Songwriting as a Mirror to the Soul
That’s our next workshop. Songwriting is a powerful tool for self-knowledge, and that’s what we’re going to explore at our next workshop, how to use songwriting to reveal the inner nature and the Higher Self.
Keep in mind that the workshop will run exactly the same, no matter what title we choose for it — this title is only a general hint, for the purpose of informing people about the workshop and giving a brief explanation of its content and focus.
Rest assured, the workshop will go off the day after my birthday — it’s to be held on the 28th and 29th of December, which is pretty close to now — and it will deal with the issues that have come up for you on your daily path.
What exactly will we be doing at that workshop? Good question — I’m glad you asked!
Here’s why songwriting—and singing those songs from the heart—is a profound tool for self-discovery:
1. Songwriting as a Mirror to the Soul
When you write a song, you’re pulling raw material straight from your inner world. The words, melodies, and emotions that emerge reflect your deepest feelings, struggles, joys, and dreams. It’s like holding up a mirror—but instead of a literal reflection, you see the essence of who you are, stripped of societal masks.
- Why it works:
Songwriting requires honesty to create something that resonates. You can’t fake a good song—it has to come from somewhere real, even if it’s layered in metaphor.
2. Melody as Emotional Language
Music bypasses the rational mind and taps directly into emotion. The melodies you create or choose are expressions of your inner emotional landscape. Even if you can’t articulate a feeling in words, the act of shaping a melody helps it emerge and make sense.
Sure, you don’t write the music, but you do CHOOSE the music, and if you think about it, most Broadway composers split the work up between the lyricist — who writes the poetry — and composer, who writes the music.
In a band, the whole band generally works out the music after the lyrics have been decided upon. Quite often, the poet has no control over how it comes out, and the same song, covered by a dozen different bands, will sound remarkably different, unless there’s a deliberate attempt to stay with someone’s version, which happens with a radio hit — they want the same thing, only different.
- Singing amplifies this:
When your singer sings, the tones become the instrument, and the voice you chose will carry those emotions out into the world. It’s a physical release and an emotional reckoning, which happens through vocal expression.
3. Writing Breaks Down Barriers
The process of weaving words together forces you to slow down your racing mind, and focus on examining your actual thoughts. It brings subconscious ideas into the light, and allows you to confront things you might not have otherwise noticed. Writing it down brings it to life:
- Realization through song:
Sometimes, the very act of completing a lyric reveals something you didn’t even know you were feeling. It’s like the song writes you, rather than the other way around.
4. Heartfelt Singing as Transformation
Singing a song you’ve written is the ultimate act of self-acceptance. It takes courage to express your own creation, especially when it comes from a deeply personal place. In doing so, you embrace your vulnerabilities and strengths alike.
- The power of sound:
Singing activates the whole self—mind, body, and spirit—helping you integrate your inner truths into your lived experience.
5. Songs Create a Lasting Testament
Once a song is written, it becomes a record of your inner self at a specific moment in time. Listening back or performing it later allows you to revisit that version of yourself and reflect on how far you’ve come—or where you still need to go.
- Self-discovery over time:
Each song is a snapshot of personal evolution, a breadcrumb trail leading to your most authentic self.
Practical Results:
- Increased self-awareness: Writing and singing helps you process emotions and understand your patterns.
- Emotional release: A good song can help you let go of what no longer serves you.
- Confidence and authenticity: Owning your voice (literally and figuratively) strengthens your sense of self.
Why It Matters
You already know the power of storytelling and music. Combine them, and you get a transformative practice that’s accessible to everyone, no matter their skill level. Songwriting and singing don’t just help you know yourself—they help you become yourself.
1. Personal Story-Telling Song
Example Song: “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman
This song tells a deeply personal story about dreams, struggles, and wanting a better life. It’s raw, honest, and emotionally charged.
Activity for the group: compose a poem about a pivotal moment in your life—either joyful or challenging. Then, shape it into lyrics with a beginning, middle, and end.
2. Emotional Processing Song
Example Song: “Someone Like You” by Adele
This song captures heartbreak in such a relatable way. The simple, powerful lyrics and melody let the emotions shine.
Activity for the group: Identify a strong emotion you have felt recently (love, grief, anger, joy) and write a short verse expressing that feeling.
3. Discovery Through Metaphor
Example Song: “Blackbird” by The Beatles
This song uses metaphor to talk about freedom and growth. It’s poetic, open-ended, and deeply meaningful.
Activity for the group: Think of a personal struggle or triumph and represent it using metaphor (e.g., “I’m climbing a mountain,” “The storm passed,” “I’m blooming like a flower”).
4. Self-Reflection Song
Example Song: “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John
It’s a declaration of resilience and self-empowerment. The upbeat melody reinforces the message of strength.
Activity for the group: Write a chorus that celebrates your own personal resilience or a challenge that you have recently overcome.
5. Group Bonding Song
Example Song: “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers
This song is simple yet powerful in its message of support and connection. It’s perfect for group singing.
Activity for the group: Write a collaborative song together! Start with a shared theme, like community or hope, and build the lyrics as a group, line by line.
6. Playful, Fun Song
Example Song: “Octopus’s Garden” by The Beatles
It’s whimsical and lighthearted, showing that songwriting doesn’t always have to be serious to be meaningful.
Activity for the group: Let your imagination run wild and write a fun, fantastical song about something completely silly, absurd or surrealistic.
7. Improvised Songwriting
Example Song: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s rap art in Hamilton.
Improvisation helps unlock creativity and overcome self-doubt. It’s raw, spontaneous, and deeply authentic.
