Another Bunch of Prayers

I managed to attend all the writing portions of last Saturday's siddur-writing session, and here's what I produced:

On Hearing a Siren

A siren cries its note of terror--something's burning, someone is hurt, a tragedy has occurred. Please let the ambulance or fire engine and all who are aboard it travel fast and safe. May the team act with courage, wisdom, and kindness. And may the people who are in danger be rescued and healed.

Reading for after Lighting Shabbat Candles

In the beginning, God said, "Let there be light," and it was so. We, made in the divine image, also have the power to make light. When we kindle the Sabbath lights, we build Your sanctuary in time. May we enter it with joy and leave it tomorrow in peace.

A Praise for Safe Driving

That was a close one, God. I really didn't want to hurt anyone or be hurt in a car crash. If someone asks me if I believe in miracles, I have to think about all the crashes that don't happen, and say "yes." Thank You, Designer of the Universe, for keeping cars in their lanes.

Remembrance of Flawed Family

I miss those of my family who have died--grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles. But I miss more what they failed to give me--the secure, wise, nurturing family that I wish I had. Thank You, God, for the gifts that they were able to give me, and for the family I am finding elsewhere to supply what they could not give.

Introduction to Meditation

Here in shul I want to meditate. Do I use my Transcendental Meditation mantra or choose a Hebrew phrase? Shall I think about the weekly portion or just follow my breath? I think that the best form of meditation is the one that I will actually do often enough for it to work. Any way that we structure our thinking calms us down and draws us towards You. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, Adonai, my rock and my redeemer.

A Friendly Universe

I'm reading a book called "Temperament: How Music Became A Battleground for the Great Minds of Western Civilization," by Stuart Isacoff. It's about, I kid you not, how systems of tuning musical instruments became the basis for major struggles in religion, philosophy, science, and economics.

It starts with Isaac Newton and his theory of gravity, which "enabled him to declare the universe a place in which all things embrace each other, even across the vast distances of space."

What a lovely view of things; I can't add anything to that.

Thanksgiving

There's an anonymous saying: Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel.

I like the homespun imagery, and the hint that being thankful for blessings may help them stick around. This is a lot more positive an approach than a piece of Talmud that recently came to my attention, to the effect that one who enjoys something without saying a blessing is like a thief. Although that sentiment also has a point, and may be what some people need to hear.

Anyway, Thanksgiving Day was yesterday, and I enjoyed it at the home of a neighbor and in the company of several friends. We each spoke some during the course of the evening about some major development in our lives in the past year for which we are thankful.

I talked about my Bat Mitzvah and getting involved in the work of the San Francisco Organizing Project. The work has brought me into a community of San Franciscan people of faith of many colors and religions, and has allowed me to meet with my political representatives and participate in the bettering of life for me and my fellow San Franciscans, Californians, and Americans. I'm proud and humbled to be part of this work.

There's sunshine outside, and I'd better get out and enjoy it before the all-too-soon winter sunset.

Blessings on us all, with appropriate gratitude.

Fall Follies

I spent last week at my annual Elderhostel recorder workshop in the Carmel Valley. We didn't get rained on (much), the sun came out (at least part of) most days, and the food was particularly good - especially the whipped cream that was served with most of the desserts.

I drew a sopranino solo in a Handel Concerto Grosso that we played in recorder orchestra, which had a few 'lively' 16th notes. And the conductor asked me to conduct several sectional rehearsals, which was also fun.

I dragged myself out of bed at 7 each day to take a mile and a half walk with some friends that I see only at this workshop, and saw a few birds during the exercise.

The high point of the week was a jam session I had with a newcomer named Doug, playing through the Telemann duets for alto, numbers 5 and 6. I let him set the tempo for most of the movements, and he chose quite sprightly ones, challenging me to some of the fastest and most accurate playing I've done in some time. I even played a high note that requires stopping the end of the recorder against my thigh, which I usually avoid (and sometimes for good reason, since the note won't sound when I'm wearing my usual corduroy pants). This time, I was wearing denim, and it came out just fine. Yay team.

