A Quick Note & EXCERPT: “A Date We Remember” (with an extra post link) December 7, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Loss, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, 988, Advent, Amy Greene, Blackened Canteen Ceremony, healing, Healing Stories, Heather Cox Richardson, Life, meditation, mental health, Nativity Fast, OAR, Pearl Harbor, St. Philip's Fast, USS Arizona, World War II
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating healing, kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, gratitude, and wisdom during Advent; during the Nativity / St. Philip’s Fast; and on one of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence”.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“I was beginning to see then what I have learned now. It’s not forgetting that heals. It’s remembering.”
— quoted from Bloodroot by Amy Greene
Silence and stillness. They are such powerful things and, yet, we can take them for granted. We sometimes take for granted that peace and healing and God (whatever that means to you at this moment) are found in silence and stillness.
Since today is the anniversary of the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, we begin with a moment of silence (and stillness). As we remember those that died during the attack, we also remember those who survived. We remember survivors like Quartermaster Lou Conter, Fire Control Chief Petty Officer Lauren Bruner, and Petty Officer Second Class Doris “Dorie” Miller — all three of whom survived the attack and went on to continue their service (even though Petty Officer Second Class Miller would be killed later in the war).
Throughout this practice, in moments of silence and stillness (as well as in the movement), we are reminded that as individuals, as groups, as peoples and nations, we just need a little recovery time to heal. However, in our overstimulated, trigger-happy, litigious society, there are times when we have to very mindfully, deliberately, and intentionally cultivate silence and stillness. We very mindfully, deliberately, and intentionally cultivate these moments of remembering and healing.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
“Of the more than 16 million Americans who served in the war, more than 1.2 million were Black American men and women, 500,000 were Latinos, and more than 550,000 Jews were part of the military. Among the many ethnic groups who fought, Indigenous Americans served at a higher percentage than any other ethnic group—more than a third of able-bodied Indigenous men between the ages of 18 and 50 joined the service—and among those 25,000 soldiers were the men who developed the famous “Code Talk,” based in tribal languages, that codebreakers never cracked.”
— quoted from December 6, 2025 Substack post by Heather Cox Richardson
Please join me today (Sunday, December 7th) 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 “12/7 and Healing 2021”]
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.
### LENGTHEN YOUR SPINE & BREATHE ###
FTWMI: An Invitation to “Reflect, Remember, & Act for a Peaceful Union” plus EXCERPT: “When Do You Feel Free?” December 6, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Women, Yin Yoga, Yoga.Tags: 13th Amendment, 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, 1989 Montreal Massacre, 988, Abraham Lincoln, Advent, Government of Canada, National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, Nativity Fast, St. Philip's Fast, State of the Union, White Ribbon Day
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone appreciating kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, gratitude, and wisdom during Advent; during the Nativity/Saint Philip’s Fast; and on the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women / “White Ribbon Day” (in Canada), one of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence”.
NOTE: This post references a violent act, but does not go into explicit details.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“At the last session of Congress a proposed amendment of the Constitution abolishing slavery throughout the United States passed the Senate, but failed for lack of the requisite two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives. Although the present is the same Congress and nearly the same members, and without questioning the wisdom or patriotism of those who stood in opposition, I venture to recommend the reconsideration and passage of the measure at the present session. Of course the abstract question is not changed; but an intervening election shows almost certainly that the next Congress will pass the measure if this does not. Hence there is only a question of time as to when the proposed amendment will go to the States for their action. And as it is to so go at all events, may we not agree that the sooner the better?”
— quoted from State of the Union 1864, delivered to the United States Congress by President Abraham Lincoln (on 12/6/1864)
Yoga means union and, every time we step on the mat, we have the opportunity to check in with the state of that union. In the United States, we typically think of Presidents giving a State of the Union address towards the beginning of their term and towards the beginning of the year. However, on December 6, 1864, then-President Abraham Lincoln gave a State of the Union address in which he urged Congress and the States to take action “the sooner the better” on an amendment to abolish slavery. He proceeded to very actively, more actively than had previously been witnessed in other presidencies, work towards securing the votes needed to pass and ratify what would become the 13th Amendment — which was, in fact, ratified exactly one year later, on December 6, 1865.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
In addition to those U. S. anniversaries (which are related to efforts to end a violent period of history), December 6th is one of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence”. It is also the anniversary of mass gender-based violence that occurred in Canada. Fourteen women were murdered, while an additional ten women and four men were injured by someone who said he was against feminism. In the aftermath of the 1989 Montreal Massacre, many people took stock of the state of Canada’s union. While some say that the media (in particular) arrived at the wrong conclusions, Canada recognizes this day as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women / “White Ribbon Day”.
