This World We Are In (w/excerpts) *revised (with correct playlist)* March 18, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 19-Day Fast, Art, Baha'i, Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Lent / Great Lent, Life, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Poetry, Ramadan, Religion, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Ecology, Franz Wright, Laylat al-Qadr, nasheeds, Ramaḍān, Ramadan, Reba McEntire, Sami Yusuf, Season for Nonviolence
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“Ramaḍān Mubarak, Blessed Ramaḍān!” to anyone observing the holy month of Ramaḍān. (Keep your eyes open!) Many blessings also to all, and especially to those celebrating and/or observing the Baháʼí 19-Day Fast, Lent, and/or Great Lent (and the Adoration of the Cross)!
Peace, ease, and (healthy) ecology to all, throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
“II
The long silences need to be loved, perhaps
more than the words
which arrive
to describe them
in time.”
— quoted from the poem “Home Remedy” in God’s Silence by Franz Wright (b. 1953)
Today’s practice almost started in silence. Silence and stillness, they are such powerful things and, also, such healing elements. They are a part of our landscape that also brings awareness to the landscape or ecology.
It may seem odd to think of “ecology” as a principle for the “Season for Nonviolence”. And, yet, when we start looking at nonviolent action, especially as it relates to equity, we must look at the world — we must look at how our actions impact the world, positively as well as negatively.
We live on a planet that is completely capable of sustaining life — and not just life as a general concept. We live on a planet that could sustain and provide sustenance for everyone living on the world. Yet, somehow (and we know how), there are people who go without the bare necessities. There are people who do not have clean water to drink or enough food to eat. There are people without shelter from the storm. There are people whose little space in the world is constantly under bombardment — which also takes a toll on the earth. And, even if we feel like we are not directly responsible for any of these things, we still play a part. We still have a part to play.
While I have referenced a whole lot of very tangible things that affect the physical environment, I would remiss if I didn’t point out the fact that just as our thoughts, words, and deeds can heal (and/or harm) the physical environment around us, the can heal (and/or harm) the ecology within us.
How we treat ourselves and others makes a difference.
“What is the meaning of kindness?
Speak and listen to others, from now on,
as if they had recently died.
At the core the seen and unseen worlds are one.”
— the poem “Solution” by Franz Wright (b. 1953)
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE.
FTWMI: A Night of Great Power & Great Peace (a “renewed” post)
“I know I’m waiting
Waiting for something
Something to happen to me
But this waiting comes with
Trials and challenges
Nothing in life is free”
“My Lord, show me right from wrong
Give me light, make me strong
I know the road is long
Make me strong”
— quoted from the song “Make Me Strong” by Sami Yusuf
Please join me today (Wednesday, March 18th) 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 in 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 “Ramadan & Eid 2024”]
Some quick notes about the music: First, my playlists for the final days of Ramadān are not halal (“permissible”) in all Islamic traditions, because of the orchestrations. They do, however, feature musicians who are Muslim (with a few exceptions).
Some remixes include some (Gregorian) date-related exceptions. Reba McEntire is another notable exception — notable, because in previous years she was the only female soloist and the only non-Muslim singer on the playlists. While this year’s playlists include several Muslim women as musicians and composers, “Pray for Peace” is still highlighted because it was re-released during the month of Ramadān in 2014 — but not just randomly in the month, the song was released in the last ten days of the month (during the holiest part of the month)!
Some songs on the playlist are Nasheeds (meaning they are religiously moral songs) that, in some traditions, are meant to be sung without instrumentation or only with percussion. I have, however, included orchestrated versions of these songs, because this seems to have worked best in an in-studio setting. I mean no disrespect by this choice. As far as I know, percussion or voice only recordings of the Nasheeds are available (if you want to build your own playlist). Alternatively, you can practice without the music — which is always a suitable option.
Finally, the YouTube version currently includes some additional before/after music.
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.
### “Don’t Hate.” ###
#GivetoGain Rights. Justice. Action March 8, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, 19-Day Fast, Art, Baha'i, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, First Nations, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Lent / Great Lent, Life, Meditation, Men, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Ramadan, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.Tags: 19-Day Fast, 988, Baháʼí, Dashdondog Bayarmagnai, Elizabeth Hale, Enkhsaikhan Batjargal, Equal Pay Day, February Revolution, Galbadrakh Tsendbaatar, International Women’s Day, Kameron Traviss Glasper, Kathy Hutchins, kindness, Lent / Great Lent, Lizzy Hale, Lucinda Williams, Malcolm X, Margie Warrell Ph.D., Martin Luther King Jr, Mickey Guyton, Nyamjanstan Galsanjamts, Oliver Robin Frid, Ramaḍān, Russian Revolution, Season for Nonviolence, Selma, Selma to Montgomery, Tamara Makoni, Taylor Monet Parks / Tayla Parx, Temuulen Naranbaatar, The HU, United Nations, Victor Franco
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“Ramaḍān Mubarak, Blessed Ramaḍān!” to anyone observing the holy month of Ramaḍān. Many blessings also to all, and especially to those who were celebrating and/or observing the Baháʼí 19-Day Fast, Great Lent, and/or Lent on International Women’s Day and every day!
Peace, ease, and kindness to all, throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!
NOTE: The following post contains some new and previously posted content.
“You weren’t born to be mistreated
And you weren’t born to misguided
You were born to be loved
You were born to be loved”
— quoted from the song “Born to Be Loved” by Lucinda Williams
Every part of you deserves love and appreciation. Sometimes, however, we take ourselves (or parts of ourselves) for granted and need a moment to very deliberately and intentionally give thanks. So, here’s a variation of the body scan I’ve used in practices on March 8th for a little over a decade. After you review each part, take a moment to pause — close your eyes if that is comfortable for you — and breath into each part of yourself. After a few moments of awareness about how your body feels and how you feel about your body, continue to the next part.
