“Spirituality provides humanity
with that subtle and tremendous
power with which no other power
can be compared....”
—Shrii Shrii Anandamurti
Joyful Things:
A Celebration of Children’s Spiritual Songs
Produced by Kamala Alister with Pix Vane-Mason
June, 2003
Reprinted, October 2008
Engineering, mixing and mastering by
Pix Vane Mason at RezenRecords, Conondale,
Queensland, Australia
Arrangements by Pix Vane-Mason, Kamala Alister and
Murray Wall, except “Joyful Things”, arrangements and
guitar by Lisa McDonald.
Vocals by Kamala Alister and Pix Vane-Mason except for
the many other vocalists on the tracks noted:
Xandy Bouchet-Carr: 3, 8
Caitlin Devlin: 4,9
Tapasii Holden: 4, 7
Lisa McDonald: 2
Dada Ratnadevananda: 5
Ruby Ryan: 1, 3, 8, 13
Murray Wall: 14
and the following groups:
Pre-School (4 & 5 year olds): 11
Gumnut Family (year 2): 6, 16
Gumnut Choir:
(Ruby, India & Charlotte): 6,13
Currawong Family (year 3): 13, 15
Silky Oaks Choir (year 4 & 5)
Xandy Bouchet-Carr, Eden Grivell,
Kate Guy, Ruby Ryan, Jaala
Underwood, Daphne Wootton: 1,3
Red Cedars Choir (year 6 & 7):
Eddy Cairns, Remy Harmon, Jasper
Jung, Zichxyna Mikol, Sinead Waites
Kamala Yamaoka: 2, 4, 8, 9
Inspired by
Shrii Shrii Anandamurti,
founder of Neo-Humanist Education
and spiritual master of Ananda Marga.
With gratitude for his
all-encompassing philosophy,
his perfect example,
and his blissful presence
which gives hope for all children
Album design: Kamala and Narada Alister.
Cover photos: Pascale Richy.
Other photos: Satya Demasson and Kamala
Editing: Lesley Singh
Thanks to:
Narada Muni, for often put his own work aside to
allow me time to make this album; the staff of the
Ananda Marga River School; PIx, for putting his heart
and soul into this project; and the many artists who
offered so much of their time and talents.
Ananda Marga River School:
251 Bridge Creek Road, Maleny
(07) 5494 3559
www.amriverschool.org
From Kamala
Dear Friends,
Recording and producing “Joyful Things,” was a truly inspiring experience. It
seemed to have its own flow which swept us all along. We began recording
on the new moon of April and mixed the last song on the full moon of May.
In between we recorded nearly 100 people!
I also had the experience of somehow balancing this work with very full-time
mothering. Our four sons range from one year to 15 years old. Fortunately,
most of the work on this album was able to fit in with our busy family life. We
recorded much of the album in an office just outside of our house, so I could
keep an eye on the kids (and engineer Pixie kind-heartedly hauled his entire
studio over here many times.) We live on the same property as the Ananda
Marga River School, so I could easily go down the hill to work with the
children, and they came to our house to record their songs.
This April in Maleny we enjoyed crystal clear days with perfect blue skies and vibrant green grass and trees.
We recorded everything with open windows and doors, so if you listen carefully you might hear bird calls and
cicadas, soft winds and the sound of fresh air.
Despite the hard work, being a mum is truly a Joyful Thing. The pure beauty of children is nearly overwhelming
and the amount of love in every day is beyond words. I hope this album will contribute to the joy and pure
spirituality of childhood for children, parents and teachers.
Love,
Kamala
From Pix
We did it! The creation of “Joyful Things” has been like weaving jewels into a tapestry. The
colours and design in the music are very much a part of our children and community.
Wow, I hope this album brings as much joy to its audience as it has me.
Thank-you to all the brilliant shining stars who helped create this CD.
Love,
Pix
Neo-Humanist Education
Neo-Humanist Education is a growing movement of hundreds of schools around the world.
It is based on universal spirituality, holistic selfdevelopment, love for all beings, service and
applied learning.
