A Giving Sunday (mostly the music & blessings) June 14, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Donate, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Science, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Dana, Dr. Karl Landsteiner, Generosity, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, siddhis, World Blood Donor Day, World Health Organization, Yoga Sutra 2.24
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Happy Pride! Many, many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating PRIDE and/or the 2nd Week after Pentecost, All Russian Saints, & the Apostles’ (Peter & Paul) Fast on World Blood Donor Day.
“The last category of our innate siddhis is dana, ‘the ability to give.’ We have both the wisdom and the courage to share what lawfully belongs to us with others. We are designed to experience the joy of giving. This joy is the architect of human civilization, characterized by self-sacrifice and selflessness.”
— quoted from the commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.24 from The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
Please join me today (Sunday, June 14th) 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 “06142020 World Blood Donor Day”]
“[The 2026 World Blood Donor Day] campaign, ‘One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives.’, places humanity at the heart of every blood donation. It reminds us that each donation is more than a medical act: it is a powerful expression of solidarity, compassion and collective responsibility. Inspired by the idea that the whole of humanity can be reflected in a single drop, the campaign highlights how every donor helps form a lifeline that connects and protects us all.”
— quoted from the World Health Organization’s 2026 World Blood Donor Day site
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 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.
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
### Generosity ⇐⇒ Humanity ###
A BIG Thank You, A Little Reminder, & A Request (a bonus post) May 28, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Donate, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Science, Swami Vivekananda, Texas, Twin Cities, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: Carl Rogers Young, David Shul, giving thanks, gratitude, Jason Patrick Bowman, Michael Franti, music, retreat, Spearhead, Swami Vivekananda
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Many, many blessings to everyone.
“A hundred lives would not be sufficient to pay my deep debt of gratitude to you! I have not words enough to express my gratitude to you. ‘If the Indian Ocean were an inkstand, the highest mountain of the Himalaya the pen, the earth the scroll and time itself the writer’ (Adapted from the Shiva-Mahimnah-Stotram [verse 32].) still it will not express my gratitude to you!”
— quoted from “Epistles — Second Series: XL (From a letter written to H. H. the Maharaja of Khetri) American, 1894.” as printed in Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (Volume 6) by Swami Vivekananda
Normally, when Kiss My Asana is in April and the donation pages are officially open until sometime in May, this is around the time when I post a little thank you for all the support. Even though KMA (or, at least the corresponding Salon) has been rescheduled this year, I still want to take this opportunity to say thank you. This is a big thank you, because I want to thank everyone who has supported me and this practice and this yoga community over the years.
Big shoutout and thank you to those of you who remember me teaching yoga in your living rooms. Thank you to the A-Team and the Wolf Team (my cohorts during my first teacher training) and all the teachers and students in all of my trainings. Thank you to everyone who regularly (or sporadically) came to classes at the YMCAs, the studios, Common Ground Meditation Center, and/or a condo or community center classes. Thank you to all my meditation buddies.
Thank you to everyone who has supported Kiss My Asana over the years. Thank you to everyone who have showed up (at multiple locations) for the Yoga Week classes over the last few years — not to mention those who helped me find and secure those multiple locations. I will also appreciate you showing up in the future.
Thank you to everyone who showed up for Sunrise Yoga during Northern Lights, for practices during Don’t You Feel It To? events, and/or for one of the special practices at one of the museums. Thank you for everyone who has attended (or will attend) a retreat. Thank you to the coordinators of those events, who invited me to teach, as well as to the supervisors and studio owners/managers I have met along the way. Thank you to the Carry Prenatal Yoga and Meditation App founders and support team — as well as everyone who has downloaded the app. Thank you for the students, teachers, and staff at Bend Yoga Center.
Thank you to those of you who invited me to teach outside by the lake or creek and those of you who invited me to teach for your birthday… or the birthday of someone you love. Thank you to the couples who invited me to officiate their weddings and to the people who asked me to be a part of a moment marking the beginning of new life or the end of a life well-lived.
Thank you to the handful of you who invited me to share the practice with your co-workers, family, and friends. Thank you to those of you who recommended me to your friends (not to mention your parents or kids), as well as those of you who intentionally (or serendipitously) ended up having a private practice.
Thank you to the handful of you who have opened your homes to me and to everyone (and anyone) who shows up! Thank you to the cooks and for everyone who has shared a dish and/or a whole meal when we all get together!!
Thank you to everyone who has ever purchased a class, made a donation, and/or given me treats. Thank you to everyone who has shared a meal, a hot beverage, a conversation, and/or a giggle with me. Thank you for everyone who has offered me feedback (positive or negative) and recommendations. Thank you to for the tangible gifts as well as those that don’t fit in a box. Thank you for everyone who has made sure I got where I needed to go (not to mention those who made sure I had a place to go).
Thank you to everyone who has continued this journey — either on Zoom; via a recording; through the blog, YouTube, and Spotify channels; and/or at those few times a year when I am offering in-person classes.
Additionally, here’s an extra special shout out and thank you to those of you who don’t practice (and may never practice), but make sure that someone you love has the space, time, technology, and other resources to join the rest of us on the mat and on the cushion.