THE BODY SCAN
- There is a portion of your body that supports you all day, every day. Even when that part doesn’t work exactly as you would like or as others are able, it still keeps you grounded. Breathe awareness into this part of your body and give thanks.
- There is a portion of your body that is related to creativity and pleasure that you might enjoy and indulge — but/and about which you may feel some shame and embarrassment. Breathe awareness into this part of your body and give thanks.
- There is a portion of your body that is vital to your survival — even though you may want it to be smaller (and/or appear stronger). Breathe awareness into this part of your body and give thanks.
- There is a portion of your body that already holds all your joys and burdens — and you still expect it to do the heavy lifting. Breathe awareness into this part of your body and give thanks.
- There is a part of your body that you may take for granted and is easily overextended — but/and you don’t really think about it unless something is wrong. Breathe awareness into this part of your body and give thanks.
- There is a part of your body that gets a lot of attention (from others) — but/and may need some assistance to serve you. Breathe awareness into this part of your body and give thanks.
- There is another part of your body that gets a lot of attention (from yourself and others) — but/and you may change it a lot. Breathe awareness into this part of your body and give thanks.
- Now, go back and consider that every description matches at least one woman in your life. One or more may even describe you! Just think about the women who support you 24/7, 365 days a year. Think about the woman who created you and the women whose creativity inspires you. Think about the woman/women who play a part in your day-to-day survival. Think about the women with whom you share your joys, your grief, and your fears. Think about the women you (may) take for granted and those who speak up for you (and may be a little overextended in all the things they do). Think about the beautiful women who share their points of view and truths with you. Think about all the beautiful women in your life.
Now, breathe and give thanks for all of them!
“It’s more than strength
It’s more than physical
It’s more than faith
It’s more than biblical”
— quoted from the song “Woman” by Mickey Guyton (written by Victor Franco, Mickey Guyton, Kameron Traviss Glasper, Taylor Monet Parks, Oliver Robin Frid)
International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate women and also to bring awareness to the disparities and inequities often faced by women around the world. Possibly the earliest “Women’s Day” was organized in New York by the Socialist Party of America on Sunday, February 28, 1909. An annual, international event on a specific “special day” (i.e., the last Sunday of February) was proposed in 1910, during the International Socialist Women’s Conference (in Copenhagen); however, no date was actually set. Additionally, some people (in places like the United States) thought the idea was too closely aligned with socialism. On Sunday, March 8, 1914, there was an event in Germany that focused on women’s suffrage (and coincided with an suffragists march in London). However, these events were still pretty independent of each other until the beginning of the Russian Revolution: March 8, 1917 (on the Gregorian calendar) / February 23, 1917 (on the Julian calendar).
“[Mickey] Guyton said in a statement: ‘I loved the idea of writing a song that celebrates the power women have. Throughout history and even today, women have taken pain, setbacks, and doubt, and they turn that into inner strength, and they persevere to achieve incredible things.’ Guyton also shared the story behind the song: ‘The idea actually came from Tayla (Parx). At the time there was so much going on online about what defined a woman, and there was so many interpretations and the whole internet was ablaze, and we thought it was so important to release a song called “Woman” on International Women’s Day.’”
— quoted from the WRNS: Your Country 95.1 article entitled “Mickey Guyton shares the official video for ‘Woman’” by Kathy Hutchins
After World War I, the Russian Empire was plagued by food shortages and a lack of representation (under tsarist autocracy). On Thursday, March 8, 1917, women who were standing in bread lines in Petrograd (which was then the capital of the Russian Empire) were joined by women who worked as textile workers and disgruntled soldiers in a demonstration demanding “bread and peace”. After eight days of protests and strikes — which included some violent conflicts — Tsar Nicholas II abdicated the throne and women were granted the right to vote. While this did not end the The Russian Revolution (which was a combination of the February Revolution and the October Revolution in 1917), it did highlight the power of women coming together and was recognized by Bolsheviks like Vladimir Lenin. Women’s Day was celebrated in the communist circles around the world throughout the early 20th century and became an official “non-working public holiday” in the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1965. It was first celebrated by the United Nations in 1975, and received an official designation from the United Nations General Assembly in 1977.
“The research is compelling: sexism hurts everyone. Societies that have more women participating in the labor market are more prosperous. Corporations that have more women in senior leadership roles produce better bottom line results. Peace negotiations with more women sitting at the table result in less conflict and fewer deaths. In families where gender stereotypes are dismantled (with mothers going to work and fathers sharing more of the traditional women’s work at home), sons grow up more self-reliant and daughters are more likely to attain senior managerial roles.”
— quoted from the May 6, 2017 Forbes article entitled “Be Bold For Change: Tackling Sexism Head On This International Women’s Day” by Margie Warrell, Ph.D.
While women’s suffrage was one of the big focuses during the first Women’s Day celebrations, International Women’s Day observations now also focus on workplace accessibility, education (which is sometimes restricted by gender), reproductive health issues, and raising awareness about violence and abuse against women. Pay equity is also a primary focus around the world — especially as more and more women participate in the labor force — and highlights the pay gap between genders and, also between women of different ethnicities.
“Give to Gain”, the 2026 theme, “emphasizes the power of reciprocity and support.” It is inspired by the fact that, “When people, organizations, and communities give generously, opportunities and support for women increase. Giving is not a subtraction, it’s intentional multiplication. When women thrive, we all rise.”
