Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Baseball, Basketball, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Fitness, Football, Healing Stories, Health, Life, One Hoop, Philosophy, Science, Vipassana, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: asana, asymmetry, hatha yoga, Henry Lewis Hank Aaron, Hope Ricciotti MD, John Jeffries, joints, pawanmuktasana, Soma Yoga, Somatic Yoga, Toni Golen MD, unilateral, Willis Johnson
Happy Carnival (to those who are already celebrating)! Happy National Weatherperson Day!! Peace and ease to all during this “Season for Nonviolence” and all other seasons!!!
This is the post–practice post for Monday, February 5th. I will update at least one link after this is posted. You can request an audio recording of either 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.)
“Research still hasn’t confirmed a cause-and-effect link between weather and joint pain, though many people insist they can predict the weather based on such aches. It’s believed that changes in barometric pressure — which happen as weather systems change — trigger these sensations in the joints. Less air pressure surrounding the body can allow muscles, tendons, and other tissues around joints to expand. This can place pressure on joints, possibly leading to pain.”
— quoted from “What triggers weather-related joint pain?” — a 2022 “Ask the doctors” post by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women’s Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor, and Hope Ricciotti, MD, Editor at Large, Harvard Women’s Health Watch (posted November 1, 2022*)
Do you ever notice/observe that you, your mind, and/or your body feel a certain way just before it rains… or snows? Or maybe you notice that you feel a little off when you don’t get enough sun. Or, maybe, you notice how you feel when you get too much sun. “Correlation does not imply causation.” So, washing your vehicle or feeling a certain pain/discomfort in your joints does not automatically mean it’s going to rain — unless there’s a 90% chance of rain in the forecast. Similarly, we are not guaranteed an early Spring just because one (or more) of the groundhogs didn’t see it’s shadow. Unless, of course, the predictions of said groundhogs are based on science.
Still, we shouldn’t discount the way we feel and it is interesting to note how we feel in relation to the weather and how the weather affects the way we feel. It is also interesting to notice when we pay attention to the weather and the effect the weather has on the way we move about our days.
For instance, during the years when I had the opportunity to teach “Rooftop Yoga,” I checked the weather forecast on a daily basis. Sometimes I even checked multiple times a day and got very familiar with the radar. Similarly, I checked the weather fairly often when the possibility of a snow storm meant I might need more winter gear before the end of my day. Other times… I checked the weather by walking outside. My guess is that if you want and/or need to be outside for your job and/or for an outdoor sport — like skiing or baseball — you probably also pay attention to the weather.
The question is: Are you simultaneously paying attention to your body (as you pay attention to the weather) and what do you do based on what you observe?
“Another possibility is that you do things on cold, damp days that can worsen joint pain or stiffness, such as sit on the couch for hours watching movies. Also, since you’re expecting discomfort when the weather shifts, you may notice joint aches more than you would otherwise. To ward off weather-related joint pain, keep moving with regular exercise and stretching.”
— quoted from “What triggers weather-related joint pain?” — a 2022 “Ask the doctors” post by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women’s Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor, and Hope Ricciotti, MD, Editor at Large, Harvard Women’s Health Watch (posted November 1, 2022*)
If you do unilateral movement — like walking, running, or skiing — you may not automatically notice your body’s asymmetry. The asymmetry of our bodies becomes more pronounced and noticeable when we do unilateral movement in sports like baseball, either type of football (in certain positions), basketball, golf, tennis, pickleball, and even gymnastics and dance. When someone is serious about playing or doing such things — especially on a pro level — they will typically use unilateral/asymmetrical exercises in their training. However, we humans have a tendency to resist where we are already strong and bend where we are already flexible — and it is easy to play into these tendencies. This can be problematic because, if we only cultivate strength where we are already strong and cultivate flexibility where we are already flexible, the body that is trained for a certain type of activity can quickly break down. In fact, several studies have connected low back (and shoulder) pain in baseball players to the asymmetrical movements required for certain positions.
While all of that may seem fairly obvious, how we use yoga to find balance within the imbalance is not always as obvious. For example, a good twisting sequence with some asymmetrical/unilateral movement can come in handy when you plan to be (outside) doing certain sports. Focusing on asymmetrical yoga poses can be a way to realign the body and mixing in a little “wind releasing” and some Somatic Yoga can not only release tension around the spine, it can also help “repattern the brain” — which how we cultivate new muscle memory. I have also noted how good a good twisting sequence feels when (it turns out that) precipitation is in the forecast.