I apologize if I have forgotten anyone. Please know that I appreciate you and that, as much as I am grateful for how our paths have crossed in the past, I am doubly grateful for how they will crisscross in the future.
Speaking of the future, don’t forget that there is still space for the upcoming gratitude retreat!
“Whoa, whoa, life is better with you
Whoa, whoa, life is better with you
And when I think about the things that we’ve been through
I know just one thing is true, life is better”
— quoted from the song “Life Is Better With You” by Michael Franti & Spearhead (written by Michael Franti, Jason Patrick Bowman)
Final shout-outs and thank yous: I am forever grateful for my yoga and meditation practices — and for the ways in which they became part of my everyday life. It is hard to imagine how I would be (or where I would be) without these practices and it is my continuous hope that your experiences with yoga are similarly profound.
On that note, thank you to my yoga teachers — especially the first ones — and an extra special decades-in-the-making thank you to the person who coordinated my first set of classes (and my second set of classes) and the other person who consistently showed up for the first set of classes (and the handful who showed up for the second set). You know who you are.
Music has always been a big part of my life and, so, it naturally became a big part of my practice. I am grateful for music and the way it opens us up — on so many different levels. I am also grateful that I was introduced to a lot of different music at a very early age. Fun fact: If I hadn’t learned how to read music (when I was a child), I may not have worked at the ballet (the second time around), which means I might not have started practicing yoga when I did… which means I might not have crossed paths with any of you… which means I wouldn’t be nearly as grateful as I am right now.
If you are also grateful for music (on or off the mat), please click here and check out this video for the South High Music Booster Club.
“Everyone deserves music, sweet music
Even our worst enemies Lord, they deserve music, music
And even the quiet ones in our family, they deserve music
So if you’re feelin’ down and out, got no place to go now
Just sing along to the music y’all, let it fill your soul now
Because everyone deserves music, sweet music
Even the quiet ones, the lonely ones
The happy ones ain’t the only ones, y’all
Everyone deserves music”
— quoted from the song “Everyone Deserves Music” by Michael Franti & Spearhead (written by Michael Franti, David Shul, Carl Rogers Young)
NOTE: In his 1894 letter, which recounted some of his experiences at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and Parliament of the World’s Religions, Swami Vivekananda was specifically expressing gratitude for “American women!” (His exclamation mark, not mine.) Towards the end of the letter, he said, “They intuitively know that it is a question of positivity and not negativity, a question of addition and not subtraction. They are every day becoming aware of the fact that it is the affirmative and positive side of everything that shall be stored up, and that this very act of accumulating the affirmative and positive, and therefore soul-building forces of nature, is what destroys the negative and destructive elements in the world.”
### Gracias ♥ Merci ♥ Grazie ♥ Danke ♥ Go Raibh Maith Agat ♥ 谢谢 [Xièxie] ♥ धन्यवाद [Dhanyavāda] ♥ Dankon ♥ ありがとう [Arigatō] ###
CODA & EXCERPTS: “Being Linda” & “‘Being…’ – Lessons in Svādyāya” May 17, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Changing Perspectives, Donate, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Meditation, One Hoop, Philosophy, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: #IDAHOBIT, 988, Brown v Board, Counting the Omer, education, Hobbits, International Day Against Homophobia Biphobia Intersexism and Transphobia, José González, Linda Brown, Linda Carol Brown, Mireille P, Sarah Darville, SCOTUS, Sixth Sunday of the Pascha, Special Education (SPED), Sunday of the Blind Man, svadyaya, svādhyāya, Teddy P, The Gospel According to John, Thurgood Marshall
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone Counting the Omer, and/or celebrating/observing the Sixth Sunday of Pascha: the Sunday of the Blind Man and/or International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism, and Transphobia.
This is the “missing” compilation post for Sunday, May 17th. It includes a new coda and (previously posted) excerpts. My apologies for not posting before the practice. 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.
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.
𝄌
“It’s disheartening that we are still fighting. But we are dealing with human beings. As long as we are, there will always be those who feel the races should be separate.”
— Linda Brown, quoted in a 1994 New York Times article (around 40th anniversary)
In some ways, the story of the Supreme Court of the United States’ landmark decision in (the first) Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, today (May 17th) in 1954, is a story about more than Linda Brown and her parents Oliver and Leola Brown. It’s a story about more than the other children — of every ethnicity and race — going to school in the United States in the 1950s. In fact, it is an ongoing story about the almost 4 billion (and counting) school-aged children who have gone to public school in the United States since 1954. It’s a story about how children grow up and either become a benefit to society or a detriment.
I would argue that the ramifications of the decision to desegregate public schools in the US have (mostly) been beneficial. However, the decision (and the way it was implemented) was not perfect. Furthermore, the story does not (yet) have a happily-ever-after ending — because there are still people who want to “cycle trivialities” and find some way to “Other” someone (in this case, children) in order to segregate them. In fact, on Thursday (05/14), I went to an independent school district board meeting where parents, teachers, librarians, and community were speaking up against an ill-conceived “plan” to segregate some students in Special Education (SPED).