More Siddur Writing

Two versions of Ma'ariv Aravim, a prayer that thanks God for creation:

I see the face of the moon in a sky that's still light -- a little odd, a little special. The moon belongs to night (or night to the moon?), but it's lovely outside its usual setting. I'm moved to praise You, God, Source of blessings, for this beauty. And it's a comfort to know that the moon and sun perform their stately dance at Your direction. They will not collide, and we can enjoy each in its time.

I see the face of the moon in a sky that's still light -- a little odd, a little special. And I think of all the people You have created -- each of us a little odd, a little special. Gay, straight, bi; male, female, or trans -- all of us created in Your image and each of us as necessary as the moon.

A Hashkiveinu prayer, for peace and safety at night:

When I wrap my tallit over my head, I feel protected by Your sheltering presence. Night comes, our loving Parent, and the dangers of darkness -- accidents, gay-bashers, nightmares. Please wrap us in Your shelter of peace and keep us from harm, and we will praise You when we awake.

A prayer about harmful speech:

I don't want to speak words that hurt, or to be hurt by other's words. Please God help our tongues be tender and our skins be thick.

And a meditation about unity for before the Shema:

Each of us is different, each of us is one. Our atoms all knew each other in the old country. Let us find our unity in You.
___________

The class is over, but there may be another opportunity or two to write in a group with Andrew's guidance. I really enjoy the group writing experience, and immediate feedback. Otherwise, I rarely sit down to write unless I have or give myself an assignment.

Siddur Writings

I've been taking this class that is intended to result in the writing of several new prayers for our congregation's new prayerbook, or siddur. The teacher reads us prayers and poetry to get us into the spirit of things, tells us which prayers are needed, and then has us write in class. Here are the prayers I've come up with so far.

On seeing a rainbow:

Thank You, Source of all, for the rainbow, the spectrum, the colors that are both many and one. Thank You for its beauty, thank You for the joy, thank You for the blessing. When sun meets rain, when despair meets hope, when warmth and water mingle, colors blossom.

After having a transformative encounter with another person:

A fountain of blessings are You, God, who has touched me in the person of my sister, my brother, my kin. Each of us reaching towards you, we touch each other in kindness, with compassion, for growth. Everyone is different, but each shares sparks of Your holiness, and when we meet, we kindle a gentle, warming fire.

Two prayers for travel:

Source of peace, when Your people camped in the desert, You camped with them, and led them in safety. Please be with us as we travel today. Keep us from illness and accident, and let no harm come to us because of our sexual orientation or gender identity. May we praise You for the beauties we will see and the people we will meet, and may we bring blessing where we travel and return safely home.

There will be new dust on my shoes, new tastes in my mouth, new sounds in my ears. I'm planning a journey, God and I don't want to leave You behind. Come with me as we drive, ride, fly, sail, and wait in line. Let us together face the fears and joys of the new. Let us together see the beauty in places and persons. Let us travel together, safe from illness, accident, or injury, and return home in peace.

And three versions of Birkat Hagomel, the blessing for recovery from serious illness or the safe return from a long journey. Each includes the pray-er's prayer and a congregational response:

P: Thank You, Source of blessings, for blessing me, sustaining me, and bringing me safely here -- back to my home, back to my health, back to my synagogue family.
C: We also thank God for these blessings, and welcome you back to us. May God continue to bless you.

P: There were times when I wondered if I was going to make it. But here I am, back with you, thank God.
C: Amen.

P: It's good to be here, now, with you.
C: Hinei ma tov.

Art Show

I'm still sailing from having successfully completed my performance at our company's annual art and talent show. In past years, I've just stood up there, alone or with another employee playing keyboard, and played (badly) some music.

This time, I thought I'd make it more of a 'show and tell' event. I brought all seven sizes of recorders in my collection. I played a scale on each of the two highest-pitched ones and, along with my friend Jack, played brief sections of three Renaissance and Baroque duets on the other five sizes of recorders. As I set up my music stand, and in between the music, I delivered myself of a funny monologue on how the recorder came to have that name in English (when its name includes the term 'flute' in French, Italian, and German), and took a quick glance at the history of playing music on recorders and the design of recorders. My first scale was pretty awful, but I got it better on the second try. The duets went very nicely, despite some vibrato on my part.

There was also some classical guitar playing, poetry reading, a funny scene from a play, and belly dancing. Along with some very tasty food. What's not to like?