But, just because we do all of that on February 5th doesn’t mean it’s going to rain; does it?
Nope, it just means we’re observing National Weatherperson’s Day (and the anniversary of the birth of John Jeffries), celebrating Hank Aaron (b. 1934), and noting the invention of (what would become) the modern day mixing bowl.
Note: Previous posts may reflect the fact that February 5th often falls during Lunar New Year / Spring Festival celebrations.
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
Comment below (or email me) if you are interested in a playlist for this specific practice.
*Disclaimer from Harvard Health Publishing: “No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.”
### SIMPLICITY ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Loss, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: adaptive yoga, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, disability, Ed Roberts, Harry Reasoner, independence, KISS MY ASANA, klişţāklişţāh, kriya yoga, Lee Roberts, Matthew Sanford, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, political science, pranayama, prāṇāyāma, Rolling Quads, Shotokan Karate, svadyaya, svādhyāya, yoga, yoga philosophy, Yoga Sutra 2.1, Zona Roberts
Breathe in… and savor the best parts of your life. Breathe out… and let go of something that keeps you from savoring the best parts of your life.
This is the first part of “Doing: Lessons in unexpected, ridiculously inconvenient, unplayable things (& ‘impossible’ people).” A version of the following was originally posted in 2021 (and reposted, in a different contexts, in 2022 and 2023). Click here for that philosophical 2021 post in it’s entirety.
“From a practical standpoint then, svadhyaya is the process of employing the power of discernment and maintaining a constant awareness of who we are, what we are trying to become, and how the objective world can help us accomplish our goal.”
— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.1 from The Practice of the Yoga Sūtra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
The Yoga Sutras offer a detailed explanation of the dysfunctional/afflicted thought patterns that create suffering. Patanjali described those thought patterns as ignorance, the false sense of self, attachment (rooted in pleasure), aversion (which is attachment rooted in pain), and a fear of loss/death. He established ignorance (avidyā) as the root of the other four and stated that this groundwork is established no matter if the ignorance is dormant, attenuated, disjointed, or active. He then broke down the different ways avidyā manifests in the world — which basically goes back to the ways in which we misunderstand the nature of things — and how the other four afflicted thought patterns rise up.
We can find examples of how avidyā and the other four dysfunctional/afflicted thought patterns manifest all around us. There are, therefore, also examples of how the sources of our ignorance can be the path towards freedom, fulfillment, and more clarity. One example of this is how some people view those that are not considered “able bodied.” Think about the activist Edward V. Roberts, for example.
“I fell in love, like many people do. We do that as well. And it became ridiculously inconvenient to have my attendant pushing me around in my wheelchair with my girlfriend. It was an extra person that I didn’t need to be more intimate. I learned how to drive a power wheelchair in one day. I was so motivated to learn something that it changed in many ways my perception of my disability and of myself. She jumped on my lap and we rode off into the sunset or to the closest motel.”
— Ed Roberts in a 60 Minutes interview with Harry Reasoner
Known as the “Father of the Independent Living” movement, Mr. Roberts was born today in 1939. By all accounts, he spent his formative years as a “regular” boy. Then, at the age of fourteen, he contracted polio — this was in 1953, two years before the vaccine ended the polio epidemic. The virus left the active, “sports-loving” teenager paralyzed from the neck down, with mobility only in two fingers and a few toes. It also (temporarily) crushed his spirit. He initially spent most of his days and all of his nights in an 800-pound iron lung. When he wasn’t in the iron lung, he used “frog breathing” — a technique that uses the facial and neck muscles to pump air into the lungs.
Now, if you have not interacted with someone with a disability, you might think — as Ed Roberts initially thought of himself — that he was a “helpless cripple.” You might, like him and one of his early doctors, back in 1953, think that there was no point to his life. You might think that he couldn’t do yoga; couldn’t get married (and divorced); couldn’t have a child; and definitely couldn’t do anything to change the world. You might think that he wouldn’t be celebrated.
But, if you think any of that — just as he initially thought that — you would be wrong.
“There are very few people even with the most severe disabilities who can’t take control of their own life. The problem is that the people around us don’t expect us to.”