Now, if you know me personally — and you know I don’t have school-aged kids (or grandkids) — you might wonder why I would go to the aforementioned school board meeting. Bottom line: I live in a neighborhood with an elementary school, a middle school, and a public library that are part of the school district. More importantly, I have neighbors and friends currently enrolled in this school district. Some of those neighbors and friends, like my friend Teddy P, who has Down Syndrome, currently attend school with students who are in SPED, as well as students who are not. Teddy loves music, loves to dance, loves to swim, and REALLY loves to tell corny jokes. He’s a teenage boy, so he can be a little moody at times and a little stubborn; but, mostly I would describe him as sweet and gregarious (i.e., social and fun-loving).
Over the years, especially since I have been back in Texas, I have had the privilege of watching him grow up and develop into a person who can (and does) make a difference. Teddy is who he is, in part, because of his parents (and extended family). He is who he is, in part, because of the way they have advocated for him in his schools. They have made choices, in part, because the laws create the opportunity for them to make the best choices for Teddy. While the school board is not in a position to change the laws affecting people with disabilities, they are in a position to make it harder for people to exercise their rights — and that, unfortunately, is what they are attempting to do. Fortunately, the board is meeting with resistance: 99 people signed up to speak out on Thursday. One of the speakers was Teddy’s mom, Mireille, who pointed out that these children are not numbers and said:
“I’m here because something is going very wrong.”
It is hard to tell how many of the board members were really listening on Thursday and could see what was right in front of them. My guess is that some of them refuse to see and others… others might need a miracle. Speaking of miracles: In addition to being the anniversary of Brown v Board, today was also the Sunday of the Blind Man (in some Orthodox Christian traditions).1
The Sunday of the Blind Man is dedicated to the story of Jesus healing a man who was blind because he was born without eyes. According to the Gospel According to John (9), there was a lot of drama surrounding this healing. The disciples questioned whether or not the man’s disability was related to someone’s sin and then attempted to identify the catalyst for the miracle. (Spoiler alert, Jesus said disability had nothing to do with sin and it’s the man’s faith, not the clay or water, that serves as the healing catalyst.) The story also includes some people questioning the fact that the healing took place on the Sabbath; questioning the identity of the man after he was healed; and still others noting the significance of this being the first time “any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind”. What is particularly notable about that last part is that, according to the gospels, Jesus had previously opened the eyes of others (i.e., people who should have had the ability to see what was right in front of them). The story also underscores the guilt of people who are willfully ignorant (i.e., people who should have had the ability to see what was right in front of them).
Metaphorically speaking, the story of the blind man holds a lesson for us all. Sometimes, we need a little help in order to see. Sometimes, we need a little faith. Sometimes we just need to open our eyes and remember (as I mentioned before) that every child grows up to be benefit to society or a detriment.
The difference really does come down to what we are taught… and how we are taught it.
“None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We got here because somebody – a parent, a teacher, an Ivy League crony or a few nuns – bent down and helped us pick up our boots.”
— Supreme Court Justice (and former NAACP chief counsel) Thurgood Marshall referencing his SCOTUS successor in a Newsweek interview (dated October 28, 1991)
Click on the first excerpt title for a related meditation.
Click on the second excerpt title for more history.
FTWMI: “Being…” – Lessons in Svādyāya (an expanded and “renewed” post)
“When they won, it set a lasting legal precedent. [Linda] Brown was attending an integrated junior high school by then, and she later recalled the initial desegregation of local elementary schools going smoothly. But over the course of her life, she saw the reality of school integration fall short, locally and nationally.”
— quoted from the 2018 Chalkbeat article entitled “In her own words: Remembering Linda Brown, who was at the center of America’s school segregation battles” by Sarah Darville (posted May 27, 2018)
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05172020 Brown”]
NOTE: The playlists have slightly different before/after music and the YouTube playlist includes the video below of Linda Carol Brown.
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).
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
NOTE: 1During the 2026 practice, I referenced the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism, and Transphobia (instead of the Sunday of the Blind Man). I did not mention, however, that the acronym, IDAHOBIT, made me think of The Lord of the Rings and how all the different types of people came together to (essentially) save the world. We can all “be da hobbit”, we just have to open our eyes and see the common threads that connect us.
### I da hobbit! Are u a hobbit? ###
A Mother’s Dream & EXCERPT: “The Ties That Bind” May 10, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Art, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Maya Angelou, Movies, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.Tags: 988, Ann Reeves Jarvis, Anna Marie Jarvis, Counting the Omer, Donald P. Bellisario, Fifth Sunday of Pascha, Fred Astaire, Gerry Society, Gerrymen, Jeanine Basinge, Johanna “Ann” Geilus Astaire, Kathleen Riley, MoManger, Mother's Day, Samaritan Woman, The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
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Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms!
Peace and many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone Counting the Omer and/or observing/celebrating the Fifth Sunday of Pascha: The Samaritan Woman.
