An Author's Karma

We all know about the law of karma; every action has a reaction. After nine years, Mariah, from my book, found me on Face Book and messaged me, "Are you still drunk?" If you've read about her, you know how dangerous she can be. Everything I wrote about her years ago still holds true. I wouldn't change a thing I said, except choose better adjectives to describe her. Anyway, she read what I wrote, and in her typical vindictive style, she wrote a scathing one star review on Amazon to slam me. This is my karma for being an author and writing something heavy about a very negitive person in my life. I totally accept my error. But I see Mariah hasn't changed at all in the past ten years. I know I have, because I laugh at her reaction now and don't let her upset me, where once I would have been fighting again with her- exactly what she wants me to do! Both Mariah and my deceased mother thrieve on the adreneline rush of fights and negitive encounters. I must say she is a great writer, much better than I; maybe she should write a book, instead of only negitive reviews that only mirror her anger and jealousy over somebody who has greater discipline than her. She displays all the behavior of a bi-polar person. I pray she seeks treatment in 2012.

My New Songs

I just recorded 13 new songs, which can be heard at www.soundcloud.com or www.musicxray.com under my name, Rob Rideout. I'm quite proud of these songs. It's just me and my guitar, as I recorded them for my agent to pitch my lyrics. However, after hearing them, I'm tempted to release a CD of them in this raw version and maybe title it, "Alone".

More About Babaji

Recently this picture of Babaji has been on Youtube and Facebook. I first saw this picture in 1994 at Babaji's ashram in Haidakhan. I was told by Har Govind, the Swiss doctor who was acting as pugari at the sacred fire, that an American took this photo during a vision of Babaji. Swami Vishwananda claims it came from Badrinath and that all true Babaji devotees have one. Is this the Babaji that nodody ever really sees? He certainly looks other-worldly! Maybe this is the Babaji who appeared as His living murti in Haidakhan Babaji. Who konws? Still, I am fascinated by the continual mystery of Babaji. I've always been a devotee of Babaji, in all forms, since first reading about Him in 1971.

The First Snow

Today, November 17, 2011 we got our first snowfall of about five inches here in Colville, WA. It was beautiful to wake up to the quiet, and then look out the window at the new fresh white powder. Snow seems to have a spiritual power to it, covering all with its immense statement that winter is upon us. I love snow; the common denominator that we all have to deal with, ever reminding us to be alert and cautious, to avoid an accident. Last year the snow and black ice took out my car. So this year, I plan to be extra cautious and hopefully avoid any accidents. As I'm now "retired", I stay at home much more anyway. So that alone should reduce my odds of an accident- hopefully! Now the sun is shinging on the virgin snow, making sunglasses a must! I got the walk ways and back deck all shoveled off. It's a start anyway and gives me some exercise. And as I look out my window now, I see cat tracks in the snow. Olive and Baba are out there already hunting for mice, regardless of the snow. So let's enjoy the beauty that snow brings; it's the only choice I see!

Focus Group Feedback to My Song

Recently I exposed my song, I've Got To Let You Go to a focus group on MusicXray.com for feedback. Here are some of the comments that I received:

"This is a little too dragging for me. I understand it's a slow piece, but its too repetitive and plain to keep my attention. I like the vocals but wish the track matched the more mature and somewhat rough timbre of the male voice. Nice recording quality though."

"Reminds me of Sinatra."

"No it doesn't. I find it quite boring."

"This is a slow and sweet song."

"The lyrics are so great! I love it. Although it may be sad, I really want to listen this again-a good product!"

"I really like this song! Its got a great feeling to it! Very nice work :=) It definitely touches in many ways!"

  "This song gets you very emotional. The lyrics have great meanings. It is a very beautiful song."

"It was a likeable song but nothing special about it."

"Reminds me of HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT."

"The song really needs different vocals or better vocals. The lyrics are awesome, but the production needs work. The simple lyrics are great and something not heard enough on radio today. The song needs to be longer - maybe add a bridge and/or instrumental. Some piano would be great."