— Ed Roberts in a 60 Minutes interview with Harry Reasoner
Just to be clear, to my knowledge Ed Roberts didn’t practice yoga. However, he did practice Shotokan karate. Also, it is interesting to note that (a) the glottis (which includes the true vocal chords and the rima glottidis or empty space at the back of the throat) that we engage to practice Ujjayi prāņāyāma, is the same area he would engage to breathe without the iron lung and (b) once he changed his understanding of himself — let go of his “false sense of self” — he was able to change the world.
Even though he could attend school by telephone, Zona Roberts, Ed Roberts’s mother, insisted that he attend school in-person one day a week. for at least a few hours. She also encouraged him to think of himself as a “star” and to advocate for his own needs. So, when he was in danger of not graduating from high school, because he hadn’t completed driver’s education or physical education, he pushed back on those who would limit him.
After graduating from high school, he attended the College of San Mateo and the University of California Berkeley — even though one of the UC Berkeley deans wanted to reject him because someone else had had an unsuccessful bid at college and the dean viewed all people with disabilities as a monolith. At Berkeley, Mr. Roberts pushed to have on-campus housing that would accommodate his needs and, once that was established, pushed the university to admit and provide the dormitory experience to other people with “severe disabilities.” The Cowell Residence Program became a model for universities around the world.
Mr. Roberts and some of the other students in the Cowell Residence Program referred to themselves as the “Rolling Quads.” They were very active in changing people’s perceptions and understandings and, therefore, they were able to change policy and infrastructure. “Curb cuts,” the ramped opening between a sidewalk and street, are one of the changes that resulted from their activism. After Ed Roberts graduated with a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Political Science, he went on to teach at an “alternative college.” He also served as Director of the state organization that had once labeled him too disabled to work and eventually co-founded the World Institute on Disability (at Berkeley). His activism — including protesting at the San Francisco offices of the Carter Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and testifying before Congress — led to the creation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990).
“And I literally went from like 120 pounds to 50 pounds. I also discovered how powerful the mind is, when you make up your mind.”
— Ed Roberts in a 60 Minutes interview with Harry Reasoner
If I remember correctly, I first dug into Ed Roberts’s story because someone on the internet mentioned him and his birthday. Maybe this was in 2017, when there was a Google Doodle to honor him. Or, maybe I made a note to myself when I saw the Google Doodle and then incorporated it into a class the following year. Either way, I had time to dig in.
Perhaps, since some of my themes are date-related and I do keep an eye out for such things, one might not consider my heightened awareness of Ed Roberts as being overly synchronistic or serendipitous. This is especially true considering that my annual participation in the Kiss My Asana yogathon is one of the many things that predisposes (or conditions) me to pay attention to stories about accessibility. If anything, I could kind of kick myself for not digging into his story sooner.
But, we only know what we know and we don’t know what we don’t know. The odds are pretty high, though, that I would have eventually come across his story and his legacy — which provides a lot of reminders about how to move through the year in a way that brings change that makes the world better than we found it.
“My bottom walk-away experience that I believe I carry with me every day is that my father never settled for anything and always fought for everything. And he always, always followed his gut, followed his passion, went with it no matter who was against him, and oftentimes there was more people against him than it was for him.
So I’ve always followed my gut and followed my passion. And in so many different speeches, he would always encourage that person to look within themselves, find their passion, follow it. You can’t… You can’t go wrong with your gut. You can’t go wrong with your passion. Don’t ever settle. He never settled. I’ll never settle. I carry that with me every day, and if there’s anything he loved to pass on, it’s just go for it.”
— quoted from “A Day in the Life of Ed Roberts: Lee Roberts Talks About His Father, Ed Roberts” by Lee Roberts
Please join me today (Tuesday, January 23rd) 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 (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “07112020 An Introduction”]
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.)
Errata: This post has been updated to more accurately describe the anatomy related to “frog breathing.”
### Wake Up Your Mind & Just Go For It! ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Faith, First Nations, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Kumbh Mela, Life, Loss, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: 988, Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King Day, mental health, Peter Collinson, Sebastian Junger
May all beings everywhere feel a sense of belonging! Warm wishes for peace and righteousness to everyone celebrating Kumbh Mela!!
“Though they have few but natural wants and those easily supplied. But with us are infinite Artificial wants, no less craving than those of Nature, and much more difficult to satisfy….”