The United Nations 2026 theme, “Rights. Justice. Action.”, highlights the fact that “Women and girls are living without full legal protection.” According to the UN, women and girls, worldwide, have 64% of the legal rights granted to men and, in almost 70% of the surveyed countries, “women face more barriers accessing justice than men. ” This inequality is experienced in all facets of life, including bodily autonomy, marriage inequality, and equal pay.
When comparing [previous year’s] United States earnings statistics of all people in the labor force (full time, part time, year round, and seasonal), women make an average of 76 cents for every dollar earned by their white, non-Hispanic male counterparts. The pay gap is around (81 cents for every dollar) when only comparing full time, year round workers. This means that, on average, it would take a woman until March 26, 2026, to earn the same amount that her white, non-Hispanic male counterpart made in 2025. This is one day later than last year’s equal pay day!*
While it is a little shocking to think that it could take a woman in the United States three extra months to earn the same thing that a man (doing the same work) did in a calendar year, March 26th is the earliest “Equal Pay Day” (in 2025). When the earnings statistics are broken down by ethnicity (or other factors*), the wage gaps become even more startling.
- April 9th — AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander) Women’s Equal Pay Day
- August 6th — Mom’s Equal Pay Day (for women who work outside the home),
- June 17th — LGBTQIA+ Equal Pay Awareness Day (which is not directly tied to statistics, since they are not available)
- July 21st — Black Women’s Equal Pay Day
- September 15th — NHPI (Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander) Women’s Equal Pay Day
- October 8th — Latina Women’s Equal Pay Day
- October 20th — Disabled Women’s Equal Pay Day
- November 19th — Native Women’s Equal Pay Day
*NOTE: While the 2026 Equal Pay Day is one day later than 2025, some of the other gaps are several days later and, in the case of moms, months later (which is why the list is out of order).
Of course, the elephant in the room, is that many women work inside the home — 24/7, 365 days a year — and stay-at-home moms do not typically receive a paycheck. Neither do they always receive the same recognition as stay-at-home dads. Yet, they are an invaluable part of society — just like women who start businesses and/or work in other people’s companies. Additionally, women (on average) spend more time as the unpaid caregiver of children and adult family members — even when they and their spouse or partner both work outside the home.
International Women’s Day is about giving these women, and all other women, their flowers. It is also about teaching the children of the world, regardless of their sex or gender, that we all sing a woman’s song and, therefore, we all benefit in a society that respects women.
“When Kings fall to their knees
They sing a woman’s song
When birds scream in the trees
They sing a woman’s song
The sunrise in the east
Sings a woman’s song
Every heart that beats
Sings a woman’s song”
— quoted from the song “Song of Women” by The HU, featuring Lizzy Hale of Halestorm (written by Elizabeth Hale, Dashdondog Bayarmagnai, Enkhsaikhan Batjargal, Galbadrakh Tsendbaatar, Temuulen Naranbaatar, Nyamjanstan Galsanjamts)
Please join me today (Sunday, March 8th) 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 in 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 “03082025 Women’s Day, redux”]
NOTE: Both playlists highlight women, as performers and as composers and songwriters. The Spotify playlist includes some silent tracks (for timing). The YouTube playlist has about 43 additional songs by women. Enjoy!
“A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true.”
— quoted from the March 8, 1965 sermon, at Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church (in Selma, Alabama) by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“The most disrespected woman in America, is the black woman. The most un-protected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America, is the black woman.”
— quoted from the May 5, 1962 speech (at the funeral Ronald Stokes) by Malcom X
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 a new 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.
### We Can All Use (& Express) More Kindness ###
First Friday Night Special #64 — Invitation for “More of That Sweet Ability of 3-Fold Healing” & EXCERPT: “Salt of the Earth, the 2024 remix” (the “missing” invitation) February 6, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Baha'i, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Meditation, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Vairagya, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.Tags: 988, Baháʼí, brain, breathing, Charles E. Wheaton, cortical homunculus, Dominion, Florangela Davila, healing, Health, Inez Maxine Pitter Haynes, International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace, Maya Angelou, mental health, Mulk, nervous system, pranayama, primary somatosensory cortex, prāṇāyāma, Rachel Naomi Remen, Restorative Yoga, Season for Nonviolence, siddhis, somatosensory map, Sāmkhya Karika, Tantra Yoga, wellness, World Interfaith Harmony Week
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Happy Carnival (to those who are already celebrating)! Peace, ease, and healing on International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, the penultimate day of World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW), throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!!!
May we all have a sense of dominion when it comes to our health.
This “missing” invitation for the “First Friday Night Special” on February 6th, includes a related excerpt. You can request an audio recording of this Hatha/Tantra-inspired Restorative Yoga practice (with a little movement) 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.
“Poet and activist Maya Angelou turned a traumatic childhood experience into a catalyst for creativity and achievement. Healing involves the process of seeing the potential that still exists despite all that has been lost. When we shift from suffering and anguish toward integrity, wholeness and inner peace, we are experiencing healing.”
— quoted from the “Reflection” section of the “Day 8 ~ February 6 ~ Healing” 2026 page for the “Season for Non-violence,” provided by the Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace
Healing begins with people. While I often highlight healers like Inez Maxine Pitter Haynes (who was born today today in 1919), one of the siddhis (“powers”) described as “unique to being human” in the Sāmkhya Karika is the “the power to eliminate three-fold sorrow – physical, mental, and spiritual” — which means we are all healers. We can all participate (and have some dominion) in the healing process. Our mind-body systems include healing mechanisms, like our immune system, our lymphatic system, our digestive system, our parasympathetic nervous system, and our brain.
