All posts by Alia Meira

Satisfaction and Its Fruits: Sab’enu

05/24/2007 Alia Meira

Sab’enu vaboqer chasdekha;
Un’ran’nah v’nism’chah b’chol yameynu.

May Your Loving-kindness satisfy us in the morning;
and we will sing out and we will rejoice for all our days. (Psalm 90:14)
[Click (or tap) to see the entire Psalm 90 in Hebrew and English (JPS 1985).]

Satisfaction is a daily practice of opening to the flow of God’s love and receiving that flow in gratefulness. Then we can let our lives be an expression of the wonder, surprise, appreciation, awe and delight that comes from receiving the gift of our lives each day. The practice of satisfaction requires that I suspend my habitual complaint, create a space of inner stillness and receptivity, and then open my senses to the subtle flows of loving-kindness that are always flowing into our world. That flow may come through the color of the sky or the song of a bird or the touch of silk against my skin. That flow may come through the rhythm of my breath, through a sudden inspiration, or through the kindness of a friend. Our practice is to become attentive to that flow, be filled by it and then let our lives become a response to this divine generosity.

To hear the various parts of the chant, use the audio players. To download a part, right-click a note and save (or download) the linked MP3 file.

For the musical notation, see The Magic of Hebrew Chant, page 285.

Chants, Psalms

Trusting: Shavti

04/27/2007 Alia Meira

Shavti b’veit Adonai
Trusting Hebrew text
I place myself in Your care. (Psalm 23:6)
[Click (or tap) to see the entire Psalm 23 in Hebrew and English (JPS 1985).]

I place myself in the context of an intelligent, loving universe that holds me in compassion and supports my work. I trust in the whole, and allow myself to be nurtured and embraced by a great mystery.

To hear the chant, use the audio player. To download the chant, right-click the note and save (or download) the linked MP3 file.

Trusting

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Trusting PDF. For the musical notation, see The Magic of Hebrew Chant, page 287.

Chants, Liturgy

Oh Pure Soul: Elohai n’shama

04/25/2007 Alia Meira

Elohai n’shama she’natata bi t’hora hi.

Oh Pure Soul, in you I see endless possibility! (Liturgy)

A rabbi-friend who is a hospital chaplain asked me to write a chant that she could sing to the tiny babies who were born prematurely and were struggling to come fully into their embodied life. When I imagined singing these words to them, I realized that there is a tiny, fragile baby inside of me who also needs encouragement in order to be fully realized. When I sing to her each morning, I am calling forth her potential and gently welcoming her into form.

To hear the chant, use the audio player. To download the chant, right-click the note and save (or download) the linked MP3 file.

Oh Pure Soul

For the musical notation, see The Magic of Hebrew Chant, page 240.

Chants, Liturgy

Medicine for Overwhelm: Tachanun

06/20/2006 Alia Meira

Medicine for Overwhelm (Tachanun) Hebrew text
Tachanun is a petition for grace that is part of the daily morning and afternoon service. It is omitted on Shabbat, Festivals, during the month of Nisan, or at a house of mourning.

When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I don’t function very well; I forget my practice, I forget to open to God’s help; I don’t have access to the vast treasures of spiritual resources that are in me. I use this prayer as an antidote to Overwhelm. If I can remember at the moment of feeling overwhelmed, to take refuge in God, in the ultimate Compassion of the Universe, then I will not fall victim to the curse to Overwhelm.

To hear the various parts of the chant, use the audio players. To download a part, right-click a note and save (or download) the linked MP3 file.

For the musical notation, see The Magic of Hebrew Chant, page 246.

Chants, Liturgy, Psalms, Scripture

Balancing Will and Surrender: Ozi v’Zimrat Yah

06/16/2006 Alia Meira

Ozi v’Zimrat Yah Vayahi li lishuah
Ozi v'Zimrat Yah Hebrew text
My Strength (balanced) with the Song of God will be my salvation (Psalm 118:14, Exodus 15:2)
[Click (or tap) to see the entire Psalm 118 or Exodus 15 in Hebrew and English (JPS 1985).]

In this practice I find and express my strength, my will, my effort and desire when I chant “Ozi.” When I chant “v’zimrat Yah,” I open and surrender to the God-song and let it be sung through me. Then in the last phrase, “Vayahi li lishuah,” I balance those two aspects of my practice.

To hear the chant, use the audio player. To download the chant, right-click the note and save (or download) the linked MP3 file.

Ozi v’Zimrat Yah

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Balancing Will and Surrender PDF. For the musical notation, see The Magic of Hebrew Chant, page 245.