I AM
Kirtana Lyrics
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before the name
Beyond the mind's attempt to find
or explain
Before the breath, beyond the sense
of pleasure or of pain
And after death, and after death, I am
of everything I see
Behind the eyes, beyond disguise, reflecting me
At the silent core, and yet before phenomena began
And after it, and after it, I am
Many differences separate us
on the surface, yes.
But I cannot find a boundary in consciousness
And when you ask me,
where does awareness begin
and does it end
I have to say, I have to say
I've always been
Within the body, without the body,
not subject to
Changing moods or states of health
or points of view
Without needs before the deeds
and the monuments of man
And after them, and after them, I am
Many differences separate us
on the surface, yes.
But I cannot find a boundary
in consciousness
And when you ask me,
where does awareness begin
and does it end
I have to say, I have to say
I've always been
At the silent core,
and yet before phenomena began
And after it, and after it, I am
In Kirtana's song "I Am," the lyrics discuss the concept of a deeper identity that goes beyond the ego or physical body. The song explores the idea that before our bodies, stories, and names, there is a deeper, spiritual essence that transcends our human experience. The lyrics suggest that this essence exists beyond our attempts to understand or explain it, and beyond the sensations of pleasure or pain that can sometimes distract us from it. The song suggests that even after death, this essence remains.
The lyrics also explore the concept of consciousness, and the idea that this deeper essence connects us all. The song suggests that while there may be surface-level differences between people, these differences are ultimately insignificant in the face of our shared consciousness. In this way, the song encourages listeners to look beyond their differences and connect with each other on a deeper level.
Overall, "I Am" is a deeply reflective and introspective song that encourages listeners to connect with their own spiritual essence and the shared consciousness that connects us all.
Line by Line Meaning
Before the body, before the story,
before the name
My existence transcends physicality, history, and identity.
Beyond the mind's attempt to find
or explain
My essence is beyond comprehension or explanation by the human mind.
Before the breath, beyond the sense
of pleasure or of pain
And after death, and after death, I am
Existence of my being transcends physical sensations and even death itself.
Within the heart, the whole and part
of everything I see
I am inherent in every living thing, both in its entirety and in its individual parts.
Behind the eyes, beyond disguise, reflecting me
Although I exist beyond the physical eyes, my reflection is seen in all living things.
At the silent core, and yet before phenomena began
And after it, and after it, I am
Existence of my being is at the heart of creation, before and after all phenomena.
Many differences separate us
on the surface, yes.
Superficial differences exist between us.
But I cannot find a boundary in consciousness
However, there is no boundary in the underlying consciousness that is within us all.
And when you ask me,
where does awareness begin
and does it end
When questioned about the beginning and end of awareness,
I have to say, I have to say
I've always been
I can only answer that I have always existed.
Within the body, without the body,
not subject to
Changing moods or states of health
or points of view
My existence is not limited by the physical body, and is not affected by changeable moods, health, or perspective.
Without needs before the deeds
and the monuments of man
And after them, and after them, I am
My existence does not depend on human needs or achievements, and persists beyond them.
Contributed by Makayla W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.