Noticing Things [on Friday, June 2nd] (the “missing” and revised invitation) June 2, 2023

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Japa-Ajapa, Life, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Poetry, Religion, Suffering, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: 90 seconds, Enigma, Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians, Jon Lord, Mindfulness, Restorative Yoga, Sir Edward Elgar, Thomas Hardy
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Happy Pride! Many blessings to everyone!!

My apologies for not posting this before tonight’s “First Friday Night Special.” You can request an audio recording of tonight’s Restorative Yoga practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at 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.

“IX

Calm fell. From Heaven distilled a clemency;

There was peace on earth, and silence in the sky;

Some could, some could not, shake off misery:

The Sinister Spirit sneered: ‘It had to be!’

And again the Spirit of Pity whispered, ‘Why?’”

– quoted from the poem “And There Was a Great Calm (On the Signing of the Armistice, 11 Nov 1918)” by Thomas Hardy

This has been a week of remembering; deliberately remembering and reflecting; noticing (or not); noticing, remembering, and reflecting. If we pay attention, we notice the pattern repeating – on and off the mat. We also notice, if we are paying attention, that throughout history people (like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman) have consistently warned us… that we are not paying enough attention – especially to what’s simmering, churning, and bubbling beneath the surface.

And so, the pattern continues.

This is a significantly revised and expanded version of a 2020 post. The original only referenced the poet.

“And will any say when my bell of quittance is heard in the gloom,
And a crossing breeze cuts a pause in its outrollings,
Till they rise again, as they were a new bell’s boom,
‘He hears it not now, but used to notice such things?’”

– quoted from the poem “Afterwards” by Thomas Hardy, set to music by Lon Lord

Born June 2, 1840, Thomas Hardy (OM) was an architect who is remembered as a novelist and a poet who noticed things. I know, I know; writers notice things – that’s part of their job description: notice and write, in order to tell the world what you noticed… what they could also notice. And, to that end, Thomas Hardy wrote short stories, published almost a thousand poems, and three different kinds of novels. In character and environment driven novels like Far from the Madding Crowd (1874), The Return of the Native (1878), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the d’Urbervilles (1891), and Jude the Obscure (1895), he wrote about sex, religion, marriage, class, education, morality, and where all six themes intersected with each other, as well as with a person’s individual will as it intersected with universal will (or a single other person’s will), which he called “Immanent Will.”

He wrote about being alive, being dead, and about ghosts and spirits. He also wrote, in letters, about race and the impact different cultures could have on society. He noticed things… and made some of those things important.

When he was asked to write something topical (i.e., related to the current events circa 1905 – 1917), he initially resisted. Ultimately, however, he was inspired by events in the Middle East and a passage from The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians (1:18 – 19)*, which speaks of hope and, also, of something powerful – mighty – working beneath the surface. As he did in so many of his other poems about conflict, Thomas Hardy continued the message of hope… and also included a warning message.

“I

When moiling seems at cease
In the vague void of night-time,
And heaven’s wide roomage stormless
Between the dusk and light-time,
And fear at last is formless,
We call the allurement Peace.

II

Peace, this hid riot, Change,
This revel of quick-cued mumming,
This never truly being,
This evermore becoming,
This spinner’s wheel onfleeing
Outside perception’s range.”

– the poem “According to the Mighty Working” by Thomas Hardy

Although he was not particularly devout, being inspired by sacred text was not unusual for Thomas Hardy. He noticed things about Nature and things about human nature and things about the Divine – and he noticed where all of those things overlapped, collapsed, converged, and coalesced. He was also fascinated by the idea that patterns of history are repeated and that those patterns can be found in Nature, in the Bible, and in ourselves – if we just take the time to pay attention; to, as he wrote, “notice such things.”

However, Thomas Hardy didn’t stop there. He also noticed what he (and others) noticed. He noticed the art or practice of noticing.

Take a moment to notice what you notice. Bring awareness to your awareness.

You can jump over to the April 19^th “Noticing Things” post or do that “90-second thing.” Either way, pause. Just for a moment. Notice without the story or the extra dialogue that springs to mind. Or, you could take a moment to intentionally notice the extra dialogue that inevitably springs to mind. You can even emulate Thomas Hardy – the architect – and build your awareness from the ground up.

Start with what is tangible, what is solid and true beneath you and work out from there – physically, mentally, emotionally, maybe even energetically, spiritually, and religiously.

I have previously mentioned that this week is about perception and ideals. We start to notice what we notice. Then, we also start noticing what we (individually and collectively) make important. When you notice what sticks in your heart and in your mind, you will start to notice the origins of your words and deeds. You will start to notice the kind of person you are telling the world you are and aim to be.

“‘It is a difficult question, my friends, for any young man– that question I had to grapple with, and which thousands are weighing at the present moment in these uprising times– whether to follow uncritically the track he finds himself in, without considering his aptness for it, or to consider what his aptness or bent may be, and re-shape his course accordingly. I tried to do the latter, and I failed. But I don’t admit that my failure proved my view to be a wrong one, or that my success would have made it a right one; though that’s how we appraise such attempts nowadays–I mean, not by their essential soundness, but by their accidental outcomes.’”

– quoted from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy

“‘Remember that the best and greatest among mankind are those who do themselves no worldly good. Every successful man is more or less a selfish man. The devoted fail…’”

– quoted from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy

Now, just for a moment, turn all the things you are noticing into music. Imagine you are a musical composition by Sir Edward William Elgar (1st Baronet, OM, GCVO), who was born June 2, 1857. Like Thomas Hardy, Sir Elgar noticed things and told people about what he noticed… what they could also notice. The only difference was that he communicated his observations with music.

From October 1898 and February 1899, Sir Edward Elgar composed Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36. Also known as the “Enigma Variations” – because the word “Enigma” was written over the first six bars – the fourteen variations are character sketches meant to invoke the personalities and temperaments (or moods) of fourteen of Sir Elgar’s friends. Each variation’s title is the nickname of the friend “pictured within.” Similar to the way Thomas Hardy noticed what others noticed (or not), Sir Elgar composed the pieces as if each person were composing their own variation/personality.

“‘I had a neat stock of fixed opinions, but they dropped away one by one; and the further I get the less sure I am. I doubt if I have anything more for my present rule of life than following inclinations which do me and nobody else any harm, and actually give pleasure to those I love best. There, gentlemen, since you wanted to know how I was getting on, I have told you. Much good may it do you! I cannot explain further here. I perceive there is something wrong somewhere in our social formulas: what it is can only be discovered by men or women with greater insight than mine–if, indeed, they ever discover it– at least in our time. ‘For who knoweth what is good for man in this life?–and who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?’”

– quoted from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy

There are so many mysteries in life. But, where (or what), you might ask, is the mystery in the Sir Edward Elgar’s music? An enigma, after all, is defined as “a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand.” The word comes to English from Greek, by way of Latin, from words meaning “fable” and “speak allusively.” Yet, the compositions and their monikers are very straightforward. Where, then, is the mystery?

According to Sir Elgar, there was an overreaching theme that tied everything together. Maybe it was musical. Maybe it was a quality, like friendship. Maybe it was an activity, like perception and awareness.

Perhaps it was simply a message between friends.

“‘I shan’t forget you, Jude,’ he said, smiling, as the cart moved off. ‘Be a good boy, remember; and be kind to animals and birds, and read all you can. And if ever you come to Christminster remember you hunt me out for old acquaintance’ sake.’

The cart creaked across the green, and disappeared round the corner by the rectory-house. The boy returned to the draw-well at the edge of the greensward, where he had left his buckets when he went to help his patron and teacher in the loading. There was a quiver in his lip now, and after opening the well-cover to begin lowering the bucket he paused and leant with his forehead and arms against the frame-work, his face wearing the fixity of a thoughtful child’s who has felt the pricks of life somewhat before his time. The well into which he was looking was as ancient as the village itself, and from his present position appeared as a long circular perspective ending in a shining disk of quivering water at a distance of a hundred feet down. There was a lining of green moss near the top, and nearer still the hart’s-tongue fern.

He said to himself, in the melodramatic tones of a whimsical boy, that the schoolmaster had drawn at that well scores of times on a morning like this, and would never draw there any more. ‘I’ve seen him look down into it, when he was tired with his drawing, just as I do now, and when he rested a bit before carrying the buckets home!’”

– quoted from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy

Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.

NOTE: The playlist is a remix of the one I typically use in April and for the birthday’s of Thomas Hardy (today) and Jon Lord (b. June 9, 1961). I may or may not update it to include more of the “Enigma Variations.”