Yes, even our brain comes with healing technology!
For instance, did you know that when I say that “what happens in the body, happens in the mind and what happens in the mind happens in the body…” , I mean that literally, physiologically, and neurologically?
Every part of your body is “mapped” in your brain and each side of the brain’s primary somatosensory cortex has a representation of the opposite side of the body. This representation, known as the cortical homunculus (the “little man [or miniature human] of the brain”), is based on motor processing and sensory processing of the mind-body and is distorted, like a cartoon caricature that someone might draw of you at a fair. Just as (physically) touching a part of the body will activate a specific part of the brain’s somatosensory map, (mentally and mindfully) bringing awareness to a certain parts of the body — in a systematic way that corresponds with our “little man [or miniature human]” — can enhance our ability to relax the body. Research has also shown that certain meditation techniques can even use this brain technology to decrease pain.
Additionally, certain types of prāṇāyāma (awareness of breath, extension of breath) can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is related to our ability to “rest and digest [and be creative]”. Many people (all over the world) currently have overstimulated sympathetic nervous systems, which means we are consistently in “fight or flight or freeze/collapse” mode. This is like constantly putting the “pedal to the metal” and pressing the accelerator of a car all the way down to the floor — which is dangerous, on a lot of different levels, and not sustainable. In order to heal, we need to be able to put on the brakes, ease into stillness, and rest in order to process (i.e., digest) what we have experienced.
“Wounding and healing are not opposites. They’re part of the same thing. It is our wounds that enable us to be compassionate with the wounds of others. It is our limitations that make us kind to the limitations of other people. It is our loneliness that helps us to find other people or to even know they’re alone with an illness. I think I have served people perfectly with parts of myself I used to be ashamed of.”
— Rachel Naomi Remen (b. 2/8/1938) as quoted in At Your Service: Living the Lessons of Servant Leadership by Charles E. Wheaton
When it comes to healing, there are times that we just need the knowledge to know how things work. At other times, we also need assistance from caregivers and professional healers who are committed to the healing process — people like Maxine Pitter Haynes and Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen. Finally, there are times when we need to get together and share information — as people do annually on February 6th, the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation.
This year’s theme, “Towards 2030: No End To FGM Without Sustained Commitment and Investment”, is a reminder and an opportunity to commit and invest in the healing process.
Click on the excerpt title below for more about Inez Maxine Pitter Haynes (b. 2/6/1919) and her sisters.
Salt of the Earth, the 2024 remix (the “missing” Tuesday post)
“‘I wasn’t soured by what happened to me,’ she was quoted in a June 1994 article in Columns, the UW alumni magazine. ‘I talk to people all the time about my experiences, and tell them they can’t be bitter. You have to pass over it, and go on…. It isn’t productive to hold on to it.’”
— quoted from The Seattle Times (March 26, 2004) obituary “Maxine Haynes, longtime educator and nurse in area” by Florangela Davila
This Hatha/Tantra-inspired Restorative Yoga practice (with some movement) is accessible and open to all. (It is also a sequence intended to prepare you for bed!)
(NOTE: There will be a little bit of quiet space in this practice.)
Friday’s playlist is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “12042020 Bedtime Yoga”]
NOTE: The playlist is slightly different on each platform. You can start with almost any track (and extra tracks have been added for 2026).
Prop wise, I suggest using a chair, sofa, or coffee table towards the end of this practice and this is a kitchen sink practice. You can practice without props or you can use “studio” and/or “householder” props. Example of “Studio” 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 will also be handy.
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).
### Sitting, Breathing, Healing ###
FTWMI: So, Yes, It’s Groundhog Day & Also… (an abridged post-practice Monday post w/excerpts) February 2, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Art, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma, Life, Movies, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.Tags: 988, Bill Murray, Black History Month, Candelmas, Caring, Carnival, change, Groundhog Day, Harold Ramis, holidays, Margaret Fuhrer, Punxsutawney Phil, Raven Wilkinson, Richard Henzel, Season for Nonviolence, trees, Tu BiShvat
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“Happy Carnival!” and “Happy Birthday to the Trees!” to those who are celebrating! Many blessings to everyone, and especially to anyone celebrating Candlemas.
Peace, ease, contemplation, appreciation, and caring throughout this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!!!
For Those Who Missed It: This short post-practice post for Monday, February 2nd (with excerpts) is the abridged (and slightly revised) version of a 2025 post. It includes an extra excerpt related to the “Season for Nonviolence”. The 2026 prompt question was, “If you only had one day (not your last day, but just one day) what would you do?” 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.
“Well, it’s Groundhog Day… again.”
— Bill Murray as “Phil Connors” in the movie Groundhog Day
February 2nd is always Groundhog Day. For people using the Gregorian Calendar, it is also, always, Candlemas, the second day of Black History Month (for some people in the United States), and part of the “Season for Nonviolence”. However, since people use different calendars for religious and cultural holidays and observations, this day sometimes overlaps a whole lot of other ancient rituals and traditions — and even a couple of modern ones. For instance, in 2026, today is also part of Carnival and Tu BiShvat the New Year for Trees (on the Hebrew calendar).
In 2026, the “Season for Nonviolence” principle for today is “Caring”. While an underlying element of this practice is always about how we take care of ourselves, it is coupled with the understanding that we must take care of ourselves in order to take care of others. Today, there is also an awareness that we must care (about ourselves and others) if we want to make any beneficial changes in the world.
FTWMI: AN INVITATION TO SHINE
“It’s always Feb 2nd — there’s nothing I can do about it.”