"The singer's voice reminds me of John Mahoney, the actor that played Dr. Frazier Crane's dad on the TV show Frazier."

Well, there you have it. I personally don't care for the last two comments, but I respect their constuctive criticism just the same. You have to develop a tough skin to put yourself out there as I've been doing in trying to promote my book and CD. Everybody has their own opinion; that is just life!

Early Thoughts on Retirement

I'm still accepting being quote, "retired". It has been a month now, since I lost my job. I've decided to live off of my Social Security benefits and, hopefully, Unemployment benefits, while receiving food stamps too as my retirement. This isn't the kind of retirement I pictured, but it's my start anyway. It's my start to relaxing- about life, God and myself. When your job is gone and you are home alone, then you must face who you are now, not who you used to be when you worked. I see now, I have all the time I need to recreate who I really want to be. I am faced with doing the real spiritual work of watching my thoughts daily. Now I have the time to find part-time work that I might enjoy to suppliment my income, instead of just accepting any job to stay alive. We all have choices to make, of course, but with all this free time and space in front of me now, I feel I'm more conscious of some of the choices I make. After working hard my whole life, now it's time to live and savor life; without guilt that I should be working like everyone else. I've done that, but this is all new! These are just some early reflections on my retirement, nothing more.

My Survivor audition video

As many of you know, I went to the casting call for Survivor in Spokane but my number wasn't picked. So now, I am applying online. Here is my video: http://youtu.be/QzF9bWGfAYQ It could have been better, but I think they will get the point- I AM a survivor!

The Beauty of Youtube

Youtube may just be one of the best archives online for seeing old video footage of bands back in the 1960s and '70s. I just discovered It's A Beautiful Day performing their classic song, White Bird in 1970. I never got to see this band live back in the day, so to see them now was like a total dream comes true! Of course the filming may not be the best, but you get the point anyway. Some of the comments posted below the videos are interesting and informative too. Like I never knew that Badfinger wrote the song made famous by Harry Neilson, Can't Live. Sadly, these heir apparants to the Beatles were screwed over bigtime by their management, resulting in the suicide deaths of both songwriters! So, now I cry when I see Badfinger performing that song on Youtube. Such is the power of this information hiway online. It's all out there like you've never seen it before!

The Real Stories behind My CD Songs

Now that I have a CD available, online at my website and at local stores in the Colville area, I thought this would be a good time to relate the stories behind each song. So, here they briefly are:

1.       Somehow This song is about how I feel about each day of life. Composed early January 2008

2.       The Party Is In My Mind I wrote this song out of my mind at 4am, living alone in a friend’s cabin during a year separation from my wife and child. I’ve been trying for 20 years to get it to Willie Nelson. Winter 1992

3.       Laugh At The Blues Written after the Fat Lady sang, when I was asked to leave my home on a restraining order and took refuge in another friend’s cabin with a bottle of red wine. This song just came to me instantly. Written February 1991

4.       Healing The Holes In My Heart Written in Kingman Prison in March 2005, this song is about the healing that was occurring during in my incarceration.

5.       I’ve Got To Let You Go Written in March 2005, just prior to my release from 25 months of prison in Arizona. I wrote this song with my son in mind. I knew that I would only be seeing him for a matter of hours after my release, as I had to leave immediately on an interstate compact for Washington.

6.       She’s There This song is about every single person’s longing and hope for love, to come back into their lives. Written January 2007

7.       Dave Is On The Moon A true story right out of my book, written on Christmas Day 2004, after I got the letter in prison informing me that Dave had died of heroin.

8.       Last Call For Alcohol Written in Kingman Prison January 2005, this is my testimony of why I quit drinking. It’s definitely a country song!

9.       Nothing More I Can Say Written in May 1991, after my accident that broke my body in 12 places. I was finally able to hold my guitar again, and this song was penned. It is about my soon-to-be ex-wife, and mother of my son, and all the feelings of hopelessness that were surfacing; knowing that I was going to lose her.

