The Songs, Compositions, Poetry and Performances of Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan), Part 35 of a Multi-part Series (Presented in English and Aulacese (Vietnamese))

After struggling for so long to no avail, we will realize that the real obstacle we need to overcome is ourselves, our flawed preconceptions, and our unfavorable habits, which prevent us from experiencing love and happiness. “The mountain is me, The mountain of fear. I must win the conquest Or I must disappear From this shadow of black magic Or I’ll die alone... in fear!”

“Soon we’ll be so used to the pain That we can no longer recognize happiness Whenever she comes back again! Like the poor, so comfortable with less.

Soon we’ll be so accustomed to living alone That we can never live together, Like the wild bears born in the North Pole Only know winter!

The more we try, the more we fail. Like the rains - youth rolling down the hill. Love and feeling rusted away, Like machines without use!

The mountain is me, The mountain of fear. I must win the conquest Or I must disappear From this shadow of black magic Or I’ll die alone... in fear!”

For millennia, our world has been beset by conflicts and calamities. In the face of tragedy, humanity has often dreamed of a wondrous place where disasters, hunger, and poverty are unheard of -- a lost Paradise, a forgotten Homeland. We dream of the day when we can return to the Heavenly Kingdom, where compassion, happiness, and peace prevail. The song “Lost Horizon” expresses this common dream of humanity.

“Have you ever dreamed of a place Far away from it all Where the air you breathe is soft and clean Children play in fields of green Where the sound of guns Never pound your dream anymore.

Have you ever dreamed of a place Far away from it all Where the winter winds will never blow And living things have room to grow Where the sound of the guns Never pound your dream anymore.

Many miles from yesterday Before we reach tomorrow There’s a lost horizon Waiting to be found There’s a lost horizon Where the sound of guns Never pound your dream anymore.”

Each parting and farewell are permeated with grief. In just an instant, the inner emotion and outward scenery are severed; our worlds are disconnected. What remains is only the reminiscence of a lost paradise. “The cave opening The mountaintop The well-trodden path A thousand years to relish under the moon’s reflection…” If some day one should return to the place of yesteryear, the celestial dream still lingers as ever before.

“Peach leaves scattered across the path to paradise The lilting stream and oriole bid sad adieu Half a year in the land of fairies A step into earthly existence The end of bygone dreams and love remnants! Worn pebbles, withered moss Water flows, flowers drift A crane soars to the lofty sky Heaven and Earth separated at this moment evermore The cave opening The mountaintop The well-trodden path A thousand years to relish under the moon’s reflection…”

There is a dreamy flower called “Forget Me Not,” the hue of which resembles the color of Heaven. “Forget Me Not” humbly reminds us of God’s eternal calling for us never to forget Hirm, our all-giving Creator.

God’s Love for us is ever faithful, passionate, and unconditional. But in this bustling world, we’re often distracted and pulled away from Hirm, chasing fruitlessly after illusive earthly desires, life after life. One day, we will wake up and realize that the everlasting bliss that we’ve been seeking is right here, in the embrace of our Most Beloved, our Greatest Father in Heavens.

We now would like to present an instrumental rendering of a song composed by Supreme Master Ching Hai of the same title, “Forget Me Not.” Please enjoy.