“After their first performances in Los Angeles in February 1909, the Gerrymen intervened, and their booking was canceled. Ann thereupon initiated a campaign of her own, appealing to newspaper critics to help publicize their plight and finally obtaining a hearing before the local chapter of the [New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children1]. She pleaded convincingly the children’s dedication and well-being and the excellent care and tuition they were receiving, and the society relented.”
— quoted from “Opening the Bill” in The Astaires: Fred & Adele by Kathleen Riley
If she were alive today, Johanna “Ann” Geilus Astaire would be considered a MoManger. She was the mother of Adele Astaire Douglass and Fred Astaire (who was born Frederick Austerlitz today in 1899. She was the daughter of Lutheran German immigrants; married to a Jewish-Austrian immigrant (whose family converted to Catholicism); and she was (initially) raising her children in Omaha, Nebraska. Like their parents, Ann and her husband (Friedrich “Fritz” Emanuel Austerlitz) wanted the best for their children. They had big dreams — and Ann thought they could achieve those dreams through the talents of their children.
Adele immediately took to singing and dancing. Young Fred learned to sing and learned to play piano, accordion, and clarinet; but, wasn’t much for dancing until he started imitated his sister. Both studied elocution and, by the time they were nine and six (respectively), Adele and Fred were living in New York and preparing to be one of the most sought after brother-sister vaudeville acts in the United States.
“Fred Astaire explained it to the young Jack Lemmon: ‘You’re now at a level where you can afford only one mistake. The higher up you go, the more mistakes you are allowed. Right at the top, if you make enough of them, it’s considered to be your style.’ In other words, once you were successfully typed, you were safe.”
— quoted from “Part I: Stars and the Factory System ― Product and Type” in The Star Machine by Jeanine Basinge
Eventually, the siblings moved from vaudeville to Broadway musicals to London’s West End. When Adele got married and retired (in 1932), Fred moved from stage to screen. His 76-year career included over 10 Broadway and West End musicals, 31 film musicals, four Emmy Award-winning musical specials for television, and a plethora of (non-musical) television and movie appearances. In addition to receiving an Honorary Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Grammy Award, Fred Astaire changed the way musicals were filmed.
While he appeared in several acting roles in 1979 and the early 1980s, Fred Astaire’s final filmed dance was as Chameleon, in the 1979 Battlestar Galactica episode “The Man with Nine Lives”. The role and the episode were specifically written for him (by by Donald P. Bellisario) after Mr. Astaire asked if could make a guest appearance on the show that his grandchildren loved.
In other words, he wanted something special for his (grand)children — just like his mom wanted something special for him.
FTWMI: Variations of the following have previously been posted.
It all comes back to the moms. No matter how you came to be a mom (or what your kiddos call you), you have been in a position to teach people to dream, dance, and reach for the stars. In fact, in most cases, you are someone’s first teacher, cheerleader, mentor, coach, confidant, spiritual/religious/moral guide, and friend.
You may also be the short order cook, personal assistant, driver, and the business manager who handles entertainment, the schedule, and the finances: the MoManger. You do all of this and more — maybe even including a second job as a spouse and a third job as something other than a mom. (Of course, you may also list those roles in a completely different order.)
While today, Mother’s Day in the United States, doesn’t explicitly state that it is a day when we celebrate all of your roles… it absolutely is exactly that day!
“I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial mother’s day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life. She is entitled to it.”
— quoted from the end of 1876 Sunday school lesson by Ann Reeves Jarvis (words that inspired her daughter Anna Maria Jarvis)
Click on the excerpt title below for more about Mother’s Day.
The Ties That Bind (a short “renewed” post for Mother’s Day)
While I don’t know if I will ever go back to teaching on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, I will continue to offer the 2020 recordings and a philosophy-based alternative recording for those who are on my Sunday mailing list (or, you can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.)
The Mother’s Day playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Mother’s Day 2020”]
The playlist for May 10th is available on on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05102022 Fred’s Dance”]
NOTE: The May 10th playlists have slightly different before/after music and the YouTube playlist includes a video and a portion of an interview.
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.
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
NOTE:1 The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children was a child protective agency founded in 1874 (and incorporated in 1875). Sometimes referred to as the “Gerry Society” (after co-founder Elbridge Thomas Gerry), its agents were nicknamed “Gerrymen”.
### Moms Have Fascinating Rhythm! ###
A Quick Note & EXCERPT: “The Hardest Working Day, the Way the Words Work, & More Sides of the Story” May 1, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Baha'i, Changing Perspectives, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, One Hoop, Passover, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Riḍván, Suffering, Tragedy, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Beltane, Cornell University, Counting the Omer, Eugene V. Debs, F. Peterson, Feast Day of Saint Joseph the Worker, Haymarket affair, International Workers' Day, Labour Day, Law Day, Loyalty Day, May Day, Paul Avrich, Pesach Sheni (Second Passover), R. Hyman, Riḍván, Ridvan, Third Week of Pascha
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Peace and many blessings to anyone celebrating / observing International Workers’ Day, Law Day and Loyalty Day (in the US), the Feast Day of Saint Joseph the Worker, Counting the Omer, and/or the Third Week of Pascha!