10.   You’re Already There Penned again in Kingman Prison January 2005; this song reflects what I was learning from my studies of The Course In Miracles- a highly recommended course! This is one of my favorite songs and very dear to my heart.

11.   Just The Thought Of You Written in September 2010 prior to going in the recording studio. This is my most recent recorded song, but I’ve written many more since then for my next CD. This song is about my first real girlfriend Jeanne, whom I’ve not seen in over 40 years and couldn’t locate anywhere. However, after the song was released on my CD, I did locate her on Face Book but she didn’t accept my invitation to be a friend. So, now she has no idea I wrote such a pretty song for her.

12.   Still Singing, Somehow Written on my porch June 2010, this is the musical nut shell version of my inspirational memoir of the same title. The melody is catchy and stays in your head. I especially love the mantra Om Namaha Shivaya being chanted to this melody, at the end of the song. It translates, “Lord, Thy will be done” or “I take refuge in God”.

North Columbia Monthly's Review of my CD

Working like a soundtrack to his self-penned memoir, Rob Rideout's Still Singing, Somehow CD draws from his storied life in melancholy fashion. Home-spun recordings with backing from local musicians that flesh out Rideout's acoustic guitar musings, this disc is partly album, partly scrapbook.

Most chapters here begin with Rideout's mid-tempo acoustic guitar and plaintiff vocals before opening up into tavern-esque, basement excursions like "Laugh at the Blues" or "Healing the Holes in My Heart" with subtle infusions of guitar texture by local artist, Clifford Ward, to give songs expansion and color. On "She's There", the standout moment is a poignant sax solo by Jai Ram Rideout, almost transforming the number into something like an early Pink Floyd demo.

It's great to see local musicians coming together to help turn ideas into an album, and at least four or more local bands are represented on Still Singing, Somehow.You can find out more at www.stillsingingsomehow.com
The CD is also locally available @ Reflections in Colville & Meyers Falls Market in Kettle Falls.

Concerts I Saw Back in the Day

CONCERTS I SAW BACK IN THE DAY

1.       THE BEATLES  3X                          

2.       BOBBIE HEBB

3.       DUSTY SPRINGFIELD

4.       RIGHTOUS BROTHERS 

5.       THE YOUNG RASCALS

6.       LITTLE STEVIS WONDER

7.       DIANNA ROSS & THE SUPREMES

8.       THE JEFFERSON AIRPLANE

9.       CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY

10.   TINA TURNER

11.   CREAM

12.   BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD

13.   THE SEEDS

14.   JAMES BROWN

15.   VANILLA FUDGE 2X

16.   JIMI HENDRIX

17.   LED ZEPHLIN 2X

18.   RICHIE HAVENS

19.   THE 5^TH DIMENSION

20.   COLD BLOOD WITH LYDIA PENCE

21.   JOE WALSH & BARNSTORM

22.   JESSE COLIN YOUNG & THE YOUNGBLOODS 5X

23.   JOHN McLaughlin & THE MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA- this was by far the best concert on this list!

