Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Bhakti, Christmas, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Music, Peace, Poetry, Religion, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: 4Him, Carola, Christmas carols
[“Peace and good will!” to all. “Happy Holidays!” and “Merry Christmas!” to all who are celebrating.]
“Why me, I’m just a simple man of trade
Why Him with all the rulers in the world
Why here inside this stable filled with hay
Why her, she’s just an ordinary girl
Now I’m not one to second guess
What angels have to say
But this is such a strange way to save the
World”
– quoted from the song “What a Strange Way to Save the World” by 4Him
Almost everyone has a favorite Christmas carol – even if they don’t celebrate Christmas! And the carols not only tell the story of Christmas, they are a great way to tell the story. For a little over a decade, I have used a variation of today’s playlist to do just that: tell the story of Christmas. Sometimes, Christmastide overlaps Chanukah and the playlist expands accordingly. It’s not that hard, really. After all, they are both celebrations of light that focus us on the 25th.
This year’s variation, as it appears on YouTube and Spotify, is a little different. There’s no Garth, but my favorite Garth “carol” does appear in a surprisingly endearing format – and delivered by someone dearly loved. Both formats include an a cappella version of “The Little Drummer Boy” (which holds a special place in my heart), but they are different versions. Another variation on a theme: the two different versions of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!” The one on YouTube includes an introduction to a live performance by a choir in London (and concludes with a prayer). The one on Spotify is the one people usually hear in my classes just before we start the practice.
Which brings me to another change: the beginning of the playlist. Just as so many set the tone this time of year by playing holiday music, I usually have two or three tracks at the beginning of the playlist that are not actually intended for the practice. They are simply to establish a feeling of reverence and celebration consistent with the time. The version of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!” (by Carola) that I typically use is amazing and makes every space feel a little like a cathedral. But, since there is no way to really time things out the way I normally would, you can enjoy the music after the practice.
“Mary nodded
Pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time
Pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for him
Pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for him
Pa rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum
Then he smiled at me
Pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum”
– quoted from the song “The Little Drummer Boy”
Please join me today (Wednesday, December 23rd) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You will need to register for the 7:15 PM class if you have not already done so. Give yourself extra time to log in if you have not upgraded to Zoom 5.0. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
CHECK OUT THE CALENDAR! The First Friday Night Special in 2021 is on January 1st. You can kick off New Year’s Day 2 ways: with the very active practice of 108 Sun Salutations at 10:00 AM or with the very “chill” practice of a Yin+Meditation practice beginning at 5:00 PM. All times are Central Standard. Details are posted on the “Class Schedules” calendar.
### “AND HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS, NOW” ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Health, Life, Peace, Philosophy, Poetry, Robert Frost, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: essential workers, holi-daze, holidays, winter
[“Peace and good will!” to all. “Happy Holidays!” to all who are celebrating something.]
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.”
– quoted from the poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost
In our own ways, we are all acutely aware that this year is different. We have had to adjust almost every ritual, every tradition, every practice, and every habit. For some, that means that there may be less hustle and bustle for some. Take a moment, however, to acknowledge that for some (essential workers) this time of year is just as busy and that for others – essential workers like parents and/or people in health care – this year is even busier and more chaotic than normal. Maybe pause, consider those people; give thanks for their efforts and also offer them a compassionate moment of peace and ease.
Now, consider that even if your circumstances are not as frantic as usual, this time of year can still be stressful, exhausting, and draining. You can still feel a little holi-daze, which means this is a good time to put your legs up, relax, release, and rest. We will do a wee bit more than that during today’s practice; however, today’s focus is on letting go and settling into the moment – even if it is just for a moment. As I mentioned to some folks yesterday, there is great power in letting go (i.e., surrendering) and being still in the silence. We really face and recognize that power when we are struggling to still the body and quiet the mind because…. (insert whatever you think/feel must be done RIGHT, RIGHT NOW).
Please join me today (Tuesday, December 22nd) at 12 Noon or 7:15 PM for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom. (There will be “snow”angels!) Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. Give yourself extra time to log in if you have not upgraded to Zoom 5.0. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
CHECK OUT THE CALENDAR! The First Friday Night Special in 2021 is on January 1st. You can kick off New Year’s Day 2 ways: with the very active practice of 108 Sun Salutations at 10:00 AM or with the very “chill” practice of a Yin+Meditation practice beginning at 5:00 PM. All times are Central Standard. Details are posted on the class schedules calendar.
### STILLNESS & CHILLNESS ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Japa-Ajapa, Life, Mala, Mantra, Mathematics, Meditation, Mysticism, Philosophy, Religion, Robert Frost, Science, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: Fernando Pagés Ruiz, Krishnamacharya, Māui, Patricia Miller, Ralph T. H. Griffith, Rig Veda, Sadhguru, Solstice, Sun, Sun Salutations, Surya Namaskar, Surya Siddhanta, Winter Solstice
“Happy Winter Solstice!” to all who are observing.
[The 75-minute Common Ground Meditation Center practice, in the spirit of generosity (“dana”), is freely given and freely received. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of Monday’s practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
If you are able to support the center and its teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” my other practices, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.]
