A Quick PSA & FTWMI: The Power of Giving & Sharing June 14, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Donate, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Super Heroes, Tragedy, Twin Cities, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, © National center for blood transfusion (NCBT) Rwanda, Dana, Dr. Jean-Baptiste Denys, Dr. Karl Landsteiner, Dr. Linus Pauling, Flag Day, Kristin Houser, No Kings Day, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, samkhya, siddhis, Sāṃkhya Karika, Sāmkhya Karika, WHO, World Blood Donor Day, World Health Organization, Yoga Sutra 2.24
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Happy Pride! Many blessing to everyone on World Blood Donor Day!!!
A Quick Public Service Announcement
My heart and condolences go out to the family, friends, and constituents being affected by the attacks in the Twin Cities.
Be safe today if you are participating in a No Kings Day! observation (or Flag Day celebration) and/or if you are in an area where protests and parades are taking place. Stay centered and calm, breathe, and practice the four (+1) R’s:
Recognize when your buttons are getting pushed (and things are escalating).
Refrain from your knee jerk reaction (which may be to push back).
Relax (even if you just pause and take a breath).
Resolve to move forward, centered and grounded.
Remember why you are doing what you are doing.
For Those Who Missed It: The following was originally posted in 2023. It includes updated statistics (compared to the related linked posts). Class details and theme information (as well as some formatting) have been updated. Some links at the end of the post connect outside of this blog.
“I found that [Karl] Landsteiner and I had a much different approach to science: Landsteiner would ask, ‘What do these experimental observations force us to believe about the nature of the world?’ and I would ask, ‘What is the most simple, general and intellectually satisfying picture of the world that encompasses these observations and is not incompatible with them?’”
— quoted from “Fifty Years of Progress in Structural Chemistry and Molecular Biology.” By Dr. Linus Pauling (published in Daedalus, 99, 1005. 1970)
In addition to the typical philosophical questions, this week has been full of very practical questions: “Are you keeping your foundation in mind?” “What do you have a hard time wrapping your brain around (i.e., understanding)?” In other words, “How ignorant are you?” “What ails you?” “How do you cope with what ails you?” “Does the way you cope alleviate suffering or create more suffering?” And, rooted within each of those questions is one more: “Are you willing to alleviate your suffering and/or the suffering of another?”
Honestly, that last question is really just asking if you’re willing to be a hero(ine)?
Heroes and heroines have come up again and again over the last few weeks. Sometimes the reference was inferred; other times it was quite explicit. Either way, the idea that one person could do something to help — even save — themselves and/or another person comes up over and over again. And, yes, I will admit that I have a certain bias towards the idea. I definitely appreciate the fact that many of the heroes and heroines you find in so many cultural stories (not to mention in the stories of certain superheroes) are ordinary people who do extra-ordinary things. Sure, sometimes they are given superpowers, but what is more relevant is the power(s) they cultivate.
“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
According to the Yoga Sūtras, when we eliminate suffering and the roots of suffering, we gain awareness of our true nature. We also gain access to the power and vitality of our true nature. In the Sāṃkhya Karika, that power and vitality includes six siddhis (“powers” or abilities) which are described as “powers unique to being human.” Everyone has these powers, but not everyone appreciates and cultivates them. Take for example, what happens when we harness the power of duḥkha-vighātaḥ-trayaḥ (the ability to “eliminate three-fold sorrow”, i.e., physical, mental, and spiritual sorrow) and combine it with the power of dana (“generosity”, i.e., the ability to give to another).
We all have something that legally belongs to us that we could give to another. We also have something that most of us can give away without ever missing. I’m not talking about a material possession — although some of us may have material things that we could give away and not miss. No, here, I am specifically talking about something that is the very essence of our life. Consider how powerful it is to literally give our lifeblood. We have the ability to do that thanks to Dr. Karl Landsteiner, the “Father of Transfusion Medicine”, who was born today in 1868.
Click here to read more about the significance of Dr. Karl Landsteiner’s work.
In honor of Dr. Landsteiner’s birthday, today is World Blood Donor Day. (Coincidentally, it falls just the day before the anniversary of Dr. Jean-Baptiste Denys’s 1667 surgery on a 15-year old boy, using sheep’s blood.) Established in 2005, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, World Blood Donor Day is a celebration of and an expression of gratitude for the millions of donors worldwide. It is also an opportunity to raise awareness for the universal need for safe blood and blood products.