“Chag Sameach!” to observing/celebrating Pesach Sheni (Second Passover)! “Happy Riḍván!” to anyone celebrating “the Most Great Festival.”
“There was an instance of silence. Then from beneath Spies’s hood came the words: ‘The time will come when our silence will be more powerful than the voices you strangle today.’”
— quoted from “Chapter 23 – The Scaffold” in The Haymarket Tragedy by Paul Avrich
There is a certain kind of silence today. It is not the absence of sound, per se. It is the absence of a certain kind of sound: the sound of people working. Today, people all over the United States are participating in a general strike.
Organizing on this day is not an accident. It is an intentional act rooted in history that is simultaneously tragic, powerful, and meaningful.
Hopefully, today will be full of powerful meaning and empty of tragedy.
“Strike: ‘A temporary stoppage of work by a group of workers in order to express a grievance or to enforce a demand. Such a grievance or demand may or may not be workplace-related.’
– -The first sentence of this definition is heavily influenced by Peterson (1937: 3),1 also used by Hyman (1989: 17).2 The only difference we make to the first part of this definition is by changing ‘employees’ to ‘workers.’
Labor Protest: ‘Collective action by a group of people as workers but without withdrawing their labor in order to express a grievance or enforce a demand. Such a grievance or demand may or may not be workplace-related. A labor protest may also consist of a group of people not acting in the protest as workers as long as the central demand is workplace related.’
We distinguish between strikes and labor protests as a core component of our labor action tracker. The major distinction between strikes and labor protests relates to whether a group of workers stopped work during the course of the event. We believe this definition of strikes is relatively inclusive, but we need to convincingly demonstrate that a stoppage of work led by a group of workers occurs to label an event a strike.”
— quoted “Section I: Definitions” on the “Methodology” page of the Cornell University Labor Action Tracker
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
FTWMI: The Hardest Working Day, the Way the Words Work, & More Sides of the Story
“I am opposing a social order in which it is possible for one man who does absolutely nothing that is useful to amass a fortune of hundreds of millions of dollars, while millions of men and women who work all the days of their lives secure barely enough for a wretched existence.”
— Eugene V. Debs, quoted from his statement to the Federal Court (Cleveland, Ohio), after being convicted of violating the Sedition Act, September 18, 1918
The First Friday Night Special for May has been rescheduled (and will be a Second Friday Night Special).
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).
“1Peterson, F. (1937). Strikes in the United States: 1880-1936. Washington: United States Department of Labor.
2 Hyman, R. (1989). Strikes: Fourth Edition. London: Macmillan.”
— quoted “Section I: Definitions” on the “Methodology” page of the Cornell University Labor Action Tracker
### YOGA ###
EXCERPT (repost): “The Philosophy of Picking Locks (& Other Things Related to Internal Movement)” April 26, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Loss, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Riḍván, Science, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Carol Burnett, Charles Richter, Counting the Omer, Lock Picking Lawyer, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Myrrh-bearing Women, Philosophy, Susan Elizabeth Hough, Third Sunday of Pascha, yoga philosophy
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“Happy Riḍván!” to those getting ready to celebrate “the Most Great Festival.” Peace and many blessings to anyone Counting the Omer or celebrating/observing the Third Sunday of the Pascha and the Myrrh-bearing Women!
Peace and many blessings to everyone!! Happy Poetry Month!!
“‘My main point today is that usually one gets what one expects, but very rarely in the way one expected it.’”
— quoted from a draft of Charles Richter’s 1970 retirement speech, as printed in the Appendix of Richter’s Scale: Measure of an Earthquake, Measure of a Man by Susan Elizabeth Hough
Today is the anniversary of the birth of Ludwig Wittgenstein (b. 1889) and Charles Richter (b. 1900) and the 93rd birthday of Carol Burnett (b. 1933).
Click on the excerpt title below to find out what they have to do with yoga and the Lock Picking Lawyer.
Please join me today (Sunday, April 26th) at 2:30 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04262020 Philosophy of Locks”]
NOTE: The playlists are slightly different in timing, but work out in the end.
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.
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
### WHAT WILL YOU UNLOCK (WHEN YOU BEND)? ###
A Little Note & EXCERPT: Shy & Fearless, Take 2 (PLUS a video) April 25, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Changing Perspectives, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Riḍván, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Abhyasa, Counting the Omer, courage, Ella Fitzgerald, fear, fearless, fearless play, Healing Stories, KISS MY ASANA, Mark Murphy, Riḍván, Ridvan, Second Week of Pascha, Thích Nhất Hạnh, Thich Nhat Hanh, vinyasa, Wookiefoot, yoga, yoga practice, YouTube
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“Happy Riḍván!” to those celebrating “the Most Great Festival”. Peace and many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone Counting the Omer and/or celebrating and/or observing the Second Week of Pascha!
Happy Poetry Month!!
“Once up there, I felt the acceptance and love from my audience. I knew I wanted to sing before people the rest of my life.”