“One of his longtime students, Patricia Miller, who now teaches in Washington, D.C., recalls him leading a meditation by offering alternatives. He instructed students to close their eyes and observe the space between the brows, and then said, ‘Think of God. If not God, the sun. If not the sun, your parents.’ Krishnamacharya set only one condition, explains Miller: ‘That we acknowledge a power greater than ourselves.’”
– quoted from the Yoga Journal article entitled “Krishnamacharya’s Legacy” by Fernando Pagés Ruiz
There is a great power in the sun and great power in harnessing the sun’s power. Even before high school students used a magnifying glass to boil water or start a fire and long before people attached solar panels to their homes and businesses, people worshiped and honored the sun – and figured out ways to use the sun’s power. And long before Sri T. Krishnamacharya told his students to meditate on the sun or showed them how to “salute the sun,” people around the world told stories about the sun. For instance, in ancient Māori mythology and other Polynesian traditions, a clever and precocious young man named Māui figured out a way to quite literally harness the sun. With the help of his siblings (and sometimes using his sister’s hair), he lassos the sun and slows it down in order to give humankind more daylight to work, find food, and eat.
The indigenous people of islands in Central and South Pacific Ocean are not the only people with stories about the significance of the Sun. In fact, many cultures consider the Sun to be a god or goddess who flies through the sky at regular intervals. Their stories speak of an anthropomorphized deity who heals people and provides them with sustenance. Sometimes, he is depicted as part bird (e.g., the ancient Egyptians’ Ra); sometimes he has a winged chariot (e.g., the ancient Greeks’ Helios and the Hindus’ Sūrya); sometimes he has both bird characteristics and a horse with wings (e.g., Turkish sun god Koyash); sometimes he was a former human with noble qualities (e.g., the Aztec’s Nanāhuātzin); and sometimes, as I mentioned before, he is she – like Sól (or Sunna) in the Old Norse tradition and the goddess Amaterasu in Japan’s Shinto religion. Although these different cultures portray the Sun as more powerful than mere mortals, in most myths, the Earth (and its inhabitants) are still the center of the Universe.
“This invocation, these our words may Heaven and Earth, and Indra and the Waters and the Maruts [storm deities] hear. Ne’er may we suffer want in presence of the Sun, and, living happy lives, may we attain old age.
Cheerful in spirit, evermore, and keen of sight, with store of children, free from sickness and from sin,
Long-living, may we look, O Sūrya, upon thee uprising day by day, thou great as Mitra is!
Sūrya, may we live long and look upon thee still, thee, O Far-seeing One, bringing the glorious light,”
– quoted from “Hymn XXXVII. Sūrya” (verses 6-8) in the Rig Veda (translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith)
Today, we know that the Earth revolves around the Sun and that it does so while also tilted and revolving around its own axis. This tilt, the way the Earth revolves around its own center, and the way it orbits the Sun results in the amount of daylight (and nighttime) we have at various times of the year as well as the change in temperature related to different seasons throughout the year. More often than not, we do not notice the gradual changes between dawn (“morning twilight”), daylight, dusk (“evening twilight”) and night. And, let’s not even get into whether or not we even know to notice the difference between the degrees of civil, nautical, and astronomical twilights – which are based on the position of the Sun (in nautical terms) or the Sun’s geometric center in relation to the horizon. More often than not, we notice what might be considered the end of these transitions – i.e., the quality of dawn, daylight, dusk, and night.
In the same way that we barely register the gradual changes during a 24-hour period, we may not always notice the gradual changes between seasons. Four times a year, there is a moment where the Earth is tilted and turned in a way we can perceive and have learned to understand. We know these four times as Winter Solstice, Vernal (or Spring) Equinox, Summer Solstice, and Autumnal (or Fall) Equinox.
The word “equinox” comes from the Latin meaning “equal night” and marks the point, twice a year, when the Sun is directly over the equator (or you can think of it as the equator being closest to the sun). It marks the beginning of astronomical Spring and Fall. It is often explained as the time when everyone in the world has the same amount of daylight and nighttime, but that’s not exactly true. It’s more precise to say that we have equal amounts of day and night on the “Equilux” (which is a word derived from the Latin meaning “equal light”), but people don’t necessarily know that’s actually a thing. Unlike the equinox, which happens at the same time for everyone, the equilux is based on latitude and happens a few days before or after the equinox (depending on the season and where you are in the world).
“He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.”
– quoted from the poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost
The word “solstice” comes from the Latin words meaning “sun” and “to stand still.” The solstice marks the moment, twice a year, when one hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun while the other is tilted away and it appears as if the Sun is hovering over one of the poles – thus creating the longest day (and the longest night) of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere today is Winter Solstice. It’s our shortest day and longest night, but it also marks the moment when we begin to perceive longer days (i.e., more daylight).