— quoted from the “Hardwicke Papers” copy of a letter addressed to Peter Collinson dated “Philadelphia May 9th, 1753” and signed “B: Franklin”
The following excerpt is from a 2021 post:
“[Benajamin Franklin] was once critical of himself because, as he wrote, his experiments were ‘able to produce nothing in this way of use to Mankind.’ Yet, he stayed curious, kept trying new things and eventually invented many things that made life easier for people; including the lightening rod, bifocals, and the Franklin stove. While these things all served a purpose and made life easier, maybe even more efficient, they didn’t (in and of themselves) help others live well — when living well is related to purpose and, therefore, related to others.
Ultimately, once we establish the meaning of the living well, the real question we must ask ourselves is. ‘What do we need to live well?’ Whenever we’re addressing life ‘needs,’ I find that we sneak a whole lot of ‘wants’ and desire into the mix. These are what Benjamin Franklin would classify as ‘Artificial’ and that would fall into the category of ‘extrinsic’ values, according to the definition Sebastian Junger uses in his book Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, which is a discussion on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.”
Click here for similar insights discussed (in 2022) when today was Martin Luther King Day.
“The findings are in keeping with something called self-determination theory, which holds that human beings need three basic things in order to be content: they need to feel competent at what they do; they need to feel authentic in their lives; and they need to feel connected to others. These values are considered “intrinsic” to human happiness and far outweigh “extrinsic” values such as beauty, money and status.”
— quoted from Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger
Please join me today (Wednesday, January 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 “01172021 Franklin Junger”]
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.)
### DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO LIVE WELL, LOVE WELL, & STAY FULLY HUMAN ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Bhakti, Changing Perspectives, Donate, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Japa, Japa-Ajapa, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Mala, Mantra, Meditation, Mysticism, New Year, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Vipassana, Wisdom, Writing, Yin Yoga, Yoga.
Tags: 108 Sun Salutations, Anthony Shumate, Kwanzaa, New Year's Day, Nguzo Saba, Nia, Sun Salutations, Surya Namaskar
[“Happy New Year!” and “Kwanzaa, yenu iwe na heri!” – “May your Kwanzaa be happy!” to everyone who is celebrating!]
Part of the 6-piece “Monumental Moments” series by Anthony Shumate, 2015 (located in Buffalo Bayou Park, along the Kinder Footpaths)
TRANSFORM • RENEW • HEAL • ENERGIZE
Celebrate the New Year with 108 Sun Salutations 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM CST!
AND/OR
RELAX • RELEASE • REST • RENEW • HEAL
Celebrate the New Year with Yin+Meditation
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM CST!
The New Year is a beginning and an ending… and it is also a middle. On New Year’s Day we honor and celebrate transition with 108 Sun Salutations in the morning (10 AM – 1 PM, CST) and/or a Yin Yoga plus Meditation practice in the evening (5 – 7 PM, CST). We also put things in perspective. These practices are open and accessible to all, regardless of experience.
Please wear loose, comfortable clothing and make sure you are well hydrated before the practice. It is best to practice on an empty stomach (especially for the 108 ajapa-japa mala), but if you must eat less than 1 hour before the practice, make sure to keep it light. Make sure to have a towel (at the very least) for the 108 practice. For Yin Yoga, a pillow/cushion or two, blocks or (hardcover) books, and a blanket or towel will be useful. I always recommend having something handy (pen and paper) that you can use to note any reflections.
IN-PERSON IS FULL! Use the link above for login information (or click here for more details about these practices and other practice opportunities related to the New Year).
The 108 playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “New Year’s Day 108 Ajapa-Japa Mala.”] NOTE: This playlist has been revised for 2024, but should still sync up with the 2021 — 2023 recordings.
Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “01072022 A Reflective Moment”]
Both practices are available in-person (if you are registered) and online. They are also donation based. If you don’t mind me knowing your donation amount you can donate to me directly. You can also email me to request my Venmo or Ca$hApp ID. If you want your donation to be anonymous (to me) and/or tax deductible, please donate through Common Ground Meditation Center (type my name under “Teacher”).
Please note that there is still no late admittance and you must log in before the beginning of the practice (so, by 9:45 AM for the 108 or by 4:45 PM for the Yin+Meditation). You will be re-admittance if you get dumped from the call.)