This Restorative Yoga practice is accessible and open to all.

Prop wise, this can be a kitchen sink 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 for this practice.

*NOTE: Although it is a modern translation (and, therefore, not the translation Thomas Hardy used), The Christian Standard Bible translation of Ephesians (1:18 – 19) is the only one I found that directly syncs up with Thomas Hardy’s poem title. “(18) I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, (19) and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.”

### NOTICE WHAT YOU NOTICE ###

Deliberately Floating from Past to Future (mostly the music and links) May 30, 2023

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Loss, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Suffering, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: Dolly Parton, Henry David Thoreau
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Many blessings to all.

“Gradually the village murmur subsided, and we seemed to be embarked on the placid current of our dreams, floating from past to future as silently as one awakes to fresh morning or evening thoughts.”

– quoted from “SATURDAY” in A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers by Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau was a teacher and a writer, who is remembered as a writer and naturalist. He self-published his first book, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, today (May 30^th) in 1849. It was the story of a trip he took with his brother John over 10 years before. Click here to read more about Thoreau, his relationship with his brother, and where he went to write and “to live deliberately….”

Please join me today (Tuesday, May 30^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 “05302021 Speaking of a Strenuous, Deliberate Life”]

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.)

### “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” ~ Dolly Parton (a.k.a. Mrs. Dean, since 1966) ###

The Grace of Knowing How to Feel & FTWMI: How We Learn To Feel (and what we learn from feeling) May 27, 2023

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Confessions, Dharma, Faith, First Nations, Healing Stories, Hope, Japa-Ajapa, Life, Meditation, One Hoop, Pain, Religion, Shavuot, Suffering, Tragedy, Vipassana, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: asana, beauty, compassion, Edward Bradford Titchener, empathy, Jim Chee, Joe Leaphorn, matter, Nature, Navajo Way, Rachel Carson, Rosalind Dymond Cartwright, Silent Spring, sympathy, Tony Hillerman, Vihari-Lal Mitra, vinyasa, Vipassana, Yoga Vasishtha
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“Chag Sameach!” to everyone celebrating Shavuot. Many blessings to everyone everywhere!

“40. As the billows and waves, the surges and eddies, and their froths and foams, and bubbles and minute particles, are all formations of water in the great body of waters; so are all beings but productions of the spirit in the Infinite spirit. (All matter is reduced to the spirits, and the spirits are consolidated to material substances by chemical process).”

“78. The belief that I am the pure and all pervading intellect, is attended with the purity and holiness of the soul, and the knowledge of the Divine power as the cause of the union of earth, air and water in the production of the germ of creation, is the main creed of all creeds.”

– quoted from “CHAPTER XI. Ascertainment of Living Liberation.” of The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki (translated from the original Sanskrit by VIHARI-LALA MITRA)

Last night, I experienced something just as fabulous as I expected and (unfortunately) just as horrible as I feared. But, in the middle of the horrible, I knew….

I knew, as the stoic Emperor Marcus Aurelius did, that I had “seen the beauty of good, and the ugliness of evil, and have recognized that the wrongdoer has a nature related to my own – not of the same blood and birth, but the same mind, and possessing a share of the divine. And so none of them can hurt me. No one can implicate me in ugliness.” And I knew – as he did, as Vasishtha did – that we are all connected. I also knew that, whether we liked it or not, I would have a hand in how things unfolded, how the world (in those moments) was created.

While I remembered the incident that I posted about in 2020, I had forgotten that I posted the post below. I did, however, remember the lesson… and that was the grace.

Grace in.

Grace out.

For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted today in 2020. I have updated class details and some relevant information.

“But it seems reasonable to believe — and I do believe — that the more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us the less taste we shall have for the destruction of our race. Wonder and humility are wholesome emotions, and they do not exist side by side with a lust for destruction.”

– Rachel Carson accepting the John Burroughs Medal (April 1952) and printed in Lost Woods: The Discovered Writing of Rachel Carson

“It had been Nashibitti who had taught Leaphorn the words and legends of the Blessing Way, taught him what the Holy People had told the Earth Surface People about how to live, taught him the lessons of the Changing Woman – that the only goal for man was beauty, and that beauty was found only in harmony, and that this harmony of nature was a matter of dazzling complexity.”

– from Dance Hall of the Dead (Navajo Mysteries #2) by Tony Hillerman

This week, as we step back and really take a look at “role models,” the roles of our ancestors and elders, and the lessons they’ve taught us about how to live and interact with ourselves and each other, I thought we might take a moment to consider how we’ve learned to live and interact with the planet we call home. Behavioral scientists, and people who are interested in the science of our behaviors, are quick to point to incidences of animal mutilation in childhood whenever someone perpetrates great violence against humanity. There were signs, you see. And, sometimes, we missed the signs or didn’t pay enough attention to the signs.

A recent incident in New York sheds an interesting light on this subject, especially when it is viewed through the lens of everything else that is happening around us. In a situation where one person is committing emotional violence against another person and physical violence against a pet, some people quickly turn their focus on the pet’s distress. Others condemn such a reaction. However, it’s a very real and honest reaction. Rather than condemning how someone else reacts to trauma, I suggest we go deeper.

“‘Don’t think a man don’t care about one goat because he’s got a thousand of ‘em,’ Hosteen Nakai would say. ‘He’s got a thousand because he cares more about goats than he cares about his relatives.’”

– from People of Darkness (Navajo Mysteries #4) by Tony Hillerman

People who react to the pet’s distress (what they can see as well as hear), as opposed to the other person’s distress (what they may not be able to hear or completely understand as they cannot see the person) are still expressing empathy. This is important, because when scientist, writers, and lay people talk about childhood instances of animal mutilation part of their focus is on a lack of empathy. So, first and foremost consider the importance of empathy. While empathy is a natural emotion , we learn lessons throughout our lives about whether or not to trust – let alone engage – emotions like empathy. If we don’t trust our own emotions and intuition, it’s harder – almost impossible – to trust the emotions of others.

EMPATHY [Greek > German] – The action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another…without having the feelings, thoughts, and experiences fully communicated in an objective and explicit manner.

SYMPATHY [Greek >> Latin] – Feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else’s misfortune.

COMPASSION [Latin>> Old French > Middle English] – To suffer with.

There is a difference between empathy, sympathy, and compassion – and the difference is critical. Compassion and sympathy are a much older words than empathy. Compassion refers to our ability to understand another’s pain and suffering, and to simultaneously have the desire that the other’s pain and suffering ends. Sympathy holds multiple meanings, including “having an affinity, association, or relationship between persons or things wherein whatever affects one similarly affects the other” and “a feeling of loyalty; tendency to favor or support.” When we speak in terms of the emotional experience of sympathy, however, there is a layer of pity. That is to say, our feelings of sympathy are more often than not associated with the feeling that someone of something is beneath us: we feel sorry for them. Furthermore, while we may feel sorry for someone, we may not every feel or express the desire that their pain and suffering ends. We may not ever make the connection between what they feel and what we can feel.

Empathy, on the other hand, is the emotion that bridges the gap between what we are feeling and what another is feeling. Coined (from German) by English psychologist Edward Bradford Titchener, the word “empathy” was used in the early 1900’s to describe the process of projecting one’s own emotions (and thoughts) onto another person or object. This emotional projection was considered a kind of animation or emotional play that allowed one to feel kinship (or sympathy) with another. Over time (and thanks in part to the work of experimental psychologist and sleep expert Rosalind Dymond Cartwright, in collaboration with her mentor, sociologist Leonard Cottrell), the word “empathy” became associated with the final experience: feeling the same as another, without experiencing what the other experiences.

“‘I didn’t want to believe it. Too many old friends are dying. I didn’t really think I could learn anything about that diamond out here. I just wanted to see if I could bring back some old memories…. Maybe it would help me get into harmony with living with so many of my friends gone.’”

– from Skeleton Man (Navajo Mysteries #17) by Tony Hillerman

Some of Dr. Cartwright’s research focused on how empathy related to a patient’s “need to change” and ability to progress in therapy. So, there is the even deeper side to the conversation on empathy. The role empathy plays in allowing us to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes may also be the role it plays in our ability to change.

As you consider that, also consider the last time you paused and really considered why you react to what you can see more than what you feel?