Throughout history, cultures all around the world have celebrated the Sun during this darkest (and longest) night. Specifically, people celebrate the Sun returning to their land and give thanks for the benefits of having sunlight. Traditional celebrations include the use of candlelight, bonfires, and Yule Logs. Some people will “sweep away” the old year and as they might during the other big season changes, some people mark this transition by practicing Sūrya Namaskar (“Salutes to the Sun”) 108 times.
There are different types of “Sun Salutations,” but it is traditional viewed as a series of twelve poses and, therefore, a practice of six (inhale-exhale) breaths. The movement mimics the body’s natural tendencies to extend, or lift up to the sun, on the inhale – which is the solar breath – and get closer to the earth on the exhale – which is the lunar breath. It is a mālā (“ring” or “garland”) meditation practice involving ajapa-japa (“not thinking-repeat” or explained as “repeat-remember”), similar to a reciting, chanting, or praying with a rosary or beads. In fact, there are chants and prayers which are sometimes used along with the movement. Not coincidentally, 108 corresponds with the way people use mala beads and the old fashioned rosaries – which had beads to recite 10 decades (10×10) plus 8 beads (for mistakes) (and the cross as the guru bead).
“According to the Surya Siddhanta, an ancient Indian astronomical work, the sunlight moves at a speed of 2,202 yojanas in 0.5 nimisha. One yojana is nine miles. 2,202 yojanas amount to 19,818 miles. One nimisha is equal to 16/75 of a second. Half a nimisha amounts to 8/75 of a second, which is 0.106666 seconds. A speed of 19,818 miles in 0.10666 seconds equals 185,793 miles per second. This is approximately in line with the modern calculations, according to which the speed of light is 186,282 miles per second. Modern science has arrived at this number with great difficulty and all kinds of instruments, while a few thousand years ago, they got this number by simple observation of how the human system and the solar system function together.”
– quoted from a talk about during a “Mahabharat – Saga Nonpareil” event by Sadhguru (Jaggi Vasudev)
There are a ton of reasons why 108 is considered auspicious, and these reasons come from a lot of different traditions and disciplines – not all of which are religious, spiritual, or metaphysical. The number 108 pops up in mathematics, geometry, physical science, and even baseball! Astronomically speaking, the sun’s diameter is just a little more than 108 times the diameter of the earth’s diameter and the average distance between the earth and the sun is almost 108 times the sun’s diameter. Additionally, the average distance between the moon and the earth just a little more than 108 times the moon’s diameter. Consider that evidence shows the sun’s diameter has increased (over centuries) and the moon’s diameter has decreased (also over centuries) – which means that there was a time when the ratios were presumed to be exactly 108. If the math is throwing you off, just remember that 108 is why the sun and moon appear to be similar in size (even though the sun is about 400 times bigger, and further away from us, than the moon).
Speaking of the way we perceive those gigantic objects in the sky, this year’s December solstice overlaps with “The Great Conjunction” or “meeting” of Jupiter and Saturn. People have been watching the two planets coming together over the last couple of nights. Shortly after sunset (Monday night) the two largest planets in the solar system will appear to merge. This happens about every 20 years, but this year they are the closets they have been in the last 800 years. People are referring to the appearance as “The Christmas Star” or “The Star of Bethlehem” and they won’t be this close again until 2080.
“To be a star, you must shine your own light, follow your path, and don’t worry about the darkness, for that is when the stars shine brightest.”
– Source unverified
There is no playlist for the Common Ground practices.
CHECK OUT THE CALENDAR! The First Friday Night Special in 2021 is on January 1st. You can kick off New Year’s Day 2 ways: with 108 Sun Salutations at 10:00 AM or with a Yin+Meditation practice beginning at 5:00 PM. All times are Central Standard. Details are posted on the class schedules calendar.
### SUNRISE ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Abhyasa, Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Christmas, Depression, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Loss, Love, Movies, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Vairagya, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: Anointed, Charles Dickens, Clarence Odbody, Frank Capra, George Bailey, It's A Wonderful Life, mental health, Philip Van Doren Stern, SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder
[This is the post for Sunday, December 20th. You can request an audio recording of Sunday’s practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)]
“Every time you hear a bell ring, it means that some angel’s just got his wings.”
– Clarence Odbody (AS2) in It’s A Wonderful Life
Even people who don’t celebrate Christmas, as a religious holiday or otherwise, may have a favorite Christmas story or carol. These stories – which become such perennial favorites they are often turned into plays, ballets, musicals, and all manners of pageants – are full of not only the trappings and traditions of Christmas, but also the spirit. You may think the spirit of which I speak is the hope, the cheer, and the good tidings; but, one consistent element in these stories is grief, desolation, isolation, sadness – and yes, also SAD-ness.
The Greatest Gift was self-published by its author, Philip Van Doren Stern, in 1943 – exactly 100 years after Charles Dickens first published A Christmas Carol. In fact, Stern (who was half Jewish) was partially inspired by the Dickens-classic. Although the story takes place at Christmastime and was initially sent out as Stern’s 1943 Christmas cards, the author intend the story to be universal. The following year the story was picked up by a two different magazines (including Good Housekeeping, which called it “The Man Who Was Never Born”) and a movie production company. By 1945, the original movie rights for The Greatest Gift had been sold to director and producer Frank Capra, who would change the title and tweak some of the details.