This album is produced in association with the
Gurukula Network that supports Neo-Humanist
education all around the world.
For more information on this growing movement, go to: www.gurukul.edu/nhe or contact
the office on [email protected]
For more information on Ananda Marga, a global
movement for social service and self-realization,
go to: www.anandamarga.
org
To reach the Ananda Marga
River School, call (07) 54943559 or contact us by email on amschool@squirrel.
com.au
“Real education is that
which leads to
liberation.”
--Shrii Shrii Anandamurti
InnerSong
Global Distribution by InnerSong, worldwide
distributor of Ananda Marga music.
Other albums by Kamala Alister:
Awakening (Blissful Mantra Music)
Heart of the Mystic (Pure peace Mantra Music)
Unseen World (Uplifting Mantra Music)
Living in the Moon (Songs for inner growth)
Other children’s albums from InnerSong:
Deep in My Heart
(children sing inspiring songs)
Land of Enchantment
(sweet mantra music and instrumentals)
From Our School to You!
At the Ananda Marga River School in
Maleny, Australia, the children are always
singing. They sing together to start each
week, they sing during meditation time
,they sing for public performances, they
sing for learning and for play—the school is
full of music!
Over 100 children, from 3 to 12 year olds,
attend this Neo-Humanist primary school,
located in a beautiful rainforest community
in a small town north-east of Brisbane.
Available from InnerSong
www.innersong.com
Over nearly a decade of the school’s life, we have gathered an amazing collection of uplifting
children's songs--and we want to share them. The songs on this album include some of our alltime favorites!
Australia:
Box 177
Maleny Qld. 4552
[email protected]
61-7- 5494-2887
This CD is a tapestry of talents of the whole school community, including the voices of over 70
of the children, the musical gifts of many parents and teachers, and the support of the staff and
administration. We have also benefitted from the incredible wealth of professional musical talent
in the local community. All profits from the school sales of this album will be used to extend the
school music program.
Our School, Our Songs
The songs we’ve chosen for this album tell many stories about our school. Each Monday morning
we begin the week with an all-school Morning Circle. We have a simple candle-lighting ceremony
with blessings for the school from each class, and afterwards we sing together. Many parents like
to come as well, because these mornings are so uplifting. “I Walk in Peace” and “Open Up Your Eyes”
are two of our favorite songs to begin morning circle.
Many of the songs, such as “Trees,”“Children of the River,” and “I am the Rain” reflect the beauty that
surrounds us here. The school is named after Bridge Creek that flows through the land and is a
central focus for our activities. In the summer months its common to see groups of children burst
out of their classrooms and launch themselves down the path to the creek. They run down the hill
and jump in with splashes and laughter. In cool weather, the children go on long walks exploring,
play on the banks, and sometimes do meditation on the creek banks. In rainy weather, the creek
takes on a new face with huge torrents flowing over the bridge to the school and waterfalls carrying away whole trees. On hot days, its like a peaceful oasis of tranquility. Our many river songs are
tributes to beautiful Bridge Creek.
Our school “Virtues Program” focuses on a different virtue every two weeks. Our title song, “Joyful
Things” was written several years ago by Lisa McDonald when she was teaching Little Family (year
one and two) and they were studying the virtue “Joy.” She wrote this song based on things the children wrote about joy. (Some of the children who originally wrote this song, sing it on this album-but now they are in years six and seven!) The song “Friends” was inspired when the children were
studying “Friendship” and the teacher read some lines of a poem which became Dada’s song.
Each day the children have meditation time in their classroom. Recently I was taking a guest on a
tour of the school. As we passed the Gumnut classroom, they had
just started their meditation time (we do it at 11:00 in all the classrooms, after the children have had a good stretch at morning tea/
recess.) On this day the children were singing so sweetly we couldn’t
resist walking in and sitting down quietly with them to listen.
Afterwards they sang a mantra song and then one of the children in
the class lead them all in a visualisation. This was followed by a spiritual story from their teacher. Both the visitor and I were impressed
with the peace and sweetness of this daily ritual. This experience was
the inspiration of including their beautiful kiirtan (mantra chanting) at
the end of the album.