Activity for the group: Develop some thoughts along the line of: “The last thing that made me smile” or “What I’m dreaming of right now”), and quickly write a verse without overthinking it, and record it and replay it for the group!
==================================================================
Opening Hook:
“You say you can’t rhyme? You say you have nothing to say! You say that you can’t write poetry—never have, never will. Well, I’m here to tell you—you’re wrong.”
The Invitation:
Rhyme isn’t an exclusive club for the “naturally gifted.” It’s a simple skill anyone can learn with the right tools, a little guidance, and a touch of courage. Even if you’ve never strung two rhyming words together in your life, I’m here to show you how easy—and fun—it can be.
What keeps most people away from poetry is that they think there’s only one kind of poetry, and everybody knows it’s totally boring.
Boy, is that ever not true. Poetry isn’t just rhyming words or sweet petunias. It can also be used, as did the ancients, in resonating within people to cause a harmonic ripple in the soul.
The Secret Sauce: One Line at a Time
Rhyme doesn’t have to be complicated. All you need is:
- A simple idea to start with.
- A rhyming counterpart to build from.
We’ll begin with one thought, one line. Then, we’ll find its match—pairing words that naturally work together. By focusing on quatrains—just four lines at a time—you’ll see how quickly rhyming becomes second nature.
The “Bucket” System
To make things even easier, you can prepare a “bucket” of words that have plenty of rhyming options. Words like “moon,” “free,” “light,” and “day” are perfect examples. Having these in your toolkit gives you an instant jumpstart when crafting rhymes.
- Moon: Spoon, tune, dune, balloon, soon, baboon, spitoon, macaroon.
- Free: Be, tree, sea, key, agree, spree, whee, happily.
- Shine: Thine, mine, sign, fine, whine, design, combine, refine, redesign.
Think of these as your rhyming companions, ready to meet you halfway as you shape your ideas into poetry. Try rhyming things with “silver” and “orange” and see how far you get.
The Transformation
Imagine starting this journey saying, “I can’t rhyme.” And by the end, holding a quatrain—your very own creation—that flows with meaning, melody, and heart. But it’s more than just writing a few rhymes. This process helps you:
- Tap into thoughts and feelings you didn’t realize you had.
- Build confidence in your thoughts and emotions, and develop your ability to express those things that are on your mind, but unspoken.
- Discover joy in the creative process as you turn simple words into something beautiful.
The Promise
By the end of this workshop, you’ll not only know how to rhyme—you’ll realize you’ve had plenty to say all along. Your rhymes will be more than words on a page—they’ll be reflections of your unique self, revealed one line at a time.
==================================================================
How It Works
- Start With the First Line (Your Anchor)
Write a simple, meaningful line. It could be anything—a thought, feeling, or observation.
Example: “The sun is shining bright today.” - Find a Word That Rhymes
Think of a word that rhymes with the last word of your first line. If you’re stuck, tools like rhyme dictionaries or even AI can help.
Rhymes with “today”: way, play, stay, gray, delay. - Write the Second Line (Matching the Rhyme)
Now add a second line that rhymes with the first. Keep it simple, and let it flow from your first idea.
Example: “It lights my path and shows the way.” - Add a Twist for the Third Line
The third line is where you add depth or surprise. It doesn’t need to rhyme with the first two lines—just keep the story or idea moving.
Example: “But clouds are gathering in the sky.” - Bring It Home With the Fourth Line
The fourth line ties it all together and rhymes with the second line. This creates the satisfying flow of a completed quatrain.
Example: “I’ll savor sunlight while it stays.” - Use the “Bucket” System for Rhyme Options
Start with words that are easy to rhyme, like “moon,” “free,” “light,” and “day.” Having a mental bucket of these go-to words makes it easier to build your quatrain, especially when you’re just starting.- Moon: spoon, tune, balloon.
- Free: tree, sea, agree.
- Light: night, flight, bright.
- Practice Makes Progress
Writing one quatrain at a time helps you build confidence. Soon, you’ll discover that rhyming flows naturally—and you might even start playing with more complex patterns.
===============================================
Using the Standard Song Format:
Title: Unlock the Soul —
note: verse 1, chorus, verse 2, chorus, bridge, chorus, outro
(Verse 1)
You say you can’t rhyme, got nothing to say,
The words won’t come, they just drift away.
But deep inside, there’s a voice so true,
Waiting for the moment it can break on through.
(Chorus)
Unlock the soul, let the music flow,
One line at a time, let your inner heart show.
A story unfolds, a song takes flight,
The key to your soul is in the words you write.
(Verse 2)
Start with a thought, just one simple line,
It doesn’t need to sparkle, it doesn’t need to shine.
Then find a rhyme, a partner in sound,
And feel the magic of what you’ve found.
(Chorus)
Unlock the soul, let the music flow,
One line at a time, let your heart show.
A story unfolds, a song takes flight,
The key to your soul is in the words you write.
(Bridge)
Every word you sing is a piece of you,
Every rhyme you find makes your spirit new.
The melody rises and the walls come down,
In the rhythm of life, your soul is found.
(Chorus)
Unlock the soul, let the music flow,
One line at a time, let your inner heart show.
A story unfolds, a song takes flight,
The key to your soul is in the words you write.
(Outro)
So take the pen, let the words begin,
Feel the power rising from within.
The song is yours, your truth untold,
Songwriting’s the key to unlock your soul.
=======================================================
===================================================================
Now in addition to all that, I’ll add a few video stops on our daily tour:
See You At The Top!!!
gorby