Let’s Focus on “Little Things” (the “missing” compilation post for Wednesday) September 24, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, 7-Day Challenge, 9-Day Challenge, Art, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, New Year, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Rosh Hashanah, Science, Suffering, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.Tags: 988, Alison Gopnik PhD, Ananta Ripa Ajmera, asana, Beau Lotto, Carissa Nadira Fadzil, Chandraghanta, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Cyrus Tan Heoi Sam, Danna Isabela Trujillo León, Declaration on the Rights of Deaf Children, faith, hatha yoga, High Holidays, International Week of Deaf People (IWDP), Karol Valentina Trujillo León, Lara Adnan Alqaisi, Navaratri, Noaz Laquerriere-Leven, Ntando Hlophe, prāņāyāma, Rabbi Yaakov Salomon, Rosh Hashanah, Sbahle Chili, Sharada Navaratri, UNICEF, Yara Adnan Alqaisi, yoga
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“Chag sameach!” (“Happy Festival!”) to everyone observing the High Holidays. “Nine days and nine nights of blessings and happiness if you are celebrating Sharada Navaratri!” Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom during International Week of Deaf People.
Stay safe! Live well! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
This is the “missing” compilation post for Wednesday, September 24th, features new and previously posted content. As noted, some links will take you to sites outside of WordPress.
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.
“Alison Gopnik, Ph.D.: Learning begins literally from the time babies are born and there’s even some evidence there’s learning inside of the womb. So when babies are born, for instance, they discriminate between the sounds of the language that they’ve heard and sounds of another language. So they’re already seeing, hearing, making sense of what’s going on around them.”
— quoted from the “Transcript of ‘When do babies begin to learn? — What you can do to support your child’s development.’” in the “Parenting” section of the UNICEF website
Think back to when you first started to learn. Or, since some research indicates that we start learning in the womb, take a moment to remember the first learning situation you remember. Maybe it was in a school setting or maybe you remember learning something at home or on a playground. Just take a moment to remember everything you remember about that moment.
My guess is that, even if you remember great details — or pick a memory you remember in great detail, there is a “little” detail you might not mention if you were asked to recount the moment. My guess is that you wouldn’t mention the language. Unless the memory you picked was related to learning a language other than your first known language, you probably take the language itself for granted. It was a “little”, easily over-looked detail.
If, however, you were forced or required to learn in a language other than your first language, that “little” thing can become a big deal. Being in an environment where you have a hard time understanding and/or struggle to understand the words — even before you get to the subject matter — can limit your ability to learn and limit your possibilities. As an adult, you may be able to find some work-arounds, especially if there are other people around to give you context clues.
But, what if those people are also using a different language? What if you are a child who doesn’t have the life experience to figure out context clues?
This would be frustrating (and infuriating) — especially if people treated you like you were dumb and/or not worth the energy it would take to teach you.
Now, I know, given what’s happening in the United States (and other places in the world), that someone may think I’m talking about an immigration (or even a colonization) issue here. Or, since I included an embedded link to a post about literacy, that I’m talking about that issue. But, no. This time, I’m talking about that fact that millions of people around the world communicate with one of at least 300 sign languages and, for many of them, a sign language is their first language.
“1. States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to education. With a view to realizing this right without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunity, States Parties shall ensure an inclusive education system at all levels and lifelong learning….”
“3. States Parties shall enable persons with disabilities to learn life and social development skills to facilitate their full and equal participation in education and as members of the community. To this end, States Parties shall take appropriate measures, including:
a) Facilitating the learning of Braille, alternative script, augmentative and alternative modes, means and formats of communication and orientation and mobility skills, and facilitating peer support and mentoring;
b) Facilitating the learning of sign language and the promotion of the linguistic identity of the deaf community;
c) Ensuring that the education of persons, and in particular children, who are blind, deaf or deafblind, is delivered in the most appropriate languages and modes and means of communication for the individual, and in environments which maximize academic and social development.”
— quoted from “Article 24 – Education” of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
As I previously mentioned, this week is International Week of Deaf People (IWDP) and the 2025 theme is “No Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights”. The Wednesday focus was “Multilingual education for deaf learners”, which “advocates for the implementation of Article 24 of the CRPD, which requires that deaf learners receive education in environments that are both linguistically and culturally appropriate: quality inclusive multilingual settings alongside other deaf peers.”
As I highlighted in a 2024 post (and as explained in the video below), the Declaration on the Rights of Deaf Children consists of ten articles. Those ten articles are not only valid with regard to Deaf Children, they are also valid (and important) with regard to children from all over the world — and especially those who are dealing with trauma, loss, and disabilities, while also navigating a new language (or two).
“4. In order to help ensure the realization of this right, States Parties shall take appropriate measures to employ teachers, including teachers with disabilities, who are qualified in sign language and/or Braille, and to train professionals and staff who work at all levels of education. Such training shall incorporate disability awareness and the use of appropriate augmentative and alternative modes, means and formats of communication, educational techniques and materials to support persons with disabilities.
5. States Parties shall ensure that persons with disabilities are able to access general tertiary education, vocational training, adult education and lifelong learning without discrimination and on an equal basis with others. To this end, States Parties shall ensure that reasonable accommodation is provided to persons with disabilities.”
— quoted from “Article 24 – Education” of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
“Little” things are like little kids: They can become really big problems when we’re not paying attention or they can become really big deals, who make big, positive impacts on the world, when we pay the correct amount of attention. “Little” are transformative! Since this is true on and off the mat, I dedicate at least one practice during the High Holidays to the “little” things that can come together to make a big deal. These are things we do all the time. They come together to make our practice and to take us deeper into our practice and deeper into our lives. They can also take us come together to help us reach our goals.
The following revised excerpt is from a 2023 post (with a slightly different context). Due to the sequences, the order of the “little things” is different each year. The order in the this linked post is the 2021 order. The order below is from this year. Some embedded links connect outside of this blog.
