Like a Mirror to the Sky:
A Review of Love is Eternal

This is a collection of nine beautiful, tranquil and highly personal songs, each one of them reflecting a spiritual vision clothed in a poetic, flowing expression of the writer's unique take on various aspects of the phenomenon we call human life.

Concerning himself with the praiseworthy task of the upliftment of the spirit, Simon Littledale certainly provides an alternative to more gloomy outlooks in contemporary culture. Breaking down the illusions that bind us, urging the listener to recognize that Love is Eternal, he challenges the listener's view of love, himself and eternity.

His playful and poetic vision finds great expression in songs like the title track Love is Eternal, and in Standing Stones, which beautifully depicts how the subtle current of a river breathes sentience into the most rigid structure - a rock - by dissolving it, reminding us that nothing is allowed to get frozen in creation. The journey from individuality to Oneness, the ever present source of our own being, is a theme that runs through many of the songs of the album. The beautiful Lake of the Sky, which describes two lions at the shore of a lake, expresses this journey as a sudden awakening, by the shattering of the mesmerizing illusion of the moon reflected in the lake.

The music has a very personal feel, intimate and direct. The additional instruments like bamboo flute, sitar, harmonica and keyboards, blend in tastefully, creating a meditative atmosphere, making Love is Eternal a very uplifting listening experience.

— Gard Syversen
Oslo, Norway

Love is eternal, love never dies. So goes the chorus of the title track from this offering from the late Simon Littledale, a.k.a. Shakti Kumar. The chorus from the title track takes on an extra shade of poignancy in light of the fact that Littledale passed away in March of 2001, a release of another sort which coincided with the release of Love is Eternal.

Exceedingly simple and direct, Littledale's lyrics speak to and about the moon, standing stones, the lake of the sky and his guru - all images that stand outside of the self and manage to endure all of the changes that define human existence. A long-time yoga student, in this album Littledale has completely offered his knowledge and obvious delight in yoga with humour and simple devotion.

Musically speaking, Littledale is firmly ensconced in the acoustic folk-rock tradition, with such easily detectable influences as the Beatles, Neil Young, the Crash Test Dummies and Bruce Cockburn. At times, the melodies veer a hair too close to those of well-known artists, thus seeming slightly derivative. Due to the overtly spiritual nature of the album, it is unlikely to enjoy much crossover success, and may appeal mostly to yoga practitioners. However, there are more than enough heartfelt moments both lyrically and musically in Love is Eternal for it to be worth a listen.

by Wren Nasr
ASCENT Magazine

Being a songwriter myself, I can appreciate the incredible amount of dedication, passion and talent a writer must possess to manifest masterpieces from the muse! What a joy and delight to savour Simon Littledale's inspiring voice, melodies and lyrics on Love is Eternal !

As a sound- and thought-weaver, Simon offers an inspiring vision of life, experience and Self-knowledge, consistently filling my room, head and heart-space with a divinely-touched magic that seems to know no bounds!

Love is Eternal is a beautifully produced gem featuring master musician Peter Follet on instrumental accompaniment. As an oracle to inner awareness I return to it again and again - my open door to higher ground!

Alan Wade
Florida, USA

The title song, River of Light expresses the quintessence of his awareness. What appears will disappear and "that which will remain is always there," as a river of light remains unbroken by the forms it shines upon. Some of his songs are very upbeat, even danceable. Hum Hum Hum is his exultation at knowing what overcomes any obstacle. Would You Listen? is an anthem for anyone who knows the value of meditation and the experience of peace that it unfolds. In "Welcome The Mystery," his voice softly and eloquently articulates how he revelled in the life of each day - knowing its source is an ineffable spirit revealed as love for all. Sat Chit Aanand is a deceptively playful song about meeting with the profoundest of understandings.

Shakti Kumar was an artist and entertainer, producing his own music as well as drawings and paintings. He had a genius for expression. I realized as I listened again to these songs that some of his phrases and melodies had become mantras for me, lifting my mind from its habitual difficulties to a state of patience, relaxation and delight ...

Check out this collection and enjoy!

Ken Gould
Los Angeles, California

River of Light is an incredible selection of Simon Littledale's songs written between 1980 and 1997. Spirit Rock is a term that comes to mind to describe his music as it emanates from the spirit, and at times the influence of rock n'roll is obvious.

Ageless, intelligent and profound, and above all having the quality of uplifting the human spirit to the divine, these all describe the uniqueness of Simon's songs.

Joanne Roher
Toronto, Canada

I appreciate the depth and quality of Simon Littledale's music. The place of personal experience from where he expresses resonates universal chords at the listener's very core. His insightful, sometimes humorous lyrics flow through his masterful musical ability like a golden river of light.

Allan Michael
Ottawa, Canada

Simon Littledale has graced us with a body of work that beautifully reflects the passion with which he lived his life. A penetrating thinker, his genius and gift is that he is able to translate his observations into lyrics which perfectly capture a mood, a thought, or a subtle concept with wit and elegance, making abstract ideas very accessible. I especially love his songs about meditation - they always give me fresh insight into the wonder of this practice.

Thank you, Simon, for sharing your vision with all of us.