Part of the 6-piece “Monumental Moments” series by Anthony Shumate, 2015 (located in Buffalo Bayou Park, along the Kinder Footpaths)
Part of the 6-piece “Monumental Moments” series by Anthony Shumate, 2015 (located in Buffalo Bayou Park, along the Kinder Footpaths)
*Anthony Shumate’s “Monumental Moments” sculptures are located in Buffalo Bayou Park, along the Kinder Footpaths in Houston, Texas. They are unexpected reminders to “Explore,” “Pause,” “Reflect,” “Listen,” “Emerge,” and “Observe” – all things we do in our practice!
### NAMASTE ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Books, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: A Christmas Carol, Advent, Charles Dickens, holidays, mental health, SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder
Peace and blessings to all, and especially those celebrating Advent.
“‘But you were always a good man of business, Jacob’ faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself. ‘Business!’ cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. ‘Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, benevolence, were all my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!’”
— quoted from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
A Christmas Carol, the novella by Charles Dickens was first published today in 1843. Here’s an excerpt from my post about how Scrooge might have had Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of clinical depression that affects over 3 million people in the United States each year:
“Some people view A Christmas Carol as a secular holiday tale; others see it as Christian allegory. I see both sides of that coin, but also consider that there is a mental health message within the text. Even if Scrooge is a ‘scrooge,’ he also exhibits all the characteristics of someone who is unhappy because his mind-body is out of balance. (When you think about it, it’s not surprising given how much he works, and how little work-life balance Dickens gives him!) All that said, anyone of us can be scrooge. So, it’s important to note that there is a lot we can do to help our mind-bodies find balance. It is equally important to know when we need some external intercession. SAD treatment can include light therapy, talk therapy, changes in diet and exercise, antidepressants, and/or a combination of the above.”
“He went to the church, and walked about the streets, and watched the people hurrying to and for, and patted the children on the head, and questioned beggars, and looked down into the kitchens of homes, and up to the windows, and found that everything could yield him pleasure. He had never dreamed of any walk, that anything, could give him so much happiness.”
— quoted from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Please join me today (Tuesday, December 19th) 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 (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “12192020 SAD Carol”]
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.)
### Breathe. You’ve Got This. ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in 108 Sun Salutations, 7-Day Challenge, Fitness, Health, Hope, Meditation, Minneapolis, Minnesota, New Year, One Hoop, Surya Namaskar, Twin Cities, Yin Yoga, Yoga.
Tags: 108 Sun Salutations, asana, in-person classes, meditation, Restorative Yoga, studio classes, vinyasa, Winter is coming, Yin Yoga, yoga, Zoom classes
Happy, Peaceful, Joyful Holidays, to all!
It’s been a while; but, do you remember all the gear I put on to deal with winter in Minnesota? Well…
It’s Time to Gear Up for a New Year!
For a limited time only, I will be back in the Twin Cities. In-person practices (also available on Zoom) will be held at various locations Monday, January 1st until Sunday, January 7th — with an additional practice held only on Zoom on Wednesday, January 10th. Spaces are limited for the in-person practices!
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.)
### Let’s Go! ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Abhyasa, Books, Fitness, Health, Life, Meditation, Philosophy, Science, Vairagya, Yoga.
Tags: asana, Franz Xaver Kappus, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, pranayama, Rainer Maria Rilke, Swami Jnaneshvara, Walt Whitman, Yoga Sutra 2.48, Yoga Sutra 2.49, Yoga Sutra 2.50, Yoga Sutra 3.15
May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy (and curious about all the ways you can breathe), during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence (November 25th – December 10th) and on all the other days of your life.
“Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs.”
— Walt Whitman writing about the new game, baseball, in the Brooklyn Eagle (07/23/1846)
Today‘s practice begins with the question at the end of yesterday‘s blog post — “What Helps You Breathe Deeply In and Breathe Deeply Out?” — and it becomes another opportunity to live, breathe, and explore questions about how we breathe and what helps us breathe deeply, every time we inhale and every time we exhale. It is, also, another opportunity to consider the situations when we shallow breathe and/or hold our breath due to situational or chronic stress, trauma, and grief (or even breathtaking beauty); to notice when those little moments become conditioned habits; and to begin playing around with different ways to break bad habits and/or change habitual patterns that no longer serve us. Finally, it is part of the process that allows each of us to more fully engage the vitality of our mind-body and the wisdom of our heart and spirit.
While we can do this together, it is very much an individual practice. Each of us has to acknowledge our own history and sore spots; each of us has to figure out what works for us based on what we have experienced in the past; and each of us has to put on our own (metaphorical) oxygen mask.
