Category Archives: Chants

Spaciousness: Harchivi

08/23/2009 Alia Meira

Harchivi m’kom ohalech

Enlarge the place of your tent. (Isaiah 54:2)

In dealing with emotional or physical pain, I have noticed a pattern of contraction. I become overwhelmed because the pain takes up the entire space of my awareness. I have found that even when I can’t “make the pain stop,” it is possible to create a spaciousness around the sensation, so that in that very large space of my awareness, the pain can be experienced as just a small part of who I am. When I can become spacious “enlarging the place of my tent,” then the pain becomes manageable and I am not overwhelmed. With this practice of spaciousness, I experience the vastness of my true Being. Instead of contracting around the pain, I expand my awareness into that spaciousness. The expansive harmonies really help.

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.

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Spaciousness PDF. For the musical notation, see The Magic of Hebrew Chant, page 311.

Chants, Scripture

A Lion in Hiding: Dov Orev

08/08/2009 Alia Meira

Dov orev hu li, ori b’mistarim.

He is a waiting bear for me, a lion in hiding. (Lamentations 3:10)

He is a waiting bear for me, a lion in hiding, a lion of the secret places. My intention is to raise up the power of this pasuk from Lamentations into Maschiachkeit. Let the power of past devastation be turned and transformed into the deliberate innocence of the bear and the heartful courage of the lion, not just any lion…. but one who can enter into the deepest mysteries and emerge with a gift for all of us.

Perhaps it is God who is the bear, waiting for me. And God is the lion who prowls the secret places of my own heart. In the moment of my destruction, I am raised up. Defeated by God, I finally know victory, salvation and wholeness. For what has God defeated but my separate and small self who had delusions of running the show? God is the bear who demolishes my artifice with one swipe of his paw. God is the lion who rips open my defenses so that all that is hidden in me might be exposed to the light of Purity and Ultimate Love.

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.

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Dov Orev Hu Li PDF.

Chants, Psalms

The Sea Lion’s Question: Mi ha-ish

05/14/2009 Alia Meira

Mi ha-ish hechafetz Chayyim, Ohev yomim lirot tov?

Who is the one that has a passion for Life, loving every day, seeing the Good? (Psalm 34:13)

During my pilgrimage to the Galapagos, I communed with a variety of animals who amazed me with their forthright presence, beauty and intelligence. Many of the animals I saw exist nowhere else. Marine Iguanas, Galapagos Penguins and Blue-footed Boobies astounded me. Everywhere were the reminders of the humor and creative genius of The Creator.

The climax of my Galapagos adventure was the opportunity to swim with the Sea Lions. We hiked across Floreana Island to their secret cove and jumped into the clear swirling tide. The sea lions immediately surrounded us, excited to play. All afternoon we frolicked in delighted abandon with these sweet and bold teachers of the sea. When I got back on the boat, I was inspired to sing this line from Psalm 34: “Who is the one with a passion for Life, loving each day, seeing the Good?”

I imagined that through their play, the sea lions were asking me this question. And I answered without hesitation, “I will be that one. I promise.”

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.

To download the PDF file for this chant, click The Sea Lion’s Question PDF. For the musical notation, see The Magic of Hebrew Chant, page 277.

Chants, Scripture

Rewards of Our Attention: Notzar t’ayna

04/16/2009 Alia Meira

Notzar t’ayna yochal piryah.

Those who guard the Truth will be nourished by her fruit. (Proverbs 27:18)

The literal meaning of this verse is, “those who guard a fig-tree will eat its fruit… .” But, since this is from the Book of Proverbs, I receive its meaning figuratively rather than literally. When I can bring my attention to the fullness of this moment, in all its complexity, beauty, poignancy, and meaning… then I will be nourished by its fruit. When I become fully present, attentive, reverent and receptive to the holiness and truth of each moment, then I will receive the bounty of my experience.

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

Rewards of Our Attention

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Rewards of Our Attention PDF. For the musical notation, see The Magic of Hebrew Chant, page 259.

Chants, Psalms

Re-membering: Ladonay ha’aretz

04/16/2009 Alia Meira

Ladonay ha’aretz um’loah, tevel v’yoshvay va

The earth and all that fills her, and all who dwell in her…
all belong to God. (Psalms 24:1)

With this practice we acknowledge everything and everyone as part of the Divine Body. And we surrender to the One who encompasses our very being. Our intention is to re-member, to acknowledge just how integral we are to the Whole of God, to the community of All, to each other.

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.