EXCERPT: “This Room, This Music, This Light, This Darkness: This Dance” November 22, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Baha'i, Books, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Movies, One Hoop, Texas, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Art, Books, Bridget Carpenter, Dealey Plaza, John F. Kennedy, Qawl, Qudrat, shabda, Stephen King
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone dedicated to friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“So let us not be petty when our cause is so great. Let us not quarrel amongst ourselves when our Nation’s future is at stake. Let us stand together with renewed confidence in our cause–united in our heritage of the past and our hopes for the future – and determined that this land we love shall lead all mankind into new frontiers of peace and abundance.”
— quoted from a speech President John F. Kennedy had planned to deliver to the Texas Democratic State Committee in Austin, Texas, in the evening, on November 22, 1963
Today in 1963, U. S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
FTWMI: This Room, This Music, This Light, This Darkness: This Dance
“We did not ask for this room or this music. We were invited in. Therefore, because the dark surrounds us, let us turn our faces to the light. Let us endure hardship to be grateful for plenty. We have been given pain to be astounded by joy. We have been given life to deny death. We did not ask for this room or this music. But because we are here, let us dance.”
— a poem by Stephen King and Bridget Carpenter, featured in the miniseries 11.22.63
Please join me for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom, today (Saturday, November 22nd) at 12:00 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.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “11/22/63”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
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.)
NOTE: In anticipation of the holiday(s), I have cancelled classes on November 26th – December 3rd.
Don’t forget to be grateful.
### REMEMBER, THERE IS POWER IN YOUR SPEECH!###
FTWMI: Birds, Monkeys, Trees, & Behavior PLUS EXCERPTS: “The Sum of the Whole Is Our Behavior” November 15, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Science, Yoga.Tags: 988, America Recycles Day, Dr. Gordon R. Stephenson, Dr. Wolfgang Köhler, Merrick Rosenberg, Tree Day (Sri Lanka)
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Reduce, reuse, repurpose, recycle, and plant a tree on America Recycles Day and Plant a Tree Day (in Sri Lanka)!
For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted in 2023 (i.e., it’s recycled). Class details, an extra excerpt, and some links have been updated/added.
“There seems to be a single starting point for psychology, exactly as for all the other sciences: the world as we find it, naïvely and uncritically. The naïveté may be lost as we proceed.”
— quoted from “Chapter I: A Discussion of Behaviorism” in Gestalt Psychology: An Introduction to New Concepts in Modern Psychology by Dr. Wolfgang Köhler
We may not have control over how a studio space is set up; however, when we make our way into the space — and/or if we have the luxury of creating our own home space — most of us put some effort into the space we are going to occupy. It may not be a lot of space, but it is ours while we are there and most people have some sense of what they need to be stable and steady, comfortable and at ease. (YS 2.46) Similarly, we don’t have any control over our genetics and the body into which we are born, but we can make an effort to be healthy and strong — or, at the very least, comfortable in our own skin (which is yet another environment). Then we get on the mat and the whole practice is about very intentionally and mindfully creating our internal (physical-mental and emotional-energetic) space… as opposed to just passively receiving the space we’ve been given.
Of course, as one of my first teachers used to say, how we do yoga is how we do life. As children, we all start off like someone entering the studio. We learn what works for us and what doesn’t (i.e., what serves us in alleviating our suffering versus what causes more suffering). However, we don’t always do the things that create steadiness, stability, ease, comfort, and maybe even joy. Sometimes, we remain a “passive recipient” instead of becoming a “co-creator” of your culture and environment?
Thanks to Merrick Rosenberg, I went down the rabbit hole almost ten years ago and came across the research of Dr. Wolfgang Köhler (a German researcher in the 1920’s and 30’s) and Dr. Gordon R. Stephenson (at the University of Wisconsin, Madison in the 1960’s). Here’s an excerpt from a 2021 post about what I found:
“Dr. Wolfgang Köhler believed (a) that subjective experience matters; (b) that the human mind and behavior have to be considered as a whole (and that whole includes subjective experience); (c) that, like chimpanzees, humans are capable of problem solving through insight learning; and (d) that people could – and one can argue should – stand up for what they believe to be right and, in doing so, actively co-create the world in which the live.”
