Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone curious about how we can have friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
“The voice of my ground crew comes crackling through my headset, asking for my impressions. they want me to say something for posterity. I find it surprisingly hard to do. Hostile. That’s the only word I can find at first. Space is neither comfortable nor a comforting place. Starkly beautiful, yes. Spectacular, definitely. But not in the least reassuring. it is infinite and harsh. I can offer no poetry. I have only one thought: the mission—my survival.”
— quoted from the “Prologue” of Come Up and Get Me: An Autobiography of Colonel Joe Kittinger by Joe Kittinger and Craig Ryan
Please join me today (Wednesday, September 18th) 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 “09182024 Joe (& Rosie)’s Goal”]
“All our training is focused on solving the particular problems of survival.”
— quoted from the “Prologue” of Come Up and Get Me: An Autobiography of Colonel Joe Kittinger by Joe Kittinger and Craig Ryan
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.
“A [Russian] restriction forbid any balloon to rise higher than 200 feet. In most parts of the world, we’re required to maintain a minimum altitude of 1,000 feet when flying over populated areas, so this restriction was welcome as far as we were concerned. There’s nothing more exhilarating than sailing along at rooftop level.
The weather was perfect for the next six days, and we flew every one of them. Sherry bought a two-gallon jug of jawbreakers and bubblegum and tossed candy out to the kids wherever we landed….”
“In the space of two hours, we gave tethered balloon rides to around one hundred kids [in Gorky Park]. I kept expecting the KGB to show up and shut our little circus down—or worse.”
— quoted from Come Up and Get Me: An Autobiography of Colonel Joe Kittinger by Joe Kittinger and Craig Ryan
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.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone curious about how we can have friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
FTWMI: The following post-practice post related to the practice on Monday, September 16th was originally posted in 2020 (and slightly revised and excerpted in 2023). This version includes additional revisions. The 2024 prompt question was, “What piques your curiosity?”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.
— “Yoga (‘union’) is the mastery of the fluctuations of the mind.”
Yoga Sūtra 1.3: tadā draştuh svarūpe’vasthānam
—“[When the fluctuations of the mind are mastered] the Seer abides/rests in their own true nature.”
Take a seat, get comfortable, and do that 90-second thing. Or, sit for 5, 15, 20, or 30 moments. Watch your breath and get curious. Bring awareness to your awareness, notice what you notice. There is so much, after all, to notice. We can smell things and taste things; we can feel different textures and sensations on our skin (and even on the inside of our body); we can see and hear — even with our eyes closed; and every sensation, every bit of information has the possibility of conjuring up a thought or memory that brings more sensation, more information.
It is also true that the more you sit — even for short periods of time — the more there is the possibility that your mind will stop bouncing around like wild horses, elephants, little puppies, or curious monkeys. The more stillness and quiet you can cultivate in your mind, the more there is the possibility of insight, of seeing things in a special way — and seeing what is constant.
“After the day is gone we shall go out, breathe deeply, and look up – and there the stars will be, unchanged, unchangeable.”
— quoted from The Stars: A New Way to See Them by H. A. Rey
However, there is also the possibility that the mind will keep bopping around looking for something on which it can focus and then — like a dog who’s spotted a squirrel — rushing off in another direction. In fact, the longer we practice the more we understand that our mind — just like a little puppy or a curious monkey — is designed to explore and play. Furthermore, the more we practice, the more we understand the merit of playing and exploring our mind.
“Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble.’ George promised to be good. But it is easy for little monkeys to forget.”
— quoted from Curious George by Margaret and H. A. Rey
Hans Augusto Reyersbach, better known as H. A. Rey, was the author of The Stars: A New Way to See Them and the co-author of children’s books featuring Curious George and The Man in the Yellow Hat. Born today in 1898, he and his wife Margaret (born Margarete Elisabeth Waldstein, on May 16, 1906) were German Jews who originally met in their hometown of Hamburg. Margaret, who H. A. originally remembered as the kid sister who slid down banisters, ended up in Brazil specifically because she was escaping the Nazi’s rise of power in Germany. H. A. also fled to Brazil and the couple reconnected in Rio de Janeiro.
It was in Brazil that H. A. changed his last name to Rey and Margarete changed her first name to Margaret. They married in Brazil and took a honeymoon cruise to Europe before settling in Paris, France. During the cruise, their pet marmoset monkeys died. These pets may have been the beginning of the idea that became George; because, when they settled in France, they began creating the drawings and stories that would become “Curious George and Friends.”
George, however, did not start off as “George.” Like the Reys, he went through a series of name changes, starting with “Fifi” and “Zozo.” He also has different names in different translations, including (but not limited to) Jordi (in Catalan), Peter Pedal (in Danish), Coco (in German), Golgol (in Galacian), and Nicke Nyfiken (in Swedish). I am particular fond of “Peter Pedal,” because it makes me think of how Curious George, and his creators, escaped the Nazis.
It is a back story that is as much of an adventure as the Curious George stories themselves.
“It seems ridiculous to be thinking about children’s books. [But] life goes on, the editors edit, the artists draw, even during wartime.”
— H. A. Rey
In 1939, the now married Reys wrote and illustrated a book called Rafi and the 9 Monkeys. From the beginning it was an equal collaboration; however, only H. A.’s name appeared on the original publications. Rafi was a giraffe whose friends and family had been captured and placed in a zoo. She made friends with a family of nine monkeys — the most prominent of whom would become “George.” (As a side note, Rafi would become “Raffi” when the book was published in the United Kingdom and “Cecily” when it was published in the United States.)
By the time the war broke out, the Reys had been contracted to publish a book featuring the gregarious monkey and were working on other books as well. However, in June of 1940, the couple decided to put everything on hold and flee from the Nazi invasion. H. A. built two bicycles and, taking little more than the drawings and manuscript for “Fifi,” they headed south. Their four-month journey eventually landed them in New York City, where the first Curious George book was published (in 1941).
One of the things that aided their escape was the fact that they were officially Brazilian citizens. Another thing that helped them was “Fifi.” At one point in their escape, an official suspected them of being German spies (because they were Jewish people with German accents and Brazilian visas). The official let them go when he searched their belongings and found nothing more than a children’s story.
“George can do what kids can’t do. He can paint a room from the inside. He can hang from a kite in the sky. He can let the animals out of their pens on the farm. He can do all these naughty things that kids would like to do.”
— Margaret Rey
“Curious George does exactly what he’s supposed to do for his age and development (and species)! By nature and by name, he is curious. He explores his world fully and completely. This is his job as a young, continually developing little person, er, monkey. This is why my kids love the show–they relate so well to George’s genuinely curious nature and all of the honest (and funny) mistakes that ensue. But what I find most refreshing about ‘Curious George’ is The Man in the Yellow Hat.