Writers and other artists are in the business of creating work that cultivates empathy. It’s why most of us can say, would say, we have never been a dog – but on a certain level we can imagine a dog’s life (as there are plenty of books and movies that have encouraged that viewpoint). Rachel Carson (born today in 1907) started Silent Spring with a parable, in part to elicit empathy for Nature before she started getting into the science. Tony Hillerman (born today in 1925) was a veteran and a journalist who wrote 18 novels about Navajo police officers and their role in protecting the people, the heritage, and the landscape within their keeping. If you miss the fact that Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee are environmental and cultural gatekeepers, you missed part of what made Hillerman’s work so emotionally compelling.

“‘Everything is connected. The wing of the corn beetle affects the direction of the wind, the way the sand drifts, the way the light reflects into the eye of man beholding his reality. All is part of totality, and in this totality man finds his hozro, his way of walking in harmony, with beauty all around him.’”

– from The Ghostway (Navajo Mysteries #6) by Tony Hillerman

“In these troubled times it is a wholesome and necessary thing for us to turn again to the earth and in the contemplation of her beauties to know the sense of wonder and humility. There is modern truth to the ancient wisdom of the psalmist: `I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.’”

– from Rachel Carson’s original submission to “Words to Live By” for This Week Magazine (1951)

The question now becomes, when was the last time you put yourself in the shoes of someone you perceive to be different from you? When was the last time you imagined the life of someone whose life experience and life lessons are very different – or may seem very different – from yours? When was the last time you empathized without sympathizing (or pitying) another?

These are tricky questions that lead to a tricky conversation. And, while I say “conversation,” understand that the conversation is mostly an internal dialogue. Discernment, recognizing the movements of one’s own heart, is an internal process. Sure, we can have conversation with one another, but that requires gut-wrenching honesty. In order to have that gut-wrenching honesty with another person, we must first have it with ourselves. And that’s the tricky part: gut-wrenching honesty is gut-wrenching for a reason; it’s painful and pain is one of those things we want to avoid at all costs. So, rather than truly feel another’s pain – rather than truly feel our own pain – we “pity the fool” and go on about our day.

“We stand now where two roads diverge. But unlike the roads in Robert Frost’s familiar poem, they are not equally fair. The road we have long been traveling is deceptively easy, a smooth superhighway on which we progress with great speed, but at its end lies disaster. The other fork of the road — the one less traveled by — offers our last, our only chance to reach a destination that assures the preservation of the earth.”

– from Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

“It was not a Navajo concept, this idea of adjusting nature to human needs. The Navajo adjusted himself to remain in harmony with the universe. When nature withheld the rain, the Navajo sought the pattern of this phenomenon – as he sought the pattern of all things – to find its beauty and live in harmony with it. Now Leaphorn sought the pattern in the conduct of a man who had tried to kill a policemen rather than accepting a speeding ticket.”

– from Listening Woman (Navajo Mysteries #3) by Tony Hillerman

In Coyote Waits (one of my favorite Leaphorn and Chee mysteries), Hillerman wrote, “‘I think from where we stand the rain seems random. If we stand somewhere else, we see the order in it.” The Sanskrit word vinyasa means “to place in a special way” and shares a root with vipassana, which means “to see in a special way.” The practice is all about order, and also about what we think (and see) because of where we stand. It also, gives us an opportunity to stand (and see) in another place/way and to find harmony. Remember, we cannot understand what our minds have not shown us.

Please join me for a 90-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Saturday, May 27^th) at 12:00 PM. 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 by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05272020 Carson & Hillerman”]

Don’t forget that you can request an audio recording of any class via a comment below. If you have been thinking about joining us, but haven’t been able to work it out, this is the week to request a class recording. If one of the themes from this week doesn’t immediately resonate, I am happy to offer a suggestion.

“‘Terrible drought, crops dead, sheep dying. Spring dried up. No water. The Hopi, and the Christian, maybe the Moslem, they pray for rain. The Navajo has the proper ceremony done to restore himself to harmony with the drought. You see what I mean. The system is designed to recognize what’s beyond human power to change, and then to change the human’s attitude to be content with the inevitable. ’”

– from Sacred Clowns (Navajo Mysteries #11) by Tony Hillerman

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”

– from Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

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). You can also call the 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.

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).

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.

### MANY BLESSINGS (to the n^th degree) ###

Today in Rock and Roll (the Wednesday post) May 24, 2023

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Art, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Love, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Poetry, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: Bob Dylan, Counting the Omer, Dechen Shak-Dagsay, Nat Hentoff, Powerball®, Regula Curti, Tina Turner, Uvalde Texas
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Many blessings to everyone, and especially to anyone Counting the Omer!

“‘Anything I can sing,’ he observes, ‘I call a song. Anything I can’t sing, I call a poem. Anything I can’t sing or anything that’s too long to be a poem, I call a novel. But my novels don’t have the usual story lines. They’re about my feelings at a certain place at a certain time.’”

– quoted from the liner notes by Nat Hentoff (from Bob Dylan’s album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan)

This is a footnote with links. If it were longer (and written by him), Robert Allen Zimmerman (born today in 1941) might call this a novel; because, it’s about how today feels weird to me.

First, it’s kind of a weird day in rock and roll. Tina Turner, the legendary Queen of Rock and Roll, just passed away today at the age of 83. Meanwhile, Bob Dylan, the rock and roll poet, turned 82 today. Yes, there are other things that make today weird – even sad and tragic, when you consider that it is the first anniversary of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. However, in the middle of all the sadness, tragedy, and even confusion (over why certain things aren’t changing in a way that makes us all safer), there are some joyful memories and some persistent reminders.

The memories include ones of my mom taking me to see Tina Turner’s Private Dancer tour (in 1985). It was my very first rock and roll concert. Another such memory is finding the mantras and chants that Tina Turner recorded after she started practicing Buddhism. Listening to those mantras and chants, I remember that the human spirit is divine, beautiful, and able to persevere. I find different, but equally persistent, reminders in the poetry – and music – of Bob Dylan, who is quoted in the liner notes for The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan as saying, “The most important thing I know I learned from Woody Guthrie…. I’m my own person. I’ve got basic common rights-whether I’m here in this country or any other place. I’ll never finish saying everything I feel, but I’ll be doing my part to make some sense out of the way we’re living, and not living, now. All I’m doing is saying what’s on my mind the best way I know how. And whatever else you say about me, everything I do and sing and write comes out of me.”

I think the same philosophy applies to Tina Turner.

Sometimes, I compare Bob Dylan and his career to winning the lottery with that elusive Powerball® of talent, drive, and other people’s perceptions. My comparison is not meant to take anything away from his talent and hard work. Quite the opposite. It’s just meant to highlight that sometimes people have things working in their favor. On the flip side, Tina Turner had the talent and the drive, but that last piece – other people’s perceptions (not to mention her own at certain times in her life) – worked against her. If you look at her life, where she started and the abuse that she endured early on, you’ll find there were a lot of things working against her. Yet, she survived. She thrived. She succeeded.

Tina Turner became one the best-selling recording artists of all time; won 12 Grammy Awards (including three Grammy Hall of Fame awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award); was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame two times (in 1991 and 2021) and became the first woman and the first Black artist to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone. She appeared in movies and had a movie and a musical based on her life. Her accolades also include being a recipient of the 2005 Kennedy Center Honors.

She survived. She thrived. She succeeded. More importantly, she continued making beauty in the world.

“Nothing last forever.
No one lives forever.
The flower that fades and dies.
Winter passes and spring comes.
Embrace the cycle of life that is the greatest love.
Go beyond fear.

Go beyond fear.

Beyond fear takes you into the place where love grows.

When you refuse to follow the impulses of fear, anger, and revenge.
Beyond means to feel yourself.
Start every day singing like the birds.
Singing takes you beyond.

Beyond.
Beyond.
Beyond.”

– excerpted from “Beyond: Spiritual Message By Tina Turner” on the album Beyond: Buddhist and Christian Prayers by Tina Turner, Dechen Shak-Dagsay & Regula Curti

Please join me today (Wednesday, May 24^th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. Use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You will need to register for the 7:15 PM class if you have not already done so. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05242022 Bob’s Poems”]

NOTE: I did not have a chance to create a new playlist inspired by both Bob and Tina; however, here is the message quoted above.

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.)

### REST IN POWER, QUEEN! ###

[The Difference Between] The Fools and the Angels (mostly the music) May 21, 2023

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: Alexander Pope, Clara Barton, Counting the Omer, Elizabeth Brown Pryor, Yoga Sutra 2.18-2.21, Yoga Sutra 4.15
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Many blessings to everyone, and especially to anyone Counting the Omer!