— Ella Fitzgerald on how it felt after she sang one of her mother’s favorite songs at the Apollo
Just like Ella Fitzgerald, who was born today in 1917, we never know what will happen until we do it!
Click on the excerpt title below for more about why I think of “the First Lady of Jazz” when I think of being fearless — and why I give people the option to do “Ella’s Pose” .
“We are very afraid of being powerless. But we have the power to look deeply at our fears, and then fear cannot control us. We can transform our fear. Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive….”
— quoted from Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm by Thich Nhat Hanh
Please join me today (Saturday, April 25th) 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 “04252020 Ella’s Shy & Fearless Day”]
Check out the video below to “be fearless and play” (while doing the pose) — even (or especially) if your low back, hips, hamstrings, achilles tendons, and plantar fascia are really tight.
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.
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
“Be Fearless and Play
You could live for tomorrow and still live here in today
When i would play when i was a child
I swore that i would never forget no
I will never forget no!
Be Fearless and Play
This is one thing that no one can ever take away”
— quoted from the song “Be Fearless and Play” by Wookiefoot (written by Mark Murphy)
### MORE FEARLESS PLAY! ###
New Year, New Season (For #42) [mostly the music & blessings] April 15, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Baseball, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Music, New Year, One Hoop, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Bihu, Branch Rickey, Bright Week, Counting the Omer, David Vergun, Happy Songkran, Jackie Robinson, Jesse Jackson, Pana Sankranti, Pi Mai, Pohela Boishakh, Puthandu, Vaisakhi, Vishu
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“Happy New Year!” and/or Happy “Happy Songkran, Pi Mai, Vaisakhi, Puthandu, Bihu, Vishu, Pohela Boishakh, and Pana Sankranti!” to all who are celebrating! Peace and many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone Counting the Omer and/or celebrating and/or observing Bright Week!
Happy Poetry Month!
“[Branch] Rickey later said: ‘I may not be able to do something about racism in every field, but I can sure do something about it in baseball.’”
— quoted from the “Sports Heroes Who Served: WWI Soldier Helped Desegregate Baseball” by David Vergun, DOD News (dated July 7, 2020, U. S. Department of Defense website)
Please join me today (Wednesday, April 15th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into in the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04152026 New Year & New Season for #42”]
“Jackie as a figure in history was a rock in the water, creating concentric circles and ripples of new possibility. He was medicine. The Lord’s arms of protection enabled him to go through dangers seen and unseen, and he had the capacity to wear glory with grace.”
— quoted from Reverend Jesse Jackson’s eulogy of Jackie Robinson (October 1972)
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.
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
### 
###
EXCERPTS: “How We Begin & FTWMI/ABRIDGED: ‘A Few Notes About Holy Events & Reaching a Higher Plane’” & “Doing the Work” April 14, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Meditation, Music, New Year, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Bihu, Bright Week, Counting the Omer, Dharma Singh Khalsa M. D., Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa, Guru Nanak, Japji Sahib, Pana Sankranti, Pi Mai, Pohela Boishakh, Puthandu, Shreya Ghoshal, Songkran, Sukhwinder Singh, Vaisakhi, Vishu
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“Happy New Year!” and/or Happy “Happy Songkran, Pi Mai, Vaisakhi, Puthandu, Bihu, Vishu, Pohela Boishakh, and Pana Sankranti!” to all who are celebrating! Peace and many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone Counting the Omer and/or celebrating and/or observing Bright Week!
Happy Poetry Month!
“When the soul
Tunes in
To the Infinite.
And spontaneously sings,
With Divine love and joy,
In that soul-singing,
Some sing of
Your virtues,
The elements You use
To create life,
And how amazing
It all is.
How magnificently beautiful”
— quoted from Japji Sahib: The Song of the Soul by Guru Nanak (Translated by Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa)
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW!
“Pighla de zanjeerein
[Melt the shackles]
Bana unki shamsheerein
[and make swords out of them]
Kar har maidaan fateh o bandeya
[Win every battlefield, overcome all your limitations/restrictions]”
— quoted from the song “Kar Har Maidaan Fateh” by Shreya Ghoshal and Sukhwinder Singh
Click on the excerpt title below for more about the message in the song.
“Tooti shamsheerein toh kya
[So what if your sword is broken]
Tooti shamsheeron se hee
[Even with this broken sword]
Kar har maidan fateh
[Win all the battlefields…]”
“Teri koshishein hee kaamyaab hongi
[your attempts, efforts will be successful]
Jab teri ye zidd aag hogi
[when your insistence, attempts would turn into a burning desire]
Phoonk de na-umeediyan, na-umeediyan
[Burn down all the hopeless, negativeness…]”
— quoted from the song “Kar Har Maidaan Fateh” by Shreya Ghoshal and Sukhwinder Singh
Please join me today (Tuesday, April 14th) 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 “04142026 New Year & The Day of No Year”]
NOTE: An instrumental playlist for this date is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04142023 Time/Space Possibilities”]
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.
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
NOTE: Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa’s translation of Japji Sahib: The Song of the Soul can be found in The End of Kharma: 40 Days to Perfect Peace, Tranquility, and Joy by Dharma Singh Khalsa, M. D.
