A Joyful Practice

A Quick Note & Excerpts About Time, Gratitude, Love, & Holidays October 14, 2024

Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone grateful for friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.

Stay safe! Live well! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.

This quick note with excerpts is the post-practice post related to the practice on Monday, October 14^th. The 2024 prompt question was, “For what or for whom are you grateful?” You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email 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.

Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.

“i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes”

— quoted from “i thank You God for most this amazing” by e e cummings (b. 1894)

This practice begins and ends with gratitude; something that will come up even more than usual over the next week or so and something that I do at the beginning and end of every day. This particular gratitude practice is inspired by the fact that the second Monday in October is Thanksgiving in Canada — which some people say has a less problematic history than Thanksgiving in the United States — and, also, overlapping holidays in the United States (which come with their own history).

This year, all of these observations fall on what I call an “extra day” (because of the 1582 calendar reform in Papal-governed countries); the anniversary of the beginning of Vatican II; and the anniversary of the birth of one of my favorite poets, E. E. Cummings (born October 14, 1894).

CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE.

Knowing and Unknowing, Part II (repost)

FTWMI: A More Loving Time

“At this point, and only at this point, surrender becomes a matter of personal experience—a state of gratitude powerful enough to fill your mind and consume all the afflictions that once used to agitate it.”

— quoted from the Yoga International commentary on Yoga Sūtra 1.25 by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD

There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.

If you are struggling, thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this 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.

White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.

If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).

### I am grateful for _——— ! ###