NO GURU NO METHOD NO TEACHER--VAN MORRISON UNDER THE STARS

Last night, thanks to Lisa, I got to see Van Morrison under the stars at the Santa Barbara County Bowl. Amazing. Lisa knows how to live a life of ravishing luxury and pleasure watching live music, drinking a rare coke, and sharing a hot pretzel with cheese. I’ve never seen anyone die and go to heaven over live music like Lisa, but I have to tell you, there were moments last night when I felt Van send ‘shivers from my neck down to my spine/ and ignite me.” And it was doubly poignant to me when during his heartfelt rendition of “In The Garden”, he pointed east and said, “No guru, no method, no teacher—the guy who said that wasn’t very far from here in Ojai.”

He acknowledged Jiddu Krishnamurti, and sang on; Krishnamurti, the reason I had come to California over 25 years before.

Though Van mentions some explicitly Christian motifs, know he was and is an inclusive soul. These lyrics come from an album with a Buddha on the cover.

             From "In the Garden", by Van Morrison:

 

And as I sat beside you
I felt the great sadness that day
In the garden

And then one day you came back home
You were a creature all in rapture
You had the key to your soul and you did open
That day you came back to the garden
…
And you went into a trance, your childlike vision became so fine
And we heard the bells within the church, we loved so much
And felt the presence of the youth of eternal summers in the garden

Alright, and as it touched your cheeks so lightly
Born again you were and blushed
And we touched each other lightly
And we felt the presence of the Christ
Within our hearts in the garden

And I turned to you and I said
"No guru, no method, no teacher
Just you and I and nature
And the Father in the garden"

Listen, no guru, no method, no teacher
Just you and I and nature…

The original version of “In the Garden” can be heard by clicking the link.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8Cnh7uD0b4