“ ’Tis with our judgments as our watches, none
Go just alike, yet each believes his own.”

– quoted from “An Essay on Criticism” by Alexander Pope (b. 1688, O. S.)

Yoga Sūtra 4.15: vastusāmye cittabhedāttayorvibhaktaḥ panthāḥ

– “Although the same objects may be perceived by different minds, they are perceived in different ways, because those minds manifested differently.”

Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, May 21^st) at 2:30 PM. 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 by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05212022 The Fools and the Angels”]

“‘I will remain here while anyone remains and do whatever comes to my hand, [Clara Barton, b. 1881] declared stoutly. I may be compelled to face danger, but never fear it….’”

– quoted from Clara Barton, Professional Angel by Elizabeth Brown Pryor

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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REMINDER: Still [Not] Clowning Around (mostly the reminder and links) May 15, 2023

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Dharma, Donate, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma Yoga, Music, One Hoop, Volunteer.
Tags: Hog Farm, phun, Wavy Gravy, Woodstock
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Being humble, loving, kind, and groovy always connects.

“We’re kind of a family – a huge, expanded family. And we can do any number of things, because each one of us is going to do a different thing. But mostly we’re just going to try and be groovy, and (uh) spread that grooviness to everybody.”

– Wavy Gravy being interviewed at the John F. Kennedy airport in August 1969 (about Hog Farm’s participation at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair)

Please join me for a 75-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Monday, May 15^th) at 5:30 PM. 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.

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

A 2022 playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05152022 Still (Not) Clowning Around”]

NOTE: Due to artist protests, one song may not play on Spotify. As I support artists in their efforts to bring about change, I am not re-mixing affected playlists because of the protests. This particular remix was due to additional content.

*

Click here to read the 2021 post.

*

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Fearlessly Play On! (mostly the music and a special link) April 30, 2023

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Baha'i, Faith, Life, Music, One Hoop, Riḍván, Women, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: #jazzday, Annie Dillard, International Jazz Day, KISS MY ASANA
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Happy International Jazz Day! “Happy Riḍván!” to those celebrating “the Most Great Festival.” Many blessings to everyone, and especially to anyone Counting the Omer!

Please join me for a 65-minute virtual yoga practice on Zoom today (Sunday, April 30^th) at 2:30 PM. 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 by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.

Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04302022 International Jazz Day”]

Today is International Jazz Day! Check out the international concert 4 pm EDT/1 pm PDT/10 pm CET.

Yes! You can still click here to Kiss My Asana Now! (And, you can also still click here to join my team and get people to kiss [your] asana!)

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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Callings, Commandments, & a Good “Ending” (a “renewed” Thursday/Friday post) April 12, 2023

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Fitness, Food, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Lent, Life, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Pain, Passover, Peace, Philosophy, Ramadan, Religion, Shavuot, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: Beresh't, Chaka Khan and Rufus, Counting of the Omer, Counting the Omer, Easter, Exodus, Genesis, Good Friday, Gospel According to Matthew, Great Friday, Great Lent, Hanuman Jayanti, kabbalah, Last Supper, Lent, Marcus J Freed, Maundy Thursday, Meghan G, Metta, mitzvot, Passover, Ramadan, Sarah Kendzior, seder, sefirot, Shemot, svādhyāya, The Acts of the Apostles, The Book of Acts, The Gospel According to John, tov, Via Dolorosa, Zohar
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“Chag Sameach!” to everyone celebrating Passover and/or Counting the Omer! Blessings to anyone celebrating Great Week or Eastertide / the Octave of Easter! “Ramadān Mubarak, Blessed Ramadān!” to anyone who is observing the holy month of Ramadān.

Depending on how you look at it, this is either a “missing” post for April 6^th and 7^th or an early post for April 13^th and 14^th. For Those Who Missed It: Elements of the following have been previously posted. Click here for last year’s compilation post, which includes links to the originals. Dates have been updated. NOTE: The change in the color of the quotes is intentional.

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.)

“We talk of becoming one with God and many seekers are looking to reach higher spiritual levels, but first we must unify the different parts of ourselves. To see that we are complex beings, often with apparent internal contradictions, but this too is also a form of oneness. Understanding the Divine begins by first understanding ourselves.”

**– from the introduction to The Kabbalah Sutras: 49 Steps to Enlightenment, by Marcus J. Freed**

During a Passover Seder, when Jewish people commemorate their ancestors’ exodus from slavery in Egypt, they wash their hands before and after the story of exodus is told through the lens of four questions. The first time, hands are washed without a blessing; the second time, hands are washed with a blessing. Like everything else in the Seder, even the name and the questions, the hand washing is crucial and symbolic.

The Hebrew word “Seder” means “order, procedure.” Just like in our yoga practice, everything happens in a very specific order that tells the story of the people, of their faith, and of their exodus. Symbols are used to engage not only the numerically young children at the table, but also those who are spiritually young and may not have studied the Torah. For example, the elements of the four questions (leavened vs. unleavened bread; all vegetables vs. bitter herbs; dipping the herbs in brine or vinegar and also in a sweet paste; eating in a variety of positions vs. eating in a reclining position) are symbolic of how quickly people fled when given the chance to escape Egypt; the bitterness of slavery; the sweat and tears of the enslaved people, as well as the bricks-and-mortar the enslaved were forced to build; and the luxury and privilege implied in eating in a reclining position – as if one has not a care in the world. The symbolic nature of the different aspects of the observation means that the ritual is both a mental experience and a visceral experience. Still, it’s easy to overlook the hand washing, even though it’s in the Bible.

“For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the LORD, they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.”

– Shemot – Exodus 30:19 – 30:21 (NIV)

In the Eastern philosophies (like Yoga) and religions (like Judaism) arms and hands are recognized as extensions of the heart. They are how we reach out to others, embrace others, embrace ourselves, and even embrace a moment. We use our hands and arms to build the world around us. We also use our hands and arms to love one another (or not) and to defend or support what we love (or not). Love (chesed) and strength (gevurah) are two of the aspects of the Divine (found on the Tree of Life). Furthermore, Jewish mysticism identifies these elements of the Divine as being embodied by the right and left arms, respectively. It is no accident then, nor is it only an element of good hygiene, that hands are washed before handling sacred food. In fact, in the Hasidic tradition, “Water represents the healing power of wisdom. Water flows downward, carrying its essential simplicity to each thing. It brings them together as a single living, growing whole. We pour water over our hands as an expression of wisdom pouring downward passing through our heart and from there to our interaction with the world around us.”

Of the 613 commandments within the Jewish tradition, at least 21 – 27 are directly related to the observation of Passover, the Seder, the Counting of the Omer (which begins on the second night of Passover), and Shavuot (which begins at the end of the Counting of the Omer). The Last Supper (or suppers, depending on who you ask) is acknowledged as Jesus’ last meal and the source of the Eucharist or Holy Communion in Christian faiths. While the one of the four canonical gospels (John) places Passover after Jesus’s death, the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) present The Last Supper as a Passover Seder. Therefore, it would make sense that Jesus – recognized as a rabbi, a teacher, long before he was considered by some to be the Messiah – would have made sure everyone washed their hands, twice during the Seder. It’s part of the Law, part of the Commandments.

“This makes perfect sense on reflection, as these are the organs that we can use to master ourselves and to complete the relationship with others, depending on the words we speak and the way we interact (e.g., Who we are giving to or walking towards and away from). In this sense, Malchut-mastery also comprises communication. It asks us: how are you using communication as a tool for giving and creating? Are you using your feet to walk towards situations where you can be more loving, and are your hands creating a kinder world?”

**– quoted from “Day 7 / THE ROYAL PATH OF LOVE: MASTERY IN LOVINGKINDNESS מלכות שבחסד ” in The Kabbalah Sutras: 49 Steps to Enlightenment by Marcus J. Freed**

If you are familiar with the Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) and the Tree of Life, you might be thinking that my explanation is not completely accurate. It’s not completely accurate, because The Zohar only associates chesed and gevurah with the arms. Meanwhile, the hands, as well as the feet and mouth, are associated with malchut, which can be translated into English as sovereignty, stewardship, leadership, kinship, queenship, and mastery. These body parts are, as Marcus Freed points out, what we use to create (and move towards) new experiences, new realities, and new world orders.

So, it is interesting to note that an (often) unnamed woman washing Jesus’ feet is considered the catalyst for Judas betraying Jesus. Equally interesting is that before the Seder, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. That last bit of feet washing is one of the events commemorated by some Christians on Maundy Thursday.