The Man in the Yellow Hat never punishes George for his mistakes. He is more concerned with solving the problem. The man helps George put things away, fix things that broke, apologize to people who were involved in any indiscretions, and generally restore order.”
— quoted from “Why I Like Curious George” posted on the blog Parenting From Scratch by Kelly Bartlett
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
The 2020 playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “07112020 An Introduction.”]
A theme-related playlist is also available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “09042021 Experiencing the Mind”]
If you are struggling, thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone getting rooted in friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom.
Stay safe! Hydrate and nourish your heart, body, and mind.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?”
— quoted from the poem “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver
Born today in 1935, Mary Oliver (along with her love and life partner Molly Malone Cook) definitely lived a “wild and precious life.” Recently, my yoga buddy Julie sent me what she described as “mobster/Mary Oliver parody.” The text made me smile. What made me giggle was thinking, “ Well, if we’re being honest, Mary Oliver was kinda gangsta; she was all about that life.”
CLICK ON THE FIRST (slightly ironic) EXCERPT TITLE BELOW FOR MORE ABOUT MARY OLIVER.
Click on the second excerpt title below for a 2018 eulogy dedicated to one of my other favorite “wild and precious” people born today!
“You do not have to be good
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.”
— quoted from the poem “Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver
Please join me today (Tuesday, September 10th) 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 “09012024 Deep Listening”]
NOTE: Check the first excerpt for the playlist used in previous years.
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.
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.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing the Dormition (Theotokos) Fast; and/or working to cultivate friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside).
Stay hydrated & be kind, y’all!
This is the “missing” for Sunday, August 25th. Technically, it is also the “long lost” post for the 2021 practice. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
“III.24. Extraordinary strength, resulting from samyama on the concept of physical strength (the aphorism specifically mentions the strength of an elephant, which was undoubtedly the strongest creature in Patanjali’s world), but it might also include mental, moral, or spiritual strength. This could be interpreted as an exceptional form of mind-body control or as a mind-matter interaction effect. Swami Satchidananda sums up this siddhi with the comment, ‘You can lighten yourself; you can make yourself heavy. It’s all achieved by samyama. Do it; try it. Nice things will happen’ (p.188).”
“III.37. Siddhis may appear to be supernormal, but they are normal. This is not a description of a siddhi, but rather a caution to avoid regarding or attaining the siddhis as unnatural or supernormal, as that could become a distraction to sustaining and deepening samadhi.”
— quoted from the “Taxonomy” section of “Part I: From Legendary Yoga Superpowers… Chapter 7: The Siddhis” in Supernormal: Science, Yoga, and the Evidence for Extraordinary Psychic Abilities by Dean Radin, PhD
In the Yoga Sūtras, Patanjali defined yoga (“union”) as a moment when all the internal chatter fades away (YS 1.2) and devoted a whole chapter to describing the powers that come when you focus-concentrate-meditate on a single thing and harness the power of the entire mind-body. He also outlined a process by which one can become completely absorbed into (or merged with) the point of their focus-concentration-meditation. Some of it sounds magical, extraordinary, or supernatural; but, it’s actually extra ordinary and very much supernormal. The ability to be single-minded and absorbed into something (or someone) is something we all do at various times in our lives.
We do it when we are “in the zone” and we do it when we are in the “first blush” of love.
Being in the zone is what athletes call it when you are in the moment, see exactly what needs to be done, and can do it in a way that almost appears effortless. Things just fall into place. Sometimes it even feels effortless and magical to the person that is in the zone. (YS 4.29) Other times, an athlete may find themselves running into the same obstacles and hinderances described in the Yoga Sūtras (YS 1.30-1.31) — not realizing that they need to practice non-attachment. Patanjali recommended focusing on the breath and, thousands of years later, a tennis player and coach recommended the same thing.
“It is said that in breathing humans recapitulate the rhythm of the universe. When the mind is fastened to the rhythm of breathing, it tends to become absorbed and calm. Whether on or off the court, I know of no better way to begin to deal with anxiety than to place the mind on one’s breathing process.”
— quoted from the “Focus During a Match” section of “7. Concentration: Learning to Focus” in The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance by W. Timothy Gallwey
Letting go of your own ego and getting out of your own way are foundational lessons in The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance (1974) by W. Timothy Gallwey. A tennis player and coach, Mr. Gallwey used his own experiences to help others play better psychologically — because sometimes you can up your game by changing what you are doing mentally, emotionally, and even energetically. Years after The Inner Game of Tennis was published (and after he published a companion book in 1976), Mr. Gallwey found that people were applying his book to other areas and in other disciplines. So he wrote Inner Skiing (1977), The Inner Game of Golf (1981), The Inner Game of Winning (1985), The Inner Game of Music (1986), and The Inner Game of Work: Focus, Learning, Pleasure, and Mobility in the Workplace (1999), and The Inner Game of Stress: Outsmart Life’s Challenges, Fulfill Your Potential, Enjoy Yourself (2009). In each book, the bottom line is to get to a place where the mind is quiet.
Which brings us back to the other time when everything else disappears: love.
Love, nothing else matters — except in tennis.
“Perhaps this is why it is said that great poetry is born in silence. Great music and art are said to arise from the quiet depths of the unconscious, and true expressions of love are said to come from a source which lies beneath words and thoughts. So it is with the greatest efforts in sports; they come when the mind is as still as a glass lake.
Such moments have been called ‘peak experiences’ by the humanistic psychologist Dr. Abraham Maslow.”
— quoted from the “‘Trying Hard’: A Questionable Virtue” section of “3. Quieting Self 1” in The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance by W. Timothy Gallwey
Full disclosure: When I was growing up, I was the only person in my immediate family who didn’t play tennis. So, there are a bunch of things about tennis that just don’t make sense to me. For instance, why does “love” mean “zero” in tennis? There are a lot of different theories about why “love” equals “zero” in tennis. Some of these theories don’t have a lot of supporting evidence; they just seem like old wives tales that may or may not be true. They stick around, however, because they are funny. For instance, there is the idea that English speakers were mispronouncing the French word l’ œuf (“egg”) — so it sounded like they were saying “love” — and that the number zero looks like an egg. This is sometimes paired with the idea that if you make a bunch of mistakes (and score no points) you’ve laid a goose egg. The biggest problem with this theory is that when in France, where tennis was first developed, people simply used the word zéro.
Another prevalent (and possibly more credible) theory about the term, that dates back to the 1700s, is that when you have no score, but you still give it all you’ve got, then you are playing for the love of the game. This is a slightly more credible theory, because, according to the Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, the word “amateur” comes from the Latin words anator (“a lover”) and amo (“to love”), referring to a person who does something for love rather than for money.