In 2023, the host country is Algeria (through its National Blood Transfusion Service) and the theme is “Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often.”
The 2025 theme is “Give blood, give hope: together we save lives.”
“[The 2023 World Blood Donor Day theme] focuses on patients requiring life-long transfusion support and underlines the role every single person can play, by giving the valuable gift of blood or plasma. It also highlights the importance of giving blood or plasma regularly to create a safe and sustainable supply of blood and blood products that can be always available, all over the world, so that all patients in need can receive timely treatment.”
— quoted from the World Health Organization’s 2023 World Blood Donor Day site
According to WHO, 42% of the world’s blood supply is collected in high income countries, which are home to only 16% of the world’s population. Additionally, as of 2018, only 79 countries have the majority (90%) of their blood supplied by voluntary, unpaid donors. Some of those countries also supply blood transfusions free of charge. Meanwhile, 54 countries depend on family and paid donors. When it comes to plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMP), less than half of the reporting countries (56 out of 171) produce PDMP through the fractionation (i.e., separation) of plasma collected in the reporting countries. A little over 53% of reporting countries (91 out of 171) import all PDMP. The remaining 14% either reported no usage or did not report any data.
Just as the demographics of people who donate is different, how different countries use blood varies. For example, in low income countries, more than half (54%) of blood transfusions are give to children under 5 years old. On the flip side, the majority of people receiving transfusions in high income countries (76%) are over the age of 60.
Go deeper and you will find that even in countries that can depend on voluntary donations, certain parts of those countries experience shortages which can only be alleviated by a mobilized network. In fact, one of the goals of World Blood Donor Day is to “mobilize support at national, regional, and global levels among governments and development partners to invest in, strengthen and sustain national blood programmes.” That mobilized network can include electronic cold chain monitoring systems and drones — both of which can be found in Rwanda and in Ukraine.
“Rwanda’s policy since 1985 is that blood must be donated by unpaid volunteers and provided to patients in need free-of-charge. Donors around Rwanda are eager to help.
‘I always am happy to save a life of someone, even someone I don’t know, because in our (Rwandan) culture, we believe that to be human is to do good things to someone without being remunerated,’ said Euphrasie Uwase Maneno, a blood donor.”
— quoted from the 12 June 2019 World Health Organization report “Drones take Rwanda’s national blood service to new heights” by © National center for blood transfusion (NCBT) Rwanda
Please join me today (Saturday, June 14th) 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 on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06142020 World Blood Donor Day”]
“[Canadian drone manufacturer Draganfly’s] medical drones, meanwhile, are equipped with temperature-controlled payload boxes that can be used to transport up to 35 pounds of blood, insulin, vaccines, and other supplies. They can fly for 40 minutes on a single charge.”
— quoted from the Freethink article “Medical drones to transport blood being rushed to Ukraine” by Kristin Houser (dated March 31, 2022)
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
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.)
### WHAT QUESTION(S) ARE YOU ASKING? ###
In The Middle of “The Wild Things” & EXCERPT: “Here Be The Wild Things” (the “missing” Tuesday post) June 10, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, California, Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Love, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, addiction, Alcoholics Anonymous, Anne Smith, Bill Wilson, Bonnie Taylor-Blake, Christopher Walken, Dr. Bob Smith, Joseph Campbell, Jyeshtha Purnima, Maurice Sendak, mental health, PRIDE, Quote Investigator, Sir Austen Chamberlain, Terry Gross, Third Day of the Holy Trinity
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Happy Pride!
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating festivals associated with Jyeshtha Purnima, Pride, and/or the Third Day of the Holy Trinity.
This is a “missing” compilation post for Tuesday, June 10th, which includes a date-related excerpt. Some links will direct you to websites other than this blog.
You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“The earliest strong match known to QI appeared in a March 1936 newspaper report in ‘The Yorkshire Post’ of West Yorkshire, England. The expression was used in a speech by an influential British statesman.
Sir Austen Chamberlain, addressing the annual meeting of Birmingham Unionist Association last night, spoke of the ‘grave injury’ to collective security by Germany’s violation of the Treaty of Locarno.
Sir Austen, who referred to himself as ‘a very old Parliamentarian,’ said:—”
“‘…. We move from one crisis to another. We suffer one disturbance and shock after another.’”
— quoted from the December 18, 2015, Quote Investigator post, “Quote Origin: May You Live In Interesting Times” (with credit to “top researcher Bonnie Taylor-Blake”)
The other day I asked a question — “What are we doing?” — and noted that intonation (and adding a few choice words) can change the context. So, today, I am very much asking with a certain tone (and some choice words): “What in the ever-loving world are we doing?”