For Those Who Missed It: The following is a slightly revised version of a post from Saturday, December 5, 2020. The playlist has been updated with more “air” (so that the timing is the same, but it may feel different). Some embedded links will direct you to another site.
“There are thousands of postures. In order to heal our physical and psychological injuries we must learn to select the postures suitable to our specific needs and arrange them in the proper sequence. Sequencing of asana is crucial because, as with anything else, a change in sequence drastically changes the result. (YS 3:15). Next, we have to practice these properly sequenced postures while staying within the boundaries of our comfort. Then, we must take our practice to the point where we are able to feel and touch the threshold of our discomfort. We refine our practices as we apply the principle of effortless effort described in the previous sutra.”
— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.48 from The Practice of the Yoga Sūtra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
All the cues on moving into and activating a pose can be really overwhelming. It can seem constant and continuous… because it is. I often tell beginners not to worry about doing what they don’t understand — or even, to an extent, what doesn’t make sense. Do what you can do, as much as you can do it, for as long as you can do it (to paraphrase a very wise man) and eventually things start falling into place. Literally, the more you practice, the more parts of you start aligning. Yes, it’s true, that you can practice incorrectly — and you can do it for a really long time. It’s also true that when doing something wrong becomes the habit (and the practice) things don’t fall into place… things fall apart. We see that in our mind-bodies and we see it in the world.
Do you ever wonder where all this information came from? Do you every think about that first yogi, Adiyoga, and those first seven students? Initially, no one told anyone how to do anything. The first seven were inspired by seeing someone else do something they thought had value — and then they listened to their own mind-body! The question is always: How can I breathe deeply here? Or, what can I do to breathe more deeply here? And the answer is already inside of us. We just have to “listen,” which in the case of our mind-body requires paying attention to sensation, to how we’re feeling and how we are responding to what’s happening inside of us and all around us. That’s the practice.
“You are so young, so much before all beginning, and I would like to beg you, dear Sir, as well as I can, to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don‘t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.”
— quoted from Letter #4 (dated July 16, 1903) addressed to 19-year old officer cadet Franz Xaver Kappus, published in Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
Being human, we have the ability to play, explore, and experiment; to see what works, when and where it works; and to notice for how long something works. Thus, someone started moving their body into different shapes and then breathing into those different shapes, which had different effects. Then they would move into the shapes in a different way, breathe into that different way, and noticed the different effects. Then they saw other people could do the same and experience similar effects. Then people, like Patanjali and Vyasa, started to codify the practice by writing it down. And this whole process and practice comes back to the breath, the spirit, the life force — and different ways to breathe, engage the spirit, and expand life.
Yoga Sūtra 2.49: tasminsati śvāsapraśvāsayorgativicchedaḥ prāṇāyāmahaḥ
— “Prāṇāyāma, which is expanding the life force by controlling the movement of the inhalation and exhalation, can be practiced after completely mastering [the seat or pose].”
Yoga Sūtra 2.50: bāhyābhyantarastambhavṛttirdeśakālasasaṃkhyābhiḥ paridṛṣṭo dīrghasūkṣmaḥ
— “The breath may be stopped externally, internally, or checked in mid-motion, and regulated according to place, time and a fixed number of moments, so that the [pause] is either protracted or brief.”
In the commentary for Yoga Sūtra 2.50, Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati is quick to point out that while stambha (“cessation” or “transition”) is often translated into English as retention and therefore equated with kumbhaka (which is retention), there is a subtle difference in the usage here. First, the practice involves awareness of three parts of the breath: inhalation, exhalation, and the transition (or pause) between the first two parts — which is repeated twice. Next, there is the slowing or expansion of the breath (as described in YS. 2.49). Finally, there is awareness and regulation of the breath in different places in the body — even directing it to those places; controlling the time (or length and duration of the breath); and counting (or numbering) each part of the breath.
Breath regulation in place, time, and by numbering can involve the practice of kumbhaka, which is breath retention achieved by holding the breath on the inhalation or exhalation, and/or stambha vŗitti kumbhaka, which is breath retention achieved in the middle of an inhalation or exhalation. Notice that the breath retention highlights transition.
Any breath retention is considered an advanced practice and, just as is instructed with more “basic” types of prāņāyāma, should only be practiced after mastering previous elements. Some teachers advise only practicing kumbhaka after it naturally arises in your practice. This does not mean that you are ready to practice breath retention when you finding yourself holding your breath or shallow breathing because you are overly challenged in a pose or sequence. In fact, it means quite the opposite.