Current fans of Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life, which premiered today in 1946, might be surprised to learn that the movie was not an instant success. The movie’s general release faced stiff competition from movies like Stairway to Heaven (released as A Matter of Life and Death in the UK) and Miracle on 34th Street – both of which shared elements of fatalism vs. free will, life vs. death, and hope vs. despair, as well as bumbling “angels” (in the former) and adorable children (in the latter). There was also drama behind the scenes and, ultimately, proceeds from the initial release barely covered the production cost. But, like A Christmas Carol, Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life featured a protagonist who could have had SAD and who experienced a major shift because of spiritual intercession. Only, in the case of the movie, the spirit was actually an angel.
“You’ve been given a great gift, George, a chance to see what the world would be like without you.”
– Clarence Odbody (AS2) in It’s A Wonderful Life
In the movie, Angel 2nd Class Clarence Odbody (portrayed by Henry Travers) must convince 38-year old George Bailey (immortalized by Jimmy Stewart) that his life is “wonderful”… or, at least worth living. Unlike Ebenezer Scrooge, Bailey has spent his life trying to help others, but a mistake – involving his good intentions and his own personal “Scrooge,” Mr. Potter (portrayed by Lionel Barrymore, who actually spent 20 years portraying “Scrooge”) – leads to criminal charges and the feeling that nothing he has ever done in his life makes a difference.
The truly ironic, and potentially tragic, part of George Bailey’s life is that he made a significant difference in his community. He saved more than one life and, on more than one occasion, gave up his savings to help others. He absolutely lived a life that was the embodiment of those last three siddhis (“powers”) unique to being human: the capacity to eliminate three-fold sorrow; the cultivation of a good heart (which is the ability to make friends); and generosity (the ability to give). Yet, in a moment of weakness, Bailey neglects to recognize his own power or potential. He has thoughts of self harm – one of the symptoms of SAD.
“Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. And when he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?”
“You see George; you really had a wonderful life. Don’t you see what a mistake it would be to throw it away?”
– Clarence Odbody (AS2) in It’s A Wonderful Life
Real life is different from a novella by Dickens, a short story by Stern, or a movie by Capra; in part because there’s not a writer or director making sure the intervention happens. Also, not everything gets tied up at the end. However, if you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms associated with SAD, it is important to take two big lessons from these fictional works: 1. You are not alone. 2. You can get help.
The ghosts in Dickens’s classic and the angel who gets his wings by helping out a good person are (literally) inspired symbols. They are the spirits or real people. (Sometimes they are even “strange” people, like in The Greatest Gift.) In real life, we are each other’s Christmas Past, Present, and Not Yet – just as we are each other’s guardian angels. We can show up for each other – and we must show up for each other. Real life is different in that sometimes the person that needs help has to ask for help (and/or the people around them have to notice what constitutes “a cry for help.”) In real life, happy endings don’t just happen; we have to make them happen.
“Please! I want to live again. I want to live again. I want to live again. Please, God, let me live again.”
– George Bailey in It’s A Wonderful Life
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You can also call the TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
“George Bailey: You know what the three most exciting sounds in the world are?
Uncle Billy: Uh-huh. Breakfast is served, lunch is served, dinner…
George Bailey: No, no, no, no! Anchor chains, plane motors, and train whistles.”
– quoted from It’s A Wonderful Life
### “Gotta love it… gotta live it… try to savor every moment” ~Anointed ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Uncategorized.
Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, December 20th) at 2:30 PM. Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. Give yourself extra time to log in if you have not upgraded to Zoom 5.0. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
### 🎶 ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Christmas, Depression, Faith, Fitness, Food, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Loss, Meditation, Movies, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens, Christmas, mental health, SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, winter, yoga sutra 2.18, Yoga Sutra 2.20, Yoga Sutra 2.51-2.52
[This is the post for Saturday, December 19th (and a prelude for Sunday the 20th). You can request an audio recording of Saturday’s practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)]
Yoga Sūtra 2.51: bāhyābhyantaravişayākşepī caturthah
– “The fourth [prāņāyāma] goes beyond, or transcends, the internal and external objects.”
Yoga Sūtra 2.52: tatah kşīyate prakāśāvaraņam
– “Then the veil over the [Inner] Light deteriorates.”
Patanjali spends a good portion of the Yoga Sūtras extolling the benefits of focusing on the breath and breathing in a way that balances (and calms) the mind-body. The benefits mentioned include physical vitality and clarity of mind. Another, connected, benefit is accessing the part of our mind-body that is “free of sorrow and [always] full of light.” Ultimately, he also points to the powers (siddhis) experienced by those who achieve clarity and luminosity. One such power is the ability to clear see (and understand) past, present, and future.
The ability to see (and understand) past, present, and future is the power of cause-and-effect. It is a power we all have; however it is a power often shrouded under the veil of avidyā (“ignorance”) and illusion. Such ignorance and illusion is part of our lived experience and is further enhanced by experiences that reinforce the ignorance and illusion. Patanjali very clearly indicates that everything in the perceivable world “has a twofold purpose: fulfillment and freedom” (YS 2.18), but that we can only see (and understand) what our mind is ready to see and understand (YS 2.20).