— Bill Murray as “Phil Connors” in the movie Groundhog Day
Have you ever had one of those moments, like Phil Connors had in the movie Groundhog Day, where you woke up and every day seemed (or actually was) the same? Or, maybe, like Raven Wilkinson (who was born today in 1935), you see things in the world that you want to be different… even though it seems like those things have been the same for so long that they are unchangeable.
I think it is very easy to look at the world and see things we would like changed. I also think we have all had days where nothing we do seems to make a difference. Yet, the reality is that everything we do changes something.
Being alive is like a dance between our body, our mind, our spirit, and the world. Everything is shifting, changing. Everything is balance and counterbalance, inhale and exhale, enter and leaving, rising and falling. Sometimes we lead. Sometimes we follow. Sometimes we are watching from the side, resting, or waiting for our turn to lead or follow. Start to notice that dance and your start to notice change and how you engage it. You also start to notice when you are stuck… and the choices you make when you are stuck.
Do you get frustrated and stay stuck?
Do you “accept the things [you] cannot change”… and stay stuck?
Or, do you “change the things [you] can”… with appreciation/gratitude?
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE SOME HISTORY ABOUT GROUNDHOG DAY.
FTWMI: “Okay, campers, rise and shine!” (the “missing” post for February 2nd)
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT BELOW FOR A PROFILE ABOUT RAVEN WILKINSON.
Whether we realize it or not, everything we do changes something about us. It changes our perspective. Maybe the change is a reinforcement of what we already believe. Sometimes, however, we see ourselves and the world in a new way, a special way. That new insight can lead us to interact with people in a different way — and that can change their perspectives. The first part happened to Phil Connors in the movie. Both parts happened to Raven Wilkinson and, therefore, to ballet dancers and ballet fans.
That’s the way life goes. We just have to rise and shine.
“Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don’t forget your booties cause it’s cooooold out there today.”
— Richard Henzel as “DJ #1” in the movie Groundhog Day
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR ANOTHER POST ON CARING FOR OURSELVES (with a video)!
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
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).
“During that same meeting, I also told Mr. Denham that I didn’t want to put the company in danger, but I also never wanted to deny what I was. If someone questioned me directly, I couldn’t say, ‘No, I’m not black.’ Some of the other dancers suggested that I say I was Spanish. But that’s like telling the world there’s something wrong with what you are.”
— Raven Wilkinson quoted from the Pointe Magazine interview ” Raven Wilkinson’s Extraordinary Life: An Exclusive Interview” by Margaret Fuhrer (dated June 1, 2014)
### I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF!! ###
Two Quick Notes & EXCERPT: “2024 / ‘For Those Who Missed It (& those who still don’t get it): Divine Remembrance’” January 27, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Loss, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, auschwitz, Dante Alighieri, Dr. Viktor Frankl, Exodus, Franz Vesely, history, Holocaust, Indiana University Press, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, poland, Shemot, travel, United Nations General Assembly, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
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Many blessings to everyone, everywhere. Peace and safe passage to all on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“…music, in even the most terrible situations, must never offend the ear but always remain a source of pleasure.”
— quoted from a letter (dated September 26, 1781) from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (b. 1756) to his father, as printed in W. A. Mozart by Hermann Abert (Editor: Professor Cliff Eisen and Translator: Stewart Spencer)
When we are in the midst of terrible situations, it is sometimes easy to forget about the fact that life is still happening… that there is still pleasure. This is one of the things that I mention in today’s practice and in the post and excerpt below.
For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted in 2025. The 2025 prompt question was, “What is your hope for the future?” The linked post and practice reference political conflict, war, and genocide.
Same day related references and links have been updated or added.
“What we create, experience, and suffer, in this time, we create, experience, and suffer for all eternity. As far as we bear responsibility for an event, as far as it is ‘history,’ our responsibility, it is incredibly burdened by the fact that something has happened that cannot be ‘taken out of the world.’ However, at the same time an appeal is made to our responsibility—precisely to bring what has not yet happened into the world! And each of us must do this as part of our daily work, as part of our everyday lives. So everyday life becomes the reality per se, and this reality becomes a potential for action. And so, the ‘metaphysics of everyday life’ only at first leads us out of everyday life, but then—consciously and responsibly—leads us back to everyday life.”
— quoted from “Experimentum Crucis” in Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything by Viktor E. Frankl (with an introduction by Daniel Goleman and an afterword by Franz Vesely)
While you probably did not hear anyone else talk about the other events I mention during the practice (and in the post excerpted below), there is a good chance — depending on your bubble — that at some point today you heard someone mention that Auschwitz-Birkenau (the largest Nazi concentration and death camp complex) was liberated today (January 27th) in 1945. Perhaps you also know that, in November 2005, the United Nations General Assembly resolution 60/7 designated January 27th as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
You might have even heard, as I did, that a large number of adults around the world can not name a single concentration camp. The statistics vary, depending on the country, from over 25% in the United Kingdom, France, and Romania to over 50% in the United States. I was shocked by these statistics and thought, ‘Well, I know 4 or 5, so I can look up the rest and post them on the blog with the excerpt.’
Of course, you will notice that there is no such list here.
There is no list, because Nazi Germany operated over a thousand concentration camps (including subcamps) from 1933 — 1945. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) and Indiana University Press published a seven-part encyclopedia series, called Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, 1933–1945, which covered over 42,500 sites in Europe and Africa (controlled by the Nazis and the other Axis powers during that time period). According to the encyclopedia, there were 23 main camps — most of which had satellite camps. Auschwitz was not only a main camp, it was a complex in Nazi-occupied Poland with over 40 concentration and extermination camps.
