Tag: Soul

• The Light You Already Got

  

  A bluesy folk tale about a man who burned for a thousand years and a girl who smiled just once—and how they both found the same light. This song weaves an ancient Buddhist paradox into American roots music tradition. It’s the story of Strong-Heart, who gave everything—even setting himself ablaze for centuries—trying to reach enlightenment…

  William Altig

  October 14, 2025

  Chapter 10, music, Parables, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  #interfaith, #Truth, 1960s folk revival, 3am song, accessible wisdom, acoustic, acoustic blues, ageless wisdom, aha moment, ahead of time, alan watts blues, album track, all paths one, already enough, already home, alt folk, American primitive, american zen, Americana, americana archive, amness, analog, analog warmth, artisan, as above so below, attention, authentic, authentic emotion, authentic seeking, authentic voice, awakening, awareness, back to the land mysticism, balanced path, bare, based on ancient teaching, basic, be here now folk, beat zen, beatnik blues, beautiful mess, before and after the same, being itself, being not doing, bespoke, bluegrass adjacent, Blues, both and, both and neither, boundaried yes, breath, Buddha-nature, buddhist americana, buddhist folk, bus stop satori, call and response, Campfire Song, can’t shake it, canonical, chop wood carry water folk, classic, clear, coal miner’s daughter adjacent, coffee and contemplation, commune folk, compassionate refusal, Conscious Lyrics, Conscious Music, consciousness, Contemplative, core, country blues, craftsman, creative, cross cultural wisdom, custom, daily bread, dark night of the soul, dawn breaking, deep, deep cut, deep lyrics, delta blues, democratic dharma, depression era sound, dharma folk, dialectic folk, different rivers same ocean, direct, distinctive, DIY mysticism, documentary worthy, dust bowl folk, ear worm, earned wisdom, Earnest, East meets West, echo, effortless effort, effortless path, empty highway, endurance, Enlightenment, esoteric folk, essence, essential, eternal now, eternal return, everyday enlightenment, everyday sacred, existence, existential folk, exposed, extreme and simple, faith and effort, fermata, field recording adjacent, film music adjacent, fingerstyle guitar, fire and smile, Folk, Folk Blues, folk ecology, folk philosophy, folk religion, folk renaissance, folk tale, for sustained listening, fractals in folk, fresh, front porch blues, front porch sessions, fundamental, gentle force, genuine, glorious imperfection, golden mean, goldilocks dharma, good news folk, gospel blues, grace not works, grassroots spirituality, grocery store kensho, handmade, handmade holiness, Harmonica, Haunting, headphone music, heart, Heartfelt, hegelian blues, here, hidden wisdom, high and low, hippie trail, hold, holographic universe, holy text blues, honest, honest doubt, human, human and holy, hummable, I and thou, imaginative, imperfect, important, indie-folk, individual universal, inherent worth, inner light, inner outer, innovative, instant enlightenment, intelligent, intentional community music, isness, jack kerouac dharma blues, journey not destination, joyful noise, just as you are, just right folk, keeping it real, ken burns folk, kind rebellion, kitchen recording, kitchen sink spirituality, kitchen table folk, knower and known, koan blues, late night, laundromat liberation, legend reimagined, less is more, library of congress, literate, lived experience, lo fi, long drive music, long haul, Lotus Sutra, loving resistance, lyrical, many doors one room, marathon not sprint, meaningful, meditation music, memorable, microcosm macrocosm, middle way, Mindfulness, moderation, Modern Folk, mountain and valley, mountain mysticism, mountain song, mundane divine, mystery tradition, myth retold, naked, narrative song, neo traditional, new, new sincerity, Nichiren, no BS, no irony, no original sin, non dual folk, non striving, not a single, not too tight not too loose, nothing special, noticing, now, old soul music, old tale new telling, old time music, one day at a time, one of a kind, One Vehicle, open, open road, ordinary mind, original, original blessing, parable, paradox song, parking lot awakening, Patience, pause, peaceful power, pema chodron folk, people’s Buddhism, Perennial Philosophy, perseverance, personal political, philosophical, philosophical blues, philosophical folk, piedmont blues, pilgrimage song, plain, plain speech dharma, Poetic, porch music, post ironic, prairie dharma, presence, process not product, profound, prophetic, protest adjacent, question and answer, quiet strength, ram dass adjacent, Raw, real, real faith, real feeling, real talk, reality, recognition, redemption song, relaxed intensity, remembering, resonance, rest, reverberation, riddle song, room tone, roots music, roots revival, sacred and profane, sacred music, sacred story, scripture folk, seer and seen, self and other, Self-realization, separate waves one water, serious, significant, silence, simple, simple living, sincere, singable, Singer-Songwriter, Skillful Means, slow blues, slow burn, smart, smithsonian folkways, social consciousness, soft revolution, Soul, Soundtrack, space, spirit, spiritual americana, Spiritual Music, standard, statement and reply, stays with you, Storytelling, straight up, straightforward, stripped down, stuck in your head, subject object, substantial, suchness, sudden vs gradual, sustain, sustainable practice, sutra song, systems thinking, taking out trash dharma, talking blues, tape hiss, tathata, temperance, tender no, testimony, thesis antithesis synthesis, thich nhat hanh acoustic, this, this moment only, thoughtful, thus, Timeless, timeless present, traditional folk, train song adjacent, true sound, true story, trying not trying, undefended, unique, unity consciousness, universal spirituality, universal truth, vintage sound, visionary, voluntary simplicity, vulnerable, waking up, walking music, warm, washing dishes blues, weighty, whistle while you work, wisdom traditions, witness, witness and witnessed, wordsmith, working class mysticism, wu wei folk, you are enough, zen and the art of folk music, zen blues