Of course, every professional begins as an amateur and one could argue that every professional wants to feel the way they did when they were an amateur — as if nothing else matters, but that moment and the love of the game in that moment. And, this is where things get interesting; because, in tennis, the most prestigious tournaments are “open” to amateurs and professionals. They all play for the same stakes. They all play with love so palpable it can make other people fall in love with the game. Some even play with the kind of passion that can also change the face of the game.
“I always wanted to be somebody. If I made it, it’s half because I was game enough to take a lot of punishment along the way and half because there were a lot of people who cared enough to help me.”
— quoted I Always Wanted to Be Somebody by Althea Gibson, edited by Ed Fitzgerald
Born today in 1927, Althea Gibson was a professional tennis player as well as a professional golfer. In 1949, she was the first Black woman and the second Black athlete (after Dr. Reggie Weir) to play in the National Indoor Championships hosted by the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA, now known as the USTA). While she earned a full athletic scholarship to Florida A&M University (FAMU) and was considered an elite athlete all around the world, her race and ethnicity meant that she was not able to play in some of the most prestigious competitions in the world. To be clear, USTA had anti-discrimination rules in the 1950s; however, to qualify for certain tournaments, a player had to have a certain amount of points. In order to earn those points, a player had to play (and place) at a number of tournaments. Of course, some tournaments were held at clubs that were white-only — which meant that a player like Althea Gibson couldn’t play.
The first crack in that glass ceiling came when American Tennis Association (ATA) officials and 18 time Grand Slam championship-winner Alice Marble very publicly lobbied for Althea Gibson to be the first African-American to receive an invitation to the Nationals. Three days after her 23rd birthday, Ms. Gibson made her debut at Forest Hills and won. The world took notice; even though she ultimately lost the next match (in a delayed round) to Louise Brough, the then three-time defending Wimbledon champion, who also lobbied for inclusion.
Six years later, in 1956, Althea Gibson became the first African-American to win a Grand Slam event when she won the singles crown at the French Championships (now known as the French Open). She and Angela Buxton (from the United Kingdom) also won the doubles. Later that season, she won the championships in Rome, Italy; New Delhi, India; and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). The following year, and the year after that, she won both Wimbledon and the US Nationals (which preceded the US Open) and was named “Female Athlete of the Year” by the Associated Press. (1957 was also the year she beat Louise Brough, who by then had won 35 major championships.)
“According to [American sculpture Eric] Goulder, each [of the five granite blocks] represents the ‘boxes’ society puts people in. [Althea] Gibson’s image emerges from the highest one, which balances on its corner to emphasize how she transformed the world’s view of African American athletes.
‘Her shoulder is exposed to make clear that those who followed stand on her shoulder,’ said Goulder. The final box, which is aligned differently from the others, is meant to show that the world has changed, but not entirely.
Its inscription reads: ‘I hope that I have accomplished just one thing: that I have been a credit to tennis and my country.’”
— quoted from the August 26, 2019, Reuters article “Trailblazer Althea Gibson honoured with statue at U.S. Open” by Arlyn Gajilan
Overall, Althea Gibson won a total of 11 Grand Slam events — including five singles titles, five doubles titles, and one mixed doubles title. In 1964, she became the first African-American woman to join the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour, where she broke course records and was among the 50 money winners for fives years. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame (in 1971); was one of the first six inductees into the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame (in 1980); and, in 2007, on the 50th anniversary of her first victory at the US National Championships, she was inducted into the US Open Court of Champions.
Althea Gibson was also inducted into the the Florida Sports Hall of Fame, the Black Athletes Hall of Fame, the Sports Hall of Fame of New Jersey, the New Jersey Hall of Fame, the International Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame, and the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Additionally, she received a Candace Award from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women (in 1988) and was the first woman to receive the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Theodore Roosevelt Award (in 1991). In 2000, Sports Illustrated placed her at #30 on their “100 Greatest Female Athletes” list. In 2013, the United States Postal Service honored her with a postage stamp and, in 2019, a bust of her was unveiled outside of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, where the US Open is now held.
“In a statement Sunday, tennis champion and activist Billie Jean King had this to say: ‘We all know people who influence us and, if we are lucky, we meet a few in our lives who improve us. Althea Gibson improved my life and the lives of countless others. She was the first to break so many barriers, and from the first time I saw her play, when I was 13 years old, she became, and remained, one of my true heroines.
‘It was truly an inspiration for me to watch her overcome adversity. Her road to success was a challenging one, but I never saw her back down. Althea did a lot for people in tennis, but she did even more for people in general.’”
— quoted from the September 29, 2003, Chicago Tribune article “Althea Gibson” (by the Chicago Tribune staff)
Even though Ms. Gibson broke so many color barriers that people compared her to Jackie Robinson, she couldn’t overcame all the obstacles put in her way. Despite winning multiple times at Wimbledon, she and her doubles partner, Angela Buxton, who was Jewish, were denied membership to the All England Club on more than one occasion.1 While many of the competitors that she beat were receiving endorsement deals, similar deals never came her way. That sort of racism and prejudice led her to join the LPGA, but even there she ran into literal barriers to entry. Sometimes she was not allowed to compete. Sometimes she had to change clothes in her car, because the clubs, hotels, and dressing rooms were segregated and no accommodations were available to her. While the highest earners (during the years she played on the tour) averaged, almost $35,000 a year, Althea Gibson’s lifetime golf earnings were under $25,000 (plus or minus a car she won at a Dinah Shore tournament).
Despite the ongoing challenges, Althea Gibson kept persevering. Maybe one of the reasons she never seemed to back down was because she was always fighting to survive. She dropped out of school when she was 13 years old and ran away from home because her father was abusive. At one point she lived in a Catholic shelter for abused children. By that time, she was already a paddle tennis champion in New York City and her neighbors had pooled their resources together to purchase her a junior membership and lessons at the Cosmopolitan Tennis Club in the Sugar Hill section of Harlem. But, young Althea didn’t initially love tennis. It was a means to an end; it was one of her many means of escape.
“‘Being a champ is all well and good,’ I would tell the well-meaning people who asked me about my retirement, ‘but you can’t eat a crown. Nor can you send the Internal Revenue Service a throne clipped to their tax forms. The landlord and grocer and tax collector are funny that way: they like cold cash. I may be the Queen of Tennis right now, but I reign over an empty bank account, and I’m not going to fill it by playing amateur tennis, even if I remain champ from now until Judgement Day.’”
— quoted from “So Much to Live For” in So Much to Live For by Althea Gibson with Richard Curtis
In addition to being an accomplished athlete, Althea Gibson was also a singer, a saxophone player, an actor, a sports analyst, and an author. She turned to all of those mediums in an effort to support herself and pushed the limits of everything she did so that each industry was better than she found it. She even opened for the Harlem Globetrotters by playing exhibition games with Karol Fageros and ran for public office. For much of her adult life, she was also a mentor and coach. She facilitated Pepsi Cola’s national mobile tennis project in underprivileged areas and ran multiple other clinics and tennis outreach programs. She inspired her competitors, as well as players in subsequent generations: like Billie Jean King and Serena and Venus Williams.
