, I think, I mean, I definitely feel that there's obviously still things to work towards, and actually in some ways I feel like what's happening now is there was all this women reaching the equality of men, and I think maybe there's a shift now happening of women realizing and men realizing that a lot of the feminine and female qualities are something that are needed more so now than ever, and so really, maybe a shift the other way of men becoming more, taking on roles that are sort of stereotypically feminine of caretaker and tender. Actually, a lot of them came up in that song, so the tenders of the fire and healers, women and men both have them, but they've been not as upheld as being so important and so needed in these days and times. So one of the things I really feel women in my age, especially just to look back at the history of what has happened, to remember that all these steps, who shoulders we stand on, all the changes that have happened, I think sometimes it's so easy to forget all the change, and I try to remember that. Well, another area where I know that you're very active is in a concern with peace. That, of course, can happen on many levels. It can happen in personal relationships and in the community and the wider world as well. And I think you're pretty well known, I think, across the U.S. for one of your songs about that. You want to tell us about it? Well, this particular song, it's the title, is it for freedom? And I wrote it, I was living at the time here in Duluth at one of the Catholic worker houses. And there was a few friends that during that time had gone with Cathy Kelliana, voices in the wilderness, now they have a new name, voices of creative non-violence, I think, but that we're taking U.S. citizens to Iraq to witness the impact of the sanctions. So it was when these friends came back and they were telling stories about that and having met the people there in Iraq and hearing stories and looking at what our foreign policy was doing. And so this song was inspired by hearing their stories and kind of putting it together in this way. And that song has been used, especially Amy Goodman on Democracy Now has played it quite a bit. So that's how I think it became more well known here, and especially during the Iraq war was played even more, and still it's still relevant today. It's definitely a prayer for peace, a plea of do we care about this issue, do we see the impact it has, and is it really for freedom that we're going to war and imposing these sanctions? So how did you connect up with Amy Goodman to get her to play your song? Well, that's a bit of a mystery. I think a listener passed along to her. I think she might have even just gotten a copy of a copy because one day I was in the coop in Duluth and someone said, "Hey, you're supposed to call Amy Goodman. She's trying to find you because she's playing your song and didn't know how to get a hold of me." So I guess she'd said on one of the shows. And that's by Sarah Thompson, if anybody knows who he is. So I found out from someone at the coop in Duluth that she'd been playing it, and then I did contact them and sent them an original copy. So I think the song just got passed around from kind of word of mouth and ended up in their lap. The song is "Is It For Freedom?" and it's by Sarah Thompson. Rulers of the nations as you fuss and fight. Over who owns the sword that knew has the right. To design, build a cell and store and fire. All the bombs and guns to defend your holy empire. There are children, hungry children, sick and dying. There are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, crying. There are only pawns in your play of power and corruption. Slowly starve them your new weapon of mass destruction. And prove to me, America, that you care. And prove to me, America, that you're aware. Who's dying for your freedom in this land? Who pays the cost for the liberties you demand? Is it for freedom or our comfort and convenience? Is it a profit for big business we pledge our allegiance? Are we prisoners in the land of the brave and the bold? Held by indifference or hearts grown hard and cold? And prove to me, America, that you care. And prove to me, America, you're aware. Who's dying for your freedom in this land? Who pays the cost for the liberties you demand? Children of the world you have the right To sing and dance, run and play let your dreams take flight As the innocent die, your rulers carry the shame. And if we stand idly by, we share in the blame. And oh, America, do we care? Oh, America, are we aware? Who's dying for our comfort in this land? Who pays the cost for the convenience we demand? Children of the world you have the right To sing and dance, run and play let your dreams take flight Is it for freedom by Sarah Thompson? Hear this and other programs again, find links to our guests and post comments On our website, northernspiritradio.org We are talking with singer-songwriter Sarah Thompson, including about her song So often played by Amy Goodman of Democracy Now, is it for freedom? And it's pretty clear, Sarah, in that song from the way you phrase your questions That you don't think it's for freedom, that it's for material profit, it's for our way of life So I guess you're offering a critique of our lifestyle as well, aren't you? Yeah, yeah, it does definitely raise those questions and critique the lifestyle of the comfort And the convenience of just taking oil, for example, and the convenience of being able to have cheap gasoline And I think that runs across to other issues as well There's a lot of just comfort and convenience that we want and expect I think in this country, and then that not only in the situation with Iraq, but I think in Central America And other places where our demand for products and for cheaper products end up causing these conflicts and wars So it definitely is a critique of that system I'm going to give