• Once I Was Fame Seeker

  

  “Once I Was Fame Seeker” is a folk-blues reflection on the ancient path of transformation and purpose. Inspired by Chapter 1 of the Lotus Sūtra, this song gives voice to the past life of Maitreya Bodhisattva—when he was known as Yaśaskāma, the Fame Seeker. Blending timeless Buddhist wisdom with modern soul, the song explores how…

  William Altig

  April 8, 2025

  music

  acoustic, Blues, Bodhisattva, books, Buddhist, devotion, Dharma, Enlightenment, fame seeker, Folk, Folk Blues, inner light, karma, Lotus Sutra, mahayana, Maitreya, Manjusri, music, original song, path, poetry, Religion, seeker, Soul, SoundCloud, Spiritual Music, Transformation, Upaya, vow, william altig, wisdom, writing

• The Bodhisattva’s Mirror

  

  In the Sahā-World’s [1] swirling mist,Where suffering and joy coexist,A Bodhisattva’s [2] form appears,Reflecting all, dispelling fears. Like moonlight on a placid lake,Or petals that the wind may shake,This being shifts from shape to shape,A master of the skillful drape. In teacher’s robes or child’s small frame,In stranger’s guise—no two the same.Yet wisdom’s light shines…

  William Altig

  March 26, 2025

  poems

  awakening, Blues Folk, Bodhisattva, Buddhism, Compassion, Dharma, Enlightenment, Inner Peace, interconnectedness, Meditation, Mindfulness, mirrors, poetry, Reflection, song lyrics, Soul, Spiritual Journey, spiritual poetry, Transformation, zen

• Apocalyptic Insomniac Blues

  Apocalyptic Insomniac Blues is a mesmerizing journey through the mind’s labyrinth, where rap, blues, and soul collide in a surreal soundscape of apocalyptic visions and sleepless nights. Verses cascade like fragmented thoughts in a daring stream-of-consciousness, questioning reality itself while weaving ancient mystique with modern chaos. Driven by a hypnotic, blues-infused beat and haunting melodies,…

  William Altig

  February 6, 2025

  music

  apocalyptic, blues rap, dreamlike, experimental, innovative, insomniac, introspective, lyrical, modern chaos, mysterious, Poetic, Rap, Soul, surreal, urban

