May 24, 2010

Jon Watts performs “Instructions for Us(e)” from The Art of Fully Being for Brooklyn Friends School on his Two Wheel tour.

brooklyn friends school instructions for use the art of fully being

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May 24, 2010

Jon Watts performing his song “Songs that I’ve Released” from The Art of Fully Being at Brooklyn Friends School on his Two Wheel Tour.

brooklyn friends school performance songs that i've released the art of fully being

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April 21, 2007

Now let’s spread it wide open
the distance should help
you know, and keep our eyes open

I’m hoping for self that I can get it together
and while it’s breaking apart
I took a break from this letter
You’re going to break our hearts

And that’s ok, Jon
That’s fine
This world is still a great place
for us to live out our lives
Just look around
I see a tree
I see this sea of mediocrity just vanish beneath me
I can go to him and climb up into my friend
Hatred turns to love as I climb from limb to limb
It’s like that

Suddenly everything has changed
I don’t feel the same
I envision my listening as a step outside this picture frame
and looking back in
how many virtues did I claim?
How many demons unnamed
that remained fueling all my flames?

I can go for long walks
I’m connected
taking in the sights and loving late night talks
My pain’s from the same place
the universe was made
so I live it and embody it
this running in place

The air’s full of life and everything is living
so when I’m walking at night
it often feels like I’m swimming
I’m so well held
I’m so far from hell
I’m exploring my story
and it’s going so well.

jon watts lyrics quaker so well the art of fully being

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April 21, 2007

I just followed the Spirit like a butterfly
And when I’m fully existing, it’s like the days fly by
I can’t always say the same for the nights

but when you’re holding onto something tight
it’s hard to let go
Shit, it’s difficult to go so slow

I want to be on the go
I want to see from the go
I want my “love is cheap” and “sex, release”
and even eat and sleep on the go

Oh no
Your “love is cheap” and “sex, release”
are costing you your peace
Don’t you know when you’re paying a price?
Put away your wallet
(the Spirit gives advice)
And when you listen to your conscience
it pays you back twice
Don’t be convinced by economics
just live out your life
And when you see something wrong
don’t close your eyes
Listen to this song or look at the sky
and say “I know I’m not perfect
This pile of shit is mine
and I’ve been working and working
and I’m doing real fine
I fuck up. I fuck up sometimes
I’m not bad because I’m not standing in a line
and I’m not going to show you a gang sign”

Pendle Hill lives on, faithful in strife
at least another time to sing Auld Lang Zime
and you can say these words
to make you faithful and strong
because I promise afternoons will be hang time

And just listen
I mean listen for the bell
there’s always a bell when you need to hear it
And next time you hear this
don’t fear it

Love,
(Spirit)

faithful in strife jon watts lyrics pendle hill quaker the art of fully being

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April 21, 2007

As featured in the music video “Dance Party Erupts During Quaker Meeting For Worship”

I found Quakers when I was just a kid
and now I’m studying them
I hope you know how that is

I’ve got George Fox on my right, James Nayler’s on my left
and Margaret Fell is holding us together
give her some respect

It’s that first generation we look back to
to find out what being a Friend means through and through
I don’t fully understand it
I don’t know if I can
but I understand enough to know that I am a fan

I’m like, damn, I didn’t think that I would do this anymore
I got bored
listening to lectures felt like a chore
But now I’m begging Max Carter just to tell me some more
Oh lord

So when I heard this Christian stuff
I’d get uncomfortable a lot
I’m like, What does Jesus have to do with George Fox?
And when I heard the word Christ it would make my jaw drop
but now I kind of understand the man I’ve got a soft spot

I’m not a Christian but I’m a Quaker
I’ve got Christ’s inner light but he’s not my savior
I’m on a date to meet my maker
I got down at Young Friends
with some funky behavior

Now I’m a liberal Friend
That means F-G-C
and tons of other acronyms that set me free
and I’ve been running the gammut
from Quaker camps to sandwiches
with the Young Friends crew
I know we offend you
but yo, we’re Quaker like the rest of y’all
Just ‘cause we go to bed later
doesn’t mean that midnight isn’t Quaker

And yo I’m sorry like everybody
that Quakers had to split
but just don’t blame Elias Hicks for all our problems
We’re the Society of Friends
it’s time we acted like it
and start to work together just to try to solve them

So all you Friends in the Meetinghouse
put your hands up
and then twist them at the wrist
like you just got out of handcuffs
That’s how you clap for me
you’ve got to clap silently

I’m not a Christian but I’m a Quaker
I’ve got Christ’s inner light but he’s not my savior
I’m on a date to meet my maker
I got down at Young Friends
with some funky behavior

I found George Fox living in a journal
and it’s fertile
I’m learning
I mean, I’ve jumped a lot of hurdles
and done a lot of discerning
just to get to where I’m sure that
the ancestors are working for certain
met the Spirit in person
now I’m living life nurturing worship
(in certain circles there’s a focus on service)

Now I know you might say
“Well, that’s some backwards theology”
I know you might say
“Well, that’s not right”
But that’s the way that I grew up
and it’s the way that I’m presenting it
Let’s hold all our differences in the Light
Alright

I’m not a Christian but I’m a Quaker
I’ve got Christ’s inner light but he’s not my savior
I’m on a date to meet my maker
I got down at Young Friends
with some funky behavior

To
Richmond Friends Meeting
BYM
FGC
Guilford College
QLSP
Pendle Hill
Earlham College
Shiloh Quaker Camp
Catoctin and Opequon
FCNL
AFSC
Langley Hill
Friendship Friends Meeting
Ashland Vineyard

FRIEND SPEAKS MY MIND

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