“And then we spoke about Rosh Hashana… finally.
People always talk about making big changes – New Year resolutions.
‘I want to lose 50 pounds.’
‘I want to finish the entire Talmud.’
‘I’m going to spend 90 minutes of quality time with my daughter every night.’
It doesn’t work. It never does. And if it does, it peters out. You have no choice. You must start small.”
— quoted from “Preparing for Rosh Hashana: The secret to an inspiring new year” by Rabbi Yaakov Salomon
If you are anything like me, there’s a good chance that when you decide you want to do something (or stop doing something), you want one of those handy-dandy “time slips” — not because you don’t want to do the work, but because once you make up your mind you’re ready for the change. However, we can’t snap our fingers and “skip to the good part”. We do not have a magical, fantastical (theoretically possibly) way of skipping ahead. Even if we did, it wouldn’t be advisable, because we wouldn’t (necessarily) be ready on every level. Just because some part of our mind is ready, doesn’t mean our whole being is ready. We get ready during the time that we’re taking the steps to make something happen (or to make something stop happening).
Those steps — even when they are little baby steps — make a big difference.
“The key to getting the most out of any experience is preparation before the event. You cannot expect to leap from the shower to the shul and instantly feel holy. It just doesn’t work that way.”
— quoted from “Preparing for Rosh Hashana: The secret to an inspiring new year” by Rabbi Yaakov Salomon
Just as you can’t jump up off the coach and run a marathon, without some training, Rabbi Yaakov Salomon once pointed out that the desire for a deep spiritual connection requires some preparation. The means he mentioned included introspection, meditation, and prayer — all methods also mentioned in other traditions, including in Indian philosophies like yoga. A lot of people, however, aren’t familiar with all 8-limbs of the Yoga Philosophy; they just know about the two limbs that form the postural practice: āsana and prāņāyāma. But, just practicing those two little things can take you deeper into the overall practice and help cultivate big connections.
In many ways, hatha yoga (the physical practice of yoga, regardless of the style or tradition) is all about little things and about bringing awareness to the little things. The way we sit or stand determines how we breathe; the way we breathe in different positions determines how we feel. When we bring our awareness to how we feel we can go deeper into the pose as well as into ourselves. It all starts with little things. Little things, like how we place our hands or engage our core, can make the difference between going deeper into a pose and deeper into ourselves versus getting injured.
Although, sometimes we learn a lot about ourselves from getting injured; but that’s another story for another day.
Using the practice to notice little things can give us insight into why we think the way we think and do (and say) the things we do (and say) — on and off the mat. It can also help us bring awareness to how little things get us ready for the big things. For instance, next time you’re on the mat, give yourself the opportunity to notice these “little things” — one at a time and then all together:
-
- Āsana (“seat” or pose): Notice what’s touching the mat, touching the floor, touching a prop — even a chair — and how does everything else stack up from there.
- Prāņāyāma: Notice your breath. Can you breathe deeply in and breathe deeply? (If not, adjust your āsana.)
- Notice what you notice; bring your awareness to your awareness. (Where is your focus?)
- Notice the the sensation/information that informs your practice. (Is your mind-body ready for what you’re doing or do you need to do less? Could you, safely and mindfully, do more?)
- Notice the “L” of your hands, especially when you have weight in your hands and arms. (In grade school you might have learned that one “L” on your forehead means loser, but if you put two “L”s together you have a shot at a goal; if you tip the ends out, you have a “W” — which means winner.)
- Find the balance within the imbalance, because the practice is all about balance: balancing effort and relaxation; balancing strength and flexibility; and there is also balancing on one limb (and balancing both sides).
- Dance Break! (Every once in a while, everybody needs to loosen up and wiggle.)
- Remember your intention and your dedication. We set these early in the practice and then remember them as we go so that we stay focused on our goals. On or off the mat, you can think of this as your “WHY”.
- Practice vinyāsa krama (“place things in a special way, for a step-by-step progression”). As Dr. Beau Lotto said, “…your brain can only ever make small steps in its ideas.” So, what is the next logical step from where you are to where you want to be?
- Express gratitude for what you’ve done and what you’re about to do.
Lifting the corners of your mouth up towards your ears, is usually one of the little things we do.
This practice featured the personal story of Rabbi Yaakov Salomon (from the Aish website). It’s a story about little things and is a great reminder that while we may not always notice the little things until they become the big things, the little things matter. In fact, every little thing we feel, think, say, and do is the possibility of a big thing we’re in the habit of feeling, thinking, saying, or doing.
“Transformation is not something that accidentally happens to us. Like every part of the Navaratri cycle. It is something we initiate and experience again and again during our lives. For myself, day 3 of this cyclical practice (or week 3 or month 3, depending on how you structure your own Navaratri practice) is an opportunity to do something outside my comfort zone.”
— quoted from the “Cultivating Transformation” section of “Chapter 3 — Igniting the Fire of Transformation” in The Way of the Goddess: Daily Rituals to Awaken Your Inner Warrior and Discover Your True Self by Ananta Ripa Ajmera
EXCERPT: The following slightly revised excerpt was originally posted in a slightly different context.
In addition to being the second day of the High Holidays and the third day of the International Week of Deaf People (IWDP), Wednesday was also the third day and night of Sharada Navaratri, the “nine nights” celebrating Divine feminine energy in various manifestations. Some people see the manifestations as nine different women; however, they are also seen by some as the same woman at different points in her story. For instance, her third form is Chandraghanta, whose name “one who has a half-moon shaped like a bell” comes from the image of the newly-wed Parvati. She is depicted as a combination of beauty, grace, and courage, with her third eye open — the result of all the (yoga) preparation performed by Her previous manifestation. That open third eye means that she is always ready to fight evil and demons. In fact, she is sometimes known as the “Goddess Who Fights Demons”.