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
Throughout the year, there are different days when people from different countries (and/or of different cultures) focus on be active co-creators of this world in which we all live. Today, November 15th, is one of those days. In Sri Lanka, it is Plant a Tree Day. In the United States, it is America Recycles Day (and the 2023 theme was all about innovation).
“Problems may be found which were at first completely hidden from our eyes. For their solution it may be necessary to devise concepts which seem to have little contact with direct primary experience.”
— quoted from “Chapter I: A Discussion of Behaviorism” in Gestalt Psychology: An Introduction to New Concepts in Modern Psychology by Dr. Wolfgang Köhler
Please join me for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom, today (Saturday, November 15th) at 12:00 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.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “11152023 Like Birds & Monkeys & More Trees”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
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.)
UPDATED: Theme noted above was for 2023.
### Be Like the Birds (who reuse everything they can get their beaks on). ###
FTWMI: A Quick Note & EXCERPT: “Caught In The Middle” (a post-practice Monday post) November 10, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Men, Movies, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: Catch-22, Double Bind, healing, Joseph Heller, Life, Lutheran Church, Lutherism, Martin Luther, mental health, Mindfulness, The Bateson Project, wellness
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to looking for friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind. CONTINUE TO BREATHE!
For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted on November 10, 2024. Date-specific items have been revised. The 2025 prompt question was, “What is on your heart and mind?” You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.”
— Martin Luther (b. 1483)
There is often a contradiction between what someone thinks they will do in a situation and what they actually do in that situation. Sometimes this is because our ideals don’t line up with our actual actions (i.e., thoughts, words, and deeds). Sometimes it is because the situation is much messier than what we imagined. That messiness can come from our own hearts and minds — and it can also come from the hearts and minds of others.
For a lot of people, things are messy right now. You might find — even if things are [quote-unquote] going your way — that your sympathetic nervous system is kicking in and that you want to fight, flee, or freeze (collapse). Take a moment to breathe and come back to (a variation of) the “formula” I mentioned [this week in 2024]:
-
What are you seeing/hearing?
-
What are you thinking?
-
What are you feeling?
-
What do you want?
-
What can you do?
It is in this moment, this liminal or threshold moment, that we choose how we untangle this double bind of Catch-22 situation.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR A RELATED POST.
“‘The enemy,’ retorted Yossarian with weighted precision, ‘is anybody who’s going to get you killed, no matter which side he’s on, and that includes Colonel Cathcart. And don’t you forget that, because the longer you remember it, the longer you might live.’”
— quoted from Catch-22 (Chapter 12) by Joseph Heller (pub. 1961)
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
NOTE: In previous years, we have used different pratyahara playlists. In 2024, we used a playlist available on YouTube and Spotify [Look for “05252022 Pratyahara II”]. Click on the excerpt title above for the previous playlist.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
### “Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.” (ML) ###
A Quick Note & EXCERPT: “Cèlèbrer Une Vie & FTWMI: Recuerda Todas Almas” November 2, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Loss, Love, Mysticism, One Hoop, Religion, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 2 Maccabees, 988, All Souls' Day, Allhallowtide, Art, Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, culture, Death, Dia de los Muertos, Dia de Muertos, e e cummings, grief, history, Kevin Brockmeier, Poetry, Writing
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing All Saints y Día de (los) Muertos!
“No two reports were ever the same. And yet always there was the drumlike thumping noise.
Some people insisted that it never went away, that if you concentrated and did not turn your ear from the sound, you could hear it faintly behind everything in the city….”