It seems like a circle of confusion (or ignorance) out of which we cannot escape. Yet, if we take a breath, things can become a little clearer. We start to see how we are tied – shackled or fettered – to what we know, based on what was previously known.
“‘You are fettered,’ said Scrooge, trembling. ‘Tell me why?’
‘I wear the chain I forged in life,’ replied the Ghost. ‘I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.’”
– quoted from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
A year or two ago, if someone had said that people all over the world would be rushing around less and spending more time at home with their family (and occasionally mingling with a small bubble of close friends), most of us would have (unequivocally) thought it was a good thing. If someone had said people would be as focused – if not more focused – on how they could celebrate the holidays and observe traditions as opposed to working, I might have even applauded. After all, I have spent a lot of winters talking about the benefits of slowing down (like everything else in nature) instead of speeding up and have spent many a holiday emphasizing the importance of ritual and tradition.
Those hypothetical conversations, however, would have occurred in another time and place…. a time and place “before.” They would have occurred without the circumstances we face today – circumstances that actually make it easier to be a bit of a Scrooge and/or experience a little SADness. I say “and/or,” but I’m really not sure, when you think about it that there’s always a difference. After all, as much as we see Ebenezer Scrooge as a curmudgeonly miser, who is to say he didn’t have SAD?
“‘Uncle!’ pleaded the nephew.
‘Nephew!’ returned the uncle sternly, ‘keep Christmas in your own way, and let me keep it in mine.’
‘Keep it!’ repeated Scrooge’s nephew. ‘But you don’t keep it.’”
– quoted from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of clinical depression that affects about 3 million people in the United States each year. About 5% of adults with SAD experience it for 40% of the year and people with bipolar disorder may notice huge mood shifts based on the change in season. Symptoms can include lack of energy, moodiness, changes in eating habits, weight fluctuation, changes in sleeping habits, loss of interest in social engagement or work, difficulty concentrating, and thought of self harm. Most people associate SAD with the “winter blues” or the “winter blahs” – and it is definitely linked to a chemical imbalance in the brain that is related to shorter days and a lack of sunlight in the Fall/Winter. However, people can also experience SAD (sometimes referred to, in layman’s terms, as “Reverse SAD”) in the Spring/Summer.
An old friend of mine who lives with “Reverse SAD” (we’ll call her “Christmas Past”) said that one of the hardest parts for her is the lack of awareness – and that fact that people think you can “just get over it.” That last part is an all too common misconception based on the following facts:
(a) Everyone experiences a shift in their biological clock (or circadian rhythms) as the seasons change, and that shift affects our brains;
(b) A lot of people struggle during the holidays;
(c) For most, symptoms will change as the seasons change; and
(d) When we are experience general sadness we can still feel some level of joy or happiness, but depression can mute people’s overall experience of life.
Furthermore, while symptoms can pass, in the base case, the longer the brain spirals down – and is left chemically out of balance – the harder it is for the mind-body to shift back into balance. When you add in the fact that depression is often accompanied by thoughts of self harming, there is sometimes not enough time for “time” to be the healer.
Unless, of course, “time” is a metaphor.
“‘But you were always a good man of business, Jacob’ faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself. ‘Business!’ cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. ‘Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, benevolence, were all my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!’”
– quoted from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
A Christmas Carol, the novella by Charles Dickens, features a grouchy old business man who is visited by ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come (often referred to in theatrical productions as “Christmas Future”). First published today in 1843, it was the fourth Christmas story the author had written and, like his others, it was influenced by what people were experience at the time and Dickens’s own experiences. First, as a child, Dickens had experienced a change of fortune and ended up, as an adult, having to work his way up from poverty. However, just before writing A Christmas Carol he had visited one of the Raggedy Schools (for destitute children) and was appalled at the conditions. He felt that people who were in the position to do something – not only to improve the children’s living and working conditions, but also their future prospects – should be encouraged to do what they could and that the holiday season was a good time for that encouragement. Finally, people were changing their engagement with the holiday. There were new additions to the celebrations (like the Christmas tree) and people were fluctuating between emphasizing the religious aspects of Christmas and the more secular traditions.
Dickens definitely portrays Scrooge as a bad guy who is redeemable; he just needs a push in the right direction. Various people, including Scrooge’s nephew try to push him into the holiday spirit, but he doesn’t feel it and doesn’t see the value in it. He needs more than a “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas” to counteract his “Bah Humbug.” He needs something to change his engagement of spirit. The ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come facilitate this change by talking to him and showing him different perspectives of his own life.
“‘Let me leave it alone, then,’ said Scrooge. ‘Much good may it do you! Much good it has ever done you!’
‘There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say,’ returned the nephew. ‘Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round – apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that – as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!’”