“The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women is about remembering those who have experienced gender-based violence and those who we have lost to it. It is also a time to take action. Achieving a Canada free from gender-based violence requires everyone living in this country to educate themselves and their families and communities on gender-based violence, centre the voices of survivors in our actions and speak up against harmful behaviours.”
— quoted from the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women statement by the Government of Canada
Please join me for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom, today (Saturday, December 6th) 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 “12062022 Freedom, XIII”]
NOTE: This is a remix based on the 4th of July and Juneteenth playlists. The playlists are slightly different, but mostly with regard to the before/after class music. The biggest difference is that the videos posted on the blog on July 4th do not appear on Spotify.
An instrumental playlist is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “12062024 Reflect, Remember, & Act for a Peaceful Union”]
NOTE: Start with track 1 or 6. Either option leads to a variation of a song that some view as liberating.
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.
### FIND YOUR PEACEFUL SEAT ###
A 5-Minute Note with [Over] A Week of Excerpts & A Video (for anyone who is interested) December 4, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, One Hoop, Philosophy, Suffering, Yoga.Tags: 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, 988, Ann Patchett, Anna Freud, Aristotle, Art, Arthur Frank Wertheim, Arthur L. Humphreys, Barbara Bair, Books, C. S. Lewis, Claudette Colvin, craic, D. P. Chase, discernment, ethics, First Friday Night Special, Hesiod, Joanna Macy, Joseph Conrad, Movember, Ozzy Osbourne, Phillip Hoose, Philosophy, Psalms, Rainer Maria Rilke, Religion, Restorative Yoga, Rosa Parks Day, Tehillim, Thanksgiving, Will Rogers, World AIDS Day, yoga, Yoga Sutra 3.35
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May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy, during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence (November 25th – December 10th) and on all the other days of your life.
“As for him who neither possesses nor can acquire them, let him take to heart the words of Hesiod; ‘He is the best of all who thinks for himself in all things. He, too, is good who takes advice from a wiser. But he who neither thinks for himself, nor lays to heart another’s wisdom, this is a useless man.’”
— quoted from “Book I, Chapter II” of The Ethics of Aristotle: Volume The First by Aristotle (London: Arthur L. Humphreys 1902, Revised from the translation by D. P. Chase, published at Oxford in 1847)
Everyone needs a moment (or two) of discernment; a moment (or two) to pause, reflect, and reevaluate. Part of me wishes I could say that that is all I did over this last week. However, I am very grateful to note that my week away from teaching include a lot of craic: good food, music, laughter, and stories (sometimes in the form of movies) with some of my chosen family, friends, and a couple of wonderful doggies.
There were also some unexpected complications and those, it turns out, led to quite a bit of insight. Some of which I will share with you at a later date. In the meantime, here are excerpts (and a video) from some of the blog posts related to the last week of classes.
THANKSGIVING
“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”
— Tehillim – Psalms (100:4), KJV
MOVEMBER
“Will Rogers, billed as the Oklahoma Cowboy, in a rope act is a feature at the Orpheum this week. He does wonders in rope spinning but you get so much interested in his ‘patter’ that you forget to watch the tricks, as he calls them. He is a monolinguist disguised in chaps, and one of the best ever….
PD. Printed in Kansas City Post and Journal, ca. 26 October 1914. Scrapbook 1914, CPpR”
— quoted from The Papers of Will Rogers: From Vaudeville to Broadway: Volume Three, September 1908 – August 1915 by Will Rogers, edited by Arthur Frank Wertheim and Barbara Bair
Cowboy, I Moustache You To Go… Over Here (the “missing” Sunday post)
C. S. Lewis (b. 11/29/1898)
“The reader who finds these three episodes of no interest need read this book no further, for in a sense the central theme of my life is about nothing else. For those who are still disposed to proceed I will only underline the quality common to the three experiences; it is that of an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction. I call it Joy, which is here a technical term and must be sharply distinguished both from Happiness and Pleasure. Joy (in my sense) has indeed one characteristic, and one only, in common with them; the fact that anyone who has experienced it will want it again. Apart from that, and considered only in its quality, it might almost equally well be called a particular kind of unhappiness or grief. But then it is a kind we want. I doubt whether anyone who has tasted it would ever, if both were in his power, exchange it for all the pleasures in the world. But then Joy is never in our power and pleasure often is.”