The Williams sisters, in particular, sought advice on how to play and how to deal with racism (on and off the court). In fact, Serena Williams won her first (of six) US Open titles in 1999, shortly after faxing a letter and a series of questions to Ms. Gibson. In 2000 and 2001, Venus Williams followed in Althea Gibson’s footsteps by winning back-to-back championships at Wimbledon and the US Open. Like Evonne Goolagong, the Australian Aboriginal (Wiradjuri) athlete who became the second non-White woman to win a Grand Slam championship (in 1971), the Williams Sisters and other African-American athletes experienced a different financial landscape than Althea Gibson, but they still had to deal with racism and prejudice.
“You can’t compare tennis with baseball, basketball, or football. When Jackie Robinson broke the color line in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers, dozens of good baseball players in the Negro leagues were waiting to follow. When Althea Gibson, the first prominent black in tennis, won national grass-court titles at Forest Hills in 1957 and 1958, there was no reservoir of black talent waiting to walk in if the door ever opened. Blacks had no identification the sport — on or off the court.”
— quoted from “3. The Passage” in Off the Court by Arthur Ashe with Neil Amdur
Another person Althea Gibson inspired was Arthur Ashe, who who won the US Amateur Championships today in 1968. A couple of weeks later, on September 9th, the Army lieutenant at West Point, followed in Althea Gibson’s footsteps: winning the first US Open and becoming the first African-American man to win a Grand Slam event. He also became the first person (period) to win the US Amateur and the US Open in the same calendar year. These were not his first, nor his last, groundbreaking achievements in tennis. In 1963, he was the first Black player selected for the US Davis Cup team and, so far, he has been the only Black man to win the singles titles at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open.
Up until 1968, the US National Championship events were held at a variety of locations and only open to amateurs. When it became the US Open, it was open to professionals as well as to amateurs — which is what Arthur Ashe was at the time. In fact, he was the underdog, going up against a professional. He was also active duty, during a war — his younger brother Johnnie accepted an extra tour in Vietnam, which allowed him to compete since the United States had a policy against sending brothers into a war zone. First Lieutenant Ashe’s amateur status meant that his prize money went to the runner up.
“‘Money makes me happy.’ Who would make such a crass remark? I did, in my book Portrait in Motion, written with Frank DeFord. But the truth is that I’m glad I have enough money to live comfortably, and I enjoyed adding to my bank account as I earned money on the tennis court and in various business deals when I was a professional. I was not born poor, but my father was hardly rich. I long ago decided that, on the whole, I much prefer having money to not having it. In that sense, it makes me happy.
On the other hand, I also learned a long time ago what money can and cannot do for me. From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.”
— quoted from “6. The Striving and Achieving” in Days of Grace: A Memoir by Arthur Ashe and Arnold Rampersad
Arthur Ashe was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame (in 1979), the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Hall of Fame (in 1983), and the International Tennis Hall of Fame (in 1985). In 1975, he received the inaugural Player of the Year Award from the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and was named the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year. In 1977, other players on the ATP-tour awarded him the ATP Sportsmanship Award. In December 1992, just a few months before he died, he received the “Sports Legend” Award from the American Sportscasters Association. In 1993, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s George Thomas “Mickey” Leland Award, and ATP’s Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year Award by the ATP. He was also an author and an Emmy Award winner. In 1997, the newly constructed Arthur Ashe Stadium became the largest venue at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, home of the US Open. “Soul in Flight,” a statue sculpted by Eric Fishl, was unveiled in 2000 as a memorial to Arthur Ashe and to the spirit of sportsmanship and humanitarianism that he embodied. In 2005, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp in his honor.
Throughout his career, Arthur Ashe was an activist. He was part of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States and also part of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. He also advocated for Haitian refugees and was a campaign chairman for the American Heart Association. In 1983, he contracted HIV after a blood transfusion during heart bypass surgery and, when he announced his diagnosis in April of 1992, he became a very public HIV/AIDS advocate and educator. He also founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS and the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health.
“Perhaps my favorite prayer-poem by Howard Thurman is ‘The Threads In My Hand.’ The speaker of the poem says that he holds only one end of a number of threads, which come to him from ‘many ways, linking my life with others.’ Some threads come from the sick and troubled, some from the dreaming and ambitious; still others are knotted beyond the speaker’s power to understand and unravel. But one thread is different from all others:
One thread is a strange thread—it is my steadying thread;
When I am lost, I pull it hard and find my way.
When I am saddened, I tighten my grip and gladness glides along its quivering path;
When the waste places of my spirit appear in arid confusion,
the thread becomes a channel of newness in life.
One thread is a strange thread—it is my steadying thread.
God’s hand holds the other end…”
— quoted from “10. The Threads in My Hands” in Days of Grace: A Memoir by Arthur Ashe and Arnold Rampersad
In chapter 10 of Days of Grace: A Memoir, Arthur Ashe described himself as “a fortunate, blessed man… [with] no problems” — aside from two really major health problems. Those two health problems were not the one’s most commonly associated with tennis players. In fact, neither Arthur Ashe nor Althea Gibson seemed to have dealt with the one of the health issues most commonly associated with a non-contact sports like tennis: “tennis elbow” — which is a bit of misnomer. While 50% of tennis players report elbow pain — 75% of which is considered true “tennis elbow” — tennis players only make up about 10% of all the cases of nationwide. In other words, you can have “tennis elbow” even if you’ve never played tennis. It’s simply a repetitive stress issue. So, if you do certain movements repeatedly, without stability, you could end up with tendonitis or tendinosis. Tennis, even when done on a table, is very asymmetrical; making unilateral stability a priority.
But, neither of these record-breaking seemed to have a problem with tendonitis or tendinosis. Unfortunately and ironically, Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe both had cardiovascular issues.
Two cerebral hemorrhages, in the late 1980s, a stroke in 1992, and related medical expenses left Althea Gibson in dire straits. No help was forthcoming when she reached out to various tennis organizations; however, Angela Buxton, her former doubles partner, was able to engage the tennis community and raised nearly $1 million in donations from around the world. In 2003, she suffered a heart attack and then, later that year, died from complications related to respiratory and bladder infections.