Which brings me to the reason I’m not even listing the one I already knew: At least 2 are just part of a larger complex.
The hope that I shared during the [2025] practice is that there will be a time and a place when we can all breathe more easily and deeply; free of stress and strain, anxiety and fear, discomfort and disease. That is my hope for the future. But, I have another hope, a hope for right now: I hope, in this moment, that you will be disturbed enough by the information above that you will look into the history — at the very least, check out the blog post below. Then, I hope that the history will disturb you enough that you will pay attention to what is happening in the world today.
“Distance yourself from a false matter; and do not kill a truly innocent person or one who has been declared innocent, for I will not vindicate a guilty person.
You shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe will blind the clear sighted and corrupt words that are right.
And you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the feelings of the stranger, since you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”
— “ordinances” in Shemot / Exodus 23:7–9
CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
2024 / “For Those Who Missed It (& those who still don’t get it): Divine Remembrance”
Please join me today (Tuesday, January 27th) 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 in the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “012701 Holocaust Liberation & Remembrance”]
MUSIC NOTE: The playlists are slightly different, as some music is not available on Spotify. The YouTube playlist also includes videos of Holocaust survivors telling their stories (one of which is embedded below).
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 a new 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.
### PEACE IN, PEACE OUT ###
### AUM ###
FTWMI: A Quick Note & Excerpts (About Grace, Zora, & Galileo’s Moons) January 7, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Books, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Love, Mathematics, Meditation, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Pain, Religion, Science, Suffering, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Dale Carnegie, David Block, Dr. Alan Locke, Dr. Franz Boas, Dr. Ruth Benedict, Galileo Galilei, grace, Harlem Renaissance, italy, Jupiter, Jupiter's moons, Kenneth C. Freeman, Kenneth Freeman, Nicolaus Copernicus, physics, Simon Marius, The Adoration of the Magi, The Nativity of Jesus, Tycho Brahe, Zora Neale Hurston
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“Happy New Year!” & many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating a fast free day and the Nativity & the Adoration of the Magi.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
For Those Who Missed It: The following note and excerpts were posted in 2025. Class details have been updated.
“Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose. It is a seeking that he who wishes may know the cosmic secrets of the world and they that dwell therein.”
— quoted from the autobiographical essay “Research” in Dust Tracks On A Road: An Autobiography by Zora Neale Hurston
Today in 1610, Galileo Galilei wrote a letter about something he observed in the heavens.
281 years later, today in 1891, Zora Neale Hurston was born in Notasulga, AL, and grew up to write about what she observed here on Earth (when people were looking up to Heaven).
CLICK ON ONE OF THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE!
NOTE: The second post is the expanded post that ties in a philosophical discussion of Grace.
First Friday Night Special #15: “A Reflective Moment” (a post practice post)
Grace, Zora, & Galileo’s Moons (a “long lost” Saturday post for Sunday)
“…God reveals himself to humanity in two books: the book of nature (I have elucidated already) and the book of Scripture. Now, here comes the punchline, Galileo suggested that both books express eternal truths. That’s very interesting, because the face of science is forever changing. Galileo suggested that both books express eternal truths and are compatible, not incompatible, but compatible of course [because] they have the same author….He’s saying, I’ve got two books in front of me, the book in front of my telescope, the scriptures, but there’s no disagreement because they have the same author.”
— quoted from the lecture “From Tyndale to Galileo: Grace and Space” by David Block, professor emeritus in the School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Please join me today (Wednesday, January 7th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a (virtual or in-person) yoga practice. You must be registered and confirmed to attend in person. 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 by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “01072023 Grace, Zora, & Galileo’s Moons”].
NOTE: The before/after music is slightly different, because I could only find one of the folk songs, related to Zora Neale Hurston, on Spotify.
EXCERPT NOTE: The first excerpt (above) features a different playlist.
“You cannot teach a man anything. You can only help him to find it within himself.”
— Galileo Galilei, as quoted in How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
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.
### OM / LOVE NO MATTER WHAT ###
EXCERPT (2026): “Do You See What I See? & Your Presence Is Requested” January 6, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Bhakti, Books, Changing Perspectives, Christmas, Dharma, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Love, Music, Mysticism, New Year, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Art, avidya, Epiphany, Epiphanytide, faith, inspiration, Johann Sebastian Bach, magi, Rev. Ed Trevors, Reverend Ed Trevors, Three Kings Day, Twelvetide, Whitney Houston, Writing, Yoga Sutra 2.20, Yoga Sutras 2.12-2.14, Yoga Sutras 2.16-2.18, Yoga Sutras 2.3-2.9
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“Happy New Year!” to everyone. “Merry Little Christmas, Epiphany, Theophany, Three Kings Day, & Twelfth Day of Christmas (for some) or Eve of the Nativity of Christ (for others)!”
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“What I really want to get to today is why the Magi came. What was it that brought them to Bethlehem? What was it that brought them to find Jesus and his family?”
— quoted from “The Epiphany Light: Another Reflection” by Reverend Ed Trevors (dated Jan 6, 2022)
Click on the excerpt title below for more about the holidays being observed, a little insight into why people may see the same things in different ways, & the video quoted above.
Yoga Sutra 2.20: draşțā dŗśimātrah śuddho’pi pratyayānupaśyah
— “The sheer power of seeing is the seer. It is pure, and yet it sees only what the mind [brain] shows it.”
Please join me today (Tuesday, January 6th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM (virtual or in-person) yoga practice. You must be registered and confirmed to attend in person. 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 by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “01062021 Epiphany & Theophany”]
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.