Very few people talk about what happened to Judas and the money after the betrayal, even though the Gospel According to Matthew (27:1 – 10) and The Acts of the Apostles (1:16 – 18) give explicit, albeit slightly different, details. Additionally, there is some difference in notation about when Judas left the last supper or if he even attended. Either way, it was at the Last Supper – which some accounts depict as the Passover Seder – that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. When Simon Peter objected, Jesus told him three particularly noteworthy things; things that remind us that none of this is about the money.

“‘Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.’”

– The Gospel According to John (13:12 – 15, KJV)

“‘If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.’”

– The Gospel According to John (13:8, KJV)

“‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’”

– The Gospel According to John (13:34 – 35, KJV)

The word “Maundy” comes to us, by way of Middle English and Old French, from a Latin word that means “command, order.” While it may be associated with the ritual of washing the feet of a saint, showing hospitality, or preparing a body for burial, the command or order associated with the Thursday before Easter is that “new command.” It is a command repeatedly reiterated in the Gospel According to John (15:12 and 15:17). It is also a sentiment that is echoed in one of the last things Jesus said on the cross, when he connected his own mother with one of his disciples as if they are mother and son. It is a lesson Jesus taught again and again. Yet, it is a lesson all too often forgotten; even though it is the whole point of the story.

“‘A second is equally important: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”’”

– The Gospel According to Matthew (22:39, NLT)

Sunset on Thursday night (April 6^th) marked the beginning of the Counting of the Omer in Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah). The Counting of the Omer is a 49-day observation which reflects the days the newly freed Jews were in the desert and segues into the commemoration of the people receiving the Torah. When people observe the Counting of the Omer there is an extra element of prayer, of offering, and also contemplation on two connected elements of the Divine (from the Tree of Life). One the first night, the connect elements are Chesed She b’Chesed (Lovingkindness in Lovingkindness). In the Western Christian traditions, that same night (this year) is connected to the beginning of the events associated with Good Friday.

But, why is the Friday before Easter good? And why are there so many holy observations going on around the world at the same time?

Let’s start with the second question first, because that will lay the foundation for answering the first question.

“People ask me how I find hope. I answer that I don’t believe in hope, and I don’t believe in hopelessness. I believe in compassion and pragmatism, in doing what is right for its own sake. Hope can be lethal when you are fighting an autocracy because hope is inextricable from time. An enduring strategy of autocrats is to simply run out the clock.”

**– quoted from Hiding in Plain Sight by Sarah Kendzior**

Serendipitously, I received two texts from the same Austin suburb (on April 11, 2020). One was from a friend, sharing the Sarah Kendzior quote (above). The other was from my brother, asking why people were celebrating the same thing at different times. The quote sharpened my focus. The question brings me to you.

Even though he didn’t ask the question in an all encompassing way, I am going to answer his question here in a broader sense, and in a pretty basic way.

On Friday, April 7, 2023, people all over the the world celebrated the second day (and then the third night) of Passover; started (or were in the middle of) the third week of the holy month of Ramadān; celebrated Good Friday (in the Western Christian traditions); got ready for Lazarus Saturday (which was April 8^th, in the Eastern Orthodox Christian traditions); and, after sunset, counted “two days of the Omer” (in some Jewish traditions). All of that was followed by, Easter Sunday (in the Western Christian traditions) and Palm Sunday (the Sunday before Easter) in the Eastern Orthodox Christian traditions. Oh, and some people observe/celebrate more than one of those traditions at the same time. When you add in the (Wednesday/Thursday) celebrations of Hanuman Jayanti (in the Hindu traditions) and consider that these observations and celebrations are occurring all over the world – and keeping in mind different time zone – it can get really confusing. Hence my brothers question.

If we just stick with the Abrahamic religions for a moment, remember that Passover is a commemoration of the Exodus story, which is the story of the Jewish people being freed from slavery in Egypt. The Jewish liturgical calendar is lunar-based and, therefore, Passover happens at a slightly different time each year on the Gregorian (i.e., secular) calendar. According to all four canonical gospels of the New Testament, Jesus spent the last week of his life preparing for Passover (and what he knew was coming in terms of the Crucifixion and Resurrection). Three of the four gospels indicate that what Christians (and artists) refer to as the “Last Supper” was actually a Passover Seder – so we are back to a lunar calendar, although it’s a different lunar calendar. Keep in mind that the initial switch to the Gregorian calendar (in the fall of 1582) was partially motivated by the Roman Catholic Church’s desire to have consistency in the timing of liturgical observations and that Orthodox Christians operate under the old-school Julian calendar, which brings us to a third timeline.

While most modern Christians focus exclusively on the New Testament and observe holy times accordingly, some Christians also follow the observations commanded in Deuteronomy and Leviticus.

Finally, the holy month of Ramadān is based on yet another calendar, giving us a fourth timeline. Islām, Christianity, and Judaism share historical roots and some of the same beliefs (e.g., a belief in the oneness of God, a belief in angels, a belief in revealed book, etc.); however, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar does not always fall in March or April and is not directly connected to Passover. So, just for this moment, I’m going to tighten my focus.

Are you still with me? Be honest. If you need a scorecard, I’m happy to provide one – especially since I’m about to go down the (metaphorical) rabbit hole.

“And God saw that it was good.”

– Words that appear 7 times in the Creation Story found in Bereish’t – Genesis

Tov is a Hebrew word that means “good.” If we only think of the word “good” in a modern context – as something desired, approved, right, pleasing, and welcome – we can find ourselves in a bit of a quandary; because, we’ve lost part of the meaning. I often say that there was a time when everything people did had meaning. Over time, as people got further away from the meaning, rituals became traditions – things people did just because their ancestors did them. Over more time, traditions lose their meaning and just become things people say. Even though, there are some rituals and traditions that have their meanings baked into the practice (i.e., Passover and Good Friday), people don’t always understand that meaning.

Things can get even more confusing when cultures overlap and people are suddenly witnessing multiple practices they don’t understand – because they don’t know the meaning. These kinds of perplexing situations happen a lot in the Spring, when all the major religions and philosophies have significant observations and celebrations that overlap. This can get even more confusing when, for instance, people outside of Judaism wonder why there’s a celebration associated with a time of so much suffering and non-Christians wonder how the Friday of Holy Week / Passion Week can be simultaneously associated with the trial, persecution, crucifixion, and death of Jesus and also good. It’s a bit of a conundrum… until you go a little deeper.

Going deeper means we don’t look at the events of Good Friday using the modern understanding of “good.” Instead, we go back to the beginning of the Torah (also the Christian Old Testament), where God defined something as “good” when it was useful and serving its purpose. In the Christian tradition, Jesus is recognized as the Messiah, the Christ, the one who heralds and ushers in an era of peace and salvation. He served his purpose, because he lived, suffered, was crucified, died, was buried, and was risen – in order for sins to be forgiven. Thus, the events commemorated on the Friday before Easter are considered “good,” because they were meaningful and served a purpose. And, just as there is a meaningful “order” to a Passover Seder, there is a particular path which tells the story of Good Friday.

“And God said, ‘There will be light,’ and there was light.

And God saw the light that it was good, and God separated between the light and between the darkness.”

– Beresh’t / Genesis 1:3-4

For Good Friday, many Christians move through the Stations of the Cross, a visual pilgrimage of Jesus’ last moments. The earliest “Way of the Cross” or “Way of Sorrows” artwork and the Scriptural Way of the Cross (introduced by Pope John Paul II on Good Friday 1991 and approved by Pope Benedict in 2007) depict 14 scenes or “steps,” ending with Jesus being laid in the tomb. The Resurrection is often considered to be the 15^th Station of the Cross. (NOTE: The Resurrection is the 14^th Station according to the “New Way of the Cross” in the Philippines; however, this version is different from the previous mentioned versions.) The art is meant to mirror Via Dolorosa (the “Way of Sorrow/Pain”) in Jerusalem, the actual path Jesus would have taken to Mount Calvary.

When people “move through the Stations of the Cross,” it is a ritual pilgrimage wrapped in a walking tour wrapped in a children’s picture book disguised as traditional art. That is not unlike our physical practice of yoga, which can sometimes be a history lesson wrapped up in philosophical discourse disguised as physical exercise.

The layers are baked in; however, we can sometimes be too far away from the meaning to understand the rituals of the practice. We can find ourselves facing that aforementioned quandary: We’re doing poses without understanding how they serve or benefit us – and then doing them in a way that means we’re not getting all the benefits. We might also do poses and sequences for the “wrong” reasons. Sometimes we forget that, regardless of the style or tradition, we want every yoga practice to be “good” in the Old Testament way. We want poses to have meaning and purpose.