Arthur Ashe had a family history of cardiovascular disease and was 36 years old when he suffered his first heart attack in 1979. His heart was in such bad condition, despite his athleticism, that he needed a quadruple bypass. A few months later, he had to delay his return to tennis, because of chest pains. In 1983, he had a second bypass surgery — which is when it is believed he contracted HIV. Paralysis in his right arm led to a battery of tests, exploratory brain surgery, and the HIV diagnosis. Due to the stigma associated with HIV and AIDS, Arthur Ashe and his wife initially decided that the best way to protect their young daughter was by not publicly disclosing his diagnosis. In the fall of 1992, he had a second heart attack and learned that a newspaper was planning to release his diagnosis. A few months later, in 1993, he died from AIDS-related pneumonia.
“By the time you read this letter from me to you for the first time, I may not be around to discuss with you what I have written here. Perhaps I will still be with you and your mother, sharing in your daily lives, in your joys and in your sorrows. However, I may be gone. You would doubtless be sad that I am gone, and remember me clearly for a while. Then I will exist only as a memory already beginning to fade in your mind. Although it is natural for memories to fade, I am writing this letter in the hope that your recollection of me will never fade completely.”
— quoted from “11. My Dear Camera” in Days of Grace: A Memoir by Arthur Ashe and Arnold Rampersad
As I mentioned before, I grew up as the non-playing member of a tennis-loving family. Most of the time I didn’t mind not playing tennis, because I was absorbed in other things. I loved other things. There was one time, however, when I was really grateful that I didn’t play — and so were my parents.
It was during a time when we were living in the Maryland-D.C. area, late 70s or early 80s. If memory serves me2 — and if I go by the 1981 publication date of Off the Court — I was probably have been as old as 12 or 13. Either way, I was small (spoiler alert: I have always been small). Since I wasn’t playing in the tournament, I wasn’t restricted to certain areas the way my brothers were restricted. So, my parents lifted me over the fence with a copy of Arthur Ashe’s autobiography. Being the man that he was, he didn’t hesitate to sign it.
It was a very memorable day that I will never forget, but, to him, it was: “Just another day at the office…”
“…he told the Baltimore Sun’s Jim Caffrey[,] ‘I never get too excited about winning anything; it’s just my philosophy of life.’”
— quoted from the August 13, 2017, Andscape (“#RememberWhensdays”) article, “The day Arthur Ashe became the first black man to win the US Open: Ashe earned the top ranking in the country with the five-set victory” by Rhiannon Walker
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “08252021 Love from Althea & Arthur”]
NOTES: 1The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), also known as the All England Club, is a private members’ club in Wimbledon, London, England. Established on July 23, 1868, the majority of the nearly 600 members are are Full Members — who, along with Life Members and Honorary Members, make up no more than 500 members. A little over 50 members are Temporary Members of Junior Temporary Members.
To be placed on the waiting list, full and temporary membership candidates must submit an application with formal letters of support from four existing full members, “two of whom must have known the applicant for at least three years.” While some honorary members are occasionally elected by the club’s committee, “past [Wimbledon] Singles Champions, other eminent Lawn Tennis players…” are typically (and automatically) invited to become honorary members. While Black players and Jewish players were theoretically eligible to join the club in 1951 and 1952, respectively, neither Althea Gibson nor her doubles partner Angela Buxton (who retired at the age of 22, because of tenosynovitis) ever made the cut.
2In July 2025, my father randomly texted me about getting Arthur Ashe’s autograph. He remembered it being on a program, which would have made me a lot younger than the age I remembered.
CORRECTION: During the 2024 practice, I referred to Arthur Ashe as a photographer; however, I was confusing him with his wife, the photographer and graphic artist Jeanne Moutoussamy.
Extreme heat can not only make people lethargic and unmotivated, it can also lead to extreme agitation and anxiety-based fear. We may find it hard to think, hard to feel (or process our feelings), and/or hard to control our impulses. If you are struggling in the US, help is available just by dialing 988.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing the Dormition (Theotokos) Fast; and/or working to cultivate friendship, peace, freedom, understanding, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside) — on the International Day Against Intolerance, Discrimination, & Violence Based on Musical Preference.
Stay hydrated & be kind, y’all!
“. . . the great aim of every human being is to understand the meaning of total love. Love is not to be found in someone else, but in ourselves; we simply awaken it. But in order to do that, we need the other person.”
— quoted from Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho (b. 1947)
Click on the first excerpt title below to “meet” Sophie Lancaster and the second excerpt title for a mini-post about Paulo Coelho.
“During the long hours at hospital, Sylvia decided that when Sophie was better, they would go into schools and talk to young people about difference, and how it is ok to be who you are and express yourself in your own way. Sadly, Sylvia never got a chance to do this with Sophie.”
— quoted from the “Welcome” page for the Sophie Lancaster Foundation
Please join me today (Saturday, August 17th) 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 available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “08242021 A Day for SOPHIE”]
Extreme heat can not only make people lethargic and unmotivated, it can also lead to extreme agitation and anxiety-based fear. We may find it hard to think, hard to feel (or process our feelings), and/or hard to control our impulses. If you are struggling in the US, help is available just by dialing 988.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
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.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing the Dormition (Theotokos) Fast (and the Second “Feast of the Saviour” in August) and/or exploring friendship, peace, freedom, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside).
Stay hydrated & be kind, y’all!
This is a post-practice post related to the practice on Monday, August 19th.The 2024 prompt question was, “What is a television show that you previously and/or currently watch that informs (or informed) your world view?” This post contains spoilers (in the last paragraph before the excerpts) related to a 1989 television show.You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
“Captain’s log, supplemental. We are holding position pending the arrival of Admiral Haftel from Starfleet Research. Commander Data is completing his final neural transfers to the android he has named Lal which I have learned, in the language Hindi, means beloved.”
— quoted from Star Trek Deep: Next Generation, “The Offspring” – (season 3, episode 16, aired March 12, 1990), voiced by Sir Patrick Stewart (OBE) as Captain Jean-Luc Picard
As noted in the posts excerpted at the end of this post, August 19th is the anniversary of the birth of birth Philo T. Farnsworth (b. 1906) and Gene Roddenberry (b. 1901). The former was an American inventor who revolutionized television; the latter revolutionized what we watch on television. In previous years, a couple of obvious thematic elements from the August 18th practice extended into the August 19th practice: the idea of exploring space(s) and the benefits of exploring and encountering different cultures. However, there was an underlying element that I never really emphasized (in either class): languages.
Sure, I often reference the fact that our minds and bodies communicate in the language of sensation and I have been known to joke that, in the absence of a universal translator, we have to study that language of sensation. But, I never really got into the fact that people can’t really “have their say” if they are speaking in a language that is not understood. Nor did I really get into the fact that television exposed more people to more languages and that certain television shows and movies (like those in the Star Trek franchise) exposed more people to the importance of speaking other languages — specifically, the respect that is communicated when we literally and figuratively/physically “Holchaj yIjatlh. (Speak in their language).”