People might use the old adage and say we are “living in interesting times”. I’m going to say that we are in the middle of wild times and in the middle of wild things. So, the next question I want to ask you is, “What do you do when you’re in the middle of wild things”?
That last question, like my other questions, can be taken in different ways and will have different answers depending on how you react when your sympathetic nervous system is activated. Some people immediately fight (and that means different things to different people). Some people freeze up or collapse. Some people flee. While all of these very natural reactions are activated by our sympathetic nervous system, they can manifest in different ways. For instance, some people fight the with joy or other positive emotional expressions (like a little bit of random fun and silliness). Some people use prayers, mediation, plus rituals and traditions to battle whatever plagues them or those they love.
This year, Jyeshtha Purnima started today (June 10th) and runs through June 11th. This “elder” full moon is dedicated to Vishnu and is one of the most auspicious “moon days” in some Hindu traditions. It falls in the month of Jyeshtha, which some consider sacred to the Goddess Ganges (who is the embodiment of forgiveness, purification, and the river Ganges). In addition to a procession and ritual bathing ceremony in the Ganges, people will pray and meditate; make a puja (“offering”); and also donate to charities. This is a particularly auspicious time for married women — some of whom will pray and wrap thread around a banyan to ensure good health and good fortune for their husbands.
It is important to keep in mind that our sympathetic nervous systems can be activated when we are physically in the wild space (where wild things are happening), and/or when we mentally and emotionally find ourselves in the wild space, from viewing wild things on television, hearing things on the radio, or reading and/or viewing something on social media. All of our nervous systems are being activate.
So again, the question is, what do we do when we’re in the middle of the wild things? What do you (specifically) do? What allows you to respond more like Wayman Tisdale than Cole Porter?
And, don’t take this as me being flippant; because, I am absolutely serious when I suggest that you go a little deeper into your knee jerk response(s) and notice what you do when you find yourself “where the wild things are” — and what it takes for you to be like Max (and become the “most wild thing of all”).
“‘And now,’ cried Max, ‘let the wild rumpus start!’”
— quoted from Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Today is the anniversary of the birth of children’s book author and illustrator Maurice Sendak (b. 1928) and the anniversary of the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous (in 1935). The excerpted post includes passing references to mental health issues and addiction.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
FTWMI: Here Be The Wild Things (a post-practice Monday re-post)
“Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again. You really don’t have a sacred space, a rescue land, until you find somewhere to be that’s not a wasteland, some field of action where there is a spring of ambrosia—a joy that comes from inside, not something external that puts joy into you—a place that lets you experience your own will and your own intention and your own wish so that, in small, the Kingdom is there. I think everybody, whether they know it or not, is in need of such a place.”
— quoted from A Joseph Campbell Companion: Reflections on the Art of Living by Joseph Campbell
As noted in the excerpted post, it is important to have a sacred space when battling things and people that push you off center. For some people, a sacred space is on the outside; for some it is on the inside; and for some it is both. For some it is all of that mixed in with tradition, ritual, and intention. Ultimately, to go back to the words of Joseph Campbell and Maurice Sendak, it is a place where everything falls into place — where we have good “luck”. It is a place we have to find and/or cultivate, as we do in our practice.
“There should be a place where only the things you want to happen, happen.”
— quoted from Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06102020 Here Be The Wild Things”]
MUSIC NOTE: YouTube is the original playlist and includes the video below.
My all time favorite rendition!
Practice Note: Since I changed the narrative for this year’s practice, I did not include the story about Maurice Sendak’s correspondence with a young fan (courtesy of the child’s mother). You can find the story (and a little history about the story) on the Truth of Fiction? website.
“GROSS: Well, I’m so glad you have a new book. I’m really glad we had a chance to talk.
SENDAK: I am too.
GROSS: And I wish you all good things.
SENDAK: I wish you all good things. Live your life, live your life, live your life.”
— quoted from the NPR Fresh Air interview “Maurice Sendak: On Life, Death And Children’s Lit” with Terry Gross and Maurice Sendak (originally aired September 20, 2011)
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).