— quoted from The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier
Today, November 2nd, is All Souls’ Day, also known as the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed — the last day of Allhallowtide in the Western Christian tradition and the final Día de (los) Muertos in Mexico and the Mexican diaspora.
It can simultaneously be a day of remembrance, a day of celebration, and a day when people pray for the souls of the dearly departed.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR A LITTLE MEMORY & A LITTLE HISTORY.
“If he had not believed that the dead would be raised, it would have been foolish and useless to pray for them. In his firm and devout conviction that all of God’s faithful people would receive a wonderful reward, Judas made provision for a sin offering to set free from their sin those who had died. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.”
— 2 Maccabees (12:44 – 46)
Please join me today (Sunday, November 2nd) at 2:30 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 myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “11022021 All Souls / Dia de los”]
“i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)“
— quoted from “[i carry your heart with me(I carry it in)]” by e e cummings
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
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.
### “BA-DUM. BA-DUM. BA-DUM.” ###
FTWMI: A Quick Note & EXCERPT: “Fourth Step: Once More, With Feeling” (the post-practice Monday post) October 27, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Loss, Love, Men, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Poetry, Suffering, Tragedy, TV, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: Brújula Intersexual (Intersex Compass), Dylan Thomas, intersex, Laura Inter, literature, Nyanasatta Thera, poem, Poetry, pranayama, Ronald Reagan, Satipattthana Sutta, Sylvia Plath, Writing
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
May everyone be healthy and strong; may everyone be peaceful and happy; and may everyone recognize their whole self.
For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted on October 27, 2024. One embedded link and a quote have been updated/added. The 2025 prompt question was, “What is giving you hope (even if it’s just a little bit of hope)?” You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light”
— quoted from the poem “Do not go gentle into that good night” by Dylan Thomas (b. 1914)
There are a lot of noteworthy things related to this date in history — including the fact that Laura Inter founded Brújula Intersexual (Intersex Compass), “a Mexican organization that works with intersex people, activists, and communities in Mexico, Latin America, and Spain”, today in 2013. All of the things, even the ones not mentioned in the practice and/or the excerpt below, are related to how we live our lives (i.e., how we spend our time) and how we interact with each other during the limited time that we have together.
The hope is that we can respect each other, be kind, and hold space for what each of us experiences on any given day.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELORE FOR MORE.
“I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart: I am, I am, I am.”
or
“I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart: I am, I am, I am.”
— quoted from two different editions of The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (b. 1932)
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
NOTE: Over the last few years, we have used four (4) different playlists on this date. The playlist we used in 2024 is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10272021 Another Appointment”]
“You and I are told increasingly we have to choose between a left or right. Well I’d like to suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There’s only an up or down: [up] man’s old – old-aged dream, the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with law and order, or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. And regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would trade our freedom for security have embarked on this downward course.”
— quoted from the 1964 “A Time for Choosing” speech by Ronald Reagan
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
“And further, monks, as if a monk sees a body dead…, he then applies this perception to his own body thus: ‘Verily, also my own body is of the same nature; such it will become and will not escape it.’
Thus he lives contemplating the body in the body internally, or he lives contemplating the body in the body externally, or he lives contemplating the body in the body internally and externally. He lives contemplating origination-factors in the body, or he lives contemplating dissolution factors in the body, or he lives contemplating origination-and-dissolution-factors in the body. Or his mindfulness is established with the thought: ‘The body exists,’ to the extent necessary just for knowledge and mindfulness, and he lives detached, and clings to nothing in the world. Thus also, monks, a monk lives contemplating the body in the body.”
— quoted from Satipatthana Sutta (The Foundations of Mindfulness) translated by Nyanasatta Thera
### CONTINUE TO BREATHE ###
FTWMI: A Quick Note & Excerpt About Breathing and…. October 26, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Art, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Donate, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Meditation, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Vipassana, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Amnesty International, Betsy Driver, breath, breathing, Emi Koyama, gender, haṭha yoga, hatha yoga, Health, intersex, Intersex Awareness Day, Intersex Day of Remembrance, Intersex Solidarity Day, Laura Inter, Max Beck, meditation, Mindfulness, Morgan Carpenter PhD, Morgan Holmes PhD, Nyanasatta Thera, pranayama, sex, United Nations, yoga
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom on Intersex Awareness Day.