This oversight is super ironic when you consider how much I love languages and how often I talk about shabda (“word”), which is the power “to give a form to sound, assign meaning to each segment of sound, and to store both sound and meaning in memory….[and] the capacity to communicate both sound and its meaning to others. We also have the capacity to give a visual form to each segment of sound and the meaning associated with it.” Furthermore, I often point out that shabda is also the power related to visual words, i. e., written words, symbols, and sign language. However, it wasn’t until I saw the Google Doodle dedicated to Dorothy “Dot” Miles (née Squire) that I started to think about the limitations of universal translators in the Star Trek franchise… and, since we’re being real, in their current day iterations.1
“Her sister Gwenda (Wendy) wrote about her birth…, ‘I remember the day Dorothy was born and I knew exactly how she got there! The Irwin’s van brought her along with the groceries….’”
— quoted from “A Word from the Miles Estate” – provided to the Google site by the Dorothy Miles Estate, written by Liz Deverill (Dorothy’s niece)
Born in Holywell, Flintshire, Wales on August 19, 1931, Dorothy “Dot” Miles (née Squire) was a Welsh poet and activist in the Deaf community. She contracted meningococcal (also known as cerebrospinal) meningitis and lost her hearing when she was 8 years old. Even though she was the youngest of five (surviving children), born in a small market town in Wales, she was able to attend the Royal School for the Deaf (now known as Seashell Trust) in Stockport, Greater Manchester, North West England, and the Mary Hare School in Newbury, Berkshire, England. When she was 25, a British non-profit’s scholarship enabled her to attend Gallaudet College in Washington, D. C. — and it was there that her early love of music, theatre, and words really shined.
In addition to being a member of the Gallaudet’s honor society (as a junior) and being listed in the 1961 edition of “Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities,” Dot Miles edited student magazines, wrote prize-winning poetry and prose, won prizes for her acting, and got married (and separated). She also wrote Gallaudet’s “Bison Song” and a poem called “Language for the Eye” — which inspired the 2024 Google Doodle illustrated by Korean American storyteller Youmee Lee (who is also deaf). After graduating with her bachelor’s degree and working as a teacher and counselor for deaf adults, Ms. Miles joined the National Theatre of the Deaf (NTD), in 1967, where she worked in wardrobe and as a script translator. She also wrote poetry (for deaf and hearing audiences) and worked with NTD’s Little Theatre of the Deaf, which produced shows for children and teenagers. She eventually attended Connecticut College — where she wrote her Master’s thesis about deaf theatre in the United States — and then (briefly) moved to Los Angeles.
When she returned to the UK, in 1977, Dot Miles started working in television. She worked with Open Door, which was produced by the BBC’s Community Programme Unit, and performed her poem “Language for the Eye” on the May 10, 1979, episode presented by National Union of the Deaf. She also helped develop the BBC’s See Hear series and, along with Terry Ruane (who also lost his hearing due to a childhood bout of some form of meningitis) wrote specials for the series. In addition to her work in the arts, Dot Miles worked with the British Deaf Association (BDA), helped establish the Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People (CACDP) and compiled teaching manuals and a BDA dictionary.
After her death, people near and dear to her formed the Dorothy Miles Cultural Centre, now known as Dot Sign Language, which “continues to bridge the gap between the Deaf and the hearing world…. [and] is dedicated to raising both Deaf awareness and the profile of BSL as a language in its own right.” In honor of Dot Miles and her work, the seaside resort town of Rhyl (in Flintshire) placed a Purple Plaque (Welsh: Placiau Porffor) on the poet’s childhood home (in April 2024), declaring her one of the “Menywod Nodedig Yng Nghymru / Remarkable Women of Wales.”
“…people meet and part. The word becomes the action in this language of the heart.”
— quoted from the English translation of the poem “Language for the Eye” by Dorothy Miles
As far as I can tell, Dot Miles was a polyglot who knew four languages: Welsh, English, British Sign Language (BSL), and American Sign Language (ASL). Since she was interested in languages and theatre — and in sharing her poetry with people who used different languages — it would not surprise me to learn that she knew about the hundreds of other sign languages and dialects (even if she didn’t know them). There are, in fact, about 300 sign languages used around the world. This includes some (but not all) language families, like the French Sign Language Family, and the languages therein — like French Sign Language, Italian Sign Language, Quebec Sign Language, American Sign Language, Irish Sign Language, Russian Sign Language, Dutch Sign Language (NGT), Spanish Sign Language, Mexican Sign Language, Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS), Catalan Sign Language, Ukrainian Sign Language, Austrian Sign Language (along with its twin Hungarian Sign Language and its offspring Czech Sign Language) and others. That estimate also includes some (but not all) dialects and some village languages, as well as some Deaf-community and school languages. I am not sure if that estimate includes any speech-taboo languages2; but, suffice to say, there are a lot of sign languages. And, knowing one does not mean that you can use the other; any more than knowing one romance language means you can completely understand another.
And, getting back to my earlier point, the universal translators in Star Trek do not translate sign language.
“WOMAN: Precisely. Our way of communicating has developed over the centuries and its one that I find quite harmonious.
PICARD: Then Riva the mediator —
WOMAN: Is deaf.
PICARD: Deaf?
WOMAN: Born, and hope to die.
PICARD: And the three of you speak for him?
CHORUS: Yes.
SCHOLAR: We serve as translators. We convey not only his thoughts, but his emotional intent as well. I am the Scholar. I represent the intellect, and speak in matters of judgement, philosophy, logic. Also, I am the dreamer, the part that longs to see the beauty beyond the truth which is always the first duty of art. I am the poet who —
ADONIS: Artists, they tend to ramble, neglect the moment. I am passion, the libido. I am the anarchy of lust, the romantic and the lover. I am also the warrior, the perfect line which never wavers.
WOMAN: I am that which binds all the others together. I am harmony, wisdom, balance.
PICARD: Remarkable. And so these —
(Riva steps forward, angry)
SCHOLAR: Speak to me!
PICARD: What?
SCHOLAR: Speak directly to me.
PICARD: The uniqueness of this presentation provoked this inadvertent breach in protocol. No insult was intended.
SCHOLAR: Then none is perceived.”
— quoted from Star Trek Deep: Next Generation, “Loud as a Whisper” – (season 2, episode 5, aired January 9, 1989), conversation between Captain Jean-Luc Picard (played by Sir Patrick Stewart, OBE), Riva (played by Howie Seago), and the Chorus (played by Marnie Mosiman as Woman/That Which Binds Them, Thomas Oglesby as Scholar/Dreamer/Artist, and Leo Damian as Passion/Warrior)
While the universal translators in Star Trek only translate spoken languages — and, even then, only “known” languages — a sign language is a very important plot element in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode entitled, “Loud as a Whisper.” The episode features Riva, a peace negotiator/ambassador who is deaf and so good at his job that (prior to this episode) the Klingons added a new word to their vocabulary: peacemaker. Riva knows a sign language, however, he travels with his own personal Greek chorus who are connected to him telepathically. They are known as “the scholar, the warrior, and that which binds them [woman].”SPOILER ALERT: When something happens to the Riva’s chorus, someone has to step in to learn the sign language — because, again, the universal translators only work with spoken words.
