Little Ami’s Seven-Day Zen Adventure Lyrics: Amy Huang (黃慕瑾) [Intro – Playful Swing] Hey! Little Amy’s going up the hill! Where to? Dharma Drum Mountain! Why? To practice breathing! Seven days? Oh my goodness! [Verse 1] Little Amy packs her bag, Heads up the mountain, feeling glad. Phone taken away, no words to say, Seven days of silence, hip hooray! Mommy asks, “What will you do?” “I’m going up to practice breathing, too!” Mom just laughs, “That’s nothing new! Everyone knows how to breathe, don’t you?” [Chorus – Broadway Swing] Breathe in! Breathe out! What’s meditation all about? Walk slow! Walk fast! Every moment moves so fast! Slow as a turtle, quick as a train, Zen life is a funny game! [Verse 2 – Comic Swing] Iron bowls and chopsticks, that’s it! No spoons! No forks! Just don’t you click! Pick up one grain, don’t make a sound, Eating rice is serious business now! Five little babies look around, “Is this a meal or training ground?” Form, Feeling, Thought, Impulse, Mind, All five are waiting in a mindful line! [Verse 3 – Playful Waltz] The teacher says, “Now calm your mind, Feel the breath, be still and kind. First find stillness, then observe, All things arise through conditions, change and dissolve. Like bubbles floating on the sea, Nothing lasts eternally.” Little Amy sits down straight, Five little babies meditate. Her breath is long, just like a turtle, Slow and steady, never in a hurry! “Hey! Where did her breathing go? She’s been sitting still so long! Could Little Ami have passed away? Oh dear! Is this her final day?” [Bridge – Comic Pause] PFFT! Little Amy takes a breath! The Five Babies jump in fright: “You’re still alive! What a sight!” “Quiet, everyone! Back to your seats! Let’s meditate and find some peace!” [Verse 4 – Upbeat Swing March] Barefoot walking every day, Slow or fast, we obey! Slower than a snail, faster than a train, Following instructions again and again! Cleaning duty, here we go! Seven toilets sparkling as they glow! No more work? What shall we do? Clean the ceiling! That will do! A sign says, “Closed! Do Not Use!” Can we clean it too? We’ve nothing to lose! Hehehe! Is this a secret shortcut? Zen has made us crazy, what luck! [Chorus – Full Ensemble] Walk slow! Walk fast! Every moment moves so fast! Wash your clothes and clean the floor, Every little task can teach us more! Eat your rice! Hold your sticks! Don’t let those iron chopsticks click! Little Amy and her five friends, Laughing through the journey till the end! [Verse 5 – Warm Piano and Strings] Day seven comes, the mind is clear, A peaceful calm is shining here. So light, so still, so full of grace, Little Ami loves this quiet place. The teacher says, “Your practice is fine, No need for an interview this time.” But Little Amy thinks, “Oh dear! I still have questions! The end is near!” So off she goes to say hello, To Master Guoguang before she goes. [Verse 6 – Tender Storytelling] The little door swings open wide, The teacher smiles and looks inside. “Weren’t you living in LA? How did you make it back today?” Little Amy laughs and says, “Weren’t you in America these days?” Two Zen retreats, one seven-day stay, Fourteen days of vegetarian cooking along the way. So many meetings, so much grace, Every encounter has its place. All things arise through conditions, Nothing stays in the same position. With gratitude held deep inside, We treasure every passing tide. [Final Chorus – Joyful and Tender] Seven days! Seven days! What an unexpected journey of grace! From every breath to every step, A little peace is all we’ve kept. No need to say goodbye, my friend, No need to promise when we’ll meet again. Just whisper softly in the heart: “One time, one meeting, precious from the start.” [Outro – Soft Piano and Cello] Down the mountain, here we go, Seven days without a word to show. Now I try to speak, but what comes out? Not a sound! What is that about? Little Amy smiles, a tear or two, A little sadness, a feeling true. Five little babies, let’s go home! Our seven-day adventure is done! The breath is here, the heart is still, The mountain’s quiet comes down the hill. [Final Whisper] One time, one meeting… A moment to treasure… With gratitude, forever…