Here, “demons” can be a metaphor for anything that ails you physically, mentally, emotionally — even energetically, spiritually, and religiously. They can be challenges and hurdles that need to be over come. They can even be mistakes… sins… or vows (as I refer to them during the High Holidays) that can be absolved or forgiven. In fact, the faithful of all the different religions believe that there are ways (and even special times) when mistakes, sins, and broken vows are turned away… or washed away.
“I find a lot of similarity between Goddess Kalaratri, who symbolizes the spiritual power of transcendence, and Goddess Chandraghanta, who represents the power of transformation (in chapter 3). While transformation happens from taking strong, consistent action to overcome our fears, transcendence results from applying spiritual knowledge to see traumas we have experienced through the eyes of wisdom. This ensures we never see ourselves as helpless victims at the mercy of a cruel world but rather as powerful manifesters of our own destinies.”
— quoted from the “Cultivating Transcendence” section of “Chapter 7 — Transcending Trauma with Wisdom” in The Way of the Goddess: Daily Rituals to Awaken Your Inner Warrior and Discover Your True Self by Ananta Ripa Ajmera
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “High Holidays: Little Things”]
(My apologies for not posting the music before the 4:30 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).
### MAY YOUR NAME BE WRITTEN & SEALED IN THE BOOK OF LIFE ###
Contemplating an Ongoing “Miracle” [in 2025] (mostly the music) September 17, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Basketball, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Music, One Hoop, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Antietim, Books, Christopher Isherwood, Civil War, Constitution, Constitution Day, history, nationalism, patriotism, Phil Jackson, politics, revolution, Swami Prabhavananda, Thurgood Marshall, yoga, Yoga Sutra 2.18.
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone curious about how we can have friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom (on Constitution Day in the U. S.).
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
“And so we must be careful, when focusing on the events which took place in Philadelphia two centuries ago, that we not overlook the momentous events which followed, and thereby lose our proper sense of perspective. Otherwise, the odds are that for many Americans the bicentennial celebration will be little more than a blind pilgrimage to the shrine of the original document now stored in a vault in the National Archives. If we seek, instead, a sensitive understanding of the Constitution’s inherent defects, and its promising evolution through 200 years of history, the celebration of the “Miracle at Philadelphia” Bowen, Miracle at Philadelphia: The Story of the Constitutional Convention May to September 1787 (Boston 1966), will, in my view, be a far more meaningful and humbling experience. We will see that the true miracle was not the birth of the Constitution, but its life, a life nurtured through two turbulent centuries of our own making, and a life embodying much good fortune that was not.
Thus, in this bicentennial year, we may not all participate in the festivities with flag-waving fervor. Some may more quietly commemorate the suffering, struggle, and sacrifice that has triumphed over much of what was wrong with the original document, and observe the anniversary with hopes not realized and promises not fulfilled. I plan to celebrate the bicentennial of the Constitution as a living document, including the Bill of Rights and the other amendments protecting individual freedoms and human rights.”
— quoted from the conclusion to the speech given by Supreme Court Justice (and former NAACP chief counsel) Thurgood Marshall at The Annual Seminar of the San Francisco Patent and Trademark Law Association, Maui, Hawaii May 6, 1987
Please join me today (Wednesday, September 17th) 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 “07012020 Caesar Rodney’s Ride”]
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.
“…. For the Truth lies hidden everywhere, within every experience and in every object of the universe. Everything that happens to us, no matter how seemingly trivial, throughout the day, offers some tiny clue which could lead us toward wider spiritual knowledge and eventual liberation.”
— quoted from the commentary for Yoga Sūtra 2.18, in How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali, translated and with commentary by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood
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2 Quick Notes & EXCERPT: “Can You Be Like The Bird?” (the 6-minute post-practice Monday post) September 15, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Love, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Pema Chodron, Philosophy, Poetry, Religion, Suffering, Vairagya, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, change, compassion, faith, Feast Day of Our Lady of Sorrows, habits, Happiness, Hope, lojong, niyamas, niyamās, Pema Chödrön, Poetry, svadyaya, svādhyāya, Victor Hugo, Writing
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing the Feast Day of Our Lady of Sorrows and/or responding to life’s challenges with with friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
This post-practice compilation post is related to Monday, September 15th, and features some new and reposted content, as well as an excerpt. The 2025 prompt question was, “What is on your mind, on your heart, and how are you dealing with it?” 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.
“11
When the world is
filled with evil,
Transform all mishaps
into the path of bodhi.”
“16
Whatever you meet unexpectedly, join with meditation.”
— quoted from Always Maintain A Joyful Mind: And Other Lojong Teachings on Awakening Compassion and Fearlessness by Pema Chödrön
In Tibetan Buddhism, lojong (“mind training”) techniques are used to cultivate compassion and awaken the heart. These can be challenging endeavors on our best days — let alone on days when, as one of my yoga buddies very aptly stated tonight, “There’s a lot of heavy stuff going on right now.”
I find the second aphorism (quoted above) the easier of the two to engage; because, whether we realize it or not, we bring all of that heavy stuff onto the mat or cushion and, therefore, into the practice. The challenging part is what we do with it all once we are there — which takes us back to the first aphorism (above).
We are advised to breathe into it all — everything we are feeling, everything we are thinking — and to practice a little tonglen (“giving and taking” or “sending and receiving”), if that is in our practice.
In our yoga practice, we might even practice a little svādhyāya (“self-study”), which is the fourth the niyama (internal “observation”) in the Yoga Philosophy. Sometimes, I suggest putting yourself in another (regular) person’s shoes. Classically, however, svādhyāya is practiced using sacred text and/or scripture and putting one’s self in the shoes of a sacred person — which many people around the world did today as they observed the Feast Day of Our Lady of Sorrows.
The Feast Day of Our Lady of Sorrows is a Marian feast day in the Roman Catholic tradition. Observed annually on September 15th, it is a day when people contemplate and reflect on the suffering of Mary as the mother of Jesus and the only person (as some Christian scholars note) who “remained completely faithful to Christ, from his birth to the Cross.” This type of (Marian) contemplation dates back to the Middle Ages and was extended to the entire Catholic Church by Pope Pius VII in 1814. The focus of this liturgical commemoration is on the length, as well as the depth, of Mary’s devotion and highlights the Seven Sorrows of Mary.