More importantly, communication needs to be as seamless as possible in order to negotiate peace.
Click on the excerpt titles below for the 2020 post and the 2023 note related to Philo T. Farnsworth and Gene Roddenberry.
“RIKER: So none of the background which we have provided would be helpful in understanding why they continue to fight?
SCHOLAR: The portfolio will indicate that the conflict is over a piece of land, or wealth, or some other tangible asset. But we both know that is not the case.
RIKER: They’ve been at war for so long, it has become personal.
SCHOLAR: Exactly. The basis for peace must also be personal….”
— quoted from Star Trek Deep: Next Generation, “Loud as a Whisper” – (season 2, episode 5, aired January 9, 1989), conversation between First Officer William T. Riker (played by Jonathan Frakes), Riva (played by Howie Seago), and the Chorus (played by Thomas Oglesby as Scholar/Dreamer/Artist, Marnie Mosiman as Woman/That Which Binds Them, and Leo Damian as Passion/Warrior)
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
The “Courage filled” playlist used in previous years is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “08192020 To Boldly Go with Courage”]
1 Google Translate and related apps are the closest things we (currently) have to a universal translator. Obviously, they do not allow us to hear someone else’s words as if they are speaking in the language of our choice; however, they can be voice activated and can play a recording of words typed (or pasted) into the app. There are apps that translate (into and out of) a variety of sign languages — however, they are not standard to (i.e., built into) cell phones like Google Translate and the iPhone’s Translate.
2 According to Wikipedia, speech-taboo languages “are developed by the hearing community and only used secondarily by the deaf.”
Dorothy Miles struggled with her mental health. Sadly, she was not able to receive help when she needed it most. If you are struggling in the US, help is available just by dialing 988.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
CORRECTION & 2024 UPDATE: There are currently twelve Star Trek television series, thirteen feature films (with additional ones already in development or production), an extensive collection of books, games, and toys – not to mention college curriculum and language courses.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone observing the Dormition (Theotokos) Fast, and/or communicating friendship, peace, freedom, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside).
Stay hydrated & be kind, y’all!
“16. Hence whatever is obtainable by anyone at any time, is often missed and lost sight of by either his ignorance or negligence of it; as the precious gem in the parable, which was proffered and lay palpable in full view.”
— quoted from (Book 6) “CHAPTER LXXXVIII. The Tale of the crystal Gem. (Argument:—The slipping of a precious stone in ignorance, and picking of a glossy glass in view of it.)” in The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki (translated by Vihari-Lala Mitra)
Every day, we make decisions based on decisions and experiences from previous days. Sometimes we don’t even think about whether or not we could have made a decision other than the one we made. Other times we weigh the pros and cons of several options — without really considering what may be outside of our a “space of possibility.”
Of course, what is outside of our purview is outside of our control. So, we make the decisions we know we can make and then we can make “gold” from that. For instance, today in 1896, a family staked four claims that would kick off the Klondike Gold Rush. The discovery claims, however, were not staked in the name of the person who found the gold. Instead, they were staked in the name of the only member of the family whose stake (the family believed) would not be challenged for racist (or, possibly racist and misogynistic) reasons.
Click on the excerpt title below to discover how Keish/Skookum Jim (also known as Jim Mason) created a little bit of alchemy for his descendants and what happened to his sister Kate Carmack, their nephew Dawson Charlie, and Kate’s husband George Washington Carmack after they found gold.
Please join me today (Saturday, August 17th) 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 available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “08172021 A Little More Alchemy”]
Extreme heat can not only make people lethargic and unmotivated, it can also lead to extreme agitation and anxiety-based fear. We may find it hard to think, hard to feel (or process our feelings), and/or hard to control our impulses. If you are struggling in the US, help is available just by dialing 988.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
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.
CORRECTION: I misspoke during today’s practice and said “Lower 48.” Since there were not 48 states until 1912, I should have said “Lower 45” or “contiguous United States.”
Many blessings to everyone on National Navajo Code Talkers Day and especially to anyone connected to the service, observing the Dormition (Theotokos) Fast, and/or communicating friendship, peace, freedom, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside).
Stay hydrated & be kind, y’all!
“They [Code talkers] came, ironically, from government and parochial schools that forbade them to speak their mother tongue and where they were expected to become Americanized through severe forms of assimilation and punishment meant to erase Indigenous identity and languages. Eradicating Native languages has resulted in the systematic loss of Indigenous languages throughout the United States since colonization began.”
“They returned home without fanfare to continued poverty, lack of economic opportunity, and nonexistent voting rights yet persevered and overcame obstacles that helped change the Navajo Nation and their communities. Approximately 461 Navajo Marines served as code talkers, with 13 killed in action. Upon their discharge, the code talkers swore to never reveal their role in case the code would be needed again. My family and the descendants knew nothing of the unique service the code talkers gave until 1968, when the code was declassified, and the public learned of what my father and the code talkers accomplished through their bravery, resilience, and ingenuity. A language once forbidden became a weapon that was quick, accurate, and never deciphered. Most important, it saved many American lives.”
— quoted from the Humanities (Summer 2022, Volume 43, Number 3) article “Code Talkers Were America’s Secret Weapon in World War II” by Laura Tohe, PhD (daughter of Code Talker Benson Tohe)
Please join me today (Wednesday, August 14th) 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 available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “08142022 Words That Saved Many”]
Musical Note: This is the remix that includes compositions by Pulitzer Prize winner Raven Chacon. With the exception of the seventeenth track and the final track, all the music on the playlist features musicians and/or groups recognized by the Native American Music Awards (NAMA), which awards “Nammy’s” for styles of music associated with Native Americans and First Nations and to nominees who are Native American or when at least one member in a group or band is from a State for Federally recognized tribe. Most of the songs feature people who have been inducted into the Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame or have been awarded NAMA Lifetime Achievement Awards. Some songs simply won a Nammy (or two). To my knowledge, I only covered ten (maybe eleven) nations. I wanted to include “One World (We Are One)” – which is the result of a collaboration between Taboo, IllumiNative and Mag 7 – but the song was not available on Spotify.
Extreme heat (and traumatic events) can not only make people lethargic and unmotivated, they can also lead to extreme agitation and anxiety-based fear. We may find it hard to think, hard to feel (or process our feelings), and/or hard to control our impulses. If you are struggling in the US, help is available just by dialing 988.