• Transforming Shadows

  

  “Transforming Shadows” is a soulful blues-folk song that takes listeners on a powerful journey of inner transformation and spiritual awakening. The lyrics explore the battle between light and darkness within the mind. They portray encounters with demons and angels as reflections of our own fears. They also reflect our desires and wisdom. Through heartfelt verses…

  William Altig

  December 5, 2024

  music

  Acoustic Guitar, angels, awakening, Blues, demons, Emotional, Folk, Gospel Harmonies, Harmonica, inner transformation, introspective, Light and Darkness, light drums, male vocals, Mindfulness, Piano, poetry, Redemption, self-awareness, Slide Guitar, Soul, Soulful, Spiritual Journey, Spirituality, Stand-Up Bass

• Life Happens Within (Blues Song)

  

  “Life Happens Within” is a soulful Blues track inspired by Stoic philosophy and the timeless teachings of the Lotus Sutra. This song explores the journey of inner transformation, resilience, and harmony with life’s ups and downs. Athena is the voice of wisdom and strength in this track. It blends raw emotion. It also includes profound…

  William Altig

  November 18, 2024

  music

  athena, Blues, empowerment, Inner Peace, life, Lotus Sutra, Mindfulness, modern blues, music, Philosophy, poem, poetry, resilience, reviews, Self-Discovery, Soul, Spiritual Journey, stoicism, Transformation, wisdom

• Craving Blues

  

  Feel the surge ignite your soul. “Craving Blues” is a raw, soulful anthem of ambition and fire, pulling you into the heart of the blues. “Craving Blues” is a journey into the soul’s raw yearning and relentless pursuit of dreams. This song embodies the fire that drives us. It is set to a gritty blues…

  William Altig

  November 13, 2024

  music

  Ambition, Blues, cosmos, Craving, Deep Blues, dreams, Electric, Fire, gritty, Guitar, Harmonica, Haunting, Heartfelt, Inner Fire, Intensity, life, love, music, Night, Passion, poetry, Raw, Soul, Soulful, writing, Yearning

• Yearning for the Light

  

  “Yearning for the Light” is a soulful blues song about the search for wisdom and inner peace. It features heartfelt lyrics and a deep, resonating melody. The song captures the journey of spiritual awakening. It embodies compassion and the pursuit of truth. Themes of interconnectedness and selfless love inspire this track. It reflects the longing…

  William Altig

  October 30, 2024

  music

  awakening, Blues, Compassion, Dharma, Enlightenment, faith, god, healing, Inner Peace, journey, light, Lotus Sutra, Meditation, Mindfulness, poem, poetry, Reflection, Soul, Spiritual, truth, wisdom, writing, Yearning

• Three Hardships Blues

  

  “Three Hardships Blues” is a soulful, slow-burning blues track inspired by the Lotus Sutra. It explores the universal struggles of suffering, misconception, and the constant flux of life. It draws listeners into a deep reflection on the path to freedom. The song features heartfelt lyrics and a timeless melody. It emphasizes the wisdom of letting…

  William Altig

  October 27, 2024

  music

  Blues, Blues Guitar, Buddha, Conscious Music, Deep Reflection, Enlightenment, faith, Folk Blues, Impermanence, Lotus Sutra, meditation music, Misconception, Soul, Spiritual Journey, Suffering, Three Hardships, wisdom

• Soul’s Cry

  

  A bluesy gospel song celebrating the beauty of creation, the power of truth and goodness, and the longing for redemption. This song explores the silent whispers of wisdom. It also delves into the soul’s yearning for connection from the heavens above to the depths of our hearts. From starry skies to the heart’s deep plea,…

  William Altig

  September 23, 2024

  music

  Blues, creation, faith, goodness, Gospel, heart, hope, Inspirational, love, psalms, Redemption, Soul, SoulCry, Spiritual, truth, TruthAndGoodness, Uplifting