May everyone be healthy and strong; may everyone be peaceful and happy; and may everyone recognize their whole self.
For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted in 2024. Class details have been updated.
“[A monk] then applies this perception to his own body thus: ‘Verily, also my own body is of the same nature; such it will become and will not escape it.’
Thus he lives contemplating the body in the body internally, or he lives contemplating the body in the body externally, or he lives contemplating the body in the body internally and externally. He lives contemplating origination-factors in the body, or he lives contemplating dissolution factors in the body, or he lives contemplating origination-and-dissolution-factors in the body. Or his mindfulness is established with the thought: ‘The body exists,’ to the extent necessary just for knowledge and mindfulness, and he lives detached, and clings to nothing in the world. Thus also, monks, a monk lives contemplating the body in the body.”
— quoted from Satipatthana Sutta (The Foundations of Mindfulness) translated by Nyanasatta Thera
Prāņāyāma — the awareness of breath (and the extension of breath) — is a big part of the physical practice of yoga (haṭha yoga, regardless of the style or tradition). As we bring awareness to our breath, on and off the mat, we may start to notice the things that take our breath away. We can experience things that take our breath away because they are surprising and beautiful. We can experience things that take our breath away because they are surprising and terrifying. Then there are things that take our breath away because they are just surprising, unexpected….
We may rush to qualify them with some adjective or another and, in doing so, rush to some conclusion about what we need to do… when, really, we just need to breathe (that’s today’s first step); recognize what is (that’s today’s second step); and repeat the first two steps (that’s the third step).
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR THE RELATED POST (& VIDEO).
For Those Who Missed It: Third Step: Repeat the First & Second Steps
“Myth 2: Being intersex is very rare
According to experts, around 1.7% of the population is born with intersex traits – comparable to the number of people born with red hair.”
— quoted from the Amnesty International article “Its Intersex Awareness Day – here are 5 myths we need to shatter”
October 26th is Intersex Awareness Day, which highlights and raises awareness about human rights issues faced by intersex people. It also raises awareness around the fact that there are people — all around the world — who are born with one or more sex characteristics that “do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies.” According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, these characteristics include chromosome patterns, gonads, and/or genitalia.
While there may be just as many people in the world with red hair as there are people in the world with intersex traits, the latter are not as easy to spot. Estimates on how many people are born with intersex traits may vary (depending on the traits and/or conditions) from 3% to 0.0009%. Aside from the fact that I’m referencing statistics related to over 40 intersex conditions, the wide variation in estimates is related to the fact that some people are not initially identified (medically) as intersex. Additionally, some people may never be identified as intersex. Lack of diagnosis can be the result of something relatively small — like the fact that a baby’s chromosome patterns (and/or gonads) are not typically tested. However, lack of diagnosis can also be the result of something fairly major — like the fact that sex (and gender) are typically assigned at birth based on the external appearance of a baby’s genitals.
And, here’s the kicker: If a baby’s genitalia appears ambiguous (to a medical practitioner) and/or atypical, a common practice has been to surgically alter the genitalia. Sometimes, even a baby’s internal sex organs (gonads) will be altered. Again, these surgeries and medical treatments happen to babies, as well as to children and young adults, who are too young to consent and/or may not be informed about their options. Sometimes, even their parents are not informed!
