The God-Field

10/10/2021 Alia Meira

HaBotayach ba’Adonai chesed y’so’v’venu
Graphic: The God-Field in Hebrew
The one who trusts in God will be surrounded with loving-kindness. (Psalm 32:10)
[Click (or tap) to see the entire Psalm 32 in Hebrew and English (JPS 1985).]

Trusting in God means that my heart rests in the deep knowing of my ultimate safety. (Yes, even Death is safe!) I relax and know that I am connected to an infinite resource that I can call on to deal with whatever might emerge in this moment. When I take off my armoring, and my heart opens, I receive the grace that is always flowing. That Divine flow fills my energy field, and protects me with an aura of kindness, a God-field that surrounds me.

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

NOTE: This chant was slightly updated to use Adonai (instead of the original Ya) on 10/15/21.

To download the PDF file for this chant, click The God-Field PDF. For the musical notation, click The God-Field notation PDF.

Chants, Liturgy

Awaken

10/03/2021 Alia Meira

Oreyr k’or nogah shoshanat ha’amakim

Awaken as bright light the rose of the depths. (Yom Kippur morning piyyut)

The words from this anonymous ancient poem that is recited on the Holiest day of the year seem to describe our spiritual work so beautifully. There is a bud of love in the heart, buried deep within, often buried beneath our trauma, our hurt, our disappointments, betrayals or despair. Through our practice and careful attention we can awaken that flower in the heart and allow its tightly held petals to unfurl as our love. And then we become radiant, and can shine our transformed presence into the world.

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

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Awaken PDF. For the musical notation, click Awaken notation PDF.

Chants, Psalms

Calming the Restless Heart: Ach El-Elohim

09/22/2021 Alia Meira

Ach Ayl-Elohim dumiyah nafshi

Only towards God my soul (turns in) silent calm. (Psalm 62:2)
[Click (or tap) to see the entire Psalm 62 in Hebrew and English (JPS 1985).]

St. Augustine said, “…our heart is restless till it rests in You.” When I touch the place of deep silence within me, I just naturally turn to God who is waiting for me. And in that turning, my restless heart is stilled and calmed. Only when I face The Mystery, does that silence deepen within me, and my restless heart is calmed.

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

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Calming the Restless Heart PDF. For the musical notation, click Calming the Restless Heart notation PDF.

Chants, Psalms

Singing a New Song

09/19/2021 Alia Meira

Halleluyah!
Shiru L’Adonay Shir Chadash;
T’hilato b’k’hal Chasidim

Sing to the Lord a New Song;
God’s praise is found in a community of Lovers. (Psalm 149:1)
[Click (or tap) to see the entire Psalm 149 in Hebrew and English (JPS 1985).]

Praise is the practice that lifts us up into the emerging possibilities of THIS moment. It is always new. When we come together as a community of lovers, we spark, inspire each and send each other to the praise of the moment. Praise happens in the synergy between us.

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

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Singing a New Song PDF.

Chants, Liturgy

Sim Shalom Blessing

09/05/2021 Alia Meira

Sim Shalom, tovah u’vracha, chayn, vachesed, v’rachamim

Grant us peace, goodness, grace, love and compassion! (Liturgy)

This prayer was the ancient response of the congregation to the Priestly Blessing during the time of the Second Temple when the Kohanim did not pause between each of the three parts, as in synagogue worship.

At the end of the Amida (the standing silent prayer), we receive the blessing of our prayerful state, take those blessings in deeply, and begin to send them out to the world, sharing the bounty with all who are in need. We thus become channels for peace, goodness, grace, love and compassion.

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

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Sim Shalom PDF. For the musical notation, see The Magic of Hebrew Chant, page 237.