So, again, we have to go deeper.

Going deeper to me means highlighting the physical-mental purposes and benefits of poses and sequences – and, also, digging into the symbolic aspects of the practice. Even doing a little svādhyāya (“self-study”) to notice what comes up (physically, mentally, emotionally, energetically, and even spiritually) in certain situations. So, for 11 years, I taught a Good Friday yoga practice that essentially mirrored the Via Dolorosa and the way people walk through the Stations of the Cross. I didn’t lead any prayers; but, I did hold a little space for people that wanted to pray.

I know it was a little much for some folks. I also know that some people really appreciated a yoga practice. Every year, someone asked me if I was going to do the Good Friday theme and, every year, someone thanked me and said that it was meaningful, which was good.

“You ain’t got no kind of feeling inside
I got something that will sho’ ’nuff set your stuff on fire
You refuse to put anything before your pride
What I got will knock all your pride aside”

– quoted from the song “Tell Me Something Good” by Chaka Khan and Rufus

Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.

NOTE: This is a mostly Good Friday playlist for a “First Friday Night Special” and it is very similar to what I have used in the past for a the vinyasa practice referenced above.

METTA MEDITATION (with relationships):

Prior to the quarantine, Metta Meditation was part of my daily commute. Part I gives you a little background and a partially guided meditation. Part II includes guided meditation for the cardinal and intercardinal directions. These meditations were recorded in the Spring of 2019.

May you be safe and protected

May you be peaceful and happy

May you be healthy and strong

May you have ease and well-being, today and always.

If you are interested in combining a physical practice (yoga or weightlifting) with the Counting of the Omer, you can purchase a copy of Marcus J. Freed’s The Kabbalh Sutras: 49 Steps to Enlightenment.

NOTE: As much as I am able, I like to highlight the quotes with a good color, i.e., a meaningful color. That is why some of these quotes are black, for those who know.

### “et lux in tenebris lucet et tenebrae eam non comprehenderunt” (John 1:5) ###

The Charge to Use Your “Talents” & Let Your Light Shine (the “missing” Tuesday post) April 4, 2023

Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Abhyasa, Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Lent, Life, Loss, Maya Angelou, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Poetry, Ramadan, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.
Tags: 10 Virgins, Bill Clinton, Claudia Tate, Good and Faithful Servant, Gospel According to Matthew, Holy Tuesday, Holy Week, Joanne M. Braxton, Maya Angelou, MLK, parables, Passion Tuesday, Passion Week, Season for Nonviolence, Season of Non-violence, Spiderman, Talents, The Gospel According to Luke, Wise and Foolish Virgins
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Blessings to anyone observing Holy Tuesday / Passion Tuesday or Great Lent! “Ramadān Mubarak, Blessed Ramadān!” to anyone who is observing the holy month of Ramadān. Many blessings to those preparing for Passover and to all during this “Season for Non-violence” and all other seasons!

This is the “missing” post for Tuesday, April 4^th. WARNING: There is a passing reference to sexual violence. 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.

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.)

“History, despite its wrenching pain,
Cannot be unlived, but if faced
With courage, need not be lived again.

Lift up your eyes upon
This day breaking for you.

Give birth again
To the dream.

Women, children, men,
Take it into the palms of your hands.

Mold it into the shape of your most
Private need. Sculpt it into
The image of your most public self.
Lift up your hearts
Each new hour holds new chances
For new beginnings.”

– from the poem “On the Pulse of Morning” by Maya Angelou, recited at the first inauguration of President Bill Clinton (1993)

PROLOGUE & EPILOGUE

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who didn’t have the best start in life. In fact, you could say that parts of her life were twisted and “rooted in pain.” Born in St. Louis, Missouri, about a year after her brother, Marguerite Annie Johnson was the daughter of Bailey Johnson, a doorman and navy dietitian, and Vivian Johnson (née Baxter), a nurse and card dealer. The Johnsons did not have the best marriage and, for a variety of reasons, they sent their young children (ages 3 and 4) to live with the elder Bailey’s mother, Annie Henderson.

The four years in Stamps, Arkansas weren’t too bad, because the siblings were together and Ms. Henderson owned a general store which, along with her investments, allowed the Black proprietress to flourish when so many others were struggling during the Great Depression and World War II. But then, when Bailey Jr. was 8 and Marguerite was 7, their father collected them and took them back to St. Louis to be with their mother. About a year later, when she was 8, this little girl was sexually assaulted and raped (by her mother’s boyfriend). She told her brother, who told the family, who reported it to the police – but the man who violated her was only in jail for a single day. A few days after he was released, he was murdered. And the little girl blamed herself, blamed her voice and the power of her voice – and she refused to speak for almost five years.

Just as she struggled to survive, she grew up during a time when the whole country was struggling to survive – and when some were struggling more than others. She grew up to be a lot of things, including a streetcar conductor, a fry cook, a sex worker, a singer, and a dancer. All noble endeavors; however, the twist in the story came when she “found” her voice and she started to “sing,” despite being locked in a cage of oppression. The twist in the story is that when she started to use her talents, and really started to shine, she became the a woman whose words and name are known all over the world.

But, you probably don’t know her by her birth name. You probably know her by a variation of the nickname her older brother used when he called her “My” or “Mya Sister.” You probably know her as Dr. Maya Angelou, born on April 4, 1928. You may have even read a biographer (or an interview) indicating that the period of silence in the early part of her life, and everything she did to survive before she became a household name, was preparation for her destiny.

“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’”

– quoted from The Gospel According to Matthew (24:3, NIV)

As I mention several times throughout the year – and especially around this time of year – most religious holidays are connected to a period of getting ready for something momentous, amazing, and transformational. They are getting ready for something that is related to the end of suffering. In the case of Lent and Great Lent, Christian communities get ready for Easter in a way that mirrors Jesus’ preparation for what would become Easter. While they didn’t know exactly what was going to happen, the disciples were also getting ready. Historically speaking, all of this New Testament getting ready took place as Jesus and the disciples were getting ready for Passover – which itself is a commemoration of a time when Jewish people had to get ready (and be ready) for freedom (from the suffering of slavery).

During Passover, some people begin Counting the Omer, which is a 49-day period that leads to the anniversary of the revelation of the Torah. Similarly, the holy month of Ramadān includes the commemoration of the revelation of the Qur’an. In both case, people are (again) getting ready for something momentous, amazing, and transformational. Again, they are getting ready for something that is related to the end of suffering.

With the exception of references to Dr. Maya Angelou,” the following is an abridged (and slightly revised) version of last year’s Passion / Holy Tuesday post (which was itself a variation of a 2019 post). Click here for the 2022 post that talks about cults and/or click here for the 2019 Kiss My Asana post related to freedom and taxes.

“‘Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,’”

– quoted from the “Parable of the Faithful Servant” as it appears in The Gospel According to Luke (12:35, NIV)

“‘It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.’”

– quoted from the “Parable of the Faithful Servant” as it appears in The Gospel According to Luke (12:38 – 40, NIV)

In Christian traditions, Palm Sunday is the commemoration of Jesus’ return to Jerusalem for Passover. He arrived to find the temple was no longer serving it’s purpose – and he addressed that issue. After throwing the “thieves” out of the temple and in between the authorities, elders, and “spies” questioning him, Jesus taught. Remember, in the historically context – and as far as many would have been concerned at the time – Jesus was simply a renegade Rabbi, a teacher, who was focused on showing his people how to have a closer relationship with G-d. More often than not, he taught in stories or parables. Several of the stories associated with Passion Tuesday or Holy Tuesday involve people waiting for something amazing and transformative to happen. What is important to note is that each story requires action from the characters.

Each story requires action in the here and now.

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all mention “The Parable of the Faithful Servant,” which is the story of a doorkeeper who is instructed to be at the ready for the arrival of the owner of the home (returning from the “marriage feast”) and/or for the arrival of a thief who might take advantage of the night. Maybe because they had previously, and privately, questioned Jesus about events that he said were forthcoming, Luke specifically mentioned Peter asking if the message was for the disciples or for everyone. The answer may seem vague to some, but it reinforced what an honor it would be to be given the purpose of guarding the door and that a good and faithful servant would be rewarded, while someone who falls down on their job would be punished. Then there’s that part that modern readers might think of as a Spiderman moment:

“‘From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.’”