Medical attitudes and practices related to people with intersex characteristics are changing, in part because of people like Morgan Holmes and Max Beck, who both participated in the first public demonstration of intersex people (and their allies) in North America, today in 1996. Dr. Holmes (a Canadian sociologist) and Mr. Beck (who died in of cancer in 2008) attended the American Academy of Pediatrics annual conference in Boston, Massachusetts, with the intention of delivering a presentation on the long-term outcomes of “fixing” intersex infants through cosmetic surgery. However, they were met with what they described as “hostility” and escorted out of the venue. They later returned, outside of the venue, to demonstrate and advocate for better medical awareness. In 2003/2004, Betsy Driver (who was mayor of Flemington, New Jersey, January 2, 2019 – January 3, 2023) and artist and activist Emi Koyama organized the first official Intersex Awareness Day on the anniversary of that first public protest. Since then, people like Morgan Carpenter and Laura Inter have advocated for self-determination, while also providing peer support and education for and about people who have intersex traits.
For the next two weeks — up until November 8th, which is Intersex Day of Remembrance (also known as Intersex Solidarity Day) — grassroots organizations around the world will host events related to intersex visibility. Some of these events will be celebrations and opportunities for networking. Some of these events will be moments of reflection and remembrance. Some of these events will be all about political action and advocacy. All of these events will be about putting an “end [to] shame, secrecy and unwanted genital cosmetic surgeries on intersex children.”
“The flag is comprised of a golden yellow field, with a purple circle emblem. The colours and circle don’t just avoid referencing gender stereotypes, like the colours pink and blue, they seek to completely avoid use of symbols that have anything to do with gender at all. Instead the circle is unbroken and unornamented, symbolising wholeness and completeness, and our potentialities. We are still fighting for bodily autonomy and genital integrity, and this symbolises the right to be who and how we want to be.”
— quoted from the creator statement entitled “The intersex flag” by Morgan Carpenter, PhD.
Please join me today (Sunday, October 26th) at 2:30 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 myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10272020 Pranayama II”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
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.
### O ###
Quick Notes & Excerpts RE: Breathing, on Saint Crispin’s Day (the “missing” Saturday post) October 25, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Buddhism, Dharma, Faith, Fitness, Healing Stories, Health, Life, Meditation, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, William Shakespeare, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Anne Tyler, Battle of Agincourt, Battle of Balaclava, breathing, Henry V, literature, Nyanasatta Thera, pranayama, prānāyāma, Saint Crispin, Saint Crispin’s Day, Saint Crispinian, Satipattthana Sutta, shakespeare, William Shakespeare, yoga, Yoga Sutras 1.30-1.34, Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.53
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Peace. wisdom, and knowledge to all, every day and especially on Saint Crispin’s Day!
This compilation of excerpts is the “missing” post for Saturday, October 25th. Note: I did not reference Anne Tyler’s biography (or other books) this year as I have in previous years. You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispine Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembred;”
— quoted from Act IV, Scene iii, of Henry V by William Shakespeare
Today, October 25th, is Saint Crispin’s Day, also known as the Feast Day of Saint Crispin — although, technically, it is the feast day of Saint Crispin and his twin brother1 Saint Crispinian. It is also the birthday of the the novelist, short story writer, and literary critic Anne Tyler (b. 1941).
Click on the excerpt title below for more about why we remember Saint Crispin Day.
“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;”
— quoted from Act IV, Scene iii, of Henry V by William Shakespeare
The post excerpted above highlights the fact that we are all connected through breath and the act of breathing. One of the things highlighted in Anne Tyler’s Breathing Lessons is the fact that many people are not taught the importance of breathing… or even how to breathe.
Click on the excerpt title below for more about Anne Tyler, Breathing Lessons, and the practice of prāṇāyāma (the awareness and extension of breath).
“‘Breathing lessons – really,’ [Fiona] said, dropping to the floor with a thud. ‘Don’t they reckon I must know how to breathe by now?’”
— quoted from Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler
“‘Oh honey, you’re just lucky they offer such things,’ Maggie told her…. ‘I mean you’re given all these lessons for the unimportant things–piano-playing, typing. You’re given years and years of lessons in how to balance equations, which Lord knows you will never have to do in normal life. But how about parenthood? Or marriage, either, come to think of it. Before you can drive a car you need a state-approved course of instruction, but driving a car is nothing, nothing, compared to living day in and day out with a husband and raising up a new human being.’”