— quoted from Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life by C. S. Lewis
Civil Rights Stories
“‘Mine was the first cry for justice, and a loud one. I made it so that our own adult leaders couldn’t just be nice anymore. Back then, as a teenager, I kept thinking, Why don’t the adults around here just say something?’”
— quoted from Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
First Friday Night Special #38: An Invitation to “(True) Stories Before You Sleep” & An Excerpt
Ann Patchett (b. 12/02/1963)
“Love was action. It came to you. It was not a choice.”
— quoted from Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
What the Heart Knows
Yoga Sūtra 3.35: hṛdaye cittasaṃvit
— “By making samyama on the heart, one gains knowledge of the content of the mind.”
Gazing into the Heart, redux…again (a “missing” and “long-lost” post)
Rainer Maria Rilke (b. 12/04/1875)
“Quiet friend who has come so far,
feel how your breathing makes more space around you.”
— quoted from Sonnets to Orpheus, II.29 by Rainer Maria Rilke (translated by Joanna Macy)
Breathe, Question, Change (a Monday Moving Meditation reflection)
There are audio recordings for several of the December 4th practices, but only one video (so far).
We shall breathe and break things down (i.e., metabolize things) during the First Friday Night Special on December 5th, 7:15 PM – 8:20 PM, CST)
&
I will offer in-person classes at the beginning of January 2026. (*DETAILS COMING SOON!*)
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.)
### AUM / OM ###
Open the Door / #NoExcuse / Orange The World (a revised compilation) November 25, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Suffering, Super Heroes, Tragedy, Women, Yoga.Tags: #NoExcuse, #OrangetheWorld, 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, Antonia María Teresa Mirabal Reyes (known as María Teresa), Bélgica “Dedé” Adela Mirabal Reyes, Caroline Myss, girls, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, International Human Rights Day, María Argentina Minerva Mirabal Reyes (known as Minerva), Mirabal Sisters Foundation, obstetric, Patria Mercedes Mirabal Reyes, Roses Revolution Day, Rufino de la Cruz, UNESCO, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, United Nations General Assembly, WHO, Women, World Health Organization
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone developing kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women & Roses Revolution Day.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
This compilation post contains new, updated content mixed with content from 2020 & 2024. WARNING: There are no explicit details in this post, but there are references that may trigger trauma.
“Quedé viva para contarles la historia.” [“I stayed alive to tell the story.”]
— Dedé Mirabal, author of Vivas en su Jardín
“Since the outbreak of COVID-19, emerging data and reports from those on the front lines, have shown that all types of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, has intensified.
This is the Shadow Pandemic growing amidst the COVID-19 crisis and we need a global collective effort to stop it. As COVID-19 cases continue to strain health services, essential services, such as domestic violence shelters and helplines, have reached capacity. More needs to be done to prioritize addressing violence against women in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts.”
— quoted from the United Nations website for International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (2020 #OrangetheWorld)
There’s nothing pretty about violence — and statistics about violence against women are particularly ugly. 1 in 3 women, worldwide experience physical or sexual violence. That works out to about 736 million women around the world experiencing physical and/or sexual violence. Prior to 2020, about 243 million women and girls (ages 15 – 49) reported experiencing sexual and/or physical abuse by an intimate partner within a 12-month period. That number went up during the COVID-19 pandemic and, in some countries, hotline and emergency calls regarding domestic abuse increased to 5 times the average numbers.
Globally, cases of gender-based violence have also gone up because of widespread use of the internet and social media — with 16% to 58% of women (especially for Generation Z and Millennial women) experiencing technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Gender-based violence has also escalated in recent years because of various geopolitical conflicts and wars. In fact, 70% of women in conflict, war, and humanitarian crisis, experience gender-based violence. In 2023, at least 51,100 women who experienced gender-based violence were murdered by partners and/or family members. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) considers violence against women and girls (VAWG) a human rights violation — in fact, they consider it “one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human violations in our world today.”
“For the purposes of this Declaration, the term ‘violence against women’ means any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.”
— “Article 1” of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, issued by the United Nations General Assembly, December 20, 1993
To combat this violence (and the accompanying stigma) that can manifest physically, sexually, and psychological — and that happens to people around the world regardless of education, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, age, health, or nationality — UNESCO designated November 25th as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. In 2011, extra significance was added to this date when people also started observing Roses Revolution Day, which brings awareness to the international movement against obstetric violence (i.e., abuse during childbirth). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Every woman has the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to dignified, respectful health care… [but] many women experience disrespectful and abusive treatment during childbirth in facilities worldwide. Such treatment not only violates the rights of women to respectful care, but can also threaten their rights to life, health, bodily integrity, and freedom from discrimination.”