### Do You Believe What You Are Shown? ###
A Quick Note & EXCERPT: “The Power of a Good/Meaningful Push” January 4, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Abhyasa, Art, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Christmas, Dharma, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Meditation, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Pema Chodron, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 12 Days of Christmas, 988, Books, Caroline Myss, David Brewster, Dr. Robert Hooke, Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ, inspiration, laws of motion, master teachers, Nativity Fast, New Year, Poetry, precious jewels, relationship, Sir Isaac Newton, St. Philip's Fast, Stacey Flowers, Twelvetide, Yoga Sutra 4.29, Yoga Sutras 1.12-16
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“Happy New Year!” to everyone. “Merry Christmastide/Twelvetide!” to anyone observing. Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing the Nativity Fast / St. Philip’s Fast and the Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“Every body continues in its state of rest, or uniform motion in a right line, unless compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it.”
— “Law 1” quoted from “Axioms, or Laws of Motion” in Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica by Sir Isaac Newton (b. 1643)
NOTE: Some editions use the term “straight line.”
Once upon a time, a young woman — that would be me, about twenty-odd years ago — took a temporary job. Four weeks turned into four months. Four months turned into four years. Someone I met at the beginning of my assignment was surprised to see me (still) at the same desk four years after we met. When he asked what happened, I just shrugged and said, “Inertia.”
Born today in 1643, Sir Isaac Newton (and his name) are closely associated with his “Laws of Motion” and, yet, that first law is also known as the “Law of Inertia”. Isn’t it funny how one name resonates with people — and sticks in their memory — more than the other?
Isn’t it interesting that most of us focus on what pushes us?
Click on the excerpt title below for the post about Sir Isaac Newton and how his “Laws of Motion” affect us on and off the mat (in surprising ways). The post includes a video by Stacey Flowers!
“I most gladly embrace your proposal of a private correspondence. What’s done before many witnesses is seldom without some further concerns than that for truth; but what passes between friends in private, usually deserves the name of consultation rather than contention; and so I hope it will prove between you and me….
But in the mean time, you defer too much to my ability in searching into this subject. What Descartes did was a good step. You have added much several ways, and especially in considering the colours of thin plates. If I have seen farther, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
— quoted from a letter marked “Cambridge, February 5, 1675-76” from Sir Isaac Newton to Dr. Robert Hooke, as published in Memoirs of the Life, Writings, and Discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton by David Brewster
Please join me today (Sunday, January 4th) at 2:30 PM, for a 65-minute (virtual or in-person) yoga practice. You must be registered to attend in person. 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.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “01042022 New(ton’s) Beginnings”]
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.
### “Every relationship you develop, from casual to intimate, helps you become more conscious. No union is without spiritual value.” ~ Caroline Myss ###
A Quick Note & UPDATED EXCERPTS Regarding Social Economics (the post-practice Monday post, revised for 2026) December 29, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Bhakti, Changing Perspectives, Christmas, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Loss, Love, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 12 Days of Christmas, 988, Bobby Ray Simmons Jr., Christmas, Claude Kelly, faith, family, Feast of Saint Thomas of Canterbury, holidays, Jessica Cornish, Jessie J, Kwanzaa, Lukasz Gottwald, Mishlei, New Year's, Nguzo Saba, Proverbs, Twelvetide, Ujamaa, Wisdom
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“Kwanzaa, yenu iwe na heri!” – “May your Kwanzaa be happy!” to everyone who is celebrating! May you have a meaningful observation no matter if your focus is on the Nativity Fast / St. Philip’s Fast or the Feast Day of Saint Thomas of Canterbury (and London). Many blessings to everyone!
This is the post-practice post for Monday, December 29th. It includes new and re-posted content. The 2025 prompt question was, “What is your love language?” 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.
I am offering in-person classes at the beginning of January 2026. Click here for more details and to reserve your spots now. Let’s start the 2026 together!
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes (and holiday cancellations).
“We’re paying with love tonight
It’s not about the money, money, money
We don’t need your money, money, money
We just wanna make the world dance
Forget about the price tag
Ain’t about the, uh, cha-ching, cha-ching
Ain’t about the, yeah, ba-bling, ba-bling”
— quoted from the song “Price Tag” by Jessie J (written by Lukasz Gottwald / Claude Kelly / Jessica Cornish / Bobby Ray Simmons Jr.)
Some things (like people) are priceless. Yet, even when we know that, it is so easy to get distracted by the price tag. It is especially easy to get distracted this time of year, because of all the gift giving and receiving (and, for some, the possibility of a Christmas bonus).
On the fourth day of Kwanzaa — which is also the the fourth or fifth day of the “12 Days of Christmas” (depending on when you start counting) — we focus on “Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)” and go a little deeper into how we value and appreciate people and things. We also touch on the struggles that arise in a society that has never found a good balance between the material and the spiritual.
Even though “it’s not about the money,” I do talk about the money.
The following (revised) excerpt, from the 2022 “Social Economics” post, includes a 2025 update:
“The actual cost of ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’ varies, depending on if you are giving a single set of each gift (i.e. only one set of five gold rings) or if you are going the cumulative route. According to PNC Financial Services Group’s annual ‘Christmas Price Index’ (which they have issued for
4142 years), the cost for one set of each gift in 2019 was $38,993.59; with a cumulative price tag of $170, 298.03, which was just barely more than the 2018 cost. In 2020, however, the cost was $16,168.10 – $105, 561.80. In 2021, the cost for a single set of gifts was $41,205.58; with a cumulative total of $179,454.19. In 2022, the overall cost went up 10.5%, putting the single set of gifts at $45,523.27 and the cumulative total at $197,071.09.”2025 UPDATE: This year, the overall costs for a single set of gifts went up (4.5%, from 2024, which was already up 5.4%, from 2023) to $51,476.12 and the cumulative total went up (4.4%) to $218,542.98. Last year, the highest percentage increase was for the partridge in a pear tree — because the cost of the tree (in particular the fertilizer for the tree) has steadily increased over the last few years. This year, however, the highest percentage increase — by far, at 32.5% — was the gift of the Five Gold Rings. (Unfortunately, the increase in the price of gold is a sign of not so good things to come as far as the U. S. economy is concerned.) NOTE: The Lords-A-Leaping also went up (again) and remains the most expensive gift (even more than the swans)!