“Patanjali assumes that aspirants who reached this level of yoga sadhana are familiar wth the practice of the seven pranayamas, which together constitute the practice of prana anusandhana. Therefore, these aspirants have built a strong foundation for practicing the three advanced pranayama techniques he is presenting here.”
— commentary on Yoga Sūtra 2.48 from The Practice of the Yoga Sūtra: Sadhana Pada by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
The practicing of connecting the breath — and connecting to the breath — is broken down into the following seven steps:
- Aharana prāņāyāma – which is “to bring back” and revolves around awareness of the breath and how it feels in the body, as well as positioning the body so there is no shakiness, interruption, or abnormal breathing.
- Samikarana prāņāyāma – which is “to equalize,” and involves maintaining an equal calmness in the breathing and in the mind-body. There is also focus on certain areas of the mind-body.
- Dirge-prashvasa prāņāyāma – which is “long exhalation,” and involves focus on certain areas of the mind-body.
- Nadi shodhana prāņāyāma – which is alternate energy channel or alternate nasal breathing, and involves alternating the exhale and inhale between nostrils.
- Anuloma prāņāyāma – which is “to follow the same path,” and involves rapidly inhaling and exhaling through only one nostril.
- Viloma prāņāyāma – which is “to follow the reverse path,” and involves exhaling through one nostril and then inhaling through the other.
- Pratlioma prāņāyāma – which is “to switch paths back and forth,” and is only practiced after the previous two are mastered.
Note that the last three are practices only intended for people who are healthy and have no underlying conditions. Additionally, please note that these terms are also sometimes used when referring to a specific pattern of breathing related to length and duration of each part of the breath.
Please join me today (Tuesday, December 5th) 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 (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10272020 Pranayama II”]
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.)
### To live is to breathe. To breathe with intention is the practice. To live with intention is the goal. ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Art, Changing Perspectives, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Loss, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: #LetCommunitiesLead, Claudette Colvin, Larry Kramer, Laura Barcella, monomyth, Phillip Hoose, Rosa Parks, Rosa Parks Day, story, World AIDS Day
On World AIDS Day, Rosa Parks Day, and every day: May you be safe and protected / May you be peaceful and happy / May you be healthy and strong!
“Once upon a time…”
— the English phrase that begins many fairy tales and folktales
According to the monomyth or Hero’s Journey paradigm, stories from all over the world have similar features: like heroes and heroines who overcome challenges in order to bring a boon to make the world better. Different cultures and languages may begin their stories in different ways. (“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” and “It was long long ago. If I was there at that time I would not be here now. But, as I am, I have one small story…” being among my favorites.) However, since at least the 14th century, most stories in the English language have the same beginning and (in modern times) a common ending… a happy ending.
Although, if you go back far enough, you may find that “…and they lived happily ever after” was originally “…and they lived happily until they died” or that the (quote-unquote) happy ending might be considered a fate worst than death (e.g., being forced to live a life devoid of all the character valued). In fact, many ancient stories were darker and more realistic than modern tales. They had endings that were contingent and temporary. They were closer to real life and were intentionally meant to parallel real life in order to give us insight into how we can live our lives.
In real life, we find ourselves in the middle of the story… sometimes even in the challenging and heartbreaking parts of the story. Sometimes, we fall asleep before the end. Sometimes, we must dream up the happy ending in order to wake up and make it come true. So, for this month’s First Friday Night Special, prepare to tuck yourself in and dream of happy endings (to stories that begin in scary and heartbreaking ways).
“If this article doesn’t scare the shit out of you, we’re in real trouble. If this article doesn’t rouse you to anger, fury, rage, and action, [we] may have no future on this earth. Our continued existence depends on just how angry you can get.”
— quoted from “1,112 and Counting” by Larry Kramer, printed in the New York Native (Issue 59, March 14 – 27, 1983)
The following revised excerpt is from the 2020 post entitled, “Stories for the Living.”
“Today I have two stories for you. Both are fables, in that they are stories with a moral. Both are also true — in that they actually happened (and both stories contain a multitude of other stories). Finally, both stories are open ended… in that we are still living with the ramifications of the stories and their lessons. There are some other overlaps (like the fact that both involve people who changed the world). However, ultimately, one of the stories is a dark and twisted fairy tale, while the other is a bit of a horror story. You can decide which is which.”