Perhaps, if we were to put ourselves in the shoes of a parent like Mary — facing the joys and sorrows that she faced — we would speak up as Victor Hugo did today in 1848.
For Those Who Missed It: The following was previously posted in 2024. (Although the excerpt has been revised.)
“Gentlemen, there are three things which belong to God and which do not belong to man: the irrevocable, the irreparable, the indissoluble. Woe to man if he introduces them into his laws! (Movement.) Sooner or later they cause society to bend under their weight, they disturb the necessary balance of laws and customs, they deprive human justice of its proportions; and then this happens, think about it, gentlemen, that the law terrifies the conscience. (Sensation.)”
— quoted from Victor Hugo’s address to the French Constituent (General) Assembly, September 15, 1848
Live long enough and you will find yourself in a situation that is simultaneously beautiful and… well, icky. You will meet someone who is not who they presented themselves to be. You will find yourself needing to break a habit that once served you; because it is no longer useful — or, in fact, because you finally realize that it never really served you.
I liken these moments to finding a beautiful lotus… only to realize you are standing in the muck from which it grew. Or, we can compare them to the poison pill that heals. Or, we can see them as being on a bough that gives us a beautiful view of the landscape… just as the bough breaks.
In these moments, we can appreciate the beauty and also acknowledge the muck. We can use the amount that heals and also be mindful of the danger. Or, we can be like the bird….
“Be like the bird, who
Pausing in his flight
On limb too slight
Feels it give way beneath him
Yet sings
Knowing he has wings.”
— “Be like the bird” poem by Victor Hugo
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
NOTE: If you are interested, you can click on the excerpt above for a related playlist.
If you are struggling, 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).
### SING! ###
Another Quick Note & Excerpts About Living (& Knowing) September 10, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Books, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Love, Music, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Poetry, Suffering, Vairagya, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, grandmother, Mary Oliver, Molly Malone Cook
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone getting rooted in friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
“Today is a day like any other: twenty-four hours, a
little sunshine, a little rain.”
— quoted from the poem “Black Oaks” by Mary Oliver
How do you know you are sitting here (even if you are lying down), breathing here?
This is a variation of a question that keeps coming up in (what I’m calling) continuing education courses on mindfulness. I love this question, because it sharpens your awareness, your attentiveness.
Another thing that keeps popping up in these courses is the eloquence of Mary Oliver, in the form of the following quote:
“Ten times a day something happens to me like this — some strengthening throb of amazement — some good, sweet empathic ping and swell. This is the first, the wildest and the wisest thing I know: that the soul exists and is built entirely out of attentiveness.”
Lovely, right? And, it sounds like Mary Oliver, right?
There’s just one problem: Not a single person (or book) provides a source for this quote!
The lack of a source makes me wonder: Is this Mary Oliver? Or is this Molly Malone Cook?
For Those Who Missed It: A variation of the following was previously posted.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?”
— quoted from the poem “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver
Born today in 1935, Mary Oliver — along with her love and life partner Molly Malone Cook (b. 01/05/1925) — definitely lived a “wild and precious life.” Around this time last year, my yoga buddy Julie sent me what she described as a “mobster/Mary Oliver parody.”
The text made me smile. What made me giggle was thinking, “ Well, if we’re being honest, Mary Oliver was kinda gangsta; she was all about that life.”
CLICK ON THE FIRST (slightly ironic) EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE ABOUT MARY OLIVER.
Click on the second excerpt title below for a 2018 eulogy dedicated to one of my other favorite “wild and precious” people born today!
“You do not have to be good
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.”
— quoted from the poem “Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver
Please join me today (Wednesday, September 10th) 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 “09012024 Deep Listening”]
NOTE: Check the first excerpt for the playlist used in prior to 2024.
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.
### LISTEN TO YOUR BREATH: SO HUM, HAM SA ###
The Devil of a Thing & EXCERPT: “Still Focused On the Outside? [But, What’s On the Inside?]” September 8, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Donate, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma Yoga, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Volunteer, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Alecia Beth Moore, Books, David, education, George Eliot, International Literacy Day, literacy, Mary Ann Evans, Michelangelo, P!nk, PEN America, shabda, Star Trek, UNESCO, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization
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Happy International Literacy Day! Happy Star Trek Day! Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone carving out space for a mighty good heart, friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
This is the post-practice post related to Monday, September 8th. The 2025 prompt question was, “What is a book or story that left an impression on you (and do you think someone would be interested in it just from the cover?” You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“‘“The History of the Devil,” by Daniel Defoe,—not quite the right book for a little girl,’ said Mr Riley. ‘How came it among your books, Mr Tulliver?’
Maggie looked hurt and discouraged, while her father said,—
‘Why, it’s one o’ the books I bought at Partridge’s sale. They was all bound alike,—it’s a good binding, you see,—and I thought they’d be all good books. There’s Jeremy Taylor’s ‘Holy Living and Dying’ among ’em. I read in it often of a Sunday’ (Mr Tulliver felt somehow a familiarity with that great writer, because his name was Jeremy); “and there’s a lot more of ’em,—sermons mostly, I think,—but they’ve all got the same covers, and I thought they were all o’ one sample, as you may say. But it seems one mustn’t judge by th’ outside. This is a puzzlin’ world.’”
— quoted from “Chapter III. Mr Riley Gives His Advice Concerning a School for Tom” in “Book First. Boy and Girl.” of The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
You’ve probably heard the old adage about not judging a book by its cover. However, you may still do it. Previous experiences (and marketing people) may have taught you — or conditioned you to believe — that the stories that interest you will have certain things on the cover, while the stories that are not worth your time will have other things on the cover. Of course, as George Eliot’s Maggie eventually pointed out, it goes both ways.