Guitar Chords
Mukti’s Song: D /A /G A /D (x2)D / D A / D (x2)
Joyful Things:
E A / E A / E A/ E A:/ (x4)F#m D/ A E/ F#m D/ A E (x2)
Many Rivers & The River It is Flowing: Dm & C
I Am the Rain: D /G /C G/D /D/G / C G/D / C G / D
Joy Like a Fountain: G D/ G D/ A /G
Let My Eye Go to the Sun: C, F & G throughout
I Walk in Peace: C G/ C G/ C G / C G
Open Up Your Eyes: G / D/ C / D
Trees: Dm C / Dm A7 / Dm C / F A7/ Dm C / Dm A7 / DmC/ Dm
(or just Dm & C)
Children of the River: C F/ C/ C F/ C / C/ F C/C G/ C (F/C/F/C)
Love Grows: C/ F C / F C/ G7/ C/ F C/ F C/ G C
God Shining: D AD/G D D A / D AD/G D D A/ D G D G/ D A G D
May the Love: Dm / C / Dm
Pretty Planet: D /G /A7 /D /D /Em /Bm /D / D /G /A7 /D
Lift Our Hearts: C /Em / F / G
Kiirtan: Am/ G Am/ F G/ Am (x2) Am G/F G/Am G/ F (x2)
(Some of these are simpler than what is played on the album)
11 Love Grows
The pre-schoolers worked really hard
to perform this song for the album! The
always sing this song standing up and
with hand motions: first they put up one
finger, then two, then four. Then they
twirl in a circle, and end up making a
knocking motion with their hands, and
stamping with their foot for the knocking sound.
Love grows, one by one
Two by two and four by four.
Love goes round in a circle
And comes back a’knocking
On your front door.
(“We’ve done heaps good!”)
12 God Shining
(Yama & Niyama Song)
By Kamala Alister
Neo-Humanist schools teach morality
as a necessary foundation for spiritual
life. The moral framework is based on
the ancient yogic principles of Yama
and Niyama. These ten principles are
written (nearly in order) into this song
so they will be easy for the children
to learn. The principles of Yama are:
Ahimsa (non-harm), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), Aparigraha
(simple living) and Brahmacarya (seeing
God in all.) The principles of Niyama are:
Shaoca (cleanliness), Santosa (contentment), Tapah (service and sacrifice),
Svadhyaya (spiritual study) and Iishvara
Pranidhana (meditation.)
I won’t do harm in any way
I’ll tell loving truth in all I say.
I will not take what is not mine
And know a simple life is fine.
I’ll see God shining in all minds
And know God’s with me
all the time.
Neat and clean, inside and out
Contented with just
What I’ve got.
I’ll serve all beings
Whenever I may
And study good books
Every day.
And deep inside me,
Shining bright,
In quiet meditation,
I’ll know God’s light.
13 May the Love We’re Sharing
14 Pretty Planet
I’m not sure who wrote this lovely
song, but I’ve added the second verse
to make it more appropriate to sing in
daytime with the children.
This pretty planet
Spinning in space
Our garden, our shelter,
Our holy place.
Golden sun going down
Gentle blue giant
Spin us around.
All through the night
Safe ‘til the morning light.
Golden sun rising high
Giving the warmth and light
To our sky.
All through the day
As we work and we play.
15 Lift Our Hearts
By Scott Kalechstein
May the love we’re sharing
Spread its wings
Fly across the sky
And bring new joy to every
Soul that is alive.
Lift our hearts
Into the heavens
Lift our hearts here on earth
May the blessings
Of your grace, my love
Shine on everyone
And may we all see the light
Within, within, within
Lift our hearts to the sun
Feel the glory of the One
Heaven on earth
16 Kiirtan
Baba Nam Kevalam is a universal
“mantra” that means “Love is all there
is.” It creates a beneficial vibration in
any situation.
May the love
we’re sharing
spread its wings...