The 2020 theme for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!” and focused on “amplifying the call for global action to bridge funding gaps, ensure essential services for survivors of violence during the pandemic, [prevention measures,] and collection of data that can improve life-saving services for women and girls.”
The 2024 theme was “Every 10 Minutes, a woman is killed. #NoExcuse. UNiTE to End Violence against Women” and highlights the fact that “a woman was killed every 10 minutes [in 2023].” (See statistics above.)
The 2025 theme is “Open the Door”, which is a call to action for people to “Take a stand. End Violence.” The door in this theme is literal and symbolic. It is reminder that anyone can be an ally and everyone can pay attention to the pain and suffering hidden behind closed doors. It is an invitation to open the door’s of heart and express a little empathy. We can all support survivors — Believe survivors! — and advocate for changes in how our governments (and first responders) interact with survivors. Today’s observation kicks off “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” which culminates with International Human Rights Day on December 10th.
“We cannot allow our children to grow up in this corrupt and tyrannical regime. We have to fight against it, and I am willing to give up everything, even my life if necessary.”
— Patria Mirabal Reyes
When UNESCO started observing the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in 1999, November 25th wasn’t randomly selected because it was 16 days before International Human Rights Day. Today was specifically selected to honor the lives and legacy of the Mirabal sisters (Las Hermanas Mirabal), three of whom were assassinated today in 1960.
Patria Mercedes Mirabal Reyes, Bélgica “Dedé” Adela Mirabal Reyes, María Argentina Minerva Mirabal Reyes (known as Minerva), and Antonia María Teresa Mirabal Reyes (known as María Teresa) were married, Catholic-educated young mothers who had been raised in a middle-class household in the Dominican Republic. Three of the sisters (Patria, Minerva, and María Teresa) were also college educated professionals who actively and publicly opposed the dictator Rafael Trujillo (known as El Jefe), who’s fascist regime lasted 31 years.
“Perhaps what we have most near is death, but that idea does not frighten me. We shall continue to fight for that which is just.”
— María Teresa Mirabel Reyes
The sisters became known as Las Mariposas (“The Butterflies”) and they (and their husbands) were often harassed and even incarcerated because of their activism. There were many activists who spoke out against the dictator before the sisters — including organizers of the “Movement of the Fourteenth of June” and the sisters’ own uncle. But, part of the reason the sisters (and their husbands) may have been targeted was because Minerva had turned down Trujillo’s sexual advances when she was in her early 20’s.
International attention on their plight may have saved Minerva and María Teresa from being tortured during their last incarceration — and definitely led to them being released. Their high profile, however, did not secure the release of their husbands. It also did not save them. As they returned from a visit to the prison where two of their husbands were being held, Patria, Minerva, María Teresa, and their driver Rufino de la Cruz were stopped by people associated with Trujillo’s regime (including members of his secret police force). There was an attempt to make their murders look like a car accident, but evidence to the contrary was very obvious.
Dedé, the surviving sister lived to the age of 88. She was also the only one of the sisters who did not go to college and the only one who did not publicly participate in the resistance. She was a “traditional” homemaker who also took care of the family business. After her sisters were murdered, she continued to take care of their children and started the Mirabal Sisters Foundation. She also turned the last home they lived in together into a museum and wrote a book, Vivas en su Jardín, as she saw that her legacy was to preserve herstory.
“If they kill me, I’ll reach my arms out from the tomb and I’ll be stronger.”
— Minerva Mirabel Reyes
If you see roses in front of a delivery room or hospital, over the next few days, they may have been placed there by someone who suffered varying forms of physical or psychological violence — or they may have been placed there by someone whose family member died as a result of obstetric violence. If you see a building or landmark being “oranged” in the next few days, it is a reminder of the campaign against gender-based violence and a reminder of the importance of everyone coming together to promote a violence-free world. Curious about why the color for International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is orange, I thought maybe it would be tied to the symbol of the butterfly; however, I could only find a UNESCO site that says “The color orange symbolizes a bright future, free of violence. It also serves as a means of demonstrating your solidarity in eliminating all forms of violence and…. As a show of solidarity, the UNESCO globe will be illuminated orange.”
