I went to see the Shaman, Martin Prechtel at his book reading for "Long Life, Honey in the Heart." I purchased his book and inside of the book was the Navajo Proverb. I was immediately touched by the Proverb and that night on my way home, the music to the Navajo Prayer emerged as a chant. Driving over Hwy 17 through the winding Santa Cruz mountains, I sang the prayer with passion and gusto over and over, all the way home until the music and song were etched in my heart.
I love this prayer, I sing it often. It gives me great solace. I love hearing other people, both as individual musicians and choirs sing this song. I credit Kate Munger, Director of the Threshold Choir as the one who realized the song could be sung as a round in three parts. As she said, "This song has feet."
This website is about my song, the Navajo Prayer and the journey it has taken and continues to take through many voices. This website is dedicated to the stories, the people and the collective journey of the Navajo Prayer.
Barbara McAfee, who recorded one of my favorite renditions on CD Baby, was told that it was written by the poet Kabir, from India.