— quoted from Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler
Click on the excerpt title below for more about the the practice of prāṇāyāma (and commentary on the video below).
For Those Who Missed It: Third Step: Repeat the First & Second Steps
The practice begins ~5 minutes in….
“Mindfulness of breathing takes the highest place among the various subjects of Buddhist meditation. It has been recommended and praised by the Enlightened One thus: ‘This concentration through mindfulness of breathing, when developed and practiced much, is both peaceful and sublime, it is an unadulterated blissful abiding, and it banishes at once and stills evil unprofitable thoughts as soon as they arise.’ Though of such a high order, the initial stages of this meditation are well within the reach of a beginner though he be only a lay student of the Buddha-Dhamma.”
— quoted from the commentary on the Satipatthana Sutta (The Foundations of Mindfulness) by Nyanasatta Thera
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10272020 Pranayama II”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
1NOTE: Some scholars describe Saint Crispin and Saint Crispinian as twins; some simply as brothers; and some indicate that they were brothers in Spirit.
### “How Do You Know You’re Breathing?” ###
Even More Light [especially for siblings] (the “missing” compilation post w/excerpts for Wednesday) October 22, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Baha'i, Books, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Mantra, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Babi, Baha'i, Baha’u’llah, bahai-faith, Baháʼí, Bábism, Birth of Baháʼu'lláh, Birth of the Báb, Committee at the Bahá’í World Centre, Diwali, Festival of the Twin Birthdays, Franz Liszt, Gāyatrī Mantra, Habib Taherzadeh, Kali Puja, Katha Upanishad, light, Love, Poetry, Qayyúmu’l-Asmá’, Shoghi Effendi, siblings, Swami Nikhilananda, the Báb, Thomas Edison, Yoga Sutra 1.36, Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.53
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Happy Diwali and Kali Puja! Happy Festival of the Twin Birthdays! Blessings, light, love, and peace to everyone, everywhere!
May you be healthy, wealthy, and wise!
This “missing” compilation post for Wednesday, October 22nd, features some new and previously posted content, plus related excerpts. Please note that linked excerpts direct you to posts that will include content related to a specific year and, therefore, may include references to different holidays/events. You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“Yama said: ‘The goal which all the Vedas declare, which all austerities aim at and which men desire when they lead the life of continence, I will tell you briefly: it is Om.’”
— quoted from Katha Upanishad (Part I – Chapter II, Verse 15) translated by Swami Nikhilananda
Since Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, is a lunar calendar-based holiday, it falls at different times on the Gregorian calendar. In 2025, the fifth day of Diwali — which continues the focus on relationships, this time between siblings — overlaps the Festival of the Twin Birthdays (on the Baháʼí Faith calendar); the anniversary of the birth of Franz Listz (b. 1811)1; and a successful lightbulb moment (for Thomas Edison, in 1879).
Click on the excerpt title below for more about how the fifth day of Diwali shines light on siblings.
“Brighten our hearts, O my Lord, with the splendor of Thy knowledge, and illumine our sight with the light of such eyes as are fixed upon the horizon of Thy grace and the Dayspring of Thy glory.”
— quoted from “– XXXI –” in Prayers and Meditations by Bahá’u’lláh (Translated by Shoghi Effendi from the original Persian and Arabic)
As I mentioned earlier in the year, the Baháʼí Faith is a monotheistic faith that believes in the oneness of God and religion, as well as the oneness and nobility of humanity. The community believes that, historically, there has been a “progressive revelation of religious truth” which has been shared with the world through the voices of the prophets or Divine Messengers, known as “Manifestations of God” (which include “Braham, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, and, in more recent times, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh”). People within the faith are taught to honor the value of different religious and philosophical traditions as well as the value of education, especially in science (which is viewed by some faiths as being contrary to religion).
