"Down in the valley to pray"

I was listening to Music in the Dharma- a production by Reverend Heng Sure, Alan Senauke, Betsy Rose as well as a few others guitar/banjo players and this song "Down in the valley to pray" was featured in the second section (Part 2). The file is available here - click on the link titled "Music in the Dharma - Part 2", and if you're there do check out Parts 1, 3 and 4 as well! The songs are relaxing, with beautiful guitar backgrounds, and not to mention a touch of humor here and there. =)

I felt compelled to do a lil writing on this song (as mentioned in the title) - its originally a Christian song, and Alan Senauke has taken it and did a lil change of words, he has given the song a beautiful meaning - one which i definitely will be reminded always whenever i heard this song. Part of the lyrics for this song goes like :-

"As I went down in the valley to pray,
Studying about that good old way,
And who shall wear the starry crown,
Good Lord show me the way,
Oh brothers, let's go down, let's go down, let's go down,
Don't you wanna come down,
Oh brothers, let's go down,
Down in the valley to pray."

Initially when i heard this song the only thought that occured to me was a simple one, but Alan's description has opened up a whole new different view to me. He said :- [extracted from Music in the Dharma and rephrased]

"This is where we have to go - inside ourselves, we have to go deep down to encounter ourselves. We have to go down into the valleys, down into the dark places, down into the places where we experience fear or hesitation, and then when we get there, we have to let go - we can let go with prayer, and we can let go with song. One has to go down into the valley, but one goes along with everybody, and one takes everybody with him, including all sentient beings."

Try this song! =) Its light, easygoing and has a touch of country to it. Heartlifting. ;D