Of course, the reason I was curious about the color choice is because in yoga and Áyurveda, as they come to us from India, orange is associated with the second chakra — which is the energetic center of our relationships. From the yoga perspective, our mind-bodies are a microcosm representing the macrocosm that is the world. So, from the yoga perspective, physical, mental, emotional, energetic, and spiritual healing begins on the inside and if we want to truly “orange” the world, we must find a way to physically, emotionally, and energetically honor a sacred truth.
“Sacred Truth: Honor one another. Every relationship you develop, from casual to intimate, helps you become more conscious. No union is without spiritual value.”
— from “Morning Visual Meditation” by Caroline Myss
Please join me today (Tuesday, November 25th) 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 is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Mother’s Day 2020”]
NOTE: The YouTube playlist includes an extra video that is not available on Spotify. The Spotify playlist has an extra song track that does not affect the practice timings.
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).
“Article 2
Violence against women shall be understood to encompass, but not be limited to, the following:
(a) Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related to exploitation;
(b) Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring within the general community, including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere, trafficking in women and forced prostitution;
(c) Physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the State, wherever it occurs.
Article 3
Women are entitled to the equal enjoyment and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field. These rights include, inter alia:
(a) The right to life;
(b) The right to equality;
(c) The right to liberty and security of person;
(d) The right to equal protection under the law;
(e) The right to be free from all forms of discrimination;
(f) The right to the highest standard attainable of physical and mental health;
(g) The right to just and favourable conditions of work;
(h) The right not to be subjected to torture, or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
— quoted from the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, issued by the United Nations General Assembly, December 20, 1993
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.
NOTE: In anticipation of the holiday(s), I have cancelled classes on November 26th – December 3rd.
Don’t forget to be grateful.
11/25/2025 Updated with music/playlist note.
### HONOR HUMAN RIGHTS ###
Still Sitting, Still Breathing — With a Side of Joy & a Side of Gratitude (the “missing” Sunday post) November 23, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Abhyasa, Books, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Meditation, One Hoop, Philosophy, Suffering, Vairagya, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Abhyasa, asana, Bhagavad Gita, Christopher Isherwood, Dharma, gratitude, hatha yoga, Jack Hawley, John Metcalfe, Karma Yoga, Lisa Bloom, meditation, Merrick Rosenberg, Mindfulness, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, Patrick Lencioni, Paul Barrera, pranayama, santosha, sva-dharma, Swami Prabhavananda, vinyasa, vinyāsa, Yoga Sutra 1.20, Yoga Sutra 3.38, Yoga Sutras 1.21-1.22, Yoga Sutras 1.23-1.24
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone sitting (& speaking) with kindness, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, wisdom, and gratitude.
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
This is the “missing” post, for Sunday, November 23rd. One link embedded in the text will direct you to a site outside of this blog. 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.
“For many of us, filling a segment of our day with a prescribed set of disciplines is practice. This type of practice is comprised of a list of techniques and injunctions, and we undertake it because we have been told it will bring us a specific result. It is a recipe for solving a problem. As a result, the value of the practice is dependent on when and to what extent it meets our expectations. If it does not meet our expectations, we dump it without hesitation.”
— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 1.20, from The Secret of the Yoga Sutra: Samadhi Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
We could make it complicated. However, when we really get down to it, this practice is simple. It’s not always easy, but it is simple. Combine your ethics, morals, and awareness; find a comfortable (and steady) seat; and, then, sit and breathe (with awareness). That’s it really. That’s the practice. In the Yoga Sūtras, Patanjali indicated that a “[continuous] practice” (abhyasa) and “non-attachment” (vairagya) ultimately lead to mental and physical vitality, as well as freedom and liberation from suffering. (YS 1.2 – 1.4; 1.12 – 1.15; 1.29 – 1.40; 2.18)
Our physical practice of yoga (hatha yoga, regardless of the style or tradition) is the way we get our mind-body ready for deep-seated meditation. Of course, we make it a little more complicated; because we move between seats. In a vinyāsa, we “place [things] in a special way” in order to flow in and out of poses/seats. So, that’s another complication. Some of the poses and sequences can be challenging — intense even — and one of my earliest yoga teachers use to say that our “yoga practice should be the most intense part of our day.”
Funny thing about my teacher Paul B’s statement: He never indicated the type intensity. Was the practice meant to be the most intense physically, mentally, emotionally, and/or spiritually? Was it meant to be intensely vigorous or intensely relaxing? Was it all of the above?
Or, was there some other level of intensity that we were missing? Could the intensity come from our devotion?