The Bahá’í calendar begins around the Vernal (Spring) Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and has 19 months with 19 days — each named for one of the 19 names/manifestations/attributes of God. For example, “Knowledge” is the English translation for ‘Ilm, the current month of this solar calendar.2 The fact that light can represent knowledge is one of the reasons I find this year’s overlap with Diwali particularly auspicious.
This last two days of Diwali (2025) overlap two of the nine Bahá’í Holy Days: the birthdays of the twin founders of the faith. Known as the Festival of the Twin Birthdays (or the Twin Holy Birthdays), the birthdays of the the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh started at sunset on Tuesday night and continue through sunset on Thursday night. The birthdays are celebrated as one continuous 48-hour “day” — even though the two prophets were born two years apart.
Born in Shiraz, Iran, on October 20, 1819,3 the Báb founded the Babi faith (or Bábism), which evolved into the Bahá’í Faith. While there are still people who follow the original messianic tradition, most people within the Babi community converted to the Bahá’í Faith. The Báb is sometimes compared to John the Baptist, in that he is seen as the herald or messenger born to announce the importance of Bahá’u’lláh.
Recognized as the founder of the Bahá’í Faith, Bahá’u’lláh was actually born two years earlier than his religious predecessor, in Tehran, Iran, on November 12, 1817.4 He outlined the laws, practices, and holy days of the Bahá’í Faith in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (the “Most Holy Book”) and later explained that the Twin Holy Birthdays were seen as one (by God) and that “… two great festivals have been joined into one, auguring a brilliant future.” These are work-free feast days full of joy and considered a celebration of the twin founders as well as of the unity of community.
“O peoples of the earth! Verily the resplendent Light of God hath appeared in your midst, invested with this unerring Book, that ye may be guided aright to the ways of peace and, by the leave of God, step out of the darkness into the light and onto this far-extended Path of Truth.”
— quoted from the Qayyúmu’l-Asmá’ (cf. Qur’án 5:15–18), as printed in Selections From the Writings of the Báb by the Báb (Compiled by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and translated by Habib Taherzadeh with the assistance of a Committee at the Bahá’í World Centre)
Click on the excerpt below for more about Thomas Edison’s 1879 “lightbulb moment”.
“However, the fact is that during the night season everyone perceiveth the light which he himself, according to his own capacity, giveth out, oblivious that at the break of day this light shall fade away and be reduced to utter nothingness before the dazzling splendor of the sun.
The light of the people of the world is their knowledge and utterance….”
— quoted from the Persian Bayán (VIII, 1.), as printed in Selections From the Writings of the Báb by the Báb (Compiled by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and translated by Habib Taherzadeh with the assistance of a Committee at the Bahá’í World Centre)
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Diwali (Day 5) for 10222025”]
NOTES:
1My only commentary about Franz Listz was that his music and biography brought a little light to Anne Frank (and her family) during the darkness that was the Holocaust.
2Since it is a moveable feast, the Festival of the Twin Birthdays can fall a month earlier or later, during Mashíyyat (“Will”) or Qudrat (“Power”). Bahá’u’lláh originally indicated that if the festival coincided with a fast, the feast would take precedent.
3The birthdays of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh occur on the first and second days of Muharram, the first month on the Islamic calendar.
4Prior to 2015, Baháʼí living in the Middle East celebrated the Twin Holy Birthdays according to the Islamic calendar (as noted above), while members of the community in other parts of the world used the Gregorian calendar dates.
Yoga Sūtra 1.36: viśokā vā jyotişmatī
— “Or [fixing the mind] on the inner state free of sorrow and infused with light, anchors the mind in stability and tranquility.”