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
Ujamaa (cooperative economics)—To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
— The fourth of the Nguzo Saba (or “Seven Essential Pillars”) of Kwanzaa
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
A playlist inspired by the 4th day of Kwanzaa is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “12292021 Social Economics”]
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).
I am offering in-person classes during January 2026. Click here for more details and to reserve your spots now. Let’s start the 2026 together!
### MISHLEI / PROVERBS 3:13 – 3:15 ###
Sweet Stories About Light (the “missing” Tuesday 12/16 post, w/extra links) December 20, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Chanukah, Faith, Food, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Advent, Arthur C Clark, Books, Chanukah, chocolate, dessert, fiction, Healing Stories, Jane Austen, literature, Matthew Sanford, Nativity Fast, Sandra Razieli, Sim Kern, St. Philip's Fast
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“Happy Chanukah!” to all who are celebrating. Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing Advent, observing the Nativity Fast / St. Philip’s Fast; and/or letting their light shine with kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, gratitude, and wisdom on Chocolate Covered Anything Day.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong! May you be nourished!
This is the “missing” post, for Tuesday, December 16th. At least one embedded link will direct you to a different site. 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).
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“‘I wish, as well as everybody else, to be perfectly happy; but, like everybody else, it must be in my own way.’”
— Edward Ferrars in Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Bring your awareness to your favorite story or your favorite kind of stories.
Have you ever noticed that certain stories resonate with you more than others?
Sometimes we are drawn to a genre, because within that genre certain subjects are revisited again and again. Consider the novels that provide commentary on class and gender roles, sense and sensibility — like the novels of Jane Austen, who was born on December 16, 1775. Now, consider science fiction novels that explore the interaction between people and technology and, also, between people who have different cultures, rituals, and traditions — like the novels of Arthur C. Clarke, who was born on December 16, 1917. Even though the details are different, in some ways the underlying premises are the same:
How do we survive this thing called life? How do we survive together?
Or, we could ask the questions another way: How can be happy? How can we balance sense & sensibility?
Note that even if I wasn’t using Jane Austen’s definitions of “sense” (as good judgment, wisdom, or prudence) and “sensibility” (as sensitivity, sympathy, or emotionality) and/or even if we phrase these questions in a different way, our answers become the “healing stories” Matthew Sanford referenced in his first autobiography.
“Healing stories guide us through good times and bad times; they can be constructive and destructive, and are often in need of change. They come together to create our own personal mythology, the system of beliefs that guide how we interpret our experience. Quite often, they bridge the silence that we carry within us and are essential to how we live.”
— quoted from “Introduction: The Mind-Body Relationship” in Waking: A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence by Matthew Sanford
Even outside of our individual tastes in different genres and different mediums, we each tell our individual healing stories. We also have healing stories that are shared by whole communities, stories that are told to and by the whole world. Throughout the year, I share a variety of these healing stories from a plethora of individuals, communities, and cultures. This time of year, a good majority of those stories center around the idea of light overcoming darkness.
When it comes to the story of Chanukah, I often debate where/when to start the story. However, no matter where or when I start the story, I always bring up certain elements. First, there is the fact that there is more than one miracle in the story. Second, there is the fact that I see this as a story about light, faith, and perseverance. These are the elements that resonate with me on several different levels, including on a cultural level.
In recent years, and especially given recent events, there have been conversations going on around the world about stories like Chanukah. After the Monday night practice, my friend Rabbi Sandra articulated the question that’s underneath all of these conversations: What is the story we need right now?
In other words, what is the story we need in order to heal?
As best-selling author, journalist, and activist Sim Kern recently pointed out, this is not the first time people have questioned if the story of Chanukah is the story that’s needed.
“200 years after the Maccabean revolt, a bunch of rabbis were like, ‘Ewww! We don’t really act like those Maccabees anymore. And we don’t really think people should be emulating them. Maybe we should just cancel Hanukkah altogether.’
And after 200 years of arguing about this, they seem to have settled, instead, on coming up with a new story of Hanukkah. And this is the one about the oil and the lights. And it’s why we light the menorah. You know how it goes….”
— quoted from the video “Is the Hanukkah story obscene or based?” by Sim Kern
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
Remember, “It’s Much More Than Just a Candlelight”* (the “missing” Saturday post w/excerpts)
As noted above and below, the way you tell the story matters.
“In my life I have found two things of priceless worth – learning and loving. Nothing else – not fame, not power, not achievement for its own sake – can possible have the same lasting value. For when your life is over, if you can say ‘I have learned’ and ‘I have loved,’ you will also be able to say ‘I have been happy.”
— quoted from Rama II: The Sequel to Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Chanukah (Day 2-3) 2022”]
NOTE: The YouTube playlists contains some official videos that are not available on Spotify. Additionally, there is a mostly instrumental playlist (inspired by Jane Austen and Arthur C. Clarke & Chocolate Covered Everything Day) which is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Chanukah (Day 2-3) 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 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).
A Joyful Practice 