These Are The Days Lyrics

Lyric discussion by Philos 

Cover art for These Are The Days lyrics by Van Morrison

I think Van is speaking of finding the kingdom of heaven within…the same one the “great magician” Jesus came to show us. He references the experience of being in the eternal now, reached through meditation or being the state of spiritual enlightenment. In esoteric imagery, the sparkling river is the living water or Truth that Jesus talks about drinking from his mouth. There is an element of grace to finding this kingdom of heaven within and one must be awakened and hear the call in order for it to make sense and for the path to be found. So it is timely grace and our receptivity that enables the “treasured find” of the kingdom of heaven. The divine is often called the “beloved” in esoteric symbolism, so the endless dancing, long walks and romancing are all symbols of delighting in ecstatic union with the divine as mystics throughout the ages have portrayed it.

My Interpretation

@Philos It has been a few years since you posted your interpretation of the song, and I absolutely agree with it in every way, except that I would have clarified "The kingdom of heaven" more clearly. However, I appreciate you may not agree with my understanding of what "heaven" is. So the one and only line I would change, simply to clarify is: There is an element of grace to finding this kingdom of heaven WITHIN and one must be awakened and hear the call in order for it to make sense and for the path to be found. So it is...

@Philos It has been a few years since you posted your interpretation of the song, and I absolutely agree with it in every way, except that I would have clarified "The kingdom of heaven" more clearly. However, I appreciate you may not agree with my understanding of what "heaven" is. So the one and only line I would change, simply to clarify is: There is an element of grace to finding this kingdom of heaven WITHIN and one must be awakened and hear the call in order for it to make sense and for the path to be found. So it is...