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk,you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
### Put Your Lights On ###
Even More Light [especially for siblings] (just the music & blessings) *UPDATED w/excerpt* October 22, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Baha'i, Books, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Mantra, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Bahá’u’lláh, Baháʼí, Birth of Baháʼu'lláh, Birth of the Báb, Diwali, Festival of the Twin Birthdays, Franz Liszt, Gāyatrī Mantra, Kali Puja, light, Love, siblings, the Báb, Thomas Edison, Yoga Sutra 1.36, Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.53
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Happy Diwali and Kali Puja! Happy Festival of the Twin Birthdays! Blessings, light, love, and peace to everyone, everywhere!
May you be healthy, wealthy, and wise!
Even More Light [especially for siblings] (the “missing” compilation post w/excerpts for Wednesday)
Click on excerpt title above for more.
Please join me today (Wednesday, October 22nd) at 4:30 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 myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Diwali (Day 5) for 10222025”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
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.
### 
###
Quick Notes & Excerpts RE: Light, Love, & Bones (the post-practice compilation for Monday) October 20, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Faith, Food, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Love, Mantra, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Poetry, Religion, Science, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Atharva Veda, Bones, Bruce H. Kramer, Cathy Wurzer, Diwali, Gayatri Mantra, Gāyatrī Mantra, International Osteoporosis Foundation, Kali Puja, light, Love, Matthew Sanford, Mishlei, Proverbs, World Osteoporosis Day, Yoga Sutra 1.36, Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.53
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Happy Diwali and Kali Puja! Blessings, light, love, and peace to everyone, everywhere on World Osteoporosis Day!
This post-practice post for Monday, October 20th, is a compilation post featuring some quick notes and excerpts. Please note that linked excerpts direct you to posts that will include content related to a specific year and, therefore, may include references to different holidays/events. The 2025 prompt question was, “How do you let your little light shine?” You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“The light of the eyes makes the heart happy; good news fattens the bone.”
— Mishlei — Proverbs (15:30)
Monday, October 20, 2025 was the the third day — and, for some, the biggest day — of Diwali. In some areas, this celebration is also known as Kali Puja. Since the five-day celebration of Diwali is based on a lunar calendar, it falls at a slightly different on the Gregorian calendar each year. This year, the biggest celebrations fell on the same day as World Osteoporosis Day!
Click on the excerpt title below for more about the first three days of Diwali.
Click on the excerpt title below for more about how relationships are highlighted on the third and fourth days of Diwali.
“It’s Unacceptable!”
— the 2025 theme for World Osteoporosis Day
According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, “osteoporosis remains severely underdiagnosed and undertreated—especially among those who have already sustained fragility fractures. Shockingly, up to 80% of patients with osteoporotic fractures receive no follow-up diagnosis or treatment. The consequences are devastating: chronic pain, disability, loss of independence, increased risk of future fractures, and premature death. Families, healthcare systems, and economies also shoulder the heavy burden of this neglect.” The 2025 theme highlights the fact that it is unacceptable for over 500 million people, worldwide, to live with a condition that is underdiagnosed, undertreated, and preventable.
Click on the excerpt title below for more about World Osteoporosis Day and how our practice helps our bones.
“Those who practice yoga say it is life changing. Those of us who are as flexible as a piece of lumbar are not so sure. I admire yoga’s rich history, more than five thousand years old, but I run into a few mental roadblocks in understanding concepts like grounding and spinal energy. In fact, I was sitting in my slumped-over and crooked version of the lotus position during a special yoga class taught by Bruce’s mentor Matthew Sanford, when Matthew said to a student, ‘Breathe into your spine for God’s sake!’ I had no idea what that meant. The student understood though, and he made proper adjustments. What was remarkable was that both teacher and student were in wheelchairs.”
— quoted from “24. Dis Ease Yoga” in When Know How This Ends: Living while Dying by Bruce H. Kramer with Cathy Wurzer
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
NOTE: I reference the Gāyatrī Mantra and Atharva Veda (6.8) during this practice, both of which are on the playlist available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Diwali (Day 3-4) 2022”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
A Joyful Practice 