– quoted from The Gospel According to Luke (12:48, NIV)

The Gospel According to Matthew provides a continuous narrative by placing the faithful servant’s story directly before “The Parable of the Ten Virgins” (sometimes referred to as “The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins” or “The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids”). Just like the story of the faithful servant, this second story involves a wedding, light, and being ready. According to the parable, ten women are waiting for the possibility of being attendants (another word for servant) at a wedding, but it gets dark and they fall asleep. When they are awakened by the pronouncement that the bridegroom is coming, they trim and light their lamps. The only problem is that five (5) of the bridesmaids have run out of oil and failed to bring more. When the bridegroom comes, he can’t see the ones whose lamps are not lit and, according to Matthew, Jesus repeats, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:13, NIV)

The details that reoccur in each story reinforce the message. First, there is a wedding – a momentous celebration that marks a union, a joining together. Second, the people who are waiting to join the wedding party are somehow in service to the bridegroom. Third, everyone has a purpose – although that purpose is not always explicitly explained. Fourth, everyone has a light and that light must shine in order for someone to be recognized. Fifth, there is no telling when one’s services or presence will be required; and so (sixth) everyone must be ready at all times.

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.”

– quoted from the “Parable of the Faithful Servant” as it appears in The Gospel According to Matthew (25:14, NIV)

The Gospels According to Matthew and Luke also detail a parable about a landowner (or master) who leaves his servants in charge of some goods. Luke associated the story with a different narrative, but Matthew placed “The Parable of The Talents” directly after the one about the virgins and uses the segue (above) to indicate that while the details of the story are different, the message is the same. This time there are three (3) servants and, instead of light, they are given talents, a form of currency: one servant receives five (5) talents, another two (2) talents, and another one (1) talent – “‘each according to his ability.’” (Matthew 25:15)

Now, who knows where the landowner is going – perhaps to the aforementioned wedding. What is known is that the first and second servant put their talents to work and increases the wealth, while the third servant buries his talent. (There is also a non-canonical gospel that says one of the servants squanders his talents.) When the landowner/master returns he praises and rewards the servant(s) who increased the wealth, but chastises the one who literally buried his talent for safe-keeping. In Matthew 25:27 the landowner/master points out that if the talent had been put in the bank for safe-keeping, it would have earned interest – thereby increasing the wealth.

Again, the message is clear: it is not enough to sit on one’s laurels and wait for salvation – one must exert effort in some way in order to be prepared. It’s not enough to repeat a mantra, a chant, or a prayer like it’s a magical spell. One has to engage what they have been give – all that they have been given: experiences, perspectives, skills, and all the other resources that could count as blessings and/or talents. We have to let our light shine… which can be really challenging when things seem so dark and also when we may not feel that our skills are as valued as, say, oil.

The importance of oil and currency are another motif in the parables that also showed up in the last days of Jesus’ life. Some commentary indicates that while Jesus was considered an agitator and a renegade, what pushed the elite to get rid of him (rather than to just tolerate him) was the moment when he threw the money lenders out of the temple (see Passion Monday). Then there is the moment when Judas decided to betray Jesus, not only because he was promised “a few pieces of silver” as payment, but also because of he was angered when expensive oil was used to wash Jesus’ feet (see Passion Wednesday). And here, in between the historical events, are the parables about oil and money – which might seem coincidental until you remember that Jesus knew how things worked; he knew what was coming. And, he was teaching people how to get ready for what was coming.

“When you learn, teach. When you get, give.”

– Dr. Maya Angelou

When she died on May 28, 2014, at least one obituary referred to Dr. Maya Angelou as “poet of many talents.” Like her friend, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was assassinated on April 4, 1968*, she shared her talents with the world and she advocated for others to share their talents. Of course, to share our talents, we need to understand the value of our talents.

According to Arland J. Hultgren – a New Testament professor at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN – a talent was a unit of weight and, when used as a unit of money, it would be valued as that specific weight in silver. A talent would be worth about 6,000 denarii, or six thousand times a day’s wages. I’ve seen estimates that translate this into U. S. dollars and indicate that one servant received $300,000 USD, one servant received $600,000 USD, and one servant received $1.5 million USD.

Can you imagine, literally, burying $300,000 USD. If you didn’t bury it, how would you put it to work? How would you put $1.5 million USD to work? Keep in mind: it’s not your money. Would you change what you do with the money if you knew you could “earn” $300,000?

Now, flip it around, and consider that you’ve been given a talent…or five: How are you using your talents? How are you using your resources? How are you letting your little light shine? How does your wealth increase because you invest in your talents? What happens when you don’t use your talents?

It is interesting to notice what one values, how one attributes value, and how one uses what they value. Not just on a personal level, it’s also interesting to notice it on a national and/or global level. As a modern society, we have a history of undervaluing the most essential and fundamental services – and the people that provide those services. When it comes to this, the pandemic has shown us at our best and at our worst. The thing is, we can fix that last part. We can be better. But it’s tricky, because to be better we have to value and appreciate each other – and our natural resources – more than we value a piece of paper or, in the cases of people like me, an actual piece of sheepskin. We have to understand that whenever and however our individual and collective ends come, it’s highly unlikely that we will be remembered (or rewarded) for the talents we buried – on behalf of ourselves or others.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna makes it very clear that we will be remembered by how (and/or if) we fulfill our purpose. (BG 2:34-36), Of course, before we can fulfill our purpose, we have to see our purpose and truly see ourselves. In order to see ourselves and our purpose, we need a little light. Patanjali says that light is inside of us. (YS 1.36)

So, the next obvious question is, what fuels the light? It turns out that that power is also inside of us, just waiting for us get charged up.

“TATE: You are a writer, poet, director, composer, lyricist, dancer, singer, journalist, teacher and lecturer. Can you say what the source of such creative diversity is?

ANGELOU: I don’t do the dancing anymore. The rest I try. I believe talent is like electricity. We don’t understand electricity. We use it. Electricity makes no judgment. You can plug into it and light up a lamp, keep a heart pump going, light a cathedral, or you can electrocute a person with it. Electricity will do all that. It makes no judgment. I think talent is like that. I believe every person is born with talent.”

– quoted from “Maya Angelou: An Interview” by Claudia Tate, as published in I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings: A Casebook, edited by Joanne M. Braxton

Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Passion Tuesday April 7, 2020” or “04072020 Passion Tuesday.”]

NOTE: A playlist inspired by Dr. Maya Angelou’s life and work is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04042020 Maya Angelou”]

“Here on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister’s eyes, and into
Your brother’s face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope
Good morning.”

– from the poem “On the Pulse of Morning” by Maya Angelou, recited at the first inauguration of President Bill Clinton (1993)

*NOTE: This marks the end of the “Season for Nonviolence,” but it is not the end of the practice.

### “SING” & LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE ###

The Charge to Use Your “Talents” & Let Your Light Shine (mostly the music) April 4, 2023

Blessings to anyone observing Holy Tuesday / Passion Tuesday or Great Lent! “Ramadān Mubarak, Blessed Ramadān!” to anyone who is observing the holy month of Ramadān. Many blessings to those preparing for Passover and to all during this “Season for Non-violence” and all other seasons!

“TATE: You are a writer, poet, director, composer, lyricist, dancer, singer, journalist, teacher and lecturer. Can you say what the source of such creative diversity is?

ANGELOU: I don’t do the dancing anymore. The rest I try. I believe talent is like electricity. We don’t understand electricity. We use it. Electricity makes no judgment. You can plug into it and light up a lamp, keep a heart pump going, light a cathedral, or you can electrocute a person with it. Electricity will do all that. It makes no judgment. I think talent is like that. I believe every person is born with talent.”

– quoted from “Maya Angelou: An Interview” by Claudia Tate, as published in I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings: A Casebook, edited by Joanne M. Braxton

Please join me today (Tuesday, April 4^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 “Passion Tuesday April 7, 2020” or “04072020 Passion Tuesday.”]

NOTE: Dr. Maya Angelou was born today in 1928. A playlist inspired by her life and work is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04042020 Maya Angelou”]

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.)

Errata: The alternate playlist has the same title on both platforms.

### “SING” & LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE ###

« older posts

A Joyful Practice

Noticing Things [on Friday, June 2nd] (the “missing” and revised invitation) June 2, 2023

“IX

Calm fell. From Heaven distilled a clemency;

There was peace on earth, and silence in the sky;

Some could, some could not, shake off misery:

The Sinister Spirit sneered: ‘It had to be!’

And again the Spirit of Pity whispered, ‘Why?’”

