A Joyful Practice

First Friday Night Special #73 — Invitation for “Mou’ Breath & Sou’ Sax-y Rest” (the “missing” invitation w/excerpts) November 6, 2026

Happy Dhanteras, Diwali, and Kali Puja! Blessings, light, love, and peace to everyone, everywhere!

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

This is the (backdated and expanded) “missing” invitation for the “First Friday Night Special” on Movember 6^th, which includes new and “renewed” content, excerpts, and embedded links to related posts. (There are also more playlist options than usual.) You can request an audio recording of this Restorative Yoga practice (with a little movement and pranayama) 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.

“The expression ‘beau ideal’ was used in the early 1890’s to describe anything that had caught the public fancy.”

— quoted from “Marches: The Beau Ideal (1893)” in The Works of John Philip Sousa by Paul E. Bierley

Some people might think of Yoga and other mindfulness-based practices as a fad or a passing fancy — a ‘beau ideal’, if you will. And, yet, aspects of these practices date back thousands of years. Some of these aspects, like the idea that there are benefits to paying attention to your breath, occur in a variety of practices, from all over the world. Yoga, Buddhism, and certain religious rituals (like praying while kneeling and standing in unison, swaying or shuckling, and/or spinning) also involve movement that is, in some ways, synchronized with the breath. The physical practice of yoga (hatha yoga, regardless of the style or tradition) is different from some of the other practices; however, in that there is a focus on physical and mental/emotional well-being, as well as spiritual/religious/energetic well-being — making Movember a perfect time to practice Yoga.

For that matter, any day (or night) during Movember — also known as No(shave)mber — is an ideal time to breathe and focus on “changing the face of men’s health”.

Click on the link above or the excerpt title below for a general Movember post.

FTWMI: I ALWAYS Moustache You An Important Question (a repurposed note w/excerpt)

“‘Some offer up prana, the mysterious vital energy force within them. They do this through control of the breath, literally stopping their inhaling and exhaling.’”

— Krishna speaking to Arjuna (4.29) in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley

While a certain amount of movement is necessary for our overall health, our mind-bodies also need stillness. Just as there are practices with a lot of movement, there are practices with very little movement. No matter the style or tradition, the awareness of breath (and extension of breath) is part of the practice.

Remember, what happens in the body, happens in the mind; what happens in the mind, happens in the body; and both affect the breath. One of the great things about yoga is that enables us to harness the power of the breath (and our awareness of our breath) in order to affect the mind-body.

The way we breathe can not only be an indication of our overall health, it can also be an indication of our well-being in the present moment and a key component in our self-care toolbox. The way we breathe can help us get through challenging situations, interesting times, and overwhelmingly good (or not so good) moments. The way we breathe is also critical if we are playing a wind instrument — perhaps “a thing of beauty”^*1 designed by Adolphe Sax (b. 1814) — and a piece of music that highlights said instrument — e.g., a march composed by John Philip Sousa (b. 1854).

Click on the excerpt title below for a post about Adolphe Sax, John Philip Sousa, and taking deep breaths after an election.

A “Little Sax” & Sousa [For Our Journey] (the“missing” post-election post for Wednesday)

“Next, the cornet soloist makes a spectacular entrance with ‘The Post Horn Galop.’ (When Frank Simon was the solo cornetist, he used a specially made post horn. On the final chord, he would show his amazing breath control by holding a high note for a full minute.)”

— quoted from “Humoresques: Showing Off Before Company (1919)” in The Works of John Philip Sousa by Paul E. Bierley

Frank Simon (b. 11/26/1889) was 25 years old when he began playing coronet in John Philip Sousa’s band. Within 3 years, after his stand partner retired, Mr. Simon became cornet soloist and assistant conductor for “The [American] March King”. Even though the he would only work with the composer for a total of six years, those six years helped Frank Simon establish a legacy that served him throughout this life.

According to the description for Michael Freedland’s Music Man: The Story of Frank Simon, “Frank Simon was a charming, funny, sometimes difficult personality whose worst fault, according to his son Joseph, was “‘He didn’t live long enough.”’”. That being said, Frank Simon lived to the age of 77 (and a couple of months) — just two months younger than John Philip Sousa (who died of a heart attack at the age of 77, and about four months). Adolphe Sax, despite the expectations of those around him when he was young, died of pneumonia at the age of 79, and three months).²

Note, all three lived slightly longer than the current average life expectancy for men (76.3-76.5 years) — despite the fact that we now have more knowledge about what keeps people healthy.

DIWALI: A Five-Day Celebration of Light
Although I neglected to mention it during the practice, Friday was also Dhanteras and the beginning of Diwali celebrations around the world. Dhanteras is a day that the Indian ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy designated as “National Ayurveda Day” (in 2016) — meaning there is a special focus on health. Many pujans (“offering ceremonies”) are dedicated to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, fertility and abundant crops, and overall good fortunate. People also create decorations, including rangolas, which are associated with Lakshmi; clean their homes; and buy something new — usually gold, silver, clothes, and gadgets.

“Let us go forth a while and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our close rooms.”

— Walt Whitman writing about the new game, baseball, in the Brooklyn Eagle (07/23/1846)

This Restorative Yoga (with a little movement) & Pranayama practice is accessible and open to all. 

(NOTE: There will be a little bit of quiet space in this practice.)

Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Movember / November Friday 2026”]

Alternate Playlists: If you would prefer a playlist that starts off a little less sax-y, more ambient options are also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Movember / November Friday 2025”] 

Additionally, a light-focused First Friday Night playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Diwali 4 on Movember 5 2021”]

Prop wise, this is a kitchen sink practice and I will suggest using a wall, table, chair, or bolster during this practice. You can practice without props or use “studio” props and/or “householder” props. Example of Commercial props: 1 – 2 blankets, 2 – 3 blocks, a bolster, a strap, and an eye pillow. Example of Householder props: 1 – 2 blankets or bath towels, 2 – 3 books (similar in size), 2 standard pillows (or 1 body pillow), a belt/tie/sash, and a face towel.

You may want extra layers (as your body may cool down during this practice). Having a wall, chair, sofa, or coffee table may be handy throughout this practice.

If you are 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).

NOTES:

¹The aforementioned description of a saxophone is quoted from Adolphe Sax and his Saxophone by Leon Kochnitzky.

²CORRECTION: During the 2026 practice, I misquoted the ages of the musicians.

### BREATHE & MOVE (INTO STILLNESS)! ###