B’yad’cha Afkid Ruchi

Into Your hand I entrust my spirit. (Psalm 31:6)

I created this practice in preparation for knee surgery. For the couple months leading up to surgery, I was limping around somewhat nonchalantly mostly pre-occupied with getting a lot done. Then as the time approached, I experienced the first stages of panic realizing exactly what kind of power-tool, screws, cadaver-parts, and strange manipulations that were waiting for me. The message that my soul whispered so very clearly was that I was required to surrender now. I had done all the work of setting up care for myself, learning what I needed, renting and buying the right devices for rehab, listening to the message that my knee was communicating to me so articulately. Now I could almost see the smoking trail of my good witch’s broomstick in the sky: “Surrender, Shefa.”

So, as a chanter, I looked for a sacred phrase that might help me and chose Psalm 31:6. (Into Your hand I entrust my spirit.) As the chant/practice developed, I began to become aware of God’s hands manifesting in and through the world, through those who love me, through my doctors and devices, and through breath and color. With each repetition of the chant I could release control and trust the Great Hand that held me. I could also become aware of just how much I had been holding on to control and see how much work was still before 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.

• Surrender  

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Surrender PDF.