Every once in a while, you may find yourself reading something that doesn’t interest you. No harm, no foul.
On the other hand, unless someone tells you otherwise, you may miss out on a great story.
But, what if you were one of the millions of people around the world who lack basic literacy skills? What if you didn’t read because you have an undiagnosed learning disability and it was exhausting? You might be thinking, “Well, now there’s Audible and other technology that can read for you.” Sure, but even that requires a certain amount of access and digital literacy, which millions of people are also lacking.
Additionally, as our reliance on technology increases, proficiency can decrease. For example, I can verify the spelling and meaning of a word, because I know where to start. I also know how to verify if an image (and the accompanying information) is real and accurate, slightly altered, or completely fabricated. I can do those things (and more), because I can read.
But, some people can’t.
“‘Well,’ said Mr Riley, in an admonitory, patronizing tone as he patted Maggie on the head, ‘I advise you to put by the ‘History of the Devil,’ and read some prettier book. Have you no prettier books?’”
— quoted from “Chapter III. Mr Riley Gives His Advice Concerning a School for Tom” in “Book First. Boy and Girl.” of The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
According to UNESCO, “… at least 739 million youth and adults worldwide still lack basic literacy skills in 2024. At the same time, 4 in 10 children are not reaching minimum proficiency in reading, and 272 million children and adolescents were out of school in 2023.” And, while you may think that’s a THEM problem, it’s actually an (all of) US problem.
In 1967, UNESCO designated today, September 8th, as International Literacy Day (ILD). It is a day that highlights “the critical importance of literacy for creating more literate, just, peaceful, and sustainable society.”
The 2025 ILD theme is “Promoting literacy in the digital era.”
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW
FOR MORE ABOUT THE INSIDE
(& TO DISCOVER WHY THESE POSTS ARE SO PINK)!
“‘Oh, yes,’ said Maggie, reviving a little in the desire to vindicate the variety of her reading. ‘I know the reading in this book isn’t pretty; but I like the pictures, and I make stories to the pictures out of my own head, you know. But I’ve got “Æsop’s Fables,” and a book about Kangaroos and things, and the “Pilgrim’s Progress….”’
‘Ah, a beautiful book,’ said Mr Riley; ‘you can’t read a better.’
‘Well, but there’s a great deal about the Devil in that,’ said Maggie, triumphantly, ‘and I’ll show you the picture of him in his true shape, as he fought with Christian.’”
— quoted from “Chapter III. Mr Riley Gives His Advice Concerning a School for Tom” in “Book First. Boy and Girl.” of The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
NOTE: If you are interested, you can click on the excerpt above for a related playlist.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
### “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” ~ Michelangelo ###
FTWMI: A Very Quick Note & EXCERPT: “You and Your Heart Are Invited” September 7, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Love, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Texas, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, anxiety, Dr. Michael DeBakey, Health, heart, Marcus Aurelius, mental health, Mindfulness, Mona Miller, Robert Pirsig, wellness
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone working to strengthen and cultivate a mighty good heart.
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted in 2024. The excerpt has been updated here (and on the original). Class details; some syntax; and links (including links to a remixed playlist) have been added/updated.
“The human heart yearns for peace and love and freedom. Peace heals, elevates, and invigorates the spirit. Peace represents the health of humanity.”
— Dr. Michael DeBakey (b. 1908), quoted from “Quotable Quotes: The Human Heart and Peace” in Azerbaijan International Magazine (6.3) Autumn 1998
Dr. Michael DeBakey, who was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, today in 1908, was an internationally renowned heart specialist. He knew a thing or two about hearts and about health. If we take his words and face value — and then take a look around — we might conclude that there are places that are obviously unhealthy. Then, there are places where the metaphorical heart that is our society has been engaging in behavior we know is not good, healthy, or wise. Finally, there are the places that look like the very young and super athletic person who collapses because no one noticed the hole or the block in their heart.
As I mentioned during yesterday’s practice, sometimes we need a professional (like Dr. DeBakey). However, needing the help of a professional does not mean that we don’t also take care of ourselves — which is what I invite you to do during each and every practice.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR A LITTLE MORE.
“The place to improve the world is first in one’s own heart and head and hands, and then work outward from there.”
— quoted from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert Pirsig
Please join me today (Sunday, September 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 available on YouTube and Spotify.
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.
### LISTEN TO YOUR HEART ###
A Quick Note & EXCERPTS: “A Little Maintenance & A Little Playful Inquiry” & “The Art of Moving Meditation” September 6, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Meditation, Minneapolis, Minnesota, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Suffering, Tragedy, Twin Cities, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Books, Buddhism, pirsig, Robert Pirsig, Writing, Zen
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone working to maintain friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside).
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
“It occurred to me that maybe I was the odd one on the subject, but that was disposed of too. Most touring cyclists know how to keep their machines tuned. Car owners usually won’t touch the engine, but every town of any size at all has a garage with expensive lifts, special tools and diagnostic equipment that the average owner can’t afford. And a car engine is more complex and inaccessible than a cycle engine so there’s more sense to this. But for John’s cycle, a BMW R60, I’ll bet there’s not a mechanic between here and Salt Lake City. If his points or plugs burn out, he’s done for. I know he doesn’t have a set of spare points with him. He doesn’t know what points are. If it quits on him in western South Dakota or Montana I don’t know what he’s going to do.”
— quoted from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert Pirsig
Since today is the anniversary of the birth of Robert Pirsig (b. 1928), we play and maintain and sit — which, in this context, is all the same.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE.
“I might have thought this was just a peculiar attitude of theirs about motorcycles but discovered later that it extended to other things — .”
— quoted from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert Pirsig
“The real cycle you’re working on is a cycle called yourself. The machine that appears to be ‘out there’ and the person that appears to be ‘in here’ are not two separate things. They grow toward Quality or fall away from Quality together.”
