This song was inspired by my 4 traditional Lakota vision quests and the title was taken from my old friend Red Thunder Cloud who was the last living speaker of the Catawba language. He used to say that he always prayed standing up and with his eyes open so he could look upon the Great Spirit's creation. The song uses the Lakota phrase 'Mitakuye Oyasin" in the climax of the bridge which means "we are all related' and is the central belief of the Lakota and means that everything is connected - rocks, plants, animals, humans - everything.

Lyrics

Standing Prayer

This is a standing prayer
For the oceans and the air
For the mountains and the trees
For the frogs, the birds, the bees
Every creature, every stone
Sings to me, this is my home
Mother earth and father sky

This is a standing prayer
That I may become aware
Of my essence and my core
Of the ones who came before
Who are here within my cells
And as spirits round me dwell
Make me worthy in their eyes

Oh grant me joy, peace and love all my days
But most of all, may I learn what it means to live mitakye oyasin

This is a standing prayer
For the ones afraid to dare
For the broken and the shamed
May they find no one to blame
And the ones who cannot sing
And the ones who lost their wings
˜Cause they forgot how to fly

Oh grant me joy, peace and love all my days
But most of all, may I learn what it means to live mitakye oyasin

This is a standing prayer
That I may begin to care
And my heart open so wide
That there's nowhere left to hide
And my excuses and my fears
Melt away and disappear
When I hear the voice inside

From the CD "Touch The Earth" © 2002 Derrik Jordan
Hilljoy Music (BMI) www.derrikjordan.com