### “I’LL EAT YOU UP!”• “I LOVE YOU!” ###
FTWMI: A Note & EXCERPT: “Not So De-Lovely Circumstance(s)?” (a post-practice Monday post) June 9, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Basketball, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Loss, Men, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, accident, amputation, cancer, Changing Perspectives, Cole Porter, Day Of the Holy Spirit, disability, jazz, Loss, Matthew Sanford, mental health, Mind Body Solutions, music, trauma, Wayman Tisdale, yoga philosophy, yoga practice
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Happy Pride!
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating Pride and/or the Day of the Holy Spirit.
For Those Who Missed It: This post-practice post and excerpt for Monday, June 10th, was originally posted in 2024. The 2025 prompt question was, “How would you describe your attitude today?”
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.
“‘You can never give up because quitting is not an option,’ [Wayman] Tisdale says. ‘No matter how dark it is or how weak you get, until you take that last breath, you must fight.’”
— quoted from the Dec. 3, 2008 ESPN article “Tisdale reaches for his biggest rebound” by Anna K. Clemmons
The first question I asked in a 2020 blog post (see below) was, “Have you ever experienced trauma, loss, and disability?”
During yesterday’s practice, I mentioned how the trajectory of Robert Schumann’s life and career changed when he lost sensation in his right pinky finger. Eventually, he loss the use and dexterity of his whole right hand. The physical trauma, loss, and disability took an emotional toll that eventually landed him in sanatorium. Coincidentally, today is the anniversary of the birth of Cole Porter (b. 1891) and Wayman Tisdale (b. 1964) — two people who shared a lot in common with Robert Schumann, including music, love, and trauma, loss, and disability… again on the right side. However, they dealt with their circumstances in very different ways.
Click on the title of the excerpt below for the entire 2020 post about Cole Porter and Wayman Tisdale.
“Sad times, may follow your tracks
Bad times, may bar you from Sak’s
At times, when Satan in slacks
Breaks down your self control
Maybe, as often it goes
Your Abe-y, may tire of his rose
So baby, this rule I propose
Always have an ace in the hole.”
— quoted from the song “Ace in the Hole” by Cole Porter
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
NOTE: If you are interested in the music referenced in the excerpted post (and practice), a playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06092020 Not So De-Lovely Circumstance(s)”]
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).
### NOTICE HOW YOU DEAL WITH CIRCUMSTANCES
(whether they be the de-lovely kind or not) ###
First Friday Night Special #56 — Invitation to “What We Believe II” (w/excerpts) June 6, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Loss, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Suffering, Tragedy, Wisdom, Yin Yoga, Yoga.Tags: 988, D-Day, George Williams, Plato, Ralph Waldo Emerson, World War II, YMCA, yoga, yoga philosophy
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating PRIDE and/or the Apodosis of the Ascension on the anniversary of D-Day.
Happy Pride!
“And what is the right way of living? Are we to live in sports always? If so, in what kind of sports? We ought to live sacrificing, and singing, and dancing, and then a man will be able to propitiate the Gods, and to defend himself against his enemies and conquer them in battle. The type of song or dance by which he will propitiate them has been described, and the paths along which he is to proceed have been cut for him.” (Book 7)
— quoted from The Laws by Plato
Before we consider the “right way [to live]”, we must consider what we believe. Not “In what” or “In whom”; but simply what is it that we believe with every bone and every fiber, and every day of every year? It is a simple, yet tricky question.. Because if you believe something — really, truly, believe with your whole heart and every fiber of your being — then your actions will reflect your beliefs. Right? Everything will be in alignment. Right?
Only, we humans tend to be a little more complicated than that. So, maybe the next thing to consider isn’t whether your every thought, word, and deed perfectly reflects what you believe. Maybe the next thing to consider is whether or not you are willing to put all of your efforts — all of your thoughts, words, and deeds — on the line, in support of a campaign (or an organization…or a country…) in which you believe.
What would you do for freedom, for country, for God (whatever that means to you at this moment)?
On a certain level, this last question was answered by George Williams and the other founders of the YMCA, today in 1844, and by those who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, exactly 100 years later (today in 1944).
The stories of these two events are very (very) different and yet they come back to the same thing(s): What people believe.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLES BELOW FOR MORE.
“Don’t say things. What you are stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary. A lady of my acquaintance said, ‘I don’t care so much for what they say as I do for what makes them say it.’”
— quoted from 1875 essay “Social Aims” by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Please join me tonight, Friday, June 6, 2025, 7:15 PM – 8:20 PM (CST) for “What We Believe II”. 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.
This Yin Yoga practice is accessible and open to all.
Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify.
