Dearest, When I Think of Thee
July 2, 2022
Composed by Swami Kriyananda, from his acclaimed play "The Peace Treaty"
Sung by Rose Atwell and Jacob
Lyrics:
1. Dearest, When I think of thee;
Heaven opens, and I see
Shafts of light upon the earth:
All, then, seems of noble birth.
Shafts of light upon the earth:
All, then, seems of noble birth.
2. Kindness, then, appears divine;
Human error, then, benign:
Goodness rules the universe;
Men a higher love rehearse.
Goodness rules the universe;
Men a higher love rehearse.
3. Thoughts of you my peace assure,
Calm my heart and make it pure.
Even so, your actions screen
All in life that’s base or mean.
Even so, your actions screen
All in life that’s base or mean.
Watch this beautiful live performance of a shortened version of Swami Kriyananda's acclaimed play "The Peace Treaty", filmed at Ananda Village in California on July 2nd 2022. Directed by Devaki Soupios.
"The Peace Treaty" reflects the tension and unrest of our own times, and offers a solution: If we want peace on earth, expansion of our sympathies, though difficult to achieve, is the means. There exists somewhere, perhaps in the middle of the great Atlantic Ocean, a fairly large island. It lies far away from any continent, and few know of its existence. It may even exist in another dimension, or in some alternate universe. Crystal Island, this little-known place is called. It is a haven of peace and beauty. In certain respects it resembles lands we all know, but in others it is unlike any place on earth. . .
Thus begins the introduction to "The Peace Treaty", a poetic and profound play by Swami Kriyananda. It starts with the victorious conclusion of a righteous war. The evil aggressor has been defeated. There is a chance finally to plan for a lasting peace. The five clans who inhabit Crystal Island hope that a formal peace treaty will be adopted and signed by all the lords of the clans. But pride, vengefulness, selfishness, and the usual dreary catalogue of human failings intervene. Gradually it becomes clear that what is really needed is a transformation in human consciousness.
"The Peace Treaty" reflects the tension and unrest of our own times, and offers a solution: If we want peace on earth, expansion of our sympathies, though difficult to achieve, is the means. Written in the spirit of Shakespeare, the language beautifully expresses the rhythms of modern speech, while ennobling it. Kriyananda has created a drama with humor and intrigue, the underlying theme of which is as serious as the universal longing today for world peace.