– quoted from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
One perspective is that, left to his own devices, Scrooge would have kept spiraling down. In the process of spiraling down (all the while thinking about the ways he could spiral his bank account up), Scrooge would have continued to make himself and the people around him miserable. Then there is the possibility that he could make the world around him a better place – and that, ultimately, it wouldn’t really cost him much. But, first, he had to be able to see the possibility.
Some people view A Christmas Carol as a secular holiday tale; others see it as Christian allegory. I see both sides of that coin, but also consider that there is a mental health message within the text. Even if Scrooge is a “scrooge,” he also exhibits all the characteristics of someone who is unhappy because his mind-body is out of balance. (When you think about it, it’s not surprising given how much he works, and how little work-life balance Dickens gives him!) All that said, anyone of us can be scrooge. So, it’s important to note that there is a lot we can do to help our mind-bodies find balance. It is equally important to know when we need some external intercession. SAD treatment can include light therapy, talk therapy, changes in diet and exercise, antidepressants, and/or a combination of the above.
“He went to the church, and walked about the streets, and watched the people hurrying to and for, and patted the children on the head, and questioned beggars, and looked down into the kitchens of homes, and up to the windows, and found that everything could yield him pleasure. He had never dreamed of any walk, that anything, could give him so much happiness.”
– quoted from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You can also call the TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
“‘I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.’”
– quoted from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
### “‘…as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One!’” ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Uncategorized.
Please join me for a 90-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Saturday, December 19th) at 12:00 PM. As I mentioned last week, this practice will be āsana-light. Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. Give yourself extra time to log in if you have not upgraded to Zoom 5.0. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
### 🎶 ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Uncategorized.
[“Happy Chanukah!” to anyone celebrating! May you shine bright!]
[This is the post for Wednesday, December 16th. You can request an audio recording of Wednesday’s practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)]
“‘Men have had every advantage of us in telling their own story. Education has been theirs in so much higher a degree; the pen has been in their hands. I will not allow books to prove anything.’
‘But how shall we prove anything?’
‘We never shall. We never can expect to prove anything upon such a point. It is a difference of opinion which does not admit of proof. We each begin probably with a little bias towards our own sex, and upon that bias build every circumstance in favour of it which has occurred within our own circle….’”
– quoted from a conversation between Anne Elliot (27, unmarried) and Captain Harville (a married friend of Anne’s 31-year old suitor) in Persuasion by Jane Austen
“In my life I have found two things of priceless worth – learning and loving. Nothing else – not fame, not power, not achievement for its own sake – can possible have the same lasting value. For when your life is over, if you can say ‘I have learned’ and ‘I have loved,’ you will also be able to say ‘I have been happy.”
– quoted from Rama II: The Sequel to Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee
Given the details of their lives, it’s not surprising that Jane Austen and Arthur C. Clarke wrote in very different genres. In fact, most people wouldn’t automatically think of them in the same context – despite the fact that they were both British authors born on the same day (albeit 142 years and 124 miles hours apart). On the surface, they might seem to have little in common…. But what happens when you look beneath the surface?
Born today (Dec. 16th) in 1775 (in Steventon, Hampshire, England), Ms. Austen is one of the most well known (and most popular) 19th century authors. Her novels – like Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion (one of 2 finished novels published after her death), Emma, and the unfinished Sanditon focused on life and love – and how the two worked, or not, in time/place where both were dependent on finances. I think of her novels as the epitome of “parlour” books: full of manners, expectations, flirtations, innuendo, and social commentary. Even outside of her (appropriately titled) first novel, there is constantly internal and external conflict between “Sense” (defined as good judgment, wisdom, and prudence) and “Sensibility” (defined as sensitivity, sympathy, and emotionality). The conflict is internal and external, because not only do characters struggle with the expectations others have of them, they also struggle with their expectations of themselves.
“‘Mama, the more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love. I require so much!’”
– Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Arthur C. Clarke (CBE), born today in 1917 (in Minehead, Somerset, UK) was best known for science fiction and futurist novels, like 2001: A Space Odyssey. In fact, he was considered one of the “Big Three” (along with Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov). In addition to writing novels, Mr. Clarke wrote short stories; essays; and hosted the television series “Arthur C Clarke’s Mysterious World.” He was also an undersea explorer and inventor who was knighted as a Commander of the British Empire and received Sri Lanka’s highest civil honor, Sri Lankabhimanya. Again, on the surface Mr. Clarke’s novels seem to have very little income with Ms. Austen’s novels – except that his science fiction work also revolves around social interactions and expectations. His characters also struggle with the expectations of their inner and outer worlds. Strip away the futurist elements and aliens and you are still reading about people dealing with “pride” and “prejudice.”
My point is: You can take the same set of details and tell (what appears to be) very different stories. True, the location; time; gender, age, race – and even species – of the characters makes things different. Ultimately, however, the difference is in the perspective of the storyteller.
“A good sequence is like a good story. There is a beginning (an introduction), the middle (the heart of the story), and the end (the conclusion).
– Maty Ezraty
Just as you can take a single story and change it up by changing the perspective, you can change your engagement of a pose or a sequence by considering it from the “point of view” of different parts of your mind-body.
Virabhadrasana I (“Hero Friend” or Warrior I) is a great example of different parts of a story being told by different parts of the body. First, there is how we embody the pose based on what we call it and how we understand the name. Second, The pose looks and feels very different to the feet than to the hands – and yet, the hands depend on the feet to support the pose. Similarly, the pose feels free different to the Achilles of the back foot versus the front foot, and different still from the hip and thigh of the back leg versus the front. A slight change in the position of the arms reinforces the fact that there is some spinal extension (and heart opening) happening in the pose. Similarly, folding forward into “Humble Warrior” brings awareness back into the lower body – especially if you can maintain that sense of heart opening. Since different parts of your body experience the pose in different ways, and thus tell “a different story,” one part of the body may realize there is a problem with stability and/or flexibility before that problem registers in other parts of the body.
Notice that in the above example I stuck to “big,” obvious parts of the body. But, go deeper for a moment. Consider the perspective of those “attendant” or supporting body parts. How does Virabhadrasana feel to the abductor digiti minimi and abductor hallucis (not to mention the flexor digitorum brevis) when they spread the toes of your back foot versus the toes of the front foot? How do the two parts of the illiopsoas feel (on each side) as you rise up, bend forward, and then bend back again? How does the piriformis feel as you hold the pose versus when you transition – and how does it feel when the back foot is turned more out than in (especially when you transition)?
Plenty of writers have “retold” a story from the perspective of a different major character (than the original work). Consider for a minute, however, what happens when the story is told from the point of view of a significant – but “minor” character. For instance, what happens when the story of Chanukah, and the miracle of light/oil is told from the perspective of the light (or the oil). After all, the light is/was always there. There is no part of the story that does not involve light and/or the need for light to vanquish the darkness.
Light exists before (and after) the Maccabees, who are considered the heroes of the story. In the Hebrew Bible (and the Christian Old Testament) Light exists even before the sun and the moon. Very early on in the story of Exodus, G-d tells Moses to tell the people of Abraham to keep the candles lit…. And so they do, through all the dark and challenging times. It is a priority in the caves as it is when they rededicate the temple.
“Chanukah” means dedication and the dedication happens with the lighting of the candles. Furthermore, the only mitvah (“commandment” or “duty”) during Chanukah is to light the candles. When it is safe to do so, the lights should be placed so they can be seen by those passing on the street. Light is given a place of honor because it represents all of the best aspects of humankind and all of the best aspects of faith.
Of course, during Chanukah, the eight candles representing the miracle are lit by a single candle. It is a candle physically set apart from the others – a worker, an attendant, a caretaker: the Shamash. When you are the source of the miracle, how do you tell the story?
“When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
– “Clarke’s Three Laws,” quoted from “Hazards of Prophecy: The Failure of Imagination” published in Profiles of the Future: An Inquiry into the Limits of the Possible by Arthur C. Clarke
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
### THAT’S MY STORY (and I’m sticking to it)! ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Uncategorized.
[“Happy Chanukah!” to anyone celebrating! May you shine bright!]
Please join me today (Wednesday, December 16th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You will need to register for the 7:15 PM class if you have not already done so. Give yourself extra time to log in if you have not upgraded to Zoom 5.0. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Chanukah, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Mysticism, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Super Heroes, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: Chanukah, Dr. L. L. Zamenhof, Esperanto, Ethics of the Fathers, Hillel the Elder, Maccabees, Pirkei Avot
You can request an audio recording of Tuesday’s practices via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es). Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.)
“Estas la 5a tago kaj 6a nokto de ukanuko – kaj mi deziras al vi pacon en Esperanto.”
– “It’s the 5th day and 6th night of Chanukah – and I’m wishing you peace in Esperanto.”
During the 8 days and nights of Chanukah, I have the opportunity to tell the story of the miracle of light / oil from several different perspectives. Still, when I think about the story as it relates to a conflict of cultures, I very rarely spend a lot of time thinking about how different history would be if all of the Greek rulers had been as “tolerant” as Alexander the Great – or, for that matter, if all rulers and communities throughout history were even more tolerant.
Remember, when Alexander the Great ruled (336 – 323 BCE), Jews in his kingdom had a hard time, a difficult life; but they could still observe their faith and practice their rituals and traditions. The culture of the Jewish people was very different from the Greeks and, as I mention at various times throughout the year, if you are looking at someone’s culture from the outside, and don’t understand the foundation that’s underneath, rituals and traditions seem strange. For that matter, if you get far enough away from the meaning behind your own rituals and traditions, things can seem strange. So, the Greeks under Alexander the Great thought the Jewish people were strange – and made life hard for those they considered strange.
Life was easier for the Hellenic Jews, those who spoke and appeared more Greek and/or paid more attention to the outside rather than the inside (as focus on the exterior body was a prime consideration for the ancient Greeks). Those who eschewed all things Greek, and maintained their language and culture, would find themselves bullied and (if they had a business) they would find their business was not as lucrative as their Hellenic Jewish neighbor. People had to weigh the (social) cost of staying true to their beliefs and values versus the (spiritual) cost of betraying their faith.
“(1) Rabbi [Judah HaNassi] would say: Which is the right path for man to choose for himself? Whatever is harmonious for the one who does it, and harmonious for mankind.
Be as careful with a minor mitzvah as with a major one, for you do not know the rewards of the mitzvot. Consider the cost of a mitzvah against its rewards, and the rewards of a transgression against its cost….
(3) Be careful with the government, for they befriend a person only for their own needs. They appear to be friends when it is beneficial to them, but they do not stand by a person at the time of his distress.”
– quoted from Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) (2:1 & 2:3)
Living as a marginalized minority was/is no fun, but it could, and did, get worse – and the story of Chanukah is partially about keeping the faith and overcoming the “worse.” It is not, however, an isolated incident. In fact, throughout history, it seems as if the Jewish people are constantly subjected to the “worse” (and constantly having to overcome it). They are not the only population to hold this unfortunate distinction; however, they are notable in part because they could “pass” for members of the dominant society if they wanted to – or were compelled to do so.
Antiochus IV thought he could compel people to change by making it a crime to follow and observe the tenets of the Jewish faith. He basically said that if people didn’t give up their culture and faith – basically who they were as a people – they would face death.
Now, Antiochus’ stance seems wildly illogical and ignorant to me. He was the ruler of the dominant culture. Why would he care if people didn’t work for one day out of the week? Why would he care if people wore their hair in a different way from him or studied text he couldn’t read? Why would he care if people worshiped something/someone they couldn’t see instead of him and his idols?
Oh, yes, I see, Antiochus was on a power trip. I could say that his power trip was fueled by that first level of avidyā, ignorance about the true nature of things – including his own self. However, I don’t have to go that deep; because a big part of Antiochus’ ignorance came from not understanding the culture that was different from his own. And part of the reason he made life difficult for others is because he didn’t follow the Golden Rule.
“Tio, kio malamas vin, ne faru al via ulo. Tio estas la tuta Torao; la resto estas la klarigo. Nun iru studi.”
“That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation. Now go and study.”
– quoted from the story of Hillel the Elder “[teaching] the meaning of the whole Torah while standing on one foot,” in Esperanto and in English
Born to day in 1859, in a part of the Russian Empire that is now Poland, Dr. L. L. Zamenhof was a Polish-Jewish ophthalmologist and polyglot. He was born into a Lithuanian-Jewish family that spoke Russian and Yiddish, but his father taught German and French – so he learned those languages, as well as Polish, at a young age. Eventually, he would also master German; have a good understanding of Latin, Hebrew, French, and Belarusian; and basic knowledge of Greek, English, Italian, Lithuanian, and Aramaic. At some point, he also studied Volapük, a constructed language created by Johann Martin Schleyer (a German Catholic priest).
The diverse population in his hometown and his love of language exposed Dr. Zamenhof to different cultures and also to the schisms (and wars) that developed between cultures. He imagined what the world would be like without conflict, especially conflict that arose from misunderstandings that he saw were the result of miscommunication. He thought that if people could more easily understand each other they would have a better chance at avoiding or resolving conflict. In 1873, while he was still a schoolboy, the future eye doctor started developing Esperanto, a constructed language that he called “Lingvo internacia” (“international language”).
Dr. Zamenhof continued his work even as he studied medicine and began working as a doctor. Eventually, he self-published his work (with a little help from his then future father-in-law) under the pseudonym “Doktoro Esperanto” or Doctor Hopeful. He continued to write and translate grammar books in various languages, including Esperanto, and also to look for solutions to oppression and nationalism. He explored various religions and social movements – he even wrote about humanitarianism or humanism (“homaranismo” in Esperanto), based on the teachings of Hillel the Elder. But, he kept coming back to the concept of language as a unifier.
Promoting the language and the idea behind the language would be Dr. Zamenhof’s legacy – a legacy that lived on through his wife (Klara) and their children. Even though the Zamenhof children, as adults, were killed during the Holocaust, along with millions of others, the language lived on. There are currently at least a thousand native speakers of Esperanto, worldwide, and millions who have some working knowledge of the language.
Ni ne estas tiel naivaj, kiel pensas pri ni kelkaj personoj; ni ne kredas, ke neŭtrala fundamento faros el la homoj anĝelojn; ni scias tre bone, ke la homoj malbonaj ankaŭ poste restos malbonaj; sed ni kredas, ke komunikiĝado kaj konatiĝado sur neŭtrala fundamento forigos almenaŭ la grandan amason de tiuj bestaĵoj kaj krimoj, kiuj estas kaŭzataj ne de malbona volo, sed simple de sinnekonado kaj de devigata sinaltrudado.”
“We are not as naive as some people think of us; we do not believe that a neutral foundation will make men angels; we know very well that bad people will stay bad even later; but we believe that communication and acquaintance based on a neutral basis will remove at least the great mass of those beasts and crimes which are caused not by ill will, but simply by [misunderstandings and forced coercion.]”
– quoted from a speech by Dr. L. L. Zamenhof to the Second World Congress of Esperanto, August 27, 1906
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
### pacon / peace ###
A Joyful Practice 