you an opportunity to dash my hopes here Please tell me that you do not drive an SUV I do not I'm relieved, I was so afraid, you know, people sometimes maintain one persona There have been questions that came up about Al Gore who, you know, inconvenient truth But then he's got an immense sprawling mansion using all kinds of electricity At least that's one piece of news that I heard, so it's not always easy to be completely consistent with the values that we espouse So I'm glad to hear you don't drive the SUV You know, that song could be interpreted as being anti-capitalistic It certainly talks about the American way of life which is so steeped in sometimes mindless capitalism And of course, you know, the Michael Moore movie is coming out shortly Addressing the issues of capitalism What are your views on that? I mean, you're up there singing in front of people and you're trying to influence their beliefs What are yours? For me, it's the element of greed and the greed for profit at all costs Which, it's hard for me to know, could there be a more compassionate capitalism, a for-profit system Like, I'm up there singing and I also have my CDs that I sell afterwards You know, like, I'm hoping that people will come up afterwards And buy a CD or two, so I can keep doing the work I do So there's obvious reasons to create capital and to create products But I think there could be just a new visioning of what that means I think that it's the greed and the for-profit-ism at all costs That's the problem and it seems, is that inherent in capitalism It seems to be, it seems to be here and yet maybe there's a way of creating business That's more socially conscious, that can still work in some of the ways that capitalism has worked I don't know, it's good question And I'm not really expecting you to be an economist or have in-depth studied these things But certainly that's an issue that you must run into You're standing up in front of people and you're talking about issues And someone comes up to say, well did you study supply side this and that? Yeah, well that's never happened There has been this song, the Is It For Freedom song, is probably the one where I've had someone come up upset And it's more to do about people are upset if they have someone serving in the military And thinking that you're speaking out in this way is really not being supportive of folks that are serving in the military And for me, it completely contrary to that, in that we need to speak out as a way of supporting folks who have put their lives on the line If we believe it's being done in reasons that are not just A lot of that going around, far too much, but I think one of my views is to treat more compassionately people I disagree with Because one day I was in their shoes or maybe the next day I will be in their shoes And to ask it as a question as you did in that song seems to me the compassionate way of doing it So I want to thank you for that I do agree that our work is ever, ever widening our ability to have compassion for those who it might be most difficult So I agree, I agree with you, so we will always have something to work on with that assignment Of course, the whole involvement of the US in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq has been distressing, maybe depressing How do you keep up a positive point of view when you're thinking about really heavy things like that? For me it's finding two things come to mind, finding time for my own quiet renewal Which oftentimes happens for me just being out with the trees and out in nature and having some quiet moments to replenish As well as having time, taking time to hear stories of what are changed that is happening People are really making positive efforts towards doing things in new ways Sources like Yes magazine, if you know that magazine that is just full of like here Here's some news about what people are doing to be creative and make change in the world So connecting with the communities and getting news from those places that people are actually working on Things in real positive ways and that kind of keeps my spirits up Finding that quiet community of just going inward and then connecting with the folks that are out there doing the work And when you talk about getting inspiration and healing from nature That makes me think of one of your songs, would it be appropriate for you to share today? God bless the grass? Yes that I definitely would love to share that song, it's a Melvina Reynolds song she wrote it And for me the metaphor that she describes in that song has always been a powerful symbol for me The grass growing up through the concrete and it's just for me speaks to the power of that fragile blade And we can think of our own individual efforts when we speak out or make an impact in any area towards healing It's like that blade of grass that breaks through the power of the concrete and is even more powerful than the cement, so God bless the grass that grows through the cracks They roll the concrete over it and try to keep it back The concrete gets tired of what it has to do It breaks and it buckles and the grass grows through And God bless the grass God bless the truth, it fights toward the sun They roll the lies over it and think that it is done It moves through the ground, reaches for the air And after a while it's growing everywhere, and God bless the grass God bless the grass that grows through cement, it's green and it's tender and it's easily bent And after a while it lifts up its head, for the grass is living and the cement is dead And God bless the grass God bless the grass that's gentle and low, it's roots, they are deep and it's will is to grow God bless the truth, a friend of the poor, and the wild grass growing at the poor one's door And God bless the grass God bless the grass, performed by Sarah Thompson, it's a Malbino Reynolds song originally I'm guessing Sarah that you identify