24.   RODNEY CROWELL

25.   SANTANA

26.   THE GRASSROOTS

27.   RAY CHARLES

28.   BILLY PRESTON

29.   THE COASTERS

30.   SAM THE SHAM & THE PHAROS

31.   STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK

32.   KNICKER BOCKERS

33.   THE SHINDOGS

34.   BREAD

35.   THE ROLLING STONES

36.   THE ELECTRIC PRUNES

37.   THE TURTLES

38.   QUICK SILVER MESSENGER SERVICE

39.   ARTHUR LEE & LOVE

40.   LOVECRAFT

41.   EMMYLOU HARRIS 2X

42.   GLEN CAMBELL

43.   ROY CLARK

44.   TIM BUCKLEY

45.   BONNIE RAIT

46.   JERRY JEFF WALKER

47.   WAYLON JENNINGS

48.   WENDEL  ATKINS

49.   WILLIE NELSON 3X

50.   ALBERT COLLINS

51.   B B KING

52.   JIMMIE DALE GILMOORE

53.   GORDON LIGHTFOOT

54.   JIMMY BUFFET 3X

55.   HARRY CHAPHIN

56.   DEEP PURPLE

57.   MICHAEL DOUCET & BOSELEI

58.   KODO DRUMMERS OF JAPAN

59.   GYOTO MONKS OF TIBET

60.   BOZ  SCAGGS

61.   JANIS JOPLIN WITH BIG BROTHER & THE HOLDING COMPANY

62.   COUNTRY JOE  McDonald & THE FISH

63.   PETER, PAUL & MARY

64.   MITCH RYDER & THE DETROIT WHEELS

65.   JESSE COLTER

66.   ROBERT MIRABAL

67.   R. CARLOS NAKAI

68.   BOXCAR WILLIE

69.   DON WILLIAMS

70.   PAUL WINTER  CONSORT

71.   IAN TYSON

72.   JOHNNY PAYCHECK

73.   TAJ MAHAL

74.   ALABAMA

75.   DELBERT McClinton

76.   THE JOY OF COOKING

77.   FREDDIE FENDER

78.   ALBERT LEE

79.   JERRY DOUGLAS

80.   THE TIME MACHINE

81.   THE FABULOUS WAILERS

82.   THE VICEROYS

83.   THE DIMENSIONS

84.   THE SONICS

85.   DON & THE GOODTIMES

86.   PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS

87.   THE DAILY FLASH

88.   CHILLIWACK

89.   MERRILEE  RUSH & THE TURNABOUTS

90.   LINDA WATERFALL & THE SKYBOYS

91.   TINY TONY & THE STATICS

92.   K.T. TUNSTALL

The Naked Truth About My Book Cover

I recently became aware that the cover of my book, Still Singing, Somehow, and the cover of the CD of the same title that accompanies it, has made some people feel uncomfortable; all because of my quote "nakedness"! How I am viewed here as "naked" is beyond me. It looks like I have no shirt, granted, but naked? It makes me question the perception of those offended. John Lennon was totally naked on the cover of his album, Naked Virgins. Now that's bare naked.
Just to set the record straight, this cover picture of me was taken by a Frenchman named Alexis with my camera on the sacred bathing day at the 1995 Kumbha Mela in Allahahbad, India; right after I walked out of the Ganges River. Just to be at that gig, is the equivilant of a thousand other pilgramages. To bathe on the astrologically predicted sacred bathing day, increases that ten fold! That camera image was copied and super-imposed into the river mountain scene that graces my book's cover today. This new image strongly resembles the way to Haidakhan and Babaji's ashram, or the Nooksac River flowing off Mount Baker, where I grew up. I was in a very high spiritual place when this photo was taken. This is a picture of Hari Om, my spiritual name and self. I'm sorry if it offends anybody. I'm totally naked inside the book, so you make up your own minds if I'm naked on the cover!

My CD Release Party

My CD Release Party for "Still Singing, Somehow" at Northern Ales Brewery in Kettle Falls turned ot really well. The three musicians backing me, Mark, Terry and F, played my songs with a lot of energy and feeling, producing a profound sound. Hilary Ohm video fimed most of the gig and had my song going out for Wille Nelson up on FaceBook the next day! Hopefully, if enough friends pass on the YouTube link about this song, "The Party is in my Mind" to their friends, Willie just might find it somehow. This gig was the very first time I have ever had other musicians playing my songs along with me. It felt incredable! I never knew my songs could sound so powerful, as I'm so used to playing them alone to the cats. Just type my name, Rob Rideout, in on YouTube to see "This one goes out to Willie."

