Chasdei Adonai olam ashira

I will sing forth from the hidden infinite, the loving-kindnesses of God. (Psalm 89:1)

Chant is the practice of calling forth hidden truths and bringing them into awareness and manifestation through voice and intention. I don’t sing about those truths… I sing those truths into being. With the power of my voice and the wholeheartedness of my intention, I call forth the beauty that is hidden within existence. As that beauty sings itself through me, I open myself as a channel, as a vessel, as a vehicle for the awareness of God’s presence in the world.

The word Olam means the infinite both in Time and Space. And it also means the Hidden or Concealed. The power of our Song reaches through the cracks of Time and Space and calls forth the hidden dimension of the Infinite, which has been waiting all along. The Song opens our eyes to the manifestations of God’s Love that surround us — evidence of the Infinite pouring itself into and throughout our finite world.

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

• Singing God’s Love  

For the musical notation, see The Magic of Hebrew Chant, page 281.

The Magic of Hebrew Chant ©2013 Shefa Gold. All rights reserved.

Esa eynai el he-harim me-ayin yovo ezri (2x)

My help comes from the One (3X)
Creator of Heaven and Earth. (Psalm 121:1)

I wrote this chant for a friend to use during labor. During the process of birthing, it seemed important to tune in to the Creator-function of God, to become partners with God in the work of Creation, and to turn towards that aspect of God that is continually creating through us.

Even if your are not literally “giving birth,” this chant can be used to stimulate and celebrate the creative force that moves through us each day.

This is a two-part round.

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

• Tuning In to the Creator-Function  

For the musical notation, see The Magic of Hebrew Chant, page 281.

The Magic of Hebrew Chant ©2013 Shefa Gold. All rights reserved.

Sur may-ra va’aseh tov ba-keish shalom v’rod-fayhu

Turn away from evil and do good;
Seek peace/wholeness and go after it. (Psalm 34:15)

With a discerning heart, I see my life divided into two categories — that which drains my energy and separates me, (which here is called evil) and that which gives me energy and connects me to the wholeness of Life.

My spiritual practice is to turn away from the seduction of evil because I know its power to sap my strength and love… And then to counter the pull of “evil” with an action that brings goodness into the world — an act of kindness, a gesture of compassion, a deed of justice-making. When I glimpse the possibility of Shalom (peace or wholeness), then I must go after it, like a detective searching out clues, like a warrior facing the enemy-within that is reflected in my world.

The practice is to first ask the question, “What is it that separates me or drains me of strength, love or compassion?” It may be a habit or thought or something you do without ever questioning its place in your life. As you chant, use the power of the words to turn away from that which you have discerned to be the “evil” in your life. Let the chant strengthen your commitment towards good. At the end of the chant, make a commitment towards one specific action that represents “good.” And do it.

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

• Turning  

For the musical notation, see The Magic of Hebrew Chant, page 273.

The Magic of Hebrew Chant ©2013 Shefa Gold. All rights reserved.