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Hymn to the Atman Lyrics
Run a silent path to nowhere, everything is all
You could have a pleasant life if Summer had no Fall
Treat yourself so gently though the task is often hard
Man is not a God it seems, who holds the final card
Close your eyes and feel the darkness, speak and hear the sound,
We only catch a glimpse of all the life that is around,
The man is not alive who knows the value of his soul,
And when our lives are pulled away, there's more to fill the hole
I wonder what you'd think if all the changes didn't come,
For growing old is only going back to where you're from
Far beyond our senseless thoughts there lies a core of gold
Where essence of the newborn child is waiting in the old,
The Master Plan is well conceived, it's there for all to see
And each day that is spent in thought is living harmony
Reach into the depths of being, pass beyond the years,
Time is lost in stillness, where there are no hopes and fears,
Linger in the void, and like a beacon in the night
Purity will fill your soul with ever-present light
Everything you've seen is waiting patiently within
For growing old is only going back to where you've been
You could have a pleasant life if Summer had no Fall
Treat yourself so gently though the task is often hard
Man is not a God it seems, who holds the final card
Close your eyes and feel the darkness, speak and hear the sound,
We only catch a glimpse of all the life that is around,
The man is not alive who knows the value of his soul,
And when our lives are pulled away, there's more to fill the hole
For growing old is only going back to where you're from
Where essence of the newborn child is waiting in the old,
The Master Plan is well conceived, it's there for all to see
And each day that is spent in thought is living harmony
Reach into the depths of being, pass beyond the years,
Time is lost in stillness, where there are no hopes and fears,
Linger in the void, and like a beacon in the night
Purity will fill your soul with ever-present light
For growing old is only going back to where you've been
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This is Kansas's longest track, and is my all-time favourite song. I listen to it back to back for an hour sometimes. This is my first time doing this so sorry if its a little confusing or anything. My interpretation is this (since noone has tried it yet):
It is a very haunting song, but at the same time, gives encouragement to people who think too lowly of themselves. The word hymn basically means an ode to something or someone, and the Atman is basically the human spirit.
Run a silent path to nowhere means to me that you are entering your mind, as if this is the intro to the discovery of yourself.
The reason you could have a pleasent life is Summer had no Fall is because Summer represents the season of life and giving, while Fall is the end of life.
Man is not a God is obviously saying that man is not as powerful as God, so dont even try. We only catch a glimpse because our lives are so short, so trying to reach the hight of God is pointless. The man who knows the value of his soul is not alive because haughtiness only makes you less valuable. Those who are proud are made humbled and those who are humbled will be made proud. Our lives are only for a short time, and are soon replaced by another life being born into the world.
I cant exactly say what he means by "I wonder what youde think if all the changes didnt come" but im perty sure its pointing out the fact that men do not have infitine knowledge. Growin old is only going back to where youre from can be taken two ways. One is that the older you get, the less you know, or it could mean, from dust we came and to dust we shall return, kinda like Dust in the Wind.
Far beyond our senseless thoughts there lies a golden core, means that men have feeble minds in comparisant to God, the Creator. This is emphasized because the essence of the newborn child refers to Jesus. The Master Plan is God's plan and it is plain if you meditate on it, which is why each day spent in thought is living harmony. The rest, except the refrain is basically saying how great it is to meditate on God and how you will find yourself in a beautiful position in Heaven if you do.
Everything youve meditated on is waiting within the depths of your mind, and eventually you will die, and realize that you made the right choice.
This is my interpretation, again sorry if it's confusing, but that's the best i could do. But hey, i actually tried haha :)
@eugenius I too love this song, but I don\'t think it has the same Christian flavor you\'re suggesting. This song was written before Kerry Livgren became a Christian. So I don\'t think the essence of the new born child refers to Jesus. Also, I think the master plan and the golden core are probably a little more vague than you suggest. \r\n\r\nIf you want to see Kerry\'s later more Christian lyrics, see the songs on Audio Visions, Vinyl Confessions and Drastic Measures. Kerry left the band after that and started AD which is a treasure trove of cool stuff. \r\n...
@eugenius I too love this song, but I don\'t think it has the same Christian flavor you\'re suggesting. This song was written before Kerry Livgren became a Christian. So I don\'t think the essence of the new born child refers to Jesus. Also, I think the master plan and the golden core are probably a little more vague than you suggest. \r\n\r\nIf you want to see Kerry\'s later more Christian lyrics, see the songs on Audio Visions, Vinyl Confessions and Drastic Measures. Kerry left the band after that and started AD which is a treasure trove of cool stuff. \r\n
This is my favorite Kansas song along with - On the Other Side i think both songs are great poetic works that are brought to life with the fantastic instrumental and vocal support. i hear - The master plan is well 'perceived' but it is listed as - 'conceived' in the lyrics Am i right or wrong about this?
One of Kansas's longest tracks.
This song is basically calling BS on buddishm.