Environmental Songbook

Four Directions

Words and music by Sarah Pirtle  

Recorded by A Gentle Wind on “Heart of the World”

©2002 Discovery Center Music, BMI

When we take the threads of life from each direction, we pull the world together. In the song we travel to each direction and meet elements and animals associated with the directions. East: air, eagle. South: fire, fox. West: water, whale. North: earth, bear. These animals differ with different traditions. For example, some people place mouse in the south, bear in the west, and buffalo in the north.

Lyrics

Introduction:
Come on and sing, sing to the earth. Come on and sing, sing to the earth.
Come on and sing, sing to the earth, our journey has begun.

 

1.Come on and sing, sing to the east. Come on and sing, sing to the east.
Come on and sing, sing to the east. The place of the rising sun.
The place of the rising sun, the east is where new life’s begun.
Oh, East, what will I see? Help me find what begins in me.
From the east, flies the eagle, and what begins will come around.
Climb on the back of the eagle, and we’ll be southward bound.
We’ll be southward bound.
Gonna ride, ride, ride. Find what begins in me.
Eagle, ride, ride, ride to the south.

 

2. Come on & sing, sing to the south. Come on & sing, sing to the south.
Come on and sing, sing to the south. Place of the fire’s song.
Place of the fire’s song, the south is where life grows strong.
Oh, South, what will I see? Help me find what grows in me.
From the south leaps the bright fox, and new strength will come around.
Climb on the back of the bright fox, and we’ll be westward bound.
We’ll be westward bound.
Gonna ride, ride, ride. Find what grows in me.
Bright fox, ride, ride, ride, to the west.

 

3.Come on & sing, sing to the west. Come on & sing, sing to the west.
Come on and sing, sing to the west. The place of the setting sun.
Place of the setting sun, the water’s wide and harvest comes.
Oh, West, what will I see? Help me find the harvest in me.
From the west swims the old whale. What you need will come around.
Climb on the back of the old whale, and we’ll be northward bound.
We’ll be northward bound.
Gonna ride, ride, ride. Find what peace there be.
Old whale, ride, ride, ride, to the north.

 

4. Come on & sing, sing to the north. Come on & sing, sing to the north.
Come on and sing, sing to the north. The place of the rich black earth.
The place of the rich black earth, where all life takes rebirth.
Oh, North, what will I see? Help me find my mystery.
From the north comes the black bear. What hides will come around.
Climb on the back of the black bear, and we’ll be center bound.
We’ll be center bound.
Gonna, ride, ride, ride. Find my mystery.
Black bear, ride, ride, ride, and return.

 

5. Come on and sing, and return, come on and sing, and return.
Come on and sing, and return. We are coming home.
Return to the center, the place where we are one.
Return to the center, and now our journey’s done.

Guides for using the song:

  1. Draw a circle, label the four directions, and create pictures of each.
  2. Take up the questions of each direction. East: What begins in me? South: What grows in me? West: What am I harvesting? North: What mystery hides in me?
  3. Create a dance. Divide into six groups: four work with one of the directions. Another group doesn’t dance but keeps time with rattles or drums. The rest are the visitors -- they travel to each direction, circle with them, and learn the movements they’ve invented. The four small groups in the directions invent a movement associated with the animals, the element, or the qualities of that direction.
  4. Resource: Genesis Farm is a learning center for re-inhabiting the Earth. You can receive their newsletter by writing 41A Silver Lake Road, Blairstown, NJ, 07825. Their diverse resources include programs for teachers on sharing the New Cosmology with children. Staff of Genesis Farm pass along a body prayer to the four directions.

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