Song: Great Turning

Music by: Joanna Colwell


Song Learning Time Stamps:

Start time of teaching: 00:03:03

Start time of reprise: 01:08:19

Lyrics:

Part 1
We are turning, turning 
We’re part of a great turning
We are turning, turning
We’re turning it around

 
Part 2
I will not fear you 
I will not harm you 
I will not fear you
We are turning it around 


Part 3
We are all in it together 
We are turning, turning it around 


(Gratitude to Joanna Macy, for her teachings on The Great Turning)
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Notes: It seems fitting that Grace Oedel, who tells us she is “Not doing any of this alone," brings us a song caught by a friend of hers, Joanna Colwell... and that this song references the mentor and teacher Joanna Macy, who helped so many folk seek reconnection. Grace and I are joined by Rebecca Csuy to learn this three part song, and then we dive into a laughter-filled conversation that visits some hard questions and nourishing responses. Grace is doing vital work in the world in many different arenas, seeking ways to help us get comfortable with the enormous changes we are facing, hospicing modernity -- but she points out, “I eat chocolate chips in bed… I am not a holier-than-thou person!”  "We're all in it together," like the song says... "we are turning it around."


Songwriter Info: Joanna Colwell is a yoga teacher and song leader in MIddlebury, Vermont. She started the Yoga Equity Project and can generally be found tearing down the patriarchy with art, song, ritual, and good cheer.


Sharing Info: The song is free to share in oral tradition groups, but please contact Joanna for recording and/or performing permission.


Song Learning Time Stamps:

Start time of teaching: 00:03:03

Start time of reprise: 01:08:19


Links:

Grace's Substack: https://graceoedel.substack.com/ 

Joanna Colwell – Middlebury yoga teacher:

https://www.yogaequity.org/ 

www.ottercreekyoga.com 

https://www.instagram.com/ottercreekyoga/

Joanna Macy – The Work that Reconnects: https://workthatreconnects.org/ 

Octavia Butler: "Kindness eases change." "God is change.": https://www.octaviabutler.com/ 

Moira Smiley on A Breath of Song: https://www.abreathofsong.com/episodes--show-notes/39-stand-in-that-river#/ , https://www.abreathofsong.com/episodes--show-notes/40-render-a-remedy-with-moira-smiley#/ 

Heidi Wilson on A Breath of Song: https://www.abreathofsong.com/episodes--show-notes/139-bend-and-rebound#/ , https://www.abreathofsong.com/episodes--show-notes/140-the-feast-with-guest-heidi-wilson#/ , https://www.abreathofsong.com/episodes--show-notes/228-all-call-this-home#/ 

Singing Resistance: https://linktr.ee/singingresistance 

Kairos Center with Songs in the Key of Resistance: https://kairoscenter.org/projects/songs-in-the-key-of-resistance/ 

NOFA – Long-Handled Spoon Dinners: https://www.nofavt.org/about/blog/announcing-new-long-handled-spoons-dinners 

L’Chaim Jewish collective leadership in Burlington: https://www.lchaimcollective.org/ 

Ilyse Morgenstein Fuerst, UVM professor: https://www.uvm.edu/cas/religion/profile/ilyse-morgenstein-fuerst 

Elise Witt on A Breath of Song: https://www.abreathofsong.com/episodes--show-notes/21-song-deep-in-your-bones#/ , https://www.abreathofsong.com/episodes--show-notes/211-set-us-free#/ 

Nero’s Expedition Up the Nile by Moondog (Louis Thomas Hardin): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpUIzHWB_zc 

James Baldwin “The children are always ours.”: https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/notes-house-bondage/ 

Aylie Baker – wayfinding in Micronesia: https://emergencemagazine.org/essay/wave-patterns/ 

Indigo Girls: https://www.indigogirls.com/ 

Batya Levine on A Breath of Song: https://www.abreathofsong.com/episodes--show-notes/166-breathe#/ 


Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, minor, 3-layers


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