with the grass as opposed to with the concrete Is that fair? That is fair This might be an appropriate time to talk a little bit about your spirituality, religious history Your concerns for peace and justice, is that something you were raised with religiously, spiritually in your home? And is it a big part of your home now with Paula? Yeah, it was definitely, I feel like my spiritual upbringing, which was, as you mentioned, in the Lutheran Church I grew up in South Dakota and where my folks still are I mean, I definitely picked up through the stories of how Jesus went about living his life That care for people whose society is neglecting and is just something you do And so that, you know, just hearing those stories going up I think my folks might see I've maybe gone more to an extreme than what they thought You might be needing to tend to with peace and justice issues But really I see my roots definitely came from those stories and also the way my folks definitely tried to, in their way And still do, like my mom and dad weekly take an elder who can't get his groceries by himself They have a weekly time, they go and pick this fellow up and they go get groceries And, you know, like that to me is an act of care and healing and justice It's that peace that we take care of each other And so I learned that from my folks and so I think that what I do today is just to grow off of that That I learned growing up and in my home now, near Duluth, actually we're in south range, Wisconsin is where our house is And we work in Duluth a lot of the time But it's definitely a piece of what we both do individually and together Paula will come And she sings as well, so we will often be sharing our beliefs through song or our inspirations To try to inspire others to be or do whatever it is they're meant to do through song And Paula also teaches at the university in Duluth and sometimes will be sharing through our two different types of work You know, co-leading and workshops and all the music and show stories through her work as a psychology professor So it's in our home and it's in the work we do separately and together And we're most excited this summer about the little vegetable garden, 30 feet by 50 foot vegetable garden And we put in to grow our own food this summer, so that was one of the happy home stories of trying to make a difference in a small way I assume that you're happy about that garden because you're so able to feed all of the local fauna We actually, the first thing we did when we started the garden this summer was put a fence around it Here we are working for a whole week, bit by bit, putting this fence up And we started planting at the same time and working to keep the deer out in the rabbit And we'll look at our cabbage plant and something was completely knocked over and dead And thought, what killed that? And here it is a cutworm that our big fence that we're putting up to keep critters out of the garden And working it all and I made a comment "God, it's kind of like our defense system" Here we spend all this million to sort of protect our country And really that's not... there's more to defense than the big arms It's clear to me that you get some of your inspiration from nature And I think maybe we can go to another song Where, again, you're tuning, some people might say you just should ask God for wisdom But instead you start asking the grass and the birds in the wind about freedom Yeah, this is a song I wrote, the words just sort of started drifting in Which way songs come sometime, the morning after I heard the news about 9/11/2011/2001 when the towers sell And I took a walk that day and the words for this song started to come And how was it connected with 9/11 for you? Freedom song is what you call it How does it connect with you to that event? Well, I think the beginning of the song, I mean, it probably took me a week or two before it was completed But the beginning was asking those questions that went something so tremendous as that happens It's like where do we find the answers to respond to something like this? And then imagining that the answer that would come would not... that the bird and the grass and the wind That the answer they would give would not be the way that we did respond Immediately going to war and that it would be more you need to have eyes to see That there are not borders between the people whether they're right next to you or across the sea To be able to see the interconnections, to be able to see why an event such as 9/11 might Why people would be so inspired to do something like that to look at the roots of why an act like that Would happen that it was in response to perhaps our own ways of being in the world An inflicting "terror" that we do only for whatever reason more official because it's coming from the U.S. But anyway, just looking at basically the greatest need of being able to see again our interconnectedness all with each other Oh, blade of grass can I ask you? Where is the road to peace? Tell me please? Oh, singing bird, what are the words? To the freedom songs you sing or how they're in You must know the song we have not sung The freedom bells you ring we have not run Oh, we're down and out Oh, oh, oh Yes, we used to fly in the voice to cry our freedom beyond the border lines in our minds He lies to see the mystery, the threads that bind all living kind across the sea Or next to me, plan to feed on the ground the world is turning around Oh, blowing wind, where do we begin? Have you any answers now? Can you tell us how? If I do, you know, we're just a saver flow And will we ever see all people free? Listen, set the bird and I'll reply The grass began tonight, the wind to cry Oh, I'll tell you now, oh You have wings to fly in the voice to cry our freedom beyond the border lines in your minds He lies to see the mystery, the threads that bind all living kind across the sea Or next to me, plan