### BE HOPEFUL (& DO THE WORK)! ###
How We Begin & FTWMI/ABRIDGED: “A Few Notes About Holy Events & Reaching a Higher Plane” (the post-practice Monday post) April 13, 2026
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Donate, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Hope, Karma Yoga, Music, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Baisakhi, Bihu, Bill Conti, bodhisattva, Bright Week, Counting the Omer, Dharma Singh Khalsa M. D., Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa, Gary Soto, KISS MY ASANA, Pana Sankranti, Pi Mai, Pohela Boishakh, Puthandu, Sikhism, Songkran, Theravada Buddhism, Vaisakhi, Vishu
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“Happy Songkran!” / “Happy New Year!” and/or “Happy Vaisakhi!” to all who are celebrating! Peace and many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone Counting the Omer and/or celebrating and/or observing Bright Week!
Happy Poetry Month!
This post-practice compilation post for Monday, April 13th, features a quick note and (For Those Who Missed It) the abridged version of a 2025 post. The 2026 prompt question was, “What or how do you like to begin?” WARNING: There is a passing reference to state-sanctioned violence.
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.
“How strange that we can begin at any time.”
— quoted from the poem “Looking Around, Believing” by Gary Soto
Even though we could begin a practice (or a story) in a variety of ways, the beginning of something is particularly special because it brings awareness to future possibilities. The way we begin gives us an opportunity to set an intention about how we want to move forward. And, even when we know how the story (or the practice) ends, there is something momentous and exciting about not knowing how we will get there. Again, there are so many possibilities — even when we are beginning again.
All of the things that make the beginning of a story and/or a practice significant also make the beginning of a new job, new day, a new season, or a new year significant. While we are in the habit of starting a new year — not to mention a new day or a new season — at a particular time, that time is slightly arbitrary. The truth is that a new year starts every time we inhale and every time we exhale.
In fact, some people are beginning a new year right now and this new beginning is an opportunity to open up to new possibilities.
For Those Who Missed It: The following is the abridged (slightly revised) version of a 2025 post. The original post included new and “renewed” content and excerpts, plus references to lunar calendar-based holidays. NOTE: The excerpts and linked posts often include references to other holidays/events.
“All you have to do is open up a little bit and then you’ll be experiencing a part of that person’s soul. It’s just there – in the presence of a beautiful painting, a creation, something created by someone else. This is insight into not who they are physically, but who they are on this other plane. So, what makes it magical, always, is to hear music performed live.”
— Bill Conti
People practice yoga for a lot of different reasons; but those reasons usually come down to opening up in some way. The opening up can happen on a lot of different levels: physical, mental, emotional, energetic, and even spiritual and/or religious levels. In addition to opening up, we start coming together — sometimes in surprising ways — and we start noticing the things we have in common. So, more opening up. Part of this opening up is about learning about ourselves and part of it is about learning about the world (and the other people in the world). Finally, there is an element of the practice that is about the Divine and about opening up to a higher plane.
Bill Conti, who was born April 13, 1942, has said similar things about music. Sometimes I have a playlist completely dedicated to the Italian-American composer and conductor known for soaring scores that inspire (underscore) the indomitable human spirit. However, sometimes, his music highlights the fact that there is just so much that is holy.
“When the audience and the performers become one, it is almost nearly divine, where this oneness can actually meet in some, not physical place, but in some spiritual place, in the middle, not the performers performing, not the audience receiving, but all of a sudden that contact is made and it becomes wonderful.”
— Bill Conti
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE ABOUT BILL CONTI.
NOTE: The 2026 practice included references to Bright Week, which is the week after the Great & Holy Pascha (in some Orthodox Christian traditions). It also included references and a body scan related to Counting of the Omer (in some Jewish traditions). You can click on the link for more information.
NEW HOPES (& OLD SUFFERING)
Passover and Lent / Great Lent have ties to harvest festivals and new beginnings. However, even as people remember those ancient harvest festivals, there are people currently celebrating their own harvest festivals and new beginnings. For instance, Songkran / Songkran Festival (the traditional Thai New Year) and Pi Mai (the Lao New Year) are (usually) three-day festivals that started on April 13th. While Thailand has officially celebrated a secular new year (according to the Gregorian calendar) since 1940, Songkran is a national holiday. Pi Mai is also a government holiday.
Like all new year (and new season) celebrations, Songkran is a liminal time marking the transition between “what is no longer and what is not yet.” In fact, the name is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning “to move”, “movement”, or “astrological passage”, and marks the transition of the sun from one zodiac phase to another. Technically, this movement happens repeatedly throughout a year and marks the change from one month to the next on the solar calendar. However, the transition between Pieces and Aries is considered the Maha Songkran (“Great Movement”), which marks the new year. In Laos, the second day is considered “the day of no year” and the new year actually begins on the third day of the celebration.