“Love for practice comes from knowing its importance.”
“The more convinced we are about the key role of our practice in enabling us to live a purposeful and meaningful life, the more we love and respect it. Love and respect springing from a true understanding of our practice is shraddha [faith]. We are joyful at the prospect of doing our practice. The reasons for delaying or dispensing with it become meaningless. We no longer care whether our practice lowers our blood pressure or relaxes our nervous system—we do it for the simple joy of doing it. According to Vyasa, shraddha is the joy that accompanies a practice. It is more than faith—it is the thrill of realizing that we are fortunate to have a practice that helps restore the pristine nature of our mind, takes us inward, and gives us a vision of life’s purpose.”
— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 1.20, from The Secret of the Yoga Sutra: Samadhi Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
According to Yoga Sūtras 1.20 – 1.22, there are five types of effort; nine ways to practice (the overall philosophy) based on our “…intensity of feeling, vigor, and firm conviction…”; and how long it takes us to reach our goal(s) will be based on how much time, effort, and intensity we put into the practice. Swami J, in the Himalayan tradition, compares this paradigm to the race between the tortoise and the hare and has a great breakdown of the different ways to practice (which you can find here).
You may also consider, as one of my teachers (Lisa B.) once explained, that you don’t have to believe in (or understand) every aspect of the practice for those aspects to work. However, if you believe (i.e., have firm conviction), you will be more diligent about what your actions — and you may spend more time doing the things that are beneficial.
Your diligence may also serve as a reminder to practice non-attachment and remember that the challenges in our practice — such as poses and sequences we aspire to achieve — can be a distraction or obstacle to our ultimate goal.
“‘To work without desire may seem impossible, but the way to do it is to substitute thoughts of Divinity for thoughts of desire. Do your work in this world with your heart fixed on the Divine instead of on outcomes. Do not worry about results. Be even tempered in success or failure. This mental evenness is what is meant by yoga…. Indeed, equanimity is yoga!’”
— Krishna speaking to Arjuna (2.48) in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley
The dangers of an achievement simultaneously being an impediment is reinforced in texts like the Yoga Sūtras and the Bhagavad Gita (the “Song of the Lord”), which emphasize “non-attachment” (vairagya) and “non-grasping”/“non-hording” (āparigrahā). In fact, Yoga Sūtra 3.38 explicitly states that “They are powers/achievements in the worldly state, but the are obstacles to samadhi.” Both the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita (as noted above) instruct us to offer our efforts up (with trustful surrender) as if our very efforts are a gift to the Universe.
The Gita goes even further, because it highlights the fact that we are all given gifts (e.g., temperaments, personalities, experiences, perspectives, and skills) that make us well-suited for certain jobs and responsibilities. (BG 18.41 – 18.49) If we think about everything we do in this way, we have the opportunity to appreciate giving and receiving the same gifts.
And, surely, that much gratitude multiplies the joy.
“‘I accept with joy whatever I am offered in true devotion: fruit or water, leaf or flower. The gift is love, the dedication of your heart. Devotion alone gains access to Divinity.’”
— Krishna speaking to Arjuna (9.26) in The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley
Throughout the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna (as an embodiment of the Divine) breaks down different yoga paths and, in doing so, highlights the fact that everything we do can be an gift/offering. I thought about this idea as I was reading The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team by Patrick Lencioni, which was recommended by my yoga buddy Carl (in a discussion that included a similar book that I love). The parallels between these modern books on management and these ancient texts made me think about how often we express (or neglect to express) gratitude for the things someone else does that we’re glad we don’t have to do.
It also made me think about how often we take those things (and people) for granted — and how, in taking people (and things) for granted, we miss an opportunity to give thanks.
“And in the Gita [9.27], we read:
Whatever your action,
Food or worship;
Whatever the gift
That you give to another;
Whatever you vow
To the work of the spirit:…
Lay these also
As offerings before Me.”
— quoted from the commentary for Yoga Sūtra 1.23 – 1.24, in How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali, translated and with commentary by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09012024 Deep Listening”]
NOTE: The playlist contains John Metcalfe’s album Tree (with the remixes); however, one track has been moved. The story behind the album is beautiful. Additionally, I encourage you to deeply listen to Track #11 (which was the inspiration for the playlist and the September practice).
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not 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).
Correction (& Errata &): During the 2025 practice (& on the music post) inadvertently cited the wrong Yoga Sūtra chapter for YS 1.23-1.24. (11/23/2025)
NOTE: In anticipation of the holiday(s), I have cancelled classes on November 26th – December 3rd.
