Tag: mindful blues

• Cell Block Chant

  

  A blues anthem for anyone who’s ever felt broken beyond repair. This song tells the story of Maya Chen—a disbarred lawyer serving time for embezzlement—and Rosa, the older woman who taught her a simple Buddhist chant in their shared cell block. What starts as desperate skepticism becomes a practice of transformation: Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Through gritty fingerpicked…

  William Altig

  October 12, 2025

  music, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  acoustic blues, acoustic soul, acoustic storytelling, american dharma, american prison blues, american roots music, Americana, awakening song, blues anthem for healing, Blues Folk, blues for the broken, broken made whole, buddhist blues, Buddhist chant, Cell Block Chant, chant music, compassion music, courage through suffering, delta blues, emotional storytelling, enlightenment in darkness, female resilience, folk blues anthem, folk blues ballad, folk blues storytelling, folk gospel, forgiveness song, grit and grace, heartfelt blues folk, humanity and hope, Lotus Sutra, mantra music, maya chen, meditation and mantra, meditation blues, mindful blues, mirror metaphor, modern dharma songs, modern gospel, modern spirituals, music for healing, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, Nichiren Buddhism, poetic storytelling, power of prayer, prison reform, prison song, rebirth song, redemption song, roots revival, rosa, songs of transformation, soul revival, soulful storytelling, spiritual awakening music, spiritual blues, strength in scars, survival blues, transformation blues, turning poison into medicine, william altig, William Altig Choir, women in prison, women’s voices in blues

• The Bow That Sees

  

  The Bow That Sees is a bluesy folk anthem inspired by the Lotus Sūtra’s teaching of non-contempt. With gritty guitar, mournful harmonica, and gospel warmth, it tells the story of bowing in reverence—even when the world throws stones. This song carries the spirit of Bodhisattva Never Disrespectful: humility in the face of pride, compassion in…

  William Altig

  October 3, 2025

  Chapter 14, music, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  acoustic blues, acoustic storytelling, American roots, Blues Folk, Bodhisattva Never Disrespectful, Compassion, Dharma blues, enlightenment songs, Folk Blues, folk gospel fusion, gospel folk, Lotus Sutra song, meditation music, mindful blues, Non-Contempt, reverence, soulful folk, spiritual awakening, spiritual folk music, The Bow That Sees

• Children of the Lotus Blues

  

  A soulful blues folk rendition of Buddhist wisdom teachings, “Children of the Lotus Blues” weaves ancient spiritual concepts into an accessible American roots framework. The song tells the story of enlightened children seeking truth while featuring haunting call-and-response vocals that echo traditional spirituals. Backed by sparse, emotive acoustic guitar work, the gentle thrum of stand-up…

  William Altig

  March 27, 2025

  music

  acoustic bass meditation, acoustic meditation, acoustic spirituals, americana zen, awakening songs, buddhist americana, buddhist folk, call-and-response, contemplative roots, dharma folk, eastern wisdom western roots, enlightenment folk, harmonica blues, Lotus Sutra, mindful blues, mindfulness music, philosophical folk, spiritual blues, spiritual call-and-response, Spiritual Journey