Carl Jung taught us about consciousness, the unconscious, and the process of bringing them together called individuation. Joseph Campbell showed us that each of us takes our own hero’s journey. And the detective from the Usual Suspects reminded us, through his own realization, that the answers are all around us. Music happens to be one of those things by which we are surrounded. Music can help bring our bodies, hearts and minds together through great lyrics combined with the visceral experience of musical notes and harmonies as the penetrate us.
The musical group Mumford and Sons does that masterfully with their popular song “Awake My Soul.” Its easy to enjoy the musical aspect of the song through the catchy and pleasing tunes. Yet when we connect the words to the music, it creates a far greater more complete experience. The lyrics of this song point to individuation and there is a hero’s journey hidden with them. After connecting the lyrics to the music, I wonder if you’ll experience the same transcendent experience that I do when I listen to this song.
How fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes
I struggle to find any truth in your lies
And now my heart stumbles on things I don’t know
My weakness I feel I must finally show
Lend me your hand and we’ll conquer them all
But lend me your heart and I’ll just let you fall
Lend me your eyes I can change what you see
But your soul you must keep, totally free
Har har, har har, har har, har har
Awake my soul
Awake my soul
How fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes
I struggle to find any truth in your lies
And now my heart stumbles on things I don’t know
My weakness I feel I must finally show
Har har, har har, har har, har har
In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die
And where you invest your love, you invest your life
In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die
And where you invest your love, you invest your life
Awake my soul
Awake my soul
Awake my soul
For you were made to meet your maker
Awake my soul
Awake my soul
Awake my soul
For you were made to meet your maker
You were made to meet your maker
Take a break today and enjoy the magic of this moving song. Here’s a link on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpcBjt8Wqg8