Casting Call for "Survivor"

I've decided to do it- go to the casting call for Survivor that is being held this coming Friday @ Northern Quest Casino near Spokane airport. I'm sure many hopefuls will show up, just like me but much younger. However, only 100 names will be pulled on KREM news @ 5:30, for interviews; so to me, it is really up to fate or God. But I'm going just the same, in hopes that my name will be drawn or one of the Survivor staff will somehow pick up on me. Hell, I AM a survivor, to say the least! And the oppertunity to have this audition show up in my own backyard doesn't happen everyday. I'm also a firm believer in synchronicity, so armed with my survivor's tale, Still Singing, Somehow and my CD of survival songs, I'll drive the two hours south this Friday to see what destiny holds. Who knows? I just might make it. Wouldn't that be an incredable life changer?

Reflections on my Friend's Visit

Last Sunday, my friend Tim from Bangkok came for a visit. We go way back, having met in Fiji in '79. Tim has stayed in touch with me through the years: seeing me play music in South Dakota, seeing my cabin before it burned down, seeing my baby boy and wife after the fire, and then having me visit him and his Thai wife Aoy in Thailand. in 1995. Since then, he and Aoy birthed three kids. The last time we saw each other was six years ago, about a year after my prison release.

His visit was way too short, four and a half hours, but ever so dear. True friends open my heart! After Tim left, it all seemed like a dream that he was even here. The next day at work, I thought about our friendship and what it means to me, all day. I feel so blessed to have him come so far to see me.It really made my work day, to say the least. He emailed me that he really enjoyed our simple dinner of steamed vegtables and rice. I thought about what Tim's diet is probably like. Living in Bangkok, he has some of the best food on the planet at his doorstep. And traveling on international business as he does, he gets wined and dined on god-only-knows-what at business parties and banquets, not to forget the airplane food too. That sounds like fun, but I'll stick with my simple diet right here at home.

Tim and his family would really like me to return to Thailand, but I don't see it happening any time soon, if at all. But maybe someday they will be able to come here and eat steamed vegs and rice with me in Colville. Tim will come through; he always does!

Children’s Happy Acres – Heaven on Earth

Back in 1959, when I was ten years old, I spent two weeks of my summer with my sister in a child’s version of heaven on earth. I’m talking about the Pony Farm, or “Children’s Happy Acres” as it was officially called. North of Bellingham Washington, forty boys and girls came together for a week of living on a farm, and having their own Shetland pony to ride everyday and learn how to take care of. The price tag was forty dollars per week, considered high back then, and included three square meals a day of the best fresh farm produce and livestock I’ve ever tasted- and all organic, of course. This was way before chemicals made the fertilizer scene. And way before insurance companies made it impossible for something like this to even exist.

This Shetland pony farm came complete with a very rustic bunkhouse to accommodate us forty boys and girls, a miniature Dodge City, fruit orchards, organic vegetable gardens, dogs, cats, barnyard critters, chariots, a stagecoach and a real covered wagon. This place was major fun!  We had Ben-Hur-style chariot races on Wednesday nights in our Circus Maximus arena, with two ponies each on the chariots. We weren’t allowed to drive the chariots, but we were on our knees inside peeking over the tin side, and hanging on for dear life as the dust was flying! The massive hayloft, in the red barn, had a great Tarzan rope swing and a tunnel complex safely built for us little people.  The owner’s children, John, Jerry and Teri, knew everything about horses and ponies, and were dearly loved by all of us young, aspiring cowboys.  Their parents, Roy and Julia, showed us how to butcher chickens, milk cows manually, care for our ponies and ride like Indians.  In my first week there, I started out on old Pee Wee but progressed quickly to Prince, the Indian pinto pony.  He’d be my regular pony in future summers, and I always rode him bareback, just like the Indians.