— quoted from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert Pirsig
Please join me today (Saturday, September 6th) at 12:00 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.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09062020 The Art of Moving Meditation”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
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.)
“The place to improve the world is first in one’s own heart and head and hands, and then work outward from there.”
— quoted from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert Pirsig
### BREATHE: You need air in your tires and wind in your sails. ###
A Quick Note & EXCERPT: “I Can’t Say That… Can I?” August 30, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma, Life, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Suffering, Tragedy, Vairagya, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, environment, journalism, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Molly Ivins, Moscow-Washington Direct Communication Link, politics, SCOTUS, Second Battle of Bull Run, Second Battle of Manassas, Supreme Court, Technology, Thurgood Marshall, Washington-Moscow Direct Communication Link
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May you be safe, peaceful, healthy, and hydrated.
“‘You are in the wrong,’ replied the fiend; ‘and instead of threatening, I am content to reason with you. I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all…? Shall I respect man when he condemns me? Let him live with me in the interchange of kindness, and instead of injury I would bestow every benefit upon him with tears of gratitude at his acceptance. But that cannot be; the human senses are insurmountable barriers to our union. Yet mine shall not be the submission of abject slavery. I will revenge my injuries; if I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear, and chiefly towards you my archenemy…’”
— quoted from Chapter 17 of Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (b. 1797)
I stand by the statements I made in the post excerpted below and yet… and yet. While I do not ever choose the monster’s path, I do recognize that any of us could be the monster. I recognize that it is a choice and that recognition can make all the difference in the world.
Part of this practice is noticing our choices and, also, noticing cause-and-effect — as well as our samskara (a “mental impression”) and vasana (a literal “dwelling” place of our habits). Part of this practice is noticing the conditioning and habitual patterns that make us, in a moment, forget that we have a choice. It is natural to run, hide, and/or come out swinging when backed into a corner by someone that means us harm. However, take note of what happens when the danger is passed. Are you still running, hiding, or swinging?
Now, take note of the times when you back yourself into a corner.
Are you still running, hiding, or swinging?
And, if you are not swinging, what are you doing?
“Nothing is more painful to the human mind than, after the feelings have been worked up by a quick succession of events, the dead calmness of inaction and certainty which follows and deprives the soul both of hope and fear.”
— quoted from Chapter 9 of Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Click on the excerpt title below for the short post related to this date.
“I do know that for the sympathy of one living being, I would make peace with all. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other.”
— quoted from the movie based on Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Please join me today (Saturday, August 30th) at 12:00 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.
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10202020 Pratyahara”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
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.)
### THE LIGHT IS STILL ON & THE LINE IS STILL OPEN!! ###
FTWMI (x2): What the Gurus Teach Us & Heart Filled… [revised] August 26, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Bhakti, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Loss, Love, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Women, Yoga.Tags: 988, Anjeze Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, bible, Buddha, Chris Pine, Christopher Isherwood, compassion, Diamond Sutra, Diamond Sutta, Dorothy S. Hunt, Edmund White, Edward W. Desmond, faith, god, Gospel According to St. John, Gwen Costello, Hillel the Elder, Jesus, Love, loving-kindness, lovingkindness, Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa, Nobel Peace Prize, Qur'an, Swami Prabhavananda, Swami Tattwamayananda, The Gospel According to John, Thornton Wilder, Tom Eubanks, Torah, Vedanta, Yoga Sutra 1.33
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing the Dormition (Theotokos) Fast; and/or working to cultivate friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside).
Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted in 2024. Class details and some links have been added/updated.
“STAGE MANAGER….. – Now there are some things we all know but we don’t take’m out and look at’m very often. We all know that something is eternal. And it ain’t houses and it ain’t names, and it ain’t earth, and it ain’t even the stars . . . everybody knows in their bones that something is eternal, and that something has to do with human beings. All the greatest people ever lived have been telling us that for five thousand years and yet you’d be surprised how people are always letting go of that fact. There’s something way down deep that’s eternal about every human being.”
— quoted from Act III of Our Town by Thornton Wilder
Given the fact that I love Thornton Wilder’s work and that the Stage Manager in Our Town has a special place in my heart — and given the fact that that little bit from Act III plays as a regular loop in my brain — I should not have been caught off guard by a question someone asked Swami Tattwamayananda, the Minister of the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco, at the end of one of his 2019 lectures on the Bhagavad Gita. But, there I was doing my hair on a Friday, listening to the podcast, and being completely flabbergasted that someone didn’t get the lesson taught by all the “Big G” gurus associated with all the major religions and philosophies.
I’m not going to lie; for a moment, I got “hooked.” My judgement kicked in and I just waited for the answer… the answer I knew was coming. I just didn’t know how it was going to come. I knew it was coming, because (again), it’s the most consistent lesson in the world. It is the lesson that is at the heart (pun intended) of all the major philosophies and religions. In no particular order…
It’s the one underlying most of my practices (and highlighted in all of the practices over the last couple of days).
It’s the one Hillel the Elder taught while standing on one foot.
It’s the one the Buddha taught with a Diamond.
It’s the one the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught with a brother.
It’s the one Jesus taught until his final words and the one Patanjali taught, with a twist. (See below.)
It’s the one taught by so many teachers we could spend our whole lives just naming the teachers (and never even getting to the lesson). But, let’s get (back) to the lesson, the heart filled lesson.
For Those Who Missed It: The following is a revised and expanded version of a 2020 post. The revisions include more information on Christopher Isherwood, citations for quotes, and a coda related to the 2019 Vedanta lesson referenced above.
“… if we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”
— quoted from the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University’s Architects of Peace essay, “Reflections on Working Towards Peace” by Mother Teresa
“When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.”