Don’t forget to be grateful.
### AUM / OM ###
“It is for us the living….” (mostly the music) November 19, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, One Hoop, Pain, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Abraham Lincoln, Battle of Gettysburg, Civil War, George Bancroft, Gettysburg, history
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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!
“It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.”
— quoted from “The Gettysburg Address” (from the Bancroft version*) by President Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 1863
Please join me today (Wednesday, November 19th) 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 “11192022 The Gettysburg Address”]
MUSIC NOTE: There are some slight differences in the playlist, mostly in the before/after practice music.
*NOTE: All five versions of the speech contain some variation of this sentence.
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.)
### 
###
A Quick Note & EXCERPT: “Here’s To Those Who Serve(d)” November 11, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Loss, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Suffering, Tragedy, Yoga.Tags: 988, Armistice Day, inspiration, Laurence Binyon, mental health, Movember, Thomas Hardy, Veterans Day, World War I
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Gratitude to those who serve. Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom on Armistice Day / Veterans Day.
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind. CONTINUE TO BREATHE!
“Compassion. Respect. Common Sense.”
— Retired Marine Staff Sergeant Tim Chambers (a.k.a The Saluting Marine) when asked what he wanted to inspire in people who see him standing/saluting
People serve in the armed forces for different reasons. Even in countries where service is compulsory, there are people who volunteer. Even when we had wartime drafts in the United States, there were conscientious objectors, like Desmond Doss, who served with distinction — without carrying or firing a weapon.
Regardless of what any of us believe about wars and violence, common sense indicates that we can offer compassion and respect to those who serve(d).
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE FOR MORE.
“IX
Calm fell. From Heaven distilled a clemency;
There was peace on earth, and silence in the sky;
Some could, some could not, shake off misery:
The Sinister Spirit sneered: ‘It had to be!’
And again the Spirit of Pity whispered, ‘Why?’”
— from the poem “And There Was a Great Calm (On the Signing of the Armistice, 11 Nov 1918)” by Thomas Hardy
Please join me today (Tuesday, November 11th) 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 is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “11/11 @ 11”]
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.
### PEACE IN, PEACE OUT ###
FTWMI: Quick Note & EXCERPT: “More Hope, More History…” November 9, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma, Life, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, anonymous, Berlin Wall, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, destiny, fate, Germany, Schicksalstag, travel
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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. KEEP BREATHING!
For Those Who Missed It: This is a repost. Class details and links have been updated.
“I’m not here for or against any government. I’ve come to play rock ‘n’ roll for you in the hope that one day all the barriers will be torn down”
— Bruce Springsteen, speaking German in East Berlin, before playing “Chimes of Freedom” with the E Street Band, during the “Rocking the Wall” concert, July 19, 1988
How much of destiny is the “Hand of God” and how much is in the hands of humans?
Here are the facts — as much as I know them — and it is up to you to see/hear them; notice what you think; bring awareness to what you feel; and consider what you want. Then, you do. The action is up to you.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
“Fate is what you are given. Destiny is what you make of it.”
— original source unknown
Please join me today (Sunday, November 9th) 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 “11092024 Schicksalstag 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.
### Peace In / Peace Out ###
FTWMI: I Don’t Mou’ About You, But… (a quick note, expanded with excerpts) November 8, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Depression, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Men, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, ALEC, anxiety, Brendan Maher, Depression, Dorothy Day, Men's Health, mental health, Movember, No(shave)mber, suicide, Suicide Prevention
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May we all be safe and protected / May we all be peaceful and happy / May we all be healthy and strong!
For Those Who Missed It: The following was previously posted. Links, class details, and excerpts have been added.
“‘We respond differently to life’s unexpected challenges. Sometimes, though, that can leave us feeling worried or overwhelmed. It’s our hope that we can connect men with the right support, and equip their peers with the confidence and skills to reach out and help when it’s most needed.’”
— Brendan Maher, Global Director of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Movember
I don’t [know] about you, but — with all that’s going on — I feel some kind of way. What kind of way, you might ask and — depending on who you are and how you ask — I will be anything from vaguely honest to brutally honest. While you might think that the determining factor on that spectrum is the “who” part, it actually may be the “how” part.
As I mentioned a couple of years ago, there has been some heightened awareness around how to ask someone how they were doing. In particular, given some of the things that happened in 2020, there started to be growing awareness around how people asked when they were asking someone who might be perceived as being different from them. That perceived difference might be related to race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, age, weight, ability/disability, sexuality, gender… political affiliation. (Just saying.)