NOTE: At the beginning of the practice, you will be prompted to pause and select a track. The playlist tracks are slightly different in length and duration; however, the overall content is the same.
A playlist inspired by D-Day and the founding of the YMCA is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06062020 D-Day & YMCA]
Prop wise, I will suggest using a table or a chair and this is a kitchen sink practice. You can practice without props or you can use “studio” and/or “householder” props. Example of “Studio” props: 1 – 2 blankets, 2 – 3 blocks, a bolster, a strap, and an eye pillow. Example of “Householder” props: 1 – 2 blankets or bath towels, 2 – 3 books (similar in size), 2 standard pillows (or 1 body pillow), a belt/tie/sash, and a face towel.
You may want extra layers (as your body may cool down during this practice). Having a wall, chair, sofa, or coffee table will also be handy.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
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: Updated invitation number.
### PEACE TO & FROM EVERYTHING & EVERYONE WE ENCOUNTER ###
Für Deine Gesundheit! “Be Curious….” (mostly the music) May 28, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Maya Angelou, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Alen Voskanian MD MBA, Hunter Doherty Adams, Jarem Sawatsky, mental health, Patch Adams
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, Counting the Omer, and/or observing the Apodosis of Pascha.
“The purpose of a doctor or any human in general should not be to simply delay the death of the patient, but to increase the person’s quality of life. ”
— Dr. Hunter Doherty “Patch” (or “Stumpy”) Adams (b. 1945), quoted from “Chapter 5. Overwhelmed With Minutia” in Reclaiming the Joy of Medicine: Finding Purpose, Fulfillment and Happiness in Today’s Medical Industry by Alen Voskanian, MD, MBA
Please join me today (Wednesday, May 28th) 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 “10102021 World Mental Health Day (redux)”]
“Then [Patch] sat back and said ‘…. The question is “are you living?” Are you living? Are you being the human being you want to be? Are your relationships healthy? Are you grateful? What is your sense of wonder? What’s your sense of curiosity? What thrills you?
You can decide to love life. You can decide to love your partner. You can decide to know what I mean when I say, a tree can stop your suffering.’
Somehow those words struck me as free. I don’t need to figure out everything about dying. I need to keep living. To be thrilled, to be grateful, to be wonder-filled. To be curious about life and living. These are ways of being that are accessible to me.”
— quoted from ”Diving into an Ocean of Gratitude — Living and Caring with Patch Adams” by Jarem Sawatsky
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.)
“Be curious!”
“And while you’re waiting to come up with a question, I can say that I make me. I decided at 18 to never have another bad day and I am 79 on Tuesday and I haven’t had a bad day since I was 18. I love my life. I chose to make me and to be six qualities: happy, funny, loving, creative, cooperative, and thoughtful.”
— Dr. Hunter Doherty “Patch” (or “Stumpy”) Adams, quoted from the May 25, 2024 live-stream video entitled “Celebrating my 79th Birthday with My Loving Community”
### BLESS YOU! ###
EXCERPT: “The Fools and the Angels [‘Came out by the same door…’]” May 21, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Changing Perspectives, Donate, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Alexander Pope, American Red Cross, Brian Theodore Tyler, Clara Barton, Edmund Dwight, Graeme Edge, Ishbel Ross, John Butler, KISS MY ASANA, Klaus Badelt, Moody Blues, Yoga Sutra 4.15, yoga sutras
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating World Meditation Day, Counting the Omer, and/or observing the fifth week of Pascha and/or Apodosis of Prepolovenie.
“Be not the first by whom the new are tried,
Not yet the last to lay the old aside.”
— quoted from “Part 2” of An Essay on Criticism by Alexander Pope
In addition to being World Meditation Day and the anniversary of the birth of Alexander Pope (born 1688, according to the Old Style / Julian calendar, today is the day Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross in 1881.
CLICK ON THE EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE.
The Fools and the Angels [“Came out by the same door…”] (the “missing” Tuesday post)
“Clara promptly wrote to her Boston friend of the Franco-Prussian War days, Edmund Dwight:
There seems to be such a muddle of ideas growing out of the mishaps in Congress that it was very apparent that somebody must say something and that, you know, is the place where I always come in; the door that nobody else will go in at, seems always to swing open widely for me.”
— quoted from “PART TWO – XIV. Johnstown Flood” in Angel of the Battlefield: The Life of Clara Barton by Ishbel Ross
Please join me today (Wednesday, May 21st) 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 “05212025 More Fools & More Angels”]
The post excerpted above includes this musical meditation, which could absolutely be used for a practice.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is 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.)