— quoted from (“the last words of Jesus”) in The Gospel According to St. John (19:26 – 27, KJV)
I have officiated three weddings as a yogi and I did this after pretty in-depth conversations with the couples about their relationships, their backgrounds, their expectations, and their love languages. Each wedding was uniquely beautiful — as the relationships are uniquely beautiful. However, I ended each ceremony with the words (above) of Mother Teresa. When someone says, “Start as you mean to go on,” I again think of Mother Teresa’s words; because to me they are as vital in a marriage as they are in any other relationship — including (maybe especially) our relationships with our master teachers and our precious jewels, people with whom we have no peace.
Born Anjeze Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, today in 1910, Mother Teresa spoke words that remind me of one of the Stations of the Cross that falls in the rubric of “the last words of Jesus.” According to The New Testament, specifically The Gospel According to John, when Jesus looks down from the cross to see his mother and one of his disciples, he tells them that they are family. Now, I know that some folks don’t treat every member of their family with love and respect. I know that we all have a moment when we forget what many great minds and sacred texts keep telling us. Yet, the lesson on love and kindness persists. Even before Johannes Gutenberg created the first printed Bible on August 24, 1456, the lesson was there in the Hebrew Bible and in the Christian New Testament. The lesson also appears in the Diamond Sūtra and in the Mettā Sūtra. While I often say that the lesson on offering love, kindness, equanimity, and joy also appears in the Yoga Sūtra — and it does, Patanjali made a distinction that is overlooked in some translations.
“Undisturbed calmness of mind is attained by cultivating feelings of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and indifference toward the wicked [ or non-virtuous].”
— quoted from How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali (1.33), translated and with commentary by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood
Born today in 1904, Christopher Isherwood was a British-American novelist, playwright, screenwriter, autobiographer, and diarist. He was the author of the semi-autobiographical novel Goodbye to Berlin (1939) — which John van Druten adapted into the 1951 Broadway play I Am a Camera, which was the inspiration for the Broadway musical (1966) and movie Cabaret. He was also the author of A Single Man (1964), a semi-autobiographical gay romance about learning to live despite grief, which was adapted into a film by Tom Ford in 2009, and his 1976 memoir, Christopher and His Kind, (which was also turned into a television movie by the BBC in 2011). When reviewing the author’s diaries in a 2012 LAMBDA Literary article, Tom Eubanks noted Mr. Isherwood’s “melancholia [with] humorous doses of hypochondria and body dysmorphia” and stated that “As Edmund White notes in the preface, there’s a surprising amount of anti-Semitism and misogyny in these pages. Overall, it could be argued that Isherwood was an equal opportunity hater.” At the same time, Christopher Isherwood and his closest friends, like W. H. Auden and Truman Capote, were critical of Nazism and Adolf Hitler.
Other seemingly contradictory aspects of Christopher Isherwood’s life were his long-term relationships with young men and his long-term relationship with the Vedanta Society of Southern California. The former was about romantic (and sexual) love; the latter required so much austerity, discipline, and devotion to spirit (rather than to the flesh) that the author did not a novel during the six years when he was becoming a monk. Yet, there is no denying that, after Gerald Heard and Aldous Huxley introduced him to Vedanta, he was deeply committed to the philosophy. He and Swami Prabhavananda, the society’s founder, even spent 35 years researching, translating, and collaborating on several books and papers.
Christopher Isherwood and Swami Prabhavananda’s collaborations included Bhagavad Gita — The Song of God (1944), which features an introduction by Aldous Huxley, and a translation with commentary of the Yoga Sūtras, called How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali (1953). As noted above, they were very explicit and specific about sūtra 1.33; noting in the commentary, “As for the wicked, we must remember Christ’s words: ‘Be not overcome of evil.’ If someone harms us or hates us, our instinct is to answer him with hatred and injury. We may succeed in injuring him, but we shall be injuring ourselves much more, and our hatred will throw our own mind into confusion.”
This, too, seems to be a lesson Mother Teresa carried close to her heart. She was considered a saint by some, a pariah by others; but, there is no denying that she served, taught, and ministered to the poor, the sick, and the hungry in a way that fed bodies as well as minds. She heard her (religious) calling at the age of 12 and left home at 18-years old. She was an ethnic Albanian who claimed Indian citizenship; Catholic faith; said, “As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of Jesus;” and considered August 27th, the date of her baptism, as her true birthday. She took her religious vows in Dalkey, Ireland in 1931. Her chosen name was after Thérèsa de Lisieux, the patron saint of missionaries; however, she chose a different spelling as the Loreta Abbey already had a nun named Theresa.
“You in the West have millions of people who suffer such terrible loneliness and emptiness. They feel unloved and unwanted.”
— quoted from “Pentecost: Spiritual Poverty — Twenty-First Sunday After Pentecost — Spiritual poverty of Western World” in Love, A Fruit Always in Season: Daily Meditations From the Words of Mother Teresa of Calcutta by Mother Teresa, selected and edited by Dorothy S. Hunt
“The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.”
— Mother Teresa, quoted from the December 4, 1989, TIME interview, “Interview with MOTHER Teresa: A Pencil In the Hand Of God” by Edward W. Desmond
While teaching in Calcutta, India, Teresa heard God telling her to leave the safety and comfort of the convent so that she could live with and minister to the poor. With permission from the Vatican, she started what would become the Missionaries of Charity. 13 nuns joined Teresa by taking vows of chastity, poverty, obedience, and devotion to God through “wholehearted free service to the poorest of poor.” When Pope Paul VI gave her a limousine, she raffled it and gave the proceeds to charity. When she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, she asked that the money that would normally go towards a gala dinner be donated to charity. When the Nobel committee asked her what people should do to promote peace, she said, “Go home and love your family.” During her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, she also said, “Love begins at home.”
When Mother Teresa died in 1977, Missionaries of Charity had expanded beyond India. It had become a worldwide institution with more than 4,000 workers in 133 countries. The organizations ongoing efforts include orphanages, homes for people suffering from tuberculosis, leprosy, and HIV/AIDs. Mother Teresa opened soup kitchens, mobile health clinics, schools, and shelters in places like Harlem and Greenwich Village, while also brokering a temporary cease-fire in the Middle East in order to rescue children trapped in a hospital on the front lines.