Well, today seems like as good a day as any to check back in about how we check in and why it’s so important to check in.
Click on the excerpt title below if you missed the Movember history lesson.
“We repeat, there is nothing that we can do but love, and dear God – please enlarge our hearts to love each other, to love our neighbor, to love our enemy as well as our friend.”
— quoted from “Love Is The Measure” printed in The Catholic Worker (June 1946, 2) by Dorothy Day (b. 1897)
Click on the excerpt title below for my post on checking in (with little nods to Dorothy Day (born today in 1897).
“What’s happening now is impacting us all in different ways. Sometimes it’s hard to know what to do, where to start or what to say. As we push through this together, we hope we can empower people to connect with others who are struggling and find the help they need now.”
— Brendan Maher, Global Director of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Movember
Please join me for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom, today (Saturday, Movember 8th) 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 Movember 3rd 2020”]
Ask
Listen
Encourage Action
Check (Back) In
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.)
### But, No, How Mou You, Really? ###
First Friday Night Special #61 — Invitation for “… and Breathe Peace In & Breathe Peace Out….” (the “missing” invitation w/excerpts) November 7, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Mantra, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: mantra, meditation, Mindfulness, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, peace, Peace of the Pyrenees, Restorative Yoga, yoga, Yoga Sutra 2.33, Yoga Sutra 2.46
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone gathering friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
This (backdated) “missing” invitation for the “First Friday Night Special” on November 7th, includes some related excerpts. You can request an audio recording of this Restorative Yoga practice (with a little SYE) 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.
“SECTION I
CONTAINING THE PRELIMINARY ARTICLES FOR PERPETUAL PEACE AMONG STATES
1. ‘No Treaty of Peace Shall Be Held Valid in Which There Is Tacitly Reserved Matter for a Future War’
Otherwise a treaty would be only a truce, a suspension of hostilities but not peace, which means the end of all hostilities–so much so that even to attach the word ‘perpetual’ to it is a dubious pleonasm.”
— quoted from the 1795 essay “Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch” by Immanuel Kant
Signed today (November 7th) in 1659, on the Isle of Pheasants, the “Peace of the Pyrenees” was a peace treaty that ended 24 years of warfare between France and Spain. The warfare was part of the 30 Years War, which started as a religious conflict between Catholic and Protestants. The treaty required the personal compromise and sacrifice of some country leaders and some members of the general populace. The treaty did not, however, fit Immanuel Kant’s definition of a true treaty; because, at its very foundation we find the seeds for more conflict and hostility.
The Yoga Sūtras outline several ways to uproot the seeds (and roots) of conflict, hostility, and suffering. Those methods include the practice of “codes of self-regulation or restraint (yamas) and observances or practices of self-training (niyamas)”. In Yoga Sūtra 2.33, Patanjali acknowledged that we may not always be able to practice the ethical components perfectly (or at all). In such situations, we are instructed to “cultivate the opposite [thought or action]” — a practice which we also find in Buddhism. The key to this type of practice is to build on a foundation of peace and infuse every thought, word, and deed with peace.
In other words, “To Have Peace In The World / True Peace / We Must Work for Peace in the World / and Breathe Peace In & Breathe Peace Out….”
“However, if the process of non-violence is to be effective in counteracting violence, we must first describe and outline it clearly and methodically. Because violent thoughts always precede a violent act, an act of non-violence will be effective only if it is preceded by non-violent thoughts. Violence is an active phenomenon, whereas non-violence is mistakenly thought to be passive – simply the absence of violence. But passive non-violence has no power to extinguish the fire if violence. Non-violence must be as active as violence itself.”
— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.33, from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
“In the conventional practice of non-violence we are not led to entertain a stream of structured, organized non-violent thoughts. For example, when someone slaps us on the right cheek, we are told to offer the left one also—this is said to be practicing non-violence. But this approach to non-violence does not free us from pain, nor does it purify our mind. According to Vyasa, we must design a system of practice that neutralizes the force of violence, step-by-step and point-by-point.”
— quoted from the commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.33, from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
This Restorative Yoga practice is accessible and open to all.
(NOTE: There will be a little bit of quiet space in this practice.)
Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Movember / November Friday 2025”]
NOTE: Start with Track 1; Track 10; Track 11; Track 12; or Track 13 on either platform or Track 14 on the YouTube version.
Prop wise, we will start with a chair, sofa, or coffee table 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).
A Joyful Practice 