“‘Mine was the first cry for justice, and a loud one. I made it so that our own adult leaders couldn’t just be nice anymore. Back then, as a teenager, I kept thinking, Why don’t the adults around here just say something?’”
— quoted from Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
Please join me for the “First Friday Night Special #38: ‘(True) Stories Before You Sleep’” tonight (December 1st) at 7:15 PM – 8:20 PM (CST), for a virtual Yoga practice on Zoom. 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.
This “Bedtime Yoga” / Restorative Yoga practice is accessible and open to all.
Prop wise, I recommend your pajamas and bed (plus your pillows and blankets). Seriously. Additionally, this is a kitchen sink practice. You can practice without props or you can use “studio” and/or “householder” props. Example of “Studio” props: 1 – 2 blankets, 2 – 3 blocks, a bolster, a strap, and an eye pillow. Example of “Householder” props: 1 – 2 blankets or bath towels, 2 – 3 books (similar in size), 2 standard pillows (or 1 body pillow), a belt/tie/sash, and a face towel.
You may want extra layers (as your body may cool down during this practice). Having a wall, chair, sofa, or coffee table may be handy if you are not using a bed.
Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “12042020 Bedtime Yoga”]
NOTE: The playlists contain a different variety of musical selections and you will only need one track/album for the practice. With one exception, the tracks play without interruption. There are more options on the YouTube playlist, but there is a different Sigur Rós option on the Spotify playlist. The December 202 practice is a good one to do without music. If you are using the music for this practice, I recommend the “sleep” tracks (i.e. #5, 6, or 7 on YouTube or #3 or starting with 4 on Spotify).
“I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free… so other people would be also free.”
— Rosa Parks, as quoted in Fight Like A Girl: 50 Feminists Who Changed the World by Laura Barcella
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.)
### Let Communities Lead ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Karma Yoga, Life, Men, Music, One Hoop, Yoga.
Tags: 988, gratitude, Indu Arora, lagniappe, Men's Health, mental health, Movember, Seane Corn, vinyasa, Yoga Sutra 2.46, Yoga Sutra 3.44, Yoga Sutra 3.46
May we all be safe and protected / May we all be peaceful and happy / May we all be healthy and strong.
“I had come to understand that yoga has never been about the stretch; it’s always been about the reach. And if I could use my reach to bring yoga’s healing powers to people everywhere and my influence to raise awareness and funds for social causes that alleviate suffering and separation, then I was all in.”
— quoted from Revolution of the Soul: Awaken to Love Through Raw Truth, Radical Healing, and Conscious Action by Seane Corn
(One more link is coming….)
Please join me today (Tuesday, Movember 21st) 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 (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Movember 20th 2021”]
NOTE: The Spotify playlist has been updated to better match the YouTube playlist in list in length/duration.
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.)
### Inhale / Exhale ###
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Depression, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Men, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.
Tags: Brendan Maher, Dorothy Day, Men's Health, mental health, Movember, No(shave)mber
May we all be safe and protected / May we all be peaceful and happy / May we all be healthy and strong!
Elements of the following have been previously posted.
“‘We respond differently to life’s unexpected challenges. Sometimes, though, that can leave us feeling worried or overwhelmed. It’s our hope that we can connect men with the right support, and equip their peers with the confidence and skills to reach out and help when it’s most needed.’”
— Brendan Maher, Global Director of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Movember
I don’t [know] about you, but — with all that’s going on — I feel some kind of way. What kind of way, you might ask and — depending on who you are and how you ask — I will be anything from vaguely honest to brutally honest. While you might think that the determining factor on that spectrum is the “who” part, it actually may be the “how” part.
As I mentioned a couple of years ago, there has been some heightened awareness around how to ask someone how they were doing. In particular, given some of the things that happened in 2020, there started to be growing awareness around how people asked when they were asking someone who might be perceived as being different from them. That perceived difference might be related to race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, age, weight, ability/disability, sexuality, gender… political affiliation. (Just saying.)
Well, today seems like as good a day as any to check back in about how we check in and why it’s so important to check in.
Please join me for a virtual yoga practice on Zoom, today (Wednesday, Movember 8th) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email me at myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [“Look for Movember 3rd 2020”]
Click here to read more about Movember.
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.)
### But, No, How Mou You, Really? ###
A Joyful Practice 