My mentors Godfrey, Grandma, and Philip often spoke about how the sacred ceremony songs contain very deep and powerful spiritual knowledge. They were adamant that I learn how to sing the songs correctly, and to learn what they truly speak of.
My uncle Philip was one of the best vocalists I’ve ever heard and he became my role model on how to sing. He was the driving force in how I advanced. When I first began to sing he would often tease me about my lack of understanding, “even though Sal sings really good!” It took me a few years but with the help of Grandma Chipps, I was able to translate the songs and begin to truly learn what they communicate. This learning continues even to this day. I constantly understand deeper and deeper knowledge about these songs!
In the book, A Man Among the Helpers, I write what Philip taught me about sacred songs and what it means to be a Sacred Singer. The following is an excerpt for A Man Among the Helpers:
”From Philip, I learned how to sing with my entire being. Philip had taught me not just to sing a song, but to become the song. From him I learned to be the voice rising to the heavens. He taught me that we have to go beyond just repeating the words; we have to be sacred singers. To be a sacred singer, our entire beings must resonate with the vibrations of the music, and through the sacred tones we become the prayer. In this way, a singer becomes an instrument of prayer—like the drum, the Canupa, the altar, and the Medicine Man.”
I recently went to Germany to teach a 4 day workshop on sacred songs. There were 12 dedicated participants who sincerely wanted to learn the songs.
Over the course of 4 days the participants were transformed. The understanding that the songs provided allowed the participants to begin to see the world in a new and powerful way. The songs taught the participants how the energy of spirit manifests physically and how this energy moves though us, above us and below us. They came see that there in much more to the world and life then they previous had experienced. They also began to understand the responsibility they carry as human beings living on the Earth. This is the power of the sacred songs!
Needless to say that it is true what you wrote about the workshop, i want to add that healing powers worked on everybody who was around.. That was a really good work, even for people that did not attend the workshop . Needed or not, i want to encourage you to continue to share and teach in this wonderfull way. Next time i hope that i can be part in one way or another, it would mean a lot to me.
Greetings to everbody on this blog and good health for you and your families.
It was great to meet you sal and i hope you will be on one of the bestseller lists in the very near future
It is all good Frank
Thanks Frank. I appreciate your words of encouragement and support. I’m glad we were able to meet in Germany and that we had time to talk. The book, A Man Among the Helpers, contains some of the information that was shared during the workshop. It also explains how I came into this understanding, and points the way for others to learn as well.
Can’t wait to get your book just from this sampling I know it will stir my soul! Knowing some of the people you are writing about and the way I feel towards the way we pray!
Sal: I hope to participate in one of these workshops in the future, I do remember in my early 20’s, hearing the spirits singing with the tribe… it was an amazing experience. When I asked why I could never remember the words, even after 2 years of sweat, I was told – because I was not ready. I only ever learned a single song, and carry that very close to my heart!
hey Sal,i am sorry but i still have a little problem to put those sacred songs out there for public knowledge,i guess i am still to much influenced by them old timers i learn those songs from and they really had the upmost respect for these,so much so that when Albert White hat made a tape with some of them and put it on the market ,the old guys were really upset.I still do beleive that these have to be learned in a traditional setting and tough like they were taught to u and i.Sacred knowledge is still sacred knowledge
Hi Chris,
I agree with what you’re saying about sacred songs. They are not to be taken lightly or sung without understanding.
What I’m teaching here is not the songs themselves but the concepts of what is a sacred song, what is communication, what is breath, and what air is. There is some fundamental understanding that the old timers were raised with and just knew that is missing from most people’s modern life. What I’m presenting here is the missing understanding, bridging the old knowledge to the modern person. This helps people to really understand what is sacred and what it means to know sacred songs. Then when they eventually do put in the time and learn the songs they will understand them much better and hold them with the respect that you have.
Thank you Chris. Take care and stay warm. Pass my greetings to your family.
Sal Gencarelle