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
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.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone travelling the road(s) with friendship, peace, freedom, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside).
Stay hydrated & be kind, y’all!
“… my husband bought me a Maxwell roadster. There were scarcely half a dozen persons we knew driving motor cars, but nothing daunted, I took a couple of lessons and was ready to go. The still-young motor industry proved itself by indulging in what were known as ‘endurance runs,’ in two of which we participated. ‘We’ does not include my husband, for I had elected to spend my married life with a non-mechanical and non-travel-loving man, who ventured far from home only for fishing or hunting! His dread of the new contraption was clear when, with each new car we owned he look just one ride, and always asked, ‘How do you stop this thing?’
However, he was always magnanimous in his point of view toward me. When it came about, late in 1908, that a motor trip to the Pacific Coast was suggested by Carl Kelsey, then Sales Manager of the Maxwell-Briscoe Company, the proposal had considerable lure as we discussed it among the feminine members of the family. The journey had been made—though by men only—why not by us?
Now as I think back 53 years I honestly believe the really brave ones were the husband who trusted in my ability, after only a year’s experience at the wheel, and the three companions who put themselves in my hands to cross that long and little-known stretch of miles. It was not a comedy enacted, and there were many episodes to try our courage, but the challenge of each new day and the determination to drive every inch of the way, in spite of some advices to the contrary, finally brought us triumphantly to our goal in San Francisco.”
— quoted from the article “Veil, Duster, and Tire Iron” by Alice Huyler Ramsey, ’07 (excerpted from the book of the same name and printed in Vassar Quarterly, Volume XLVII, Number 5, 1 June 1962)
Please join me today (Wednesday, August 7th) 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 available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “08072021 The Turtle’s Secret to Moving Meditation”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is a new app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
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.
Many blessings to everyone and especially to anyone cultivating friendship, peace, freedom, and wisdom — especially when it gets hot (inside and outside). Stay hydrated, y’all!
This is a post-practice post related to the practice on Monday, August 5th.The 2024 prompt question was, “How long is your longest, ongoing friendship with someone perceived as being very different from you?”You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra(at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
“No man can read a fine author, and relish him to his very bones, while he reads, without subsequently fancying to himself some ideal image of the man and his mind. And if you rightly look for it, you will almost always find that the author himself has somewhere furnished you with his own picture. For poets (whether in prose or verse), being painters of Nature, are like their brethren of the pencil, the true portrait-painters, who, in the multitude of likenesses to be sketched, do not invariably omit their own; and in all high instances, they paint them without any vanity, though, at times, with a lurking something, that would take several pages to properly define.”
— quoted from “Hawthorne and His Mosses” [a review of the Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story collection, Mosses from an Old Manse] by Herman Melville, published pseudonymously by “a Virginian Spending July in Vermont” (as printed in The Literary World on August 17 and 24, 1850)
As I mentioned a little over a month ago, friendship is highly regarded in the Eastern philosophies. The Buddha described sangha (“community”) as one of the three jewels; in other words, it is something of great value. In Yoga and Sāmkhya, two of the six Indian philosophies, the ability to “cultivate a good heart” (i.e., make friends) is so valued it is considered a great power that all humans possess. An underlying element to that discussion, and similar discussions about friendship, is how much easier it is to cultivate a friendship when the people involved are in close proximity and share similar backgrounds (as well as similar expectations).
All that is not to say that it’s impossible to make friends with someone who is different from you. However, consider how much easier it is to connect with someone when you can (literally) see yourself in their visage and when you share the same interests, the same passions, the same vocations and occupations — not to mention similar traumas — and have enough time to discover those similarities. This is exactly what happened when Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne met on August 5,1850, just a few days after Mr. Melville’s 31st birthday.
“I submit it, then, to those best acquainted with the man personally, whether the following is not Nathaniel Hawthorne,–to to himself, whether something involved in it does not express the temper of this mind,–that lasting temper of all true, candid men–a seeker, not a finder yet:–
A man now entered, in neglected attire, with the aspect of a thinker, but somewhat too rough-hewn and brawny for a scholar. His face was full of sturdy vigor, with some finer and keener attribute beneath; though harsh at first, it was tempered with the glow of a large, warm heart, which had force enough to heat his powerful intellect through and through. He advanced to the Intelligencer, and looked at him with a glance of such stern sincerity, that perhaps few secrets were beyond its scope.”
— quoted from “Hawthorne and His Mosses” [a review of the Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story collection, Mosses from an Old Manse] by Herman Melville, published pseudonymously by “a Virginian Spending July in Vermont” (as printed in The Literary World on August 17 and 24, 1850)
The authors were part of a small group planning to picnic on the top of Monument Mountain in the Berkshires. When a thunderstorm sent the group rushing into a cave for shelter, the two writers had time to talk: time to talk about their love of literature, writing, and the sea. Perhaps they also had time to discuss the fact that they both lost their fathers when they were young. Mr. Hawthorne’s father died when the author was 4, and Mr. Melville’s when he was 13 (although the latter felt his father’s emotional absence long before his father’s death). Maybe they even discussed their decisions to change the spelling of their surnames. (Although that is highly unlikely.)
Mr. Hawthorne was a bit older (at forty-six) and had already worked for the U. S. Customs Service, for which Mr. Melville would also work a few years after their meeting. Additionally, they were in a community of writers and already familiar with each others work. In fact, they had reviewed each others work. So, their meeting was not impossible or improbable. Neither was it impossible that Nathaniel Hawthorne invited Herman Melville to spend more time in the Berkshires. In fact, given all the other factors, it was possible, even probable, that they would decide to live near each other and cultivate a very deep and close friendship for about two years. It is also not that surprising that, during those two years, they were both very prolific as writers and wrote (and/or published) some of their most popular works.
But, what if they lived on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean? You know, long before the internet. What if they spoke different languages and had different (cultural) experiences? Although the probability would have been smaller, it is still possible that they could have appreciated each other’s work. It’s even possible that one could have offered the other a symbolic token of friendship, as Herman Melville did when he dedicated Moby Dick, or The Whale: “In Token of My Admiration for his Genius, This Book is Inscribed to Nathanial [sic] Hawthorne.” While not as probable, it would have been possible — especially when we consider an even grander symbolic token of friendship traveled across the ocean about 35 years after the writers met. And, the people involved in that transatlantic friendship overcame what seemed like an impossible obstacle.
The cornerstone of the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal was placed on a rainy Bedloe’s Island on August 5, 1884.
Click on the excerpt title below to discover why Lady Liberty and Mrs. Gertrude E. Rush (born today in 1880) are today’s “impossible people.”
“Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.”
— quoted from the poem “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
The 2023 playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “06172020 The Lady’s Power”]
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.
###
A Joyful Practice 