Thank you to everyone who Kiss[ed] MyAsana!
While you helped me surpass my fundraising goal, the overall fundraiser raised over half of its goal!!
Whether you showed up in a (Zoom) class, used a recording, shared a post or video, liked and/or commented on a post or video, and/or made a donation — you and your efforts are appreciated! Thank you!!!
### Understand Yourself / Learn Compassion / Learn Love: “Just open your heart and that’s a start” ~ The Moody Blues (KB / BTT) ###
FTWMI: A Well, Well, Well(ness) [Tuesday] (w/ an excerpt) May 13, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Books, Buddhism, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Donate, Faith, Gratitude, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Jane Hirshfield, Julian of Norwich, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Mantra, Mathematics, Mysticism, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Tragedy, Volunteer, Wisdom, Women, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Alessandro Rotondo, American Psychological Association, Beau Lotto, Buddha, Buddha's Birthday, Ciro Conversano, Counting the Omer, Eastertide, Elena Lensi, Francesca Arpone, Julian of Norwich, KISS MY ASANA, Mario Antonio Reda, mental health, Olivia Della Vista, Optimism, Our Lady of Fatima, Pessimism, Psychology Today Staff, samskāras, Vesak, vāsanā, Wesak
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone celebrating the Feast Day of Julian of Norwich, Vesak / Buddha Purnima / Buddha Jayanti, Counting the Omer, and/or observing the fourth week of Pascha.
For Those Who Missed It: The following is a slightly edited version of a May 8th post-practice post for Monday and included the prompt question, “Would you describe yourself as an optimist or a pessimist?”
Some links, dated-related context, and class information have been updated and/or added.
“optimism
n. hopefulness: the attitude that good things will happen and that people’s wishes or aims will ultimately be fulfilled. Optimists are people who anticipate positive outcomes, whether serendipitously or through perseverance and effort, and who are confident of attaining desired goals. Most individuals lie somewhere on the spectrum between the two polar opposites of pure optimism and pure pessimism but tend to demonstrate sometimes strong, relatively stable or situational tendencies in one direction or the other. See also expectancy-value model. —optimistic adj.”
— quoted from the American Psychological Association’s APA Dictionary of Psychology
Take a moment to consider how your outlook on life (and future events) factors into the way you move through your life and engage future events. Are you an optimist or a pessimist? I tend to describe myself as an optimist — who can be pessimistic about certain things; but there are people who would (credibly) argue that I am a pessimist. Maybe that makes me a realist.
Or maybe, as indicated by the American Psychological Association (APA), I’m just like most people: somewhere in the middle.
It all comes down to perspective and that perspective can change the way we interact with ourselves, with other people, with challenges, with new experiences, and even with our physical and mental health. In 2009, a group of researchers presented a paper (published in May 2010), about the effect of optimism. The abstract of the paper indicated that being (even a little bit) optimistic can be healthy and promote wellness.
“Through employment of specific coping strategies, optimism exerts an indirect influence also on the quality of life. There is evidence that optimistic people present a higher quality of life compared to those with low levels of optimism or even pessimists. Optimism may significantly influence mental and physical well-being by the promotion of a healthy lifestyle as well as by adaptive behaviours and cognitive responses, associated with greater flexibility, problem-solving capacity and a more efficient elaboration of negative information.”
— quoted from “Optimism and Its Impact on Mental and Physical Well-Being” by Ciro Conversano,1,† Alessandro Rotondo,2,† Elena Lensi,1 Olivia Della Vista,1 Francesca Arpone,1 and Mario Antonio Reda1
“1Istituto di Scienze del Comportamento Università degli Studi di Siena
2Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana
†These authors contributed equally to the work.”
Obviously, there is a difference between being optimistic (or pessimistic) and being delusional — or, in the case of pessimism, being fatalistic and/or riddled with anxiety. In some cases, however, the difference is a matter of perspective and that perspective brings our awareness to why some people are optimistic and some people are pessimistic. Notice that the source of optimism is not addressed in the APA’s definition of optimism. Many people may point to faith as the source of their optimism — especially this time of year, when there are so many holy obligations and sacred observations (including today’s celebrations of Julian of Norwich, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fátima, and the Buddha). But, notice that the APA’s definition doesn’t even include the word “believe” — and, yet, these mental attitudes are all about what our beliefs.