to feed on the ground the world is turning around Oh, you have wings to fly in the voice to cry our freedom beyond the border We have wings to fly in the voice to cry our freedom beyond the border lines in our minds We've ice to see the mystery, the threads that bind all living kind across the sea Or next to me, plan to feed on the ground the world is turning around If wings to fly in the voice to cry our freedom beyond the border lines in our minds We've ice to see the mystery, the threads that bind all living kind across the sea Or next to me, plan to feed on the ground the world is turning around Plan to feed on the ground the world is turning around Plan to feed on the ground the world is turning around Freedom song, Sarah Thompson, with ice to see the mystery, say Sarah The mystery is, of course I suppose if I have you put it into words then it's no longer a mystery What's the mystery you're talking about there? It is exactly that but it's the mystery of that spirit that being this that connects us all The great mystery is that we are somehow connected with invisible strings to each and every Not only to every person on this planet but each and every tree and living thing as well as the rocks And that if we could just have any grasp of that mystery of those invisible strings Connect us all that we would be blown away by how we are all one mystery together And it's a mystery to be able to comprehend that I can't think of a better way than your title song from I think your third album To express that your by-breath album By-breath is definitely my attempt to try to express that deep interconnectedness And kind of weaving through the four elements that connect us all And the imagery of those elements of earth, air, fire and water And it's also remembering that we are deeply interrelated and connected Although it might not be so completely evident in the song and that we were deeply connected with those We disagree with those who oppress us as well as the beautiful things, the trees and the mountains And the people we love we're also deeply connected to those we don't or the enemy You might say so that song is about coming to an awareness of that deep interconnectedness And would it be fair to say that this is an integral part of your theology if you will That when you talk about the sacred or the holy or the divine That you know you're talking about that interconnectedness as that fundamental principle you believe in? Yeah, I would definitely say that This could in some ways be seen as my cradle, my creed Although I wouldn't be even saying that I would say I won't stick to any one creed But this is definitely my deepest expression of how I understand the sacred My breath, my blood, my body, my spirit we are all one My breath, my blood, my body, my spirit we are all one The air that is my breath is the air that you are breathing And the air that is your breath is the air that I am breathing The wind rising in my breast is the wind from the east, from the west, from the north, from the south Breathing in, breathing out, my breath, my blood, my body, my spirit we are all one My breath, my blood, my body, my spirit we are all one The water that is my blood, my sweat tears from crying is the water that is your blood Your sweat tears from crying and the rising of the tide is in our veins And in the ocean wide we are in the rising steam, rushing the river running stream My breath, my blood, my body, my spirit we are all one My breath, my blood, my body, my spirit we are all one The earth is dust, the earth is clay, the flowers blossom in and the fading We are dust, we are clay, we are blossoming and the fading, every color, every sound Every place is holy ground of whoever living thing can you hear it laugh When you hear it sing my breath, my blood, my body, my spirit we are all one My breath, my blood, my body, my spirit we are all one The fire in my heart, my soul flame burning is the fire in your heart Your soul flame burning, we are spirit burning bright by the light of day In the dark of night we are shining like the sun and like the moon Like the holy one of my breath, my blood, my body, my spirit we are all one My breath, my blood, my body, my spirit we are all one My breath, my blood, my body, my spirit we are all one My breath, my blood, my body, my spirit we are all one My breath That's Sarah Thompson's song, "By Breath", it's also a title song for a third album and there's three others, or maybe four I guess that are out there that you could get, right Sarah? And what's your website? My website is SarahThompson.com It's S-A-R-A and Thompson is T-H-O-M-S-E-N.com But probably the surest solution if you have trouble spelling is to go find her site via mysite, nordancepiritradio.org In addition to having this program which you could listen to repeatedly on my site I have a link to her site, so if you need to get to Sarah Thompson's music just come to nordancepiritradio.org Well thanks very much again for joining me for Spirit in Action, keep up the good work Well thanks so much for having me Mark, it's been a joy to visit with you That was today's Spirit in Action guest, singer-songwriter Sarah Thompson T-H-O-M-S-E-N, the Danish spelling of Thompson The theme music for this program is "Turning of the World", performed by Sarah Thompson This Spirit in Action program is an effort of Northern Spirit Radio You can listen to our programs and find links and information about us and our guests on our website, northernspiritradio.org Thank you for listening, I am your host Mark Helpsmeet and I welcome your comments and stories of those leading lives of spiritual fruit May you find deep roots to support you and grow steadily toward the light This is Spirit in Action With every voice, with every song We will move this world alone With every voice, with every song We will move this world alone And our lives will feel the echo of our healing