Playing guns here was like out of a movie set- way too good to be true! All of us kids were raised on  TV shows like Bonanza, The Rebel, Maverick, Have Gun, Will Travel, The Rifleman, Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Cheyenne, Wagon Train, The Real McCoy’s, Gun Smoke, Stagecoach West, Rawhide, Zorro, and The Virginian.  No wonder our heroes were always cowboys!  Playing out our dreams in a small cowboy town built for children was heavenly. I had a Johnny Yuma/The Rebel sawed-off shotgun hanging from my saddle- the total envy of all the other little cowboys. They were packing Mattel Fanner Fifties, which actually shot spring loaded plastic bullets. Before going home, we had a campout in the woods, with our covered Conestoga wagon and individual ponies, sleeping on the damp ground around a roaring bonfire. You could hear the ponies peeing loudly at night. I remember getting my first taste of live music around these campfires, as Roy and Julia played guitars and sang nostalgic cowboy songs.  Little did I know then that the seeds had been planted for my later love affair with country western music? Or that fifty years later, I’d be a singer/songwriter, as well as a published author, with a CD and book testifying to the power of this Pony Farm.

Then sadly, on Sunday morning from the hay loft, we’d see Mom’s red rag-top VW coming to pick us up. This was not good! Our week in heaven was over. Upon arriving home, my sister and I would cry nonstop, like babies, until our parents agreed to send us back for another week. Yes! So that is how we worked our parents in the early 1960s, to get another week back in heaven on earth- heaven for a kid raised in a world so different than today. “My heroes have always been cowboys”, thanks to the Pony Farm and TV heroes back in an age that is now gone with the wind. I’m so glad I grew up then! Om Namaha Shivaya

I Live In Heaven

When my eyes are spiritually open, I see that I live in heaven. It took a very long time for this realization to come to me, but it is so true. I DO live in heaven. Gratitude for everything is what opens the door to this vision of heaven.

When I look out my kitchen window, I see two llamas and a donkey in the field across the street that belongs to my neighbor. Off my back porch presently is a very flooded valley from all the snow melt. However, this newly created wetland has drawn much wildlife and many water fowl. I now see ducks, gulls and loudly squawking Canadian geese doing their thing out in my backyard. Cool. Living on a Black Angus farm draws the wild turkeys out of the woods; down to peck at the hay the farmer feeds his cows. I daily see many tom turkeys herding their brood of hens across the street into our farm. Or I see them all fly out of the tall pine trees across the street where they roost at night. Yes, turkeys can fly and it is a sight to see them land! I have red tailed hawks and bald eagles who hang out in our large old cottonwood tree on occasion. I even saw a pair of bald eagles telling their immature offspring to find its own territory, as it’s time to leave the nest. I love where I live and all it brings to my doorstep.

My three cats have it made here, to say the least. To see them so happy in their natural world lifts my spirit and opens my eyes. I’ve been walking my two bobtailed Manx cats Baba and Olive across the field up in the big woods- the Wildwood- for a very long time. They get all excited just like dogs when I mention the W word- walk. As I change into my hiking boots, they prance around the front porch in anticipation of crossing the big field together, into a world of trees to climb and new scents to smell; all left by deer, coyotes, turkeys and geese. Then I walk slowly with them on a voyage of discovery; another discovery that this is heaven, here, in the deep dark woods with my two very aware cats. I’m glad cats go slow and are quiet in the woods. With dogs, it’s a whole different energy as we all know. I so wish people gave more respect to cats. They are incredibly spiritual beings in my book! They help me see the Presence around and within me. And being aware of the Presence is being in heaven, here on earth. That is the goal of each and every one of us. To remember God, now, is our daily task. This takes continuous mind training, the watching of one’s thoughts constantly. Are you judging or are you at peace? When we listen to the voice of the Presence, we will see that we do live in heaven as we are finally home with nowhere to go. It is all here, right now. Om Namaha Shivaya

Singer/songwriter Rob Rideout is the award winning author of Still Singing, Somehow. He lives on a farm overlooking Colville, WA with his three cats Baba, Maya and Olive. He just released a second book of poetry, based on his song lyrics and has a CD of original songs scheduled for release May 2011. These songs of three decades are meant to accompany both books.  Rob’s books can be viewed or purchased @ www.stillsingingsomehow.com He can be contacted there too. Be sure to check out his blog on the home page of his website.