– quoted from the poem “And There Was a Great Calm (On the Signing of the Armistice, 11 Nov 1918)” by Thomas Hardy

“And will any say when my bell of quittance is heard in the gloom, And a crossing breeze cuts a pause in its outrollings, Till they rise again, as they were a new bell’s boom, ‘He hears it not now, but used to notice such things?’”

– quoted from the poem “Afterwards” by Thomas Hardy, set to music by Lon Lord

“I

When moiling seems at cease In the vague void of night-time, And heaven’s wide roomage stormless Between the dusk and light-time, And fear at last is formless, We call the allurement Peace.

II

Peace, this hid riot, Change, This revel of quick-cued mumming, This never truly being, This evermore becoming, This spinner’s wheel onfleeing Outside perception’s range.”

– the poem “According to the Mighty Working” by Thomas Hardy

– quoted from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy

“‘Remember that the best and greatest among mankind are those who do themselves no worldly good. Every successful man is more or less a selfish man. The devoted fail…’”

– quoted from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy

– quoted from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy

“‘I shan’t forget you, Jude,’ he said, smiling, as the cart moved off. ‘Be a good boy, remember; and be kind to animals and birds, and read all you can. And if ever you come to Christminster remember you hunt me out for old acquaintance’ sake.’

– quoted from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy

### NOTICE WHAT YOU NOTICE ###

Deliberately Floating from Past to Future (mostly the music and links) May 30, 2023

“Gradually the village murmur subsided, and we seemed to be embarked on the placid current of our dreams, floating from past to future as silently as one awakes to fresh morning or evening thoughts.”

– quoted from “SATURDAY” in A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers by Henry David Thoreau

### “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” ~ Dolly Parton (a.k.a. Mrs. Dean, since 1966) ###

The Grace of Knowing How to Feel & FTWMI: How We Learn To Feel (and what we learn from feeling) May 27, 2023

“78. The belief that I am the pure and all pervading intellect, is attended with the purity and holiness of the soul, and the knowledge of the Divine power as the cause of the union of earth, air and water in the production of the germ of creation, is the main creed of all creeds.”

– quoted from “CHAPTER XI. Ascertainment of Living Liberation.” of The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki (translated from the original Sanskrit by VIHARI-LALA MITRA)

– Rachel Carson accepting the John Burroughs Medal (April 1952) and printed in Lost Woods: The Discovered Writing of Rachel Carson

– from Dance Hall of the Dead (Navajo Mysteries #2) by Tony Hillerman

“‘Don’t think a man don’t care about one goat because he’s got a thousand of ‘em,’ Hosteen Nakai would say. ‘He’s got a thousand because he cares more about goats than he cares about his relatives.’”

– from People of Darkness (Navajo Mysteries #4) by Tony Hillerman

EMPATHY [Greek > German] – The action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another…without having the feelings, thoughts, and experiences fully communicated in an objective and explicit manner.

SYMPATHY [Greek >> Latin] – Feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else’s misfortune.

COMPASSION [Latin>> Old French > Middle English] – To suffer with.

– from Skeleton Man (Navajo Mysteries #17) by Tony Hillerman

– from The Ghostway (Navajo Mysteries #6) by Tony Hillerman

– from Rachel Carson’s original submission to “Words to Live By” for This Week Magazine (1951)

– from Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

– from Listening Woman (Navajo Mysteries #3) by Tony Hillerman

– from Sacred Clowns (Navajo Mysteries #11) by Tony Hillerman

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”

– from Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

### MANY BLESSINGS (to the nth degree) ###

Today in Rock and Roll (the Wednesday post) May 24, 2023

– quoted from the liner notes by Nat Hentoff (from Bob Dylan’s album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan)

“Nothing last forever. No one lives forever. The flower that fades and dies. Winter passes and spring comes. Embrace the cycle of life that is the greatest love. Go beyond fear.

Go beyond fear.

Beyond fear takes you into the place where love grows.

When you refuse to follow the impulses of fear, anger, and revenge. Beyond means to feel yourself. Start every day singing like the birds. Singing takes you beyond.

Beyond. Beyond. Beyond.”

– excerpted from “Beyond: Spiritual Message By Tina Turner” on the album Beyond: Buddhist and Christian Prayers by Tina Turner, Dechen Shak-Dagsay & Regula Curti

### REST IN POWER, QUEEN! ###

[The Difference Between] The Fools and the Angels (mostly the music) May 21, 2023

“ ’Tis with our judgments as our watches, none Go just alike, yet each believes his own.”

– quoted from “An Essay on Criticism” by Alexander Pope (b. 1688, O. S.)

Yoga Sūtra 4.15: vastusāmye cittabhedāttayorvibhaktaḥ panthāḥ

– “Although the same objects may be perceived by different minds, they are perceived in different ways, because those minds manifested differently.”

“‘I will remain here while anyone remains and do whatever comes to my hand, [Clara Barton, b. 1881] declared stoutly. I may be compelled to face danger, but never fear it….’”

– quoted from Clara Barton, Professional Angel by Elizabeth Brown Pryor

### ###

REMINDER: Still [Not] Clowning Around (mostly the reminder and links) May 15, 2023

“We’re kind of a family – a huge, expanded family. And we can do any number of things, because each one of us is going to do a different thing. But mostly we’re just going to try and be groovy, and (uh) spread that grooviness to everybody.”

– Wavy Gravy being interviewed at the John F. Kennedy airport in August 1969 (about Hog Farm’s participation at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair)

*

Click here to read the 2021 post.

*

### ###

Fearlessly Play On! (mostly the music and a special link) April 30, 2023

Today is International Jazz Day! Check out the international concert 4 pm EDT/1 pm PDT/10 pm CET.

Yes! You can still click here to Kiss My Asana Now! (And, you can also still click here to join my team and get people to kiss [your] asana!)

### ###

Callings, Commandments, & a Good “Ending” (a “renewed” Thursday/Friday post) April 12, 2023

– from the introduction to The Kabbalah Sutras: 49 Steps to Enlightenment, by Marcus J. Freed

– Shemot – Exodus 30:19 – 30:21 (NIV)

– quoted from “Day 7 / THE ROYAL PATH OF LOVE: MASTERY IN LOVINGKINDNESS מלכות שבחסד ” in The Kabbalah Sutras: 49 Steps to Enlightenment by Marcus J. Freed

“‘Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.’”

– The Gospel According to John (13:12 – 15, KJV)

“And will any say when my bell of quittance is heard in the gloom,
And a crossing breeze cuts a pause in its outrollings,
Till they rise again, as they were a new bell’s boom,
‘He hears it not now, but used to notice such things?’”

When moiling seems at cease
In the vague void of night-time,
And heaven’s wide roomage stormless
Between the dusk and light-time,
And fear at last is formless,
We call the allurement Peace.

Peace, this hid riot, Change,
This revel of quick-cued mumming,
This never truly being,
This evermore becoming,
This spinner’s wheel onfleeing
Outside perception’s range.”

### MANY BLESSINGS (to the n^th degree) ###

“Nothing last forever.
No one lives forever.
The flower that fades and dies.
Winter passes and spring comes.
Embrace the cycle of life that is the greatest love.
Go beyond fear.

When you refuse to follow the impulses of fear, anger, and revenge.
Beyond means to feel yourself.
Start every day singing like the birds.
Singing takes you beyond.

Beyond.
Beyond.
Beyond.”

“ ’Tis with our judgments as our watches, none
Go just alike, yet each believes his own.”

**– from the introduction to The Kabbalah Sutras: 49 Steps to Enlightenment, by Marcus J. Freed**

**– quoted from “Day 7 / THE ROYAL PATH OF LOVE: MASTERY IN LOVINGKINDNESS מלכות שבחסד ” in The Kabbalah Sutras: 49 Steps to Enlightenment by Marcus J. Freed**

**– quoted from Hiding in Plain Sight by Sarah Kendzior**

“You ain’t got no kind of feeling inside
I got something that will sho’ ’nuff set your stuff on fire
You refuse to put anything before your pride
What I got will knock all your pride aside”

“History, despite its wrenching pain,
Cannot be unlived, but if faced
With courage, need not be lived again.

Lift up your eyes upon
This day breaking for you.

Give birth again
To the dream.

Women, children, men,
Take it into the palms of your hands.

Mold it into the shape of your most
Private need. Sculpt it into
The image of your most public self.
Lift up your hearts
Each new hour holds new chances
For new beginnings.”

“Here on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister’s eyes, and into
Your brother’s face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope
Good morning.”