FTWMI: The Grace of Breathing Into How You’re Feeling (revised with an excerpt as a post-practice Monday post) October 28, 2024

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

Peace in / Peace out. Grace in / Grace out.

For Those Who Missed It: This post-practice post related to the practice on Monday, October 28^th was originally posted in 2023. The 2024 prompt question was, “What is on your mind (and how are you feeling?) 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).

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“If this symphony is misunderstood, and torn to shreds, I shall think it quite normal, and not at all surprising. It will not be the first time. But I myself absolutely believe it to be the best and especially the most sincere of all my works. I love it as I have never loved any single one of my other musical creations.”

— quoted from an 1893 letter from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to his nephew Vladimir “Bob” Davydov as posted in “Music History Monday: His Own Requiem?” by Robert Greenberg

How are you feeling today?

Perhaps you are feeling a lot. Perhaps you are feeling one emotion strongly — or a combination of strong emotions. Perhaps you are feeling so much that you are overwhelmed and feeling numb… as if you are feeling nothing.

No matter what you are feeling, take a moment to breathe into what you are feeling.

There is grace in that breath and the ability to breathe into what you are feeling.

Note, that I have not indicated or suggested that what you are feeling is positive, negative, or neutral; good, bad, or neutral. However, there’s a pretty good chance that you assigned a value to the idea of strong feelings, emotions. That’s what we do as humans. That’s one (really three… or six) of the reasons why sensations can be experienced in 108 different ways according to some Eastern philosophies.

2024 PRACTICE NOTE: This year’s practice focused more on breath and sensations/feelings/vibrations. Previous practices on this date have highlighted musicians born on this date (in 1969 and 1962) who really moved people and/or musical events that emotionally “shook” people. For example, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, known as “The Passionate Symphony,” premiered today in 1893 (according to the Gregorian calendar) and Elvis Presley performed the first of two shows at the Pan Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, today in 1957.

Click on the excerpt title below to learn about some of the conspiracy theories related to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and his music.

Breathe Into How You’re Feeling

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

The 2020/2023 playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10282020 Feeling Pathétique?”]

NOTE: The playlist is currently focused on Tchaikovsky; but, I plan to add some before/after music related to Elvis and some musicians born on this date.

“‘What’s your emotional power over women?’ demanded one obviously influenced female reporter.

‘Gosh…’ replied Elvis, whispering something inaudible into a mike provided for the occasion.”

— quoted from the 1957 article “Elvis Wiggles, Fans Scream at Pan-Pacific” by Wally George  

### AIN’T NOTHING… ###