Neuroscientists like Dr. Beau Lotto highlight the fact that our beliefs are at the heart of this discussion. He often directs our attention to our previous experiences and the idea that we not only interpret current events through the filter of past events, we anticipate future events based on our past experiences. To me, his explanation sounds a lot like the concept of samskara (a “mental impression”) and vasana (a literal “dwelling” place of our habits). It also highlights why someone like Julian of Norwich thought she was dying back in 1373 and why, once she recovered, she was able to “shew” her experiences in a positive and loving light.
“Your brain is, at its core, a statistical distribution. Thus, your history of experiences creates a database of useful past perceptions. New information is constantly flowing in, and your brain is constantly integrating it into this statistical distribution that creates your next perception (so in this sense ‘reality’ is just the product of your brain’s ever-evolving database of consequence). As such, your perception is subject to a statistical phenomenon known in probability theory as kurtosis. Kurtosis in essence means that things tend to become increasingly steep in their distribution… that is, skewed in one direction. This applies to ways of seeing everything from currents events to ourselves as we lean ‘skewedly’ toward one interpretation positive or negative.”
— quoted from “Chapter 5. The Frog Who Dreamed of Being a Prince” in Deviate: The Science of Seeing Differently by Beau Lotto
Dr. Lotto went on to write, “We’re really talking about math when we say, ‘The optimist sees the glass as half full and the pessimist as half empty,’ though in my view maybe true optimists are just glad to have a drink in the first place!” Julian of Norwich, an anchoress and Christian mystic who lived in the 14th and 15th centuries, fit that definition of a “true optimist.” Her Revelations of Divine Love (Revelations of Love in 16 Shewings) — which is the oldest surviving book written in English by a woman — refers to giving thanks (through prayer) as a way to truly understand oneself and ones situation. She even gave thanks for her illness!
Although she recovered on May 13, 1873, Julian was given last rites on May 8th, and experienced visions which she eventually related in her book. One of the most well known quotes from her book can be considered a mantra for optimists (and for those wanting to be more optimistic):
“All shall be well, and all shall be well, and (in) all manner of thing(s) shall be well.”
— quoted from Chapters 1 of Revelations of Divine Love (Revelations of Love in 16 Shewings) by Julian of Norwich
The feast days for Julian of Norwich are May 8th in Anglican and Lutheran traditions and May 13th in the Roman Catholic tradition.
Today, May 13th is also the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fátima in some Catholic traditions and (as referenced yesterday) celebrations of the Buddha are beginning or continuing in some Asian countries and the diaspora.
Click on the excerpt title below for more about Julian.
A Graceful Saturday & FTWMI: An “All Will Be Well” Wednesday
“Optimists are likely to see the causes of failure or negative experiences as temporary rather than permanent, specific rather than global, and external rather than internal. Such a perspective enables optimists to more easily see the possibility of change.”
— quoted from the Psychology Today webpage entitled, “Optimism” (Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff)
Please join me today (Tuesday, May 13th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05132020 All Will Be Well Wednesday”]
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.)
You can still click here to Kiss My Asana Now! (Or, you can also still click here to join my team and get people to kiss [your] asana!)
### BE WELL & BE GREAT ###
EXCERPT: “Grace & FTWMI: What Dreams May Come (on May 6th)” May 6, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Depression, Donate, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Science, Suffering, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Anna O, Bertha Pappenheim, dream interpretation, dreams, Josef Breuer, KISS MY ASANA, psychoanalysis, rabbits, Sigmund Freud, yoga, Yoga Sutra 1.10, Yoga Sutra 1.38, Yoga Sutras 1.5-1.10
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Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone Counting the Omer and/or observing the third week of Pascha.
“Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise.”
— from a letter written by Sigmund Freud to Dr. Wilhelm Fleiss, otolaryngologist (dated 10/15/1897)
Sigmund Freud was born today in 1856. Click on the excerpt title below for more.
If you’re curious about what I might “dream up” next, please join me today (Tuesday, May 6th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05062020 What Dreams May Come”]
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.)
You can still click here to Kiss My Asana Now! (Or, you can also still click here to join my team and get people to kiss [your] asana!)
