A Joyful Practice

With Every Bone In Your Body (the “missing” Tuesday compilation post) October 20, 2026

Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating Dussehra / Vijayadashami and/or sharing their stories about friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom on World Osteoporosis Day.

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

This “missing” compilation post for Tuesday, October 20^th, includes new content and excerpts. 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.

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“Fiery-eyed Durga astride a golden lion; Saraswati resplendent in white along with her swan; a glowing Lakshmi seated on a lotus in bloom; and Kali with her frightening garland of skulls. The legends that surround them are told over and over again and soon the children know them by heart. For them, as it is for me, these beautiful lotus-eyed goddesses are not just religious icons but part of one’s family. They laugh and cry, quarrel with each other over petty things, they have fragile natures despite their powerful forms. They are often jealous, angry, greedy and plot deviously against their enemies but still they need to be loved by their devotees, Then they appear, splendid, glorious and benevolent, to dazzle us with their all-pervading light.”

— quoted from the “Introduction” to The Book of Devi by Bubul Sharma

While Navaratri, the “nine nights” (and days) dedicated to nine manifestations of the Divine as a woman, officially ended on Monday night, the fall celebrations continue as some people celebrated Dussehra on Tuesday. Also known as Vijayadashami (“victory [on the[ tenth lunar day”), the name Dussehra is derived from the  Sanskrit words dasha (“ten”) and  hara, which can be a name for Shiva or can be translated into English in several relevant ways, including “taking away, removing”, “seizing, grasping”, or “dividing”. Hara can also be “a necklace” (often made of bones) or can signify a “war or battle”. All of these translations are relevant as the festival commemorates Lord Rāma’s victory over the 10-headed demon king Ravana.

According to the Rāmāyaņa (an epic poem which is part of Mahābhārata), Rāma, his wife Sītā, and his brother Lakshmana are exiled by the brothers’ father. The poem chronicles their heroes’ journey — including the part where Sītā is kidnapped by Ravana. She is eventually rescued (with the help of Hanuman, the monkey king) and, after a great battle, the threesome make their way home. Their homecoming is commemorated during Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, which begins 20 days after Dussehra.

Like so many other major holidays I reference this time of year, Navaratri, Dussehra/Vijayadashami, and Diwali may be celebrated by some who grew up in a particular culture, but are not particularly religious. For the devout, however, the meaning of these celebrations (and the related stories) is something they experience — and express — with every bone in their body.

“With every bone in my body I will praise him: ‘LORD, who can compare with you? Who else rescues the helpless from the strong? Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?’”

— Tehillim – Psalms 35:10 (NLT)

World Osteoporosis Day is celebrated annually on October 20^th. The 2026 theme is “Build, Protect and Strengthen Your Bones for Life”.

CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.

Fatten the Bone (the “missing” and remixed Sunday post)

“Those who practice yoga say it is life changing. Those of us who are as flexible as a piece of lumber are not so sure. I admire yoga’s rich history, more than five thousand years old, but I run into a few mental roadblocks in understanding concepts like grounding and spinal energy. In fact, I was sitting in my slumped-over and crooked version of the lotus position during a special yoga class taught by Bruce’s mentor Matthew Sanford, when Matthew said to a student, ‘Breathe into your spine for God’s sake!’ I had no idea what that meant. The student understood though, and he made proper adjustments. What was remarkable was that both teacher and student were in wheelchairs.”

— quoted from “24. Dis Ease Yoga” in We Know How This Ends: Living while Dying by Bruce H. Kramer with Cathy Wurzer

Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10202021 To The Bone”]

“It is interesting to note that out of the 613 mitzvot in the Torah, 365 are negative (that is, they are ‘Thou shalt nots’) and 248 are positive (that is, ‘Thou shalts’). The rabbis suggest this indicates that one should perform the mitzvot every day of the year (365 days equal the 365 mitzvot) and with every bone and organ of your body (there are taken to be 248 of these). Like most law codes, secular and religious, there are more negatives than positives. What is perhaps surprising is that there are so many positives. If one looks at British law, for example, one will find very few positives precepts. Law, by and large, usually exists to prohibit wrongdoing, and the proof that the Torah is more than simply law is the large number of ethical positive directives included in it.”

— quoted from “D.6.b. Questions of Right and Wrong: Sin and Sins” in “Section D: Judaism” (by Clive Lawton) of Ethical Issues in Six Religious Traditions, edited by Peggy Morgan and Clive Lawton 

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 an app, which I have not 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 need 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).

### Build, Protect, & Strengthen! ###