Bon Jovi captures the FOI/Pagan Spirit

My eclecticism goes far beyond my spirituality, bleeding into virtually every aspect of my life, music being no exception. My wife is a huge Bon Jovi fan, and I found that two of his more recent offerings include songs that I feel capture the FOI and Pagan spirit quite well.

The first song, from the 2005 album 'Have A Nice Day', is titled 'Welcome To Wherever You Are'. This song is a celebration of our individuality and diversity, while simultaneously being a meditation on the fact that we are all the same. Sound familiar? It is a basic tenet of most Pagan Spiritual paths: we are all individual splinters off the same divine block of wood, each seperate yet a part of the same whole. The overall message is a most basic truth of life that the majority of humanity has forgotten: whoever, whatever, and wherever you are is exactly as it should be, so be proud that you are a living part of Divinity, and that the only way to really 'live', is to live in the Now.

Here are the lyrics:

Welcome To Wherever You Are

Maybe we're different, but we're still the same
We all got the blood of Eden, running through our veins
I know sometimes it's hard for you to see
You come between just who you are and who you wanna be

If you feel alone, and lost and need a friend
Remember every new beginning, is some beginning's end

[Chorus]
Welcome to wherever you are
This is your life, you made it this far
Welcome, you gotta believe
That right here right now, you're exactly where you're supposed to be
Welcome, to wherever you are

When everybody's in, and you're left out
And you feel your drowning, in a shadow of a doubt
Everyones a miracle in their own way
Just listen to yourself, not what other people say

When it seems you're lost, alone and feeling down
Remember everybody's different
Just take a look around

[Chorus]

Be who you want to, be who you are
Everyones a hero, everyones a star

When you wanna give up, and your hearts about to break
Remember that you're perfect, God makes no mistakes

[Chorus]


Be sure to check out the video, they did a fantastic job of matching the visuals with the lyrics to get their message across. Find it on YouTube at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3zcypsjO8o


The second song is from their latest album, 'The Circle' (2009) and is titled 'We Weren't Born To Follow'. This piece is another meditation on diversity of belief, but in the sense of standing up for what you believe in, to get off of your knees and refuse to follow the flock. It is an examination of how those who hold onto their beliefs and convictions, regardless of the consequences, are the real leaders, the real mechanics of change. In the face of adversity, don't give up, don't give in, grab hold of your beliefs and ride the wave, ultimately you will sail the winds of change. It holds another basic truth of life: change comes through the courage of conviction, the strength to be different, and commitment to one's true spirit, particularly in the face of opposition.

Here are the lyrics:

We Weren't Born To Follow

This one goes out to the man who mines for miracles
This one goes out to the ones in need
This one goes out to the sinner and the cynical
This ain't about no apology

This road was paved by the hopeless and the hungry
This road was paved by the winds of change
Walking beside the guilty and the innocent
How will you raise your hand when they call your name?

Yeah, yeah, yeah

We weren't born to follow
Come on and get up off your knees
When life is a bitter pill to swallow
You gotta hold on to what you believe

Believe that the sun will shine tomorrow
And that your saints and sinners bleed
We weren't born to follow
You gotta stand up for what you believe

Let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah

This one's about anyone who does it differently
This one's about the one who cusses and spits
This ain't about our livin' in a fantasy
This ain't about givin' up or givin' in

Yeah, yeah, yeah

We weren't born to follow
Come on and get up off your knees
When life is a bitter pill to swallow
You gotta hold on to what you believe

Believe that the sun will shine tomorrow
And that your saints and sinners bleed
We weren't born to follow
You gotta stand up for what you believe

Let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah
Let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah

We weren't born to follow
Come on and get up off your knees
When life is a bitter pill to swallow
You gotta hold on to what you believe

Believe that the sun will shine tomorrow
And that your saints and sinners bleed
We weren't born to follow
You gotta stand up for what you believe

Let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah
Let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah

We weren't born to follow, oh yeah
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah)
We weren't born to follow, oh yeah
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah)


The video is another well-conceived vehicle for delivering their message. It may be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68Te8piQH70&feature=fvst

So, always remember: You are exactly who and what you are meant to be, so dig deep inside to find your true spirit and beliefs, and once you have your hands on that, stand up for yourself and your beliefs, no matter what.

Or, quite simply: be YOU, and live in NOW.

Peace and blessings,
Paul, The Mystic Fool