Original Publication Date, July, 2019
Long Time Sun
“May the long time sun shine upon you.
All love surround you,
and the pure light within you,
Guide your way on.”
Perhaps Yogi Bhajan of the Kundalini yoga tradition had it right when he chose this mantra for the closing of every yoga practice. Rumour has it that the Scottish folk song, “Long Time Sun”, popularized by the 60’s group, the “ Incredible String Band”, was appropriated by Yogi Bhajan. He took a liking to the lyrics of the song and a sacred mantra was born.
Preparing to guide gentle yoga practice my first action is to set up my blue tooth player to offer “Long Time Sun” during the final posture of the sequence, corpse pose. It is that shape, the one of the dead, into which students descend with quiet anticipation signaling the last phase of class. The music begins to cast its spell.
Sun … love… light … simple words strung together with others, create warmth that seems almost impossible in the starkness of the yoga space. Bodies soften and minds follow. For just a moment, the state of yoga is attained. The fluctuations of the mind cease, and nothing more is needed.
You may notice when you search that many versions of “Long Time Sun” exist. My favourite is by Carioca Chandra Edgar, his voice pure and spellbinding; the melody infectious. The track is called “Prayer” and it can be found on the album “Celebration”. Enjoy!
Click here to visit ITunes: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/prayer/271164758?i=271164826