Smoking with Shiva

In 1994, I was at a major turning point in my life. I had just survived a near tragic accident where I broke my body in twelve places, my father and best friend had recently died, and to top that off, I was now being forced to sell my house and land in the woods due to divorce. My soon to be ex-wife was taking my young son with her to New Mexico, so we really needed to sell our home, as neither of us could afford to buy the other out. As the house was off the grid and on a 12Volt system, this cut out the majority of possible buyers for us, as far as the banks were concerned. In desperation, I prayed to Mahavatar Babaji to help sell our home, promising that I would go to his ashram in India if this happened. Well, the very next day the house miraculously sold! I was soon off to the foothills of the Himalayas, to give thanks to Babaji and seek guidance for my troubled life.

 As I arrived here, just prior to Christmas, rehearsals for the Christmas play were well underway.  Babaji respected all religions and had told Westerners years ago to “do the Christmas thing.”  I was immediately asked to take part in the Nativity play and assigned the role of one of the three visiting wise men.  When Christmas arrived, I was very excited.  This proved to be a Christmas I would never forget.  At dress rehearsal the day before, I was told to come to the ashram office for part of my costume.  There, an Italian devotee named Ganga lent me Babaji’s silver silk waistcoat to wear.  I was floored when she stated that this particular vest had been His favorite. Wow, I get to wear it! All of my dorm mates had to smell and feel it, for a contact high

Our play went off very well, in front of hundreds of hill folk with children. Almost everybody was wrapped up in those, now familiar, blankets.  This ashram gig was very special for them, with free food and lots of festivities.  Many had walked a very long way to be here.  There was much chanting of songs in praise of God and, of course, a lot of Om Namah Shivaya.   Later, when I returned the special vest, Ganga mumbled something I couldn’t clearly hear.  When I asked her kindly to repeat, she said, “the vest is now yours to keep; Merry Christmas, Hari Om.”  Wow! I’ve got Babaji’s vest. What a day. Thank you Ganga…I’ll never forget you! It didn’t even seem to be a big deal to her but it sure was to me. Some of these women here who have lived with Babaji are very intriguing. I sometimes wonder where their heads are at, as they’ve lived here on and off for a very long time- living the same program of devotion, work and ceremony... day in-day out, year in-year out.  Also on Christmas Day, Muniraj, who was Babaji’s right hand man, and many high-profile Indian political devotees arrived for the big yagna or fire ceremony.  Babaji had said, “If you want to worship God, worship the fire.”  Both East and West Indians have sacred fire ceremonies.  Sadly, only the upper echelon got to participate here, while everyone else looked on enviously.

As the yagna fire was crackling away, a small wondering sadhu, who distinctly resembled Babaji and seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, called me to join him in his cave.  This cave was for sadhu only and located next to Babaji’s sacred cave, where He manifested His body in 1970.  After he smoked me up with his chillum, he let his hair down- literally, as his long dreadlocks hung like serpents cascading to the earthen floor.  He was, and still is, the most profoundly beautiful man I’ve ever seen.  I felt like I was seated beside Babaji, on Christ’s birthday. I’d just smoked with Shiva. I involuntarily knelt and kissed his feet. Was this Babaji seated in front of me, looking exactly like Lord Shiva? I had secretly always longed for darshan such as this. Be careful for what you pray.  As I was meditating now, automatically in front of him, I opened my eyes to see him point at me and exclaim, “Babaji!” Now who is Babaji?  What a blessing this day had been.  This sadhu was named Mukunda Baba Bramachari.  He lived solely on curd (yogurt) and fruit and had never experienced a woman.  His purity was awe-inspiring.  He spoke little English, but gave me a picture negative of him that I developed later.  To really see the divine in human form, so beautifully manifested, is beyond words.  Ironically, he mysteriously moved on before I could give him my blanket. This small Shiva sadhu was headed to the source of the Ganges to see a fabled ice lingum of Shiva in a cave. I’m sure he probably made it. I know too that he gave me a memory of a Christmas that I will never forget. Om Namaha Shivaya!