These celebrations coincide or overlap with other new year’s celebrations in Southeast and South Asia, including Puthandu (the Tamil New Year, April 14, 2026); the Hindu festival Vishu (April 14, 2026); Bihu in the Indian state of Assam (April 14, 2026); Pohela Boishakh (the Bengali New Year, celebrated on April 14th in Bangladesh and April 15th in various parts of India); Pana Sankranti for the Odia people in India; and a plethora of other celebrations in China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Many of these celebrations are also tied to the Theravada Buddhist calendar.
Songkran also coincides with Vaisakhi (or Baisakhi), which is a spring harvest festival in Punjab and Northern India. Vaisakhi is also a solar new year and is a particularly auspicious time for the Sikh community. In addition to commemorating the creation of the Khalsa order (the Sikh community) by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of Sikhism (on April 13, 1699), it also commemorates the beginning of the unified Sikh political state when Ranjit Singh was proclaimed as Maharaja of the Sikh Empire (on April 12, 1801). That declaration was intentionally set to coincide around Vaisakhi as people recognized the power of coming together on such an auspicious occasion.
The significance of this date is also one of the reasons people gathered together during a Vaisakhi celebration in Amritsar, on April 13, 1919, to protest the British government’s Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919 (also known as the Rowlatt Act) and the arrest of two members of the satyagraha movement, Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Satyapal (Dr. Satya Pal). Tragically, British Indian Army officer Reginald Dyer ordered British soldiers to block the entrance of the Jallianwala Bagh (a historic garden with only one entrance/exit) and fire into the nonviolent crowd. Hundreds, possible thousands (depending on the estimates), were killed and over 1,200 others were injured in what is remembered as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre or the Amritsar massacre.
“I wash myself
In sacred waters
In order to please You.
But if it doesn’t please You,
What is bathing for?
I see,
The vastness of Your wondrous creation.
But without taking action,
How can I merge with Thee?”
— quoted from Japji Sahib: The Song of the Soul by Guru Nanak (Translated by Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa)
While the rituals, traditions, and related stories may be different, there are several common elements in Songkran, Pi Mai, and Vaisakhi celebrations. For instance, water is a prominent feature in these celebrations, which include ritual cleansing and bathing — sometimes in the form of a water fight or, for Hindu communities celebrating Vaisakhi, ritual bathing in one of the sacred rivers. Vaisakhi celebrations can also include gurudwara (Punjabi: ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ) — an assembly place where everyone is welcomed into “the door of the guru” — as well as processions, kirtans, flag raisings, and alms giving. Sand mounds (sometimes decorated with flowers); processions; and various forms of alms giving are also part of Songkran and Pi Mai celebrations. In Luang Prabang, the capital of Luang Prabang Province in north-central Laos, there is a Miss Pi Mai Lao (Miss Lao New Year) beauty pageant. In both Thailand and Laos, the water may be perfumed. People celebrating in Laos may also spray each other with shaving or whipping cream.
One of the stories related to Songkran is the story of someone born with a deep well of compassion and the desire to see the end of suffering. A bodhisattva (bodistva) is someone on the path to Buddhahood either because of their birth, their practice, or from a spontaneous impulse (that is then joined with practice). In this case, the compassionate person is part of a poor family in a very (materially) rich community. While the community is financially prosperous, it is lacking in many areas. There was a lot of corruption, greed, and sin. People lacked compassion for those who were less fortunate and there was a lack of respect (for elders and for spiritual/religious traditions), as well as improper use of food and medicine. Faith in the dhamma (Buddhist “teaching” or “law”) had been replaced with faith in the dhamma as a business — not unlike the situation described on Passion / Holy / Great Monday.
According to one version of the story, Indra (the ruler of Heaven) looked down at the world out of balance and basically declared that people couldn’t have nice things if they didn’t have compassion and faith. Therefore, there was no longer rain in the proper time, food became scarce, the sun became too hot, and garbage built up in the streets — which, of course, brought disease… and more suffering.
The bodhisattva encouraged people to pray to Mother Earth, in the form of the Golden Tara, who told them they had to follow the dhamma. She also gave them a divine piece of fertile land, divine seeds, a song for rain, and a pots of divine powder in various colors. The people made a paste from the powder, to cool their skin, and then got to work sowing the seeds and singing the songs. Once they had an adequate harvest, they washed the paste off, and washed the feet of their elders. They also served their elders, cared for the less fortunate, and committed to practicing the dhamma.
“Within my own
Awareness
Are jewels, gems,
And rubies,
From listening to the teachings
Of the Divine Teacher
Even once.
All souls come
From the Hand of One Giver.
May I never, ever,
Forget Him.”
— quoted from Japji Sahib: The Song of the Soul by Guru Nanak (Translated by Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa)
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
The 2025 playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04132025 All That Is Holy, II”]
The Bill Conti playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04132021 Reaching A Higher Place”]
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).
Click here for the first 2025 Kiss My Asana post!
You’re Invited to Bend… & To Take The Deepest Breath You’ve Taken — On Retreat!
September 25 — 27, 2026
NOTE: Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa’s translation of Japji Sahib: The Song of the Soul can be found in The End of Kharma: 40 Days to Perfect Peace, Tranquility, and Joy by Dharma Singh Khalsa, M. D.
A Joyful Practice 