### How Do You Know What You Know About Yourself? ###
First Friday Night Special #54 — Invitation to “Trust Yourself to Soothe Yourself” May 2, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Changing Perspectives, Donate, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Karma Yoga, Life, Love, Meditation, One Hoop, Pain, Peace, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Suffering, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Baby and Child Care, compassion, Dorothea Fox, Dr. Benjamin Spock, emotions, Health, KISS MY ASANA, mental health, movement, Restorative Yoga, soothing, yoga, yoga practice
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Many blessings to anyone Counting the Omer or observing the second week of Pascha!
Peace and many blessings to everyone!!
Some elements of the following have previously been posted.
“TRUST YOURSELF.
1. You know more than you think you do.”
— quoted from “Preparing for the Baby” in The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care (pub. 1946) by Benjamin Spock, M. D. (with illustrations by Dorothea Fox)
Dr. Benjamin Spock, who was born today in 1903, started off his bestselling book with advice to parents that also applies to our yoga practice (on and off the mat). Even if this is your first time on the mat, trust yourself. Even if this is your 50,000th time on the mat, trust yourself. See what you see and notice how you engage what you see, inside and outside.
Bring awareness, also, to how you engage what is unseen — and, how you engage yourself. Notice what makes you tense up — as if you are bracing for impact — and notice what allows you to relax, release, and rest. Notice the state in which you are most comfortable. Notice the state in which you are most productive. Notice if you are relaxed, comfortable, and productive — or if you find yourself comfortable in a situation where you are not resting and not productive.
Notice what helps you shift, inside and outside.
Remember, as Dr. Spock reminded parents, that each child [read: individual] is unique.
This is the practice.
“What is the meaning of these rhythmic movements? I don’t think we know for sure, but here are some suggestions. In the first place, these motions usually appear in the second half of the first year, in the age period when babies naturally begin to get a sense of rhythm and try to sway in time to music. But this is at best only a partial explanation. Jouncing and head-banging occur mostly when a baby is going to sleep or is partly awakened. We know that many babies when they are tired do not go directly and peacefully to sleep, but must go through a slightly tense period first. There are the 2- and 3-month-old infants who always scream for a few minutes before dropping off. Perhaps those older babies who suck their thumbs to go to sleep, and the others who bang their heads or jounce, are also trying to soothe away a tense feeling.”
— quoted from “How Baby Is Doing: Common Nervous Symptoms — 124. Head-rolling, head-banging, jouncing.” in The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care (pub. 1946) by Benjamin Spock, M. D. (with illustrations by Dorothea Fox)
Please join me tonight, Friday, May 2, 2025, 7:15 PM – 8:20 PM (CST) for “Trust Yourself to Soothe Yourself”. 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.
This Restorative Yoga practice is accessible and open to all.
Friday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05032024 Balancing Holding On & Letting Go”]
NOTE: At the beginning of the practice, you will be prompted to pause and select a track. The playlist tracks are slightly different in length and duration; however, the overall content is the same.
A playlist inspired by Dr. Benjamin Spock’s life and work is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “05022020 Dr Spock’s Big Day”]
Prop wise, I will suggest using a ball (or water bottle) and this is a kitchen sink practice. You can practice without props or you can use “studio” and/or “householder” props. Example of “Studio” props: 1 – 2 blankets, 2 – 3 blocks, a bolster, a strap, and an eye pillow. Example of “Householder” props: 1 – 2 blankets or bath towels, 2 – 3 books (similar in size), 2 standard pillows (or 1 body pillow), a belt/tie/sash, and a face towel.
You may want extra layers (as your body may cool down during this practice). Having a wall, chair, sofa, or coffee table will also be handy.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is 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.)
You can still click here to Kiss My Asana Now! (Or, you can still also click here to join my team and get people to kiss [your] asana!)
### PRACTICE SELF-COMPASSION ###
Fearless Play with Duke (& Jerry?) [just the music & blessings] April 29, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in "Impossible" People, Changing Perspectives, Donate, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Karma Yoga, Life, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Peace, Philosophy, Riḍván, Volunteer, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Counting the Omer, Duke Ellington, Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington, fearless, Jerome “Jerry” Allen Seinfeld, Riḍván
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“Happy Riḍván!” to those getting ready to celebrate “the Most Great Festival.” Many blessings to anyone Counting the Omer or celebrating/observing the Commemoration of the Dead!
Peace and many blessings to everyone!! Happy Poetry Month!!
Please join me today (Tuesday, April 29th) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “04292020 Fearless Play with Duke & Satchmo”]
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.)
You can still click here to Kiss My Asana Now! (Or, you can also still click here to join my team and get people to kiss [your] asana!)
###
A Joyful Practice 