Karma Bank to Following By Listening

By Chiemi

This collection of song lyrics encompasses: a Collection From the Karma Bank, Still Wide Awake in the Now, Capturing the Glow, Beginning to Imagine Better, and Following by Listening. They are tales, tides and twinkling lights - tunes telling stories of warmth and sun, city and sand, paths that lead, and the coins we can keep in the Karma Bank. Spirit's been bypassed for sorrow, dreaming of a better tomorrow ... They are also evocative songs about living in this time, seeking serenity, and appreciating what we have. They are additionally about going after beauty so that it's a part of our space.

You can access recordings of Chiemi's songs online.

With the pandemic, we have experienced world trauma in an unprecedented way. One hopes that we've learned something. As we re-emerge after months of lockdown, can we begin to imagine better? Not just for ourselves but the future of everyone? Do we see differently?

And finally, at the crux of creativity, these words are ultimately about following by listening, trying not to get in the way, and reflecting things back because they are bigger than you, just (hopefully) adding your own insight so that they can go back out into the world.

All proceeds of this publication have been directed to the Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC) in Boston, which, builds homes, empowers families and strengthens communities.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Dec 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9781667813202

Book preview

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© 2021 CHIEMI. All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-1-66781-319-6 (Print)

ISBN 978-1-66781-320-2 (eBook)

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This is dedicated to those who listen

and have listened to my songs, tunes,

ditties and written meanderings for years,

providing invaluable feedback, suggestions,

support and encouragement along the way.

I am ever grateful to you.

Sometimes I feel like creating is following by listening, trying not to get in the way, and reflecting things back because they are bigger than you, just (hopefully) adding your own insight so that they can go back out into the world. These are some of the things I’ve heard recently and in the past few years. I was introduced to this sort of listening in 2019, when someone suggested to me that experiences of grace and acts of generosity might be viewed as coins that we put in the karma bank.

Chiemi

October 2021

Table of Contents

I. Collection From the Karma Bank

When People Matter SEPTEMBER 28, 29, 30 / 2020

Stories We Tell Ourselves JULY 2020

Other Spectral Flames MAY 2020

See Our Déjà Vu AUGUST 2020

Evacuation Day MARCH 17 / 2020

Nuance (Preserve the Mystery) DECEMBER 2019

Seasons Bypassed Altogether AUGUST 2019

Coins in the Karma Bank MARCH 2019

Taking a Taste NOVEMBER 10-12 / 2020

Inside Dancing Feet NOVEMBER 27-29 / 2020

II. Still Wide Awake in the Now

Where There Are Sparks DECEMBER 23, 24 / 2020

Other Openings JANUARY 3-5 / 2021

Unled Lives JANUARY 16-17 / 2021

Stories Running Within JANUARY 22-23 / 2021

Metaphors in Nature JANUARY 31 / 2021

Images Like Postcards FEBRUARY 11 / 2021

Still Awake in the Now FEBRUARY 19-20 / 2021

Transfiguring Faces MARCH 1 / 2021

Chasing Ghosts Away MARCH 13-15 / 2021

Benevolent Chaos MARCH 20-22 / 2021

III. Capturing the Glow

Future’s Home Revisited MARCH 29 & APRIL 2 / 2021

Capture the Glow MARCH 27-29 / 2021

Adjusting Memory Lane APRIL 9-10 / 2021

Headwind of Life APRIL 17-18 / 2021

Living Like a Long Song APRIL 26-27 / 2021

Gestures MAY 3-4 / 2021

Channeling Fenrir MAY 7-9 / 2021

Good Games MAY 4 / 2021, MAY 10 -12 / 2021

Growing Stories MAY 17-19 / 2021

Inside and Out MAY 24-27 / 2021

IV. Beginning to Imagine Better

Imagining Better JUNE 1-2 / 2021

For the Near Future JUNE 4-7 / 2021

When They Come JUNE 11-15 / 2021

Igniting Words JUNE 21-25 / 2021

Mustang Musings JUNE 26-27 / 2021

Emergent Dancing JULY 2-4 / 2021

Mental Postcards Appearing JULY 8-9 / 2021

Souls’ Integration JULY