6 Joy Like A Fountain
Lyrics
2 Joyful Things
By Lisa McDonald
1 Spread the Love and Joy
(Mukti’s Song)
By Michael Mukti Haigh
Joyful things, the love it brings
Joyful things, the music sings.
This song is really a dance. When we
do it, each child finds a partner. For the
opening verse they sit in meditation
position. They they turn to their partner
and do a body percussion, like this:
Now we’ll (clap own hands
together), laugh (right hand across to
partner) and sing (left hand across to
partner) and clap (own hands together) our hands (both hands together
with partner on the beats), and spread
the love and joy around (hands make
a big circle starting from the heart)...
and repeat.
After that they hop, jump and spin-stopping to do the body percussion
with their partner on the verse.
Got it??
We are sitting on the ground
With the love and joy inside. (x2)
Now we’ll laugh and sing
and clap our hands
And spread the love and joy
around. (x2)
Hopping up and down...
Jumping up and down...
Spinning round and round...
Sitting...
Sharing, the moon
A flying balloon
Playing with people
Climbing a steeple
Underwater World
A boy and a girl
A cuddle with my Mum
The bright, shining sun.
Sea dragons and dogs
Rivers and frogs
Snowy mountains high
Birds in the sky
Riding my bike
Things that I like
Guinea pigs, my friends
The story never ends...
3 Many Rivers...
Flow Back to the Sea Medley
Many Rivers
By Kushala Thompson
We are many, many rivers
And we all are One
As we flow towards the ocean
Mingle and become
Part of one another
One big sea
Swelling, flowing, overflowing
Free, free, free
The River it is Flowing
The river, it is flowing
Flowing and flowing
The river it is flowing
Back to the sea.
Mother Earth carry me
Your child I will always be
Mother Earth carry me
Back to the sea.
4 I Am the Rain
I am the rain, I am a river
All flowing from the
Mountains to the sea.
I am the trees
I am the mountains
Everywhere you look
There I’ll be.
5 Friends
By Dada Ratnadevananda
A friend is someone
Who knows the song
In your heart
And sings it back to you
A friend is someone
You trust and love and enjoy
With whom you can share
your heart
Your closest friend lives
Deep inside of your heart
And never goes away
I’ve got joy like a fountain
I’ve got joy like a fountain
I’ve got joy like a fountain
In my soul.
Peace like a river...
Strength like a mountain...
Love all around me....
Baba Nam Kevalam.
(a mantra which means “Love is
All There Is.”)
7 Let My Eye Go to the Sun
By Ian Ross Williams
In my heart I heard you calling
All around and deep below
Sounded like a river flowing
Felt the early morning glow.
Well I see the leaves
and shadows dancing
See another day begin
And I let my eye
Go to the sun and
Let my life go to the wind.
From the mountains
To the valleys
Rushing to the rocks below
Water falling, overflowing
Now the seeds begin to grow.
And the sun will rise
In the morning
And wind will carry on. (x2)
8 Walk in Peace...
Open Up Your Heart Medley
10 Children of the River
By Kamala Alister
I Walk In Peace
By Roger Hunt
We are the children
Of the crystal river
That springs clear from its source
We speak in trickles
And in waterfalls
We are the river's voice.
I walk in peace
On the path of love
Mother Earth below
Father Sky above.
Open Up Your Eyes
by John Astin
Open up your eyes
Open up your mind
Open up your heart
And let your love shine.
Open up your eyes
Open your mind
Open your heart
To the love inside.
9 Trees
Trees, trees, nature’s trees
See them gently growing free
Quandong, cedar,
bunya and eucylpyt
Let them all be.
We are the children
Of the mighty mountains
Our heads above the clouds
We'll stay rooted
In this place forever
We're ancient and we're strong.
We are the fury of the storm
We are magic being born
We are the gentleness of rain
That falls again and again.
We are the children
Of the boundless ocean
The deep blue mystery
We are the calm
Of the placid waters
We're wild and we're free.
We are the children
Of the vast blue sky
The stars and moon at night
We are the rain and
The thunderstorms
We're darkness and we're light.
We are growing like the trees
We are precious and free
Our home is planet earth
Children of the universe.