All of the above is why some consider her a saint. However, the celebrity status her work earned her, as well as her pro-life position, was criticized by people who felt she was hurting the poor as much as she was helping them. For every documentary, book, and article praising her, there is a documentary, book, and article demonizing her. While she was known to have “dark nights of the soul,” or crises of faith, she continued to wash her $1 sari every day and go out in service to the world.
“Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within the reach of every hand. Anyone can gather it and no limit is set. Everyone can reach this love through meditation, spirit of prayer, and sacrifice, by an intense inner life.”
— quoted from the front page of Love, A Fruit Always in Season: Daily Meditations From the Words of Mother Teresa of Calcutta by Mother Teresa, selected and edited by Dorothy S. Hunt
“It is not how much we are doing but how much love we put into doing it. It makes no difference what we are doing. What you are doing, I cannot do, and what I am doing you cannot do. But all of us are doing what God has given us to do. Only sometimes we forget and spend more time looking at somebody else and wishing we were doing something else (HP, 138).”
— quoted from “Pentecost: Martha and Mary — Monday — Wishing we were doing something else” in Love, A Fruit Always in Season: Daily Meditations From the Words of Mother Teresa of Calcutta by Mother Teresa, selected and edited by Dorothy S. Hunt
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“Intense love does not measure, it just gives.”
— Mother Teresa, quoted from “22. A Simple Response” in Spiritual Gems from Mother Teresa by Gwen Costello
So there it is: the lesson that, according to the Stage Manager in Our Town, “All the greatest people ever lived have been telling us that for five thousand years and yet you’d be surprised how people are always letting go of that fact.” And, there is no denying that we can’t seem to hang on to it. Because, if we got it — really, really got it — we would not be so disconnected, disenfranchised, and without peace.
While I (mostly) hold on to the lesson, I sometimes forget that not everyone gets it. So, as I mentioned before, I was flabbergasted to hear the 2019 exchange between an unnamed person and Swami Tattwamayananda — an exchange that could have just as easily been between Christopher Isherwood and Swami Prabhavananda in the 1930s or any other teacher at any other time in history. I paused, hands still in my hair, and this is what I heard:
“Unnamed Person: You mentioned compassion for others as leading to a state of equilibrium or — I was wondering what that has to do with – anything, really. Why is that important?
Swami Tattwamayananda: Compassion for —
Unnamed Person: Compassion for others, and purity of thought. Why is that important to —?
Swami Tattwamayananda: Yeah. Vedanta tells you that this spiritual reality is present in everyone and everything. So compassion is not really an act of charity. It is rooted in the idea of the spiritual unity and oneness of humanity. So, when we show compassion to somebody, we are spiritually helping our self. When we do not do that, when we are [doing] harm to someone, we are spiritually doing harm to our self. So, the idea of the spiritual oneness of humanity, [of] one spiritual family, that is the practical aspect of Vedanta metaphysics.
The metaphysics tells you the same reality is present in everyone. It’s practical application makes you a better human being. And that, compassion, humanistic impulse is not an act of charity. It’s rooted in the understanding and realization of the fact that when we do good to others, we are doing good to our self. And the opposite way! When we do harm to others, we are doing harm to our self.
The spiritual unity and oneness of existence is the foundation of this compassion.”
— quoted from an exchange between a person in attendance and Swami Tattwamayananda (at the end of the guru’s lecture, “4 – The Real and the Unreal: Beyond Pain and Pleasure,” recorded February 22, 2019 as part of the “Bhagavad Gita | The Essence of Vedanta” lecture series)
Please join me today (Tuesday, August 26th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s heart-filled playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “08262020 Heart Filled for Teresa & 2 Christophers”]
(The second “Christopher” is Chris Pine, born today in 1980, so I have also previously offered last week’s (Courage filled) playlist, which is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “08192020 To Boldly Go with Courage”])
It’s hard to be loving or kind — to yourself or another — when you’re uncomfortable. Extreme heat can not only make people lethargic and unmotivated, it can also lead to extreme agitation and anxiety-based fear. We may find it hard to think, hard to feel (or process our feelings), and/or hard to control our impulses. If you are struggling in the US, help is available just by dialing 988.
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.
“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”
— a compilation quoted attributed to Mother Teresa
### LOVE MORE (hate less) ###
2 EXCERPTS: “Re-Introducing SOPHIE” & “How Do You Love Ye?” August 24, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Love, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Art, avidya, Books, Goth, Intolerance, music, Paulo Coelho, Sophie Lancaster, Sophie Lancaster Foundation, Sylvia Lancaster, Writing, yoga, yoga philosophy
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing the Dormition (Theotokos) Fast; and/or working to cultivate friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside) — on the International Day Against Intolerance, Discrimination, & Violence Based on Musical Preference.
Stay hydrated & be kind, y’all!
“. . . the great aim of every human being is to understand the meaning of total love. Love is not to be found in someone else, but in ourselves; we simply awaken it. But in order to do that, we need the other person.”
— quoted from Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho (b. 1947)
Click on the first excerpt title below to “meet” Sophie Lancaster and the second excerpt title for a mini-post about Paulo Coelho.
“During the long hours at hospital, Sylvia decided that when Sophie was better, they would go into schools and talk to young people about difference, and how it is ok to be who you are and express yourself in your own way. Sadly, Sylvia never got a chance to do this with Sophie.”
— quoted from the “Welcome” page for the Sophie Lancaster Foundation
Please join me today (Sunday, August 24th) 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 available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “08242021 A Day for SOPHIE”]
NOTE: The YouTube playlist contains this video with a graphic depiction of violence.
Extreme heat can not only make people lethargic and unmotivated, it can also lead to extreme agitation and anxiety-based fear. We may find it hard to think, hard to feel (or process our feelings), and/or hard to control our impulses. If you are struggling in the US, help is available just by dialing 988.
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.
A Joyful Practice 