Singer/songwriter Rob Rideout is the award winning author of Still Singing, Somehow. He lives on a farm overlooking Colville, WA with his three cats Baba, Maya and Olive. He just released a second book of poetry, based on his song lyrics and has a CD of original songs scheduled for release May 2011. These songs of three decades are meant to accompany both books.  Rob’s books can be viewed or purchased @ www.stillsingingsomehow.com He can be contacted there too. Be sure to check out his blog on the home page of his website.

Scars As Karmic Reminders

Most all of us, if we’ve lived any length of time here on earth at all, carry some bodily scars from accidents. Are accidents karma? I certainly believe they are; the scars we carry are constant reminders of those incidents that happened long ago.

When I shave in the morning, I see a small line on my chin where I cut myself on a broken baby bottle back in my infant toddler days. I certainly don’t remember this accident, as I was too young, but my face remembers. It remembers my mother telling me how I fell as a baby with my bottle that broke.

My first self-created scar is on my right knee, where I had the cartilage removed back in 1975. This accident was caused by me, a Western man, trying to be an Eastern man. I’d been practicing yoga heavily and longed to master the full lotus posture; but way too early in the game. From pushing my body too hard, I loosened everything around my knee. Then I twisted it getting out of a small pup tent. Luckily I had insurance, but this was my first time in the hospital with major surgery and being put under. It wouldn’t be my last!

Another three inch long thin scar adorns my right thigh, just above the knee. This scar has the most unusual story behind it of all. Back in 1979, I spent six months in Fiji Islands traveling all over many islands in the archipelago and living with the natives in their villages. As chance would have it, I took a cargo ship on a three day voyage to the remote island paradise of Rotuma. I was the first American hippie musician, looking like Jesus Christ, to ever visit this distant island. It hadn’t been discovered yet. No tourists ever came here and few had even heard the word “Rotuma”. My stay here was special beyond words. When I was riding on the back of a motor scooter with my friend Ian driving, I felt something gently brush against my thigh, above the knee. I didn’t look down at the time and just thought it must have been a leaf that rubbed against me. However, when we finally came to a stop back in the village of Juju, I was bleeding! It looked like a paper cut. What did this? I gave it no thought what so ever until years later; I noticed that it is still there- reminding me of magical Rotuma. This is a happy scar for sure.

Other scars on my body aren’t so happy. I have a scar that extends fifteen inches long from the top of my hip down my femur. There are nineteen screws there holding the eight breaks in my leg together. I fell twenty feet off a roof, breaking my leg and shoulder. The shoulder scar runs from the top of my collar bone down into my arm pit. Both of these are karmic reminders of a horrible time in my life. I had just gotten back with my estranged wife after a year of separation when this accident happened. Those scars remind me of three months in a wheel chair, then crutches and a cane as I learned how to walk again all over. And they remind me of the painful divorce I went through at the same time.

The scars on my left ankle carry five screws underneath, from an accident caused totally by alcohol. Bad karma! In a drunken stupor, I slipped off two steps on my porch, trying desperately not to squash my small Siamese kitten, Mister Blanco. This was a compound fracture with the bone exposed. Of all scars I carry, this accident hurt the worst.

So there you have it. As every picture tells a story, every scar does too. Can you remember the stories behind your scars? Everything speaks to me. Om Namaha Shivaya

Singer/songwriter Rob Rideout is the award winning author of Still Singing, Somehow. He lives on a farm overlooking Colville, WA with his three cats Baba, Maya and Olive. He just released a second book of poetry, based on his song lyrics and has a CD of original songs scheduled for release May 2011. These songs of three decades are meant to accompany both books.  Rob’s books can be viewed or purchased @ www.stillsingingsomehow.com He can be contacted there too. Be sure to check out his blog on the home page of his website.