A Joyful Practice

Still Remembering a Too Short & Too Bloody Walk (mostly the music) March 7, 2023

Happy Purim! Joyous Purnima (and “Choti Holi”)! Many blessings to all, and especially to those observing Lent, Great Lent, the Baháʼí 19-Day Fast, Purim, and/or Purnima during this “Season for Non-violence” and all other seasons!

“[Martin Luther King Jr.] was talking about the philosophy and discipline of nonviolence. He said we are all complicit when we tolerate injustice. He said it is not enough to say it will get better by and by. He said each of us has a moral obligation to stand up, speak up and speak out. When you see something that is not right, you must say something. You must do something. Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part to help build what we called the Beloved Community, a nation and world society at peace with itself.

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Ordinary people with extraordinary vision can redeem that soul of America by getting in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble. Voting and participating in the democratic process are key. The vote is the most powerful nonviolent change agent you have in a democratic society. You must us it because it is not guaranteed. You can lose it.

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You must study and learn in the lessons of history because humanity has been involved in this soul-wrenching, existential struggle for a very long time. People on every continent have stood in your shoes, through decades and centuries before you…. Continue to build union between movements stretching across the globe because we must put away our willingness to profit from the exploitation of others.”

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– quoted from “Together, You Can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation: Though I am gone, I urge you to answer that highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe”* in Across That Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America by Congressman John Lewis with Brenda Jones

Please join me today (Tuesday, March 7^th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. 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 this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “03072021 Sunday Bloody Sunday Alabama”]

*NOTE: Originally published in The New York Times on July 30, 2020.

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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.)

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### “When you pray, move your feet. – AFRICAN PROVERB” ~ Rep. John Lewis ~ ###