The origin of May The Long Time Sun Shine

[Guest guest]

„May the long time sun shine”

came into the tradition of Kundalini Yoga, because band members of the

“Incredible String Band” attended a lecture with Yogi Bhajan in

London and donated this song to him during a talk they had with him afterwards.

For a while, at least in Europe, we even used their original, somewhat

difficult to sing, melody.

However, once, when I was teaching in

London myself, somebody mentioned to me that there is a choral from the middle

ages, that already uses this text. Unfortunately I forgot to ask more

information about this, and later couldn’t find the person anymore, who

told me.

However, further research in the internet

confirmed that the text “May The Long Time Sun Shine Upon You, All Love

Surround You, And The Pure Light Within You, Guide Your Way On” was not

written by the “Incredible String Band”, but based on older

sources. This text seems to have been used originally in Ireland in the middle

ages as a blessing for people, who started a long journey.

 

I really like this history, it seems so

fitting for the situation after a yoga class. Something like: you received you

uplift, your new identity and your energy, now go on your journey and make your